Unleashing the Mystery: Explore the World of Air Traffic Control at Skeyes Headquarters

2023-10-16 12:30:00

The job of air traffic controller maintains an element of mystery. They make the headlines when they go on strike, but we forget their presence a little when everything is going well. But their role is essential in this giant ballet of planes on the tarmac of an airport, and especially above our heads. We wanted to discover their daily life at the skeyes headquarters, a few meters from the Brussels Airport slopes.

Skeyes is the autonomous Belgian public company responsible for air traffic control, the training of air traffic controllers and technical personnel, and the installation and maintenance of air navigation infrastructure in the area for which Belgium is responsible . The company took this name in 2018 ©cameriere ennio

We first had to go through a security check, but also have a badge that we had to use almost at every door we passed through. To begin, we had an interview with Alain Du Bois, Safety Advisor for this independent public company. We spoke to him regarding this worrying report from the United States: 46 collisions were narrowly avoided in American skies in July 2023 alone. What regarding Belgium? “In 2022, we have not recorded any serious incident in the Belgian sky,” he assures, with supporting reports. You should know that the slightest incident is recorded at skeyes. It might even be a bird hit by a plane, a pilot who seems to have seen a drone or even people who use lasers towards planes.”

Skeyes is the autonomous Belgian public company responsible for air traffic control, the training of air traffic controllers and technical personnel, and the installation and maintenance of air navigation infrastructure in the area for which Belgium is responsible . The company took this name in 2018 ©cameriere ennio

So don’t panic, but that’s why the job of air traffic controller is very regulated. “A day shift lasts 7 hours, but controllers cannot work more than two hours in a row,” explains Peggy Devestel, COO of skeyes, who was an air traffic controller for more than 20 years. The main quality for doing this job is knowing how to keep your cool whatever the circumstances. You also need to know how to quickly translate technical information in a practical way. And then, you have to know how to react quickly and communicate with your colleagues.”

Skeyes is the autonomous Belgian public company responsible for air traffic control, the training of air traffic controllers and technical personnel, and the installation and maintenance of air navigation infrastructure in the area for which Belgium is responsible . The company took this name in 2018 ©cameriere ennio

We were able to visit the two places where air traffic controllers practice their profession. First, we climbed 10 of the 11 floors of the Zaventem airport control tower. Up there, we were able to discover a breathtaking 360-degree view, even if it is the airport tarmac that remains the most important. The top floor is reserved exclusively for air traffic controllers, but the level just below is a carbon copy of the control room. It serves as an emergency area in the event of computer maintenance, for example. Moreover, all the screens were ready for use and we were able to watch the takeoff and landing of several planes which looked very small from above. In this tower, the job is to manage the planes arriving and departing from this airport.

Skeyes is the autonomous Belgian public company responsible for air traffic control, the training of air traffic controllers and technical personnel, and the installation and maintenance of air navigation infrastructure in the area for which Belgium is responsible . The company took this name in 2018 ©cameriere ennio

The other strategic location is in the buildings, in a more cozy atmosphere. No view of the runways, since the CANAC center manages what happens in the sky, following takeoff, but also for the planes that cross our airspace. In this enormous room divided into several geographical zones and an area reserved for military flights, controllers manage everything that happens up to 8 kilometers above our heads.

A job which is therefore highly responsible, and which makes you dream. This is good, skeyes is recruiting. Until October 22, you can send your application. To do this, you must be between 17 and 30 years old, and do not necessarily have a university degree. The training lasts almost 3 years before you officially become an air traffic controller. In total, 28 profiles are sought, registration via the skeyes website.

Skeyes is the autonomous Belgian public company responsible for air traffic control, the training of air traffic controllers and technical personnel, and the installation and maintenance of air navigation infrastructure in the area for which Belgium is responsible . The company took this name in 2018 ©cameriere ennioSkeyes is the autonomous Belgian public company responsible for air traffic control, the training of air traffic controllers and technical personnel, and the installation and maintenance of navigation infrastructure air in the area for which Belgium is responsible. The company took this name in 2018 ©cameriere ennio
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