The air traffic controllers of the future earn twice as much

SkyGuide air traffic control’s training allowance will be more than doubled to attract young professionals. Instead of CHF 2,400, students will receive CHF 5,000 in the future.

In the future, anyone training to become an air traffic controller at SkyGuide will receive more than twice the salary of their predecessors during their training. Skyguide is increasing the training allowance from CHF 2,400 to CHF 5,000 per month. This is reported by various CH media newspapers. This is because of the imminent shortage of staff in air traffic control.

Apprenticeship positions are not all filled

Skyguide boss Alex Bristol told CH Media that there should be enough air traffic controllers available by next summer. After that, as in the whole of Europe, it will be important. Skyguide trains 50 students per year. Not all places have been filled for the upcoming training year that begins in September.

“Dipl. Air Traffic Control Officer HF” lasts two and a half years and requires a high school diploma or apprenticeship. Students must also not be over 30 years of age. While other students pay for their own training In addition, in the first year they now earn CHF 4,000 instead of the previous CHF 2,400, after which it is CHF 5,000.

The air traffic controller was to blame for the disaster

However, the job also comes with a lot of responsibility. Any mistake can end in disaster. For example in Berlingen, Germany in 2002. A passenger plane collided with a cargo plane more than eleven kilometers above Lake Constance. All 71 passengers, including 41 children, died.

It was later revealed that technical faults and human errors in the Skyguide caused the accident. There is currently an air traffic controller at the Zurich Control Center who is solely responsible for southern Germany’s airspace and whose radar and telephone functions are limited due to maintenance work. The man realizes too late that an accident is imminent.

The erring pilot was stabbed to death by a bereaved relative in 2004. The criminal had lost his wife and children in the accident. Both the accident and the subsequent killing of the air traffic controller made headlines around the world.

breakdown trigger flight chaos

The breakup of SkyGuide last month also made headlines, though it was of a completely different kind. The operations came to a standstill on the morning of 15 June due to a technical snag. The result was a total failure of air traffic control and a temporary closure of Swiss airspace.

Skyguide celebrates a big anniversary

SkyGuide can now look back at the company’s long history. Swiss air traffic control has been around for 100 years. It was originally founded as Marconi Radio AG to develop wireless telegraphy. Six years later it became Radio Schweize AG, where it was commissioned by the federal government to handle air traffic control. The Swiss Confederation-owned company has only had the Skyguide name for 20 years.