Behind the Scenes

Last December, I shot my first ILS approach. My father and I were out in the practice area doing some air work west of Miami. Hes a CFII and offered to walk me through a practice approach back into Tamiami airport.

tkarmer

Monday, December 15, 2014 at 12:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The author's personal experience flying an ILS approach as an air traffic controller provided a new appreciation for the mental effort pilots expend, highlighting the value of understanding both sides of aviation operations.
Air traffic controllers constantly make time-critical judgments, prioritizing tasks like immediate approach clearances over less urgent requests (e.g., reroutes) based on immediate safety and operational flow, a skill central to their training and daily duties.
Amending flight plans, particularly for terminal controllers, is a complex and often manual multi-step process involving specific shorthand and dedicated "Flight Data" personnel, requiring precise teamwork and continuous prioritization based on aircraft urgency and timing.

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Last December, I shot my first ILS approach. My father and I were out in the practice area doing some air work west of Miami. He’s a CFII and offered to walk me through a practice approach back into Tamiami airport.

It was an eye opener. I only have a Private Pilot’s certificate, but as an air traffic controller, I’ve been clearing pilots for ILS approaches for years. Actually doing it? Uh, not so easy.