It was an atypical day when The Royal Gazette set out yesterday to interview Airport Air Traffic Controllers about a typical day on the job.

With winds gusting up to 75kph and the Causeway to the St. George’s and St. David’s Islands — where the Bermuda International Airport is located — closed for five hours, grounding and delaying flights, it was far from business as usual at Air Traffic Control.

But as ATC Operations Supervisor Antoinette Foggo made clear, the last thing anyone needs is an air traffic controller who expects business as usual.

The job is not for the light of heart or scattered of brain, she said, it requires professionals able to act on a moment’s notice.

While speaking to The Royal Gazette, Ms Foggo was constantly fielding calls updating her on the status of the Causeway.

“I will have to let some of the controllers go home because they live on the other side of the Causeway and you guys should get going soon too,” she warned.

With the tower rattling from the gusts, little motivation was needed to get this Royal Gazette>reporter and the photographer to cross the Causeway before lockdown began at 1.30 p.m.

But in their typically efficient way, the air traffic controllers managed to give an overview of life on the job before we made our hasty departure.

An air traffic controller’s day begins as early as 6.30 a.m. with a checklist for equipment, the overnight flight log, the radio frequency and to confirm connection to other Airport services.

“We may not have the volume of other airports, but that doesn’t mean it is any less stressful,” Ms Foggo said.

“We have to be abreast of all the changes in requirements and, therefore, we have a monthly exam because if you don’t use the information, you’ll lose it.”

The physical and mental endurance of an Air Traffic Controller is tested on a daily basis and every year the controller must renew his or her licence, which requires a complete physical and an extensive exam.

The Air Traffic Control Tower, however, has not always been in Bermudian hands. When the US Base was stationed in Bermuda, the Americans ran the tower.

In 1995, the responsibility for the tower transferred to the Bermuda Government and Canadian controllers were brought in to train Bermudians.

By 1996, however, Bermudians were sufficiently qualified to run the tower.

Now Bermudians are sent to Civil Aviation Authority approved schools in the UK for about three months and then return to Bermuda for practical training. One thing many residents may not know, however, is that part of the airport transfer agreement left radar reading as New York’s responsibility and any flight that wishes to leave Bermuda requires New York approval.

Coverage for 200 miles means New York can easily handle flights once they leave Bermuda’s airspace on their way to either the US or Europe.

Bermuda’s airspace is Class D because it only extends up 2,500 feet and within a five square mile radius from the geographical centre of the Airport.

Jamie Sapsford, Air Traffic Control Services Manager, said: “Class D is an FAA Classification depending on the aircraft that use the airspace and, all the aircraft that do use the airspace, have to conform to particular radio signals.”

And Bermuda’s Airport is getting busier.

“Most of the air traffic for the Airport is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., but it is starting to get later till about 4 or 5 p.m. because we are getting later flights now,” said Ms Foggo.

“During the peak period we have two controllers on duty. One is the local controller, who is responsible for all arriving and departing aircraft into Bermuda and issues landing clearances, departure clearances and provides weather information.

“They will also provide weather information to flights flying over Bermuda.

“The other controller is the ground controller who is in charge of any vehicles on the runway, giving taxi instructions and route clearances to aircraft departing Bermuda.”

Emergency situations — such as a diverted airline, a hurricane or the situation during the September 11, 2001 terrorist hijackings to New York, Washington DC and Pennsylvania — begin with a pager call out from New York to RCC Bermuda Radio which relayed it to Air Traffic Control, the Fire Department, Department of Airport Operations and the Weather Service.

The managers of all the departments will liaise and decide who responds to a call.

During September 11, traffic at the Airport was brisk but not overwhelming.

Mr. Sapsford said: “We had 14 diversions mainly coming from Europe. Canada was the other destination for aircraft, but the emergency situation also meant we didn’t get the regular traffic so it wasn’t the busiest day.”

The work day for an air traffic controller ends at 11 p.m. when they will move through yet another checklist before turning over responsibility to New York, which is able to activate the lights and emergency services.

But, as days can never be relied upon to be typical, there is emergency housing near the Airport for air traffic controllers, who may be called upon to remain in the tower for up to two days in emergency situations such as hurricanes.