Air Controllers

General information and access to the profession

The air traffic controller is the person in charge of providing the ATC (Air Traffic Control) service, in Area Control Centers (ACCs), in approach control offices and/or in air control towers. Its main function is to direct the transit of aircraft in the airspace under its responsibility and at airports in a fluid, safe and orderly manner.

Air traffic controllers grant pilots the appropriate authorisations, instructions and information necessary to prevent collisions between aircraft or obstacles in the range of their manoeuvres. It is therefore the person responsible for air traffic control, applying the rules established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and the aeronautical authorities of each country.

How to become an air traffic controller in Spain?

In order to be able to work as an air traffic controller in Spain, you must hold an ATC licence issued by any Member State, in accordance with Regulation 2015/340 of 20 February 2015. If this license is from a country other than Spain, a change of competent authority must be requested to make a license exchange.

_{Download the quick guide with the steps to become an ATC here.}

Phases of the complete process of obtaining the ATC license

To exercise the profession, it is necessary, as a minimum, to obtain the corresponding air traffic control licence (ATC), to comply with the requirements set out in point ATCO.B.005 of Regulation (EU) 2015/340 and to pass the selection processes determined by each supplier.

1. Selective process: Access to the air traffic controller profession is open in both the public and private spheres. Since the liberalisation of the sector in 2010, air traffic service providers (ATS) authorised in Spain may hire controllers to provide their services. ATS service
   
   providers may decide to make this selection process before or after the completion of the initial training. In addition, they may require additional requirements for their procurement, there being substantial differences between access to them. From AESA we recommend consulting the particular conditions of access for the different suppliers.
   
   You can consult the list of certified ATS suppliers, within the list of Companies Certified by AESA in relation to Air Navigation Services.
2. Compliance with basic requirements. In accordance with Legal Standard ATCO.B.001 (b) of Reg. (EU) 2015/340], the following can be highlighted:
   • Be eighteen years old.
   • Be in possession of a valid medical certificate. A Class 3 aeronautical medical certificate is required. The requirements for obtaining such a certificate can be found in Regulation (EU) 2015/340, as well as the limitations and exclusions for its issuance.
     
     You can consult the legal basis and the applicable regulations for the medical evaluation of air traffic controllers, as well as the list of centers certified to perform the reviews in the section "Aeronautical Medicine".
     
     Enquiries related to this area should be directed to the following address: ams.aesa@seguridadaerea.es
   • Have demonstrated an adequate level of language proficiency. It will be necessary to accredit a level of English and, in this case, Spanish, equivalent to at least an operational level 4 ICAO. All this in accordance with Regulation 2015/340.
     
     Consult the Language Competence Assessment Centres approved by AESA.
   • Have successfully completed initial training in a certified training organisation. You can consult the list of Companies Certified by AESA in relation to the ATS Training.
     
     The school must be accessed to carry out the desired training itinerary, which consists of 2 parts:
     
     a) Basic initial training: for the most part theoretical, common for all students air traffic controllers.
     
     b) Initial qualification training: with theoretical part and part in simulator.
     
     Depending on the courses taken, the following ratings / rating ratings will be obtained:
     
     a) Aerodrome Control (ADC), with the rating endorsement Aerodrome Control Surveillance (SUR);
     
     b) Procedural approach control (APP);
     
     c) Approach Surveillance Control (APS), with rating endorsement, Precision Approach Radar (PAR) and Surveillance Radar Approach (SRA);
     
     d) Area control by procedures (ACP);
     
     e) Area surveillance control (ACS), with the rating annotation (TCL) and ocean control (OCN).
      
3. Issuance of student air traffic controller licence (SATCO). Once the completion of the initial training has been certified, if the requirements specified in ATCO.B.001 of Regulation 2015/340 are met, the student air traffic controller licence, issued by the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA), will be applied for.
   
   The application for the issuance of a student air traffic control licence must be made within 12 months after the completion of the initial training.
   
   Additional information on the process of processing the licence application can be found at the bottom of the page.
    
4. Unit formation. If the selection process of the ATS provider has been passed, the student controller must pass a training in the unit that can consist of up to 3 parts:
   
   a) Theoretical transition training.
   
   b) Pre-workplace training (OJT, On the Job Training), only in certain complex and dense traffic units.
   
   c) On-the-job training (OJT) with real traffic and under the supervision of an OJTI instructor.
    
5. Air traffic controller licence (ATCO) issued. Once the unit training has been completed, if the requirements specified in ATCO.B.005 of Regulation 2015/340 are met, the air traffic controller licence, issued by the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA), will
   
   be applied for. Additional information on how to process the licence application can be found below.

How to process the application

Currently, both SATCO’s and ATCO’s licences are issued electronically in accordance with the EASA Directorate’s Resolution of 19 June 2020 on electronic licences for civil aviation staff. (see normative section).

The procedure may be carried out:

• By face-to-face registration in any of the forms provided for in Law 39/2015, of October 1, in its article 16.4.
• Telematically for those training organisations authorised here.
• Telematically for all other organisations and individuals here.
• For the payment of the telematics fee here.

For those procedures for applying for a licence, it must comply with the forms and formats set out in the section ‘FORMS AND FORMATS’.

For questions related to this topic you can contact the following address: licenciaatcos.aesa@seguridadaerea.es

Forms and formats

The following forms and formats are mandatory for the processing of the corresponding licences under Law 39/2015 of 1 October 2015 on the Common Administrative Procedure of Public Administrations in its Article 66.

• Forms
  • Single ATCO/SATCO License Management Form (F01)
  • Annex to the single form (F02)
• Formats
  • Model of authorisation to carry out formalities on behalf of the applicant by means of an electronic register (F31)
  • Form for revocation of the authorisation to carry out formalities on behalf of the applicant by means of electronic registration  (F32)
  • Form of authorisation to carry out formalities on behalf of the applicant by face-to-face registration (F05)
  • Form for revocation of authorisation to carry out formalities on behalf of the applicant by means of face-to-face registration (F06)
  • Certificate of completion of qualification and rating annotation training course (F07)
  • Certificate of completion of unit training course (F08)
  • Certificate of compliance with requirements for the revalidation of unit annotation. Exercise of licence privileges (F09)
  • Certificate of compliance with requirements for the revalidation of unit annotation. Refresher Training (F10)
  • Certificate of compliance with requirements for the revalidation of unit annotation. Competence Assessment (ECO) (F11)
  • Certificate of completion of OJTI/STDI/Evaluator training course (F12)
  • Certificate of exercise of the privileges of the licence to obtain the OJTI/STDI/Evaluator annotation (F13)
  • Certificate of pass of the assessment of the competence of practical instructors/Evaluators (F14)
  • Conversion Course Overcoming Certificate (F15)
  • Certificate of Examination of Prior Competence Assessment (F16)
  • Certificate of compliance with requirements for the early revalidation of the unit annotation (F26)
  • Guide to the OJTI reduction justification.
  • Guide for justification of STDI reduction.

Links of interest

• List of organisations certified to provide training
• Language proficiency assessment centres
• Aeronautical medicine

Regulations

The regulations applicable to the regulation and issuance of air traffic controller licences are as follows:

• Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/340 of 20 February 2015 laying down technical requirements and administrative procedures relating to air traffic controller licences and certificates pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council, amending Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 and repealing Commission Regulation (EU) No 805/2011.
• Royal Decree 1516/2009 of 2 October 2009 regulating the Community air traffic controller licence
• Resolution of 19 June 2020 of the Directorate of the State Aviation Safety Agency on electronic licences for civil aviation personnel