Trailblazer
Nwabisa Vitshima ensures the safety of thousands of airline passengers daily
The sky may be a limit for a lot of people, but for Nwabisa Vitshima (32) it is her second home.
Every day, Vitshima protects the lives of thousands of people through her exciting job as an air traffic controller at the East London Airport.
She directs aeroplanes to safely land and takeoff. The bigger part of her job is to prevent aircraft accidents as an employee of the Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS).
ATNS is an entity of the Department of Transport (DoT) and its primary mandate is to render air traffic control and management solutions for South Africa as well as 10 percent of the world's airspace.
“As an air traffic controller, my daily job forms an integral part of the company's mandate because I am at the forefront of the provision of service delivery. I interact with airliners, flight schools and the overall operational team of the airport.
“As the front line worker, I ensure that we provide the best service because this directly reflects the image of the company and my work impacts on the safety of people's lives every day,” she says.
Passenger safety
Vitshima's responsibility is to ensure the safety of an aeroplane and its passengers from the point it takes off at a particular airport to where it lands.
“This is done by separating the aeroplanes, making sure they maintain the required spacing in the skies and at the airports.”
She takes pride in her work knowing that the
safety of everyone travelling on aircraft within South African borders, especially in the Eastern Cape, is her responsibility.
“I have to ensure that the aircraft gets to its destination safely. Seeing the passengers safe gives me a great sense of joy,” she says.
Vitshima grew up in the small Eastern Cape village of Sidwadweni. She excelled at school and went on to get a university degree in analytical chemistry.
The start of the journey
After getting her degree she was looking for a job when her aunt saw an advertisement in an elevator from the DoT, which was looking to recruit air traffic controllers from the Eastern Cape.
“At first, I was not too keen, because I did not know anything about aeroplanes and thought that air traffic controllers were actually the marshals on the ground,” says Vitshima.
However, her aunt convinced her to apply and during the interview process Vitshima became convinced that being an air traffic controller was what she wanted to do.
“We received a presentation from an air traffic controller who showed us what the job involves. After that presentation, I became convinced that this was a career I would like,” she says.
Vitshima started off as an assistant air traffic controller with Air Traffic Navigation Services in 2013 and then an air traffic controller in 2015.
Protecting lives
Every day, she sits at her station in the air traffic control tower, communicating over radio with pilots and helping them to safely land and take-off.
“We make sure that aeroplanes remain separated from each other. Some aeroplanes can have as many as 300 people on board, so we ensure that all of these people can get to their destinations safely. In fact, in one shift, we protect the lives of more people than a doctor does in a year!” says Vitshima.
She explains that the job requires concentration, good communication skills, memory, the ability to work under pressure and being able to work in a team.
“There is no room for error because one small mistake can cost people's lives. Everything has to be accurate and well-calculated. You are also dealing with a lot of different personalities and pilots, so you have to be able to communicate effectively with them.”
This is clearly not a job for everyone but Vitshima says if you have the right character, then it is definitely rewarding.
“It requires one to get out of their comfort zone as it comes with a lot of accountability and responsibility,” she adds.
Future plans
Vitshima says in her line of work what is considered high tech and crucial one day can be obsolete the next. This is why constant evolution is necessary to keep up with the latest developments in the industry.
Her future plans include working for the International Civil Aviation Authority.
“I have always been interested in the regulatory framework that governs the aviation industry, therefore it would only make sense that I one day work for the International Civil Aviation Authority and be part of an organisation that serves as the global forum of states for international civil aviation.”
She encourages young people to become air traffic controllers because the job is challenging and every day is different and exciting.