TIANJIN: “Air China flight 1371, runway three-four right, cleared for take-off.” Wearing headphones and holding a microphone, tower instructor controller Li Huijun gave a plane departure clearance.
Li, 31, has worked for 10 years in Tianjin Sub-bureau of the North China Regional Air Traffic Management Bureau of the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
The 85-meter-high air traffic control tower near Tianjin Airport is the place where Li works. “We have a panoramic view of the airport through the glass windows of the tower’s top floor,” said Li.
During the Spring Festival, China’s Lunar New Year holiday, lots of passengers chose to return home by airplane. According to Tianjin Airport, every day it has 450 inbound and outbound flights on average. During peak hours, there will be a flight taking off or landing every two minutes.
“We are like ‘air traffic police,’” said Li. “Our daily work is to communicate with aircraft captains and give them instructions to ensure safe flights.” It is quite hard to become a qualified tower instructor controller. Every day before going up to the control tower, they must pass a series of health conditions, emotional status and alcohol tests. – The Daily Mail-China Daily News exchange item
