Tina Mafimbo’s Journey As An Air Traffic Controller
We have this family group chat, my parents my sister and I. I am the last born of two girls. Our father sends us motivational quotes every day like clockwork, early every morning and something that he sent us one day has stuck with me, the truly rich are those that enjoy what they have, however little. Contentment and a heart of thanksgiving, that is my mantra in this life.
Who is Tina Mafimbo?
My name is Tina Mafimbo, a terminal controller at Moi International Airport and passionate about aviation safety. I work for Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) which is the body mandated by law for provision of air navigation services. I was born and raised in Kwale county. My mother was a teacher and my father a meteorologist by profession, both retired. Humble beginnings. For my secondary education I went to Moi Girls’ Eldoret, University to Kenyatta University and did a Bsc. Statistics and Programming. I’m also trained in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote sensing. I’m a bubbly girl who loves to laugh and cook, and a dreamer who stumbled on Air Traffic Control as a profession.
Can you tell us about your journey and what inspired you to become an air traffic controller?
Growing up, as far as I can remember, our parents made sure to expose us to as much things as they could career wise. My father worked at the aviation meteorological office at Moi International Airport early in his career and the ATC control rooms was one of those places he took us for visits. He would also make us watch a lot of aviation documentaries. I don’t know if that is what inspired it or maybe a seed was planted in hibernation just waiting to bloom. I don’t know, but my career in ATC was a matter of chance. Stumbling on a newspaper with a job advertisement, being a graduate with no job at the time, what do I have to lose? I applied for the job and here we are five years later.
What does a typical day look like for you as an air traffic controller? Could you walk us through your daily responsibilities and tasks?
A day in my life as an air traffic controller. It’s like the excitement of a first date every day. You never know what to expect. It is doing the same job a million different ways. We work in shifts which is the part of this job that I really love. When we get to work, there is an operational status brief before you can take over control of aircraft from the outgoing shift. What is the weather forecast for the time you will be on duty? Any equipment that are working or not? And navigation aids out of service? Any new NOTAM (notice to airmen), circulars or memos? You are then briefed on the traffic situation and then you ‘takeover watch’ as we call it, then the work begins. An aircraft wants to move from place A to B, it is our job to make sure she gets to where she is going in the most safe and expeditious manner. When there are five, twenty or fifty of these aircraft that all want to move at the same time, that is when the work begins. There is a lot that goes on from the time an aircraft starts up its engines for departure, to the point where they arrive at their destination, but to sum it up we issue a series of ATC clearances and instruction to ensure a safe continuous flow of air traffic. This happens through all the units; aerodrome, terminal and enroute.
Safety is a top priority in aviation. How do you ensure the safety of flights and manage air traffic effectively, especially during busy periods?
Standard Procedures. These are the international guidelines that we use to ensure the safety of every flight and manage air traffic effectively. We keep the flights safe in the skies by separating them vertically and horizontally. A lot of time goes into research by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) to come up with standard procedure for uniform application across the world. We also have systems and equipment such as communication, navigation and surveillance systems that make provision of ATC a lot safer and convenient. In the unfortunate situations when accidents occur for whatever reason, valuable lessons are learnt and improvements in the procedures or equipment itself are made to avert a repeat of such incidents.
The work environment, rest period, and number of hours we work in a day or within a shift are regulated to manage fatigue related risks. There are at least two officers working in an office or at a unit of control at any given time just to maintain safety. Safety first is safety always.
Could you share a memorable or challenging experience from your career that had a significant impact on you? How did you handle it?
There are any number of experiences that a controller will consider either challenging or memorable. For me anytime I have had to facilitate an aircraft in emergency it’s both challenging and memorable in equal measure. It’s the fear of the unknown, how will this end? Very nerve-racking. If you come to the control rooms in that moment, you’ll know. Trust me, you’ll know. But we have some incredible men and women in control of those aircraft, the best at what they do. So, we facilitate and wait. That is the job.
Technology is rapidly advancing in aviation. How has technology influenced your role as an air traffic controller, and what do you see as the most significant technological changes in the future?
Any technology advancement that reduces workload on an air traffic controller for me is the way forward. This will bring about the ripple effect on increased capacity on the number of flights a controller is able to handle at a time. If the statistics are anything to go by, effects of the COVID19 pandemic notwithstanding, the numbers of flights will just keep going up and technology is the only thing that will ensure we either keep up with the growing numbers or fall behind. Satellite based navigation systems such as GPS and other surveillance systems like the ADS-B, ADS-C and CPDLC are a welcomed leap in Air Traffic Control. I’m also very interested to see what advancements artificial intelligence will bring to the provision of air traffic service.
What is the most rewarding aspect of your career as an air traffic controller, and what keeps you motivated in such a demanding and critical role?
My parents have been lucky enough to travel a lot throughout their lives and careers. It was never a big deal. Now, it’s the most beautiful and fulfilling thing whenever they are catching a flight through Mombasa, they get so excited to call and find out if am working that day. The most rewarding aspect of the work that we do, is that we have made so many beautiful moments and memories happen without even realizing or seeing it. It’s in the everyday of things. The aircraft departed on time and made it safely to their destination, so somebody made it to their business engagement, graduation, a friend’s wedding or the birth of their child. You handled a medical evacuation flight and gave them priority they landed safely; the patient made it to the hospital on time and they are now at home with their family having dinner. In the thick of things when the situation is critical and very demanding, that is how I stay motivated, everyone gets home safely today.
Lastly, what message would you like to convey to the general public about the work air traffic controllers do to ensure safe and efficient air travel?
A lot goes on into ensuring that air travel is the safest mode of transport, and Air traffic controllers play a very big and critical part. ATC is a mentally demanding job but it is also one of the most fulfilling careers. We go through very rigorous training and proficiency checks as per international standards. How many careers will take you through medical checks every one or two years to ensure you are fit to perform your duties? Currently we do have a shortage of ATC professional and I would encourage graduates to apply for the ab initio program whenever KCAA puts up adverts. A degree is a basic requirement for anyone applying for the ATC training program, so stay in school.