This article was originally published on SkyTrack, the official magazine of the Philippine Air Traffic Controllers’ Association. We are re-publishing it with permission from the magazine and the author.
Welcome to the aviation ecosystem — or as we simply call it, ‘The System.’
For us pilots, controlling the aircraft is our primary responsibility. But control of the skies? That belongs to a much larger team — one we share with the men and women of Air Traffic Control. From the moment we push back to the instant the parking brakes are set at our destination — whether it’s a short hop or a faraway time zone — air traffic controllers (ATCs) are there, working with us to manage the invisible highways above.
One sky, one mission
Every pilot knows the feeling of being fully in command — hands on the controls, eyes on the horizon, focused on the mission ahead. But even as we make decisions in the cockpit, we rely on ATCs to ensure separation, manage traffic, and provide the clearances that keep the entire system moving safely.
And make no mistake — they face enormous challenges. Weather disruptions, diversions, in-flight emergencies, downgraded approaches, airport closures, flight information region restrictions, traffic congestion — sometimes all happening at once while hundreds of aircraft carrying thousands of passengers traverse their airspace.
So what is it like to be in their seat? Imagine playing a live, three-dimensional game of Tetris — with blocks of different sizes, speeds, and directions. Only these “blocks” have people in them.
There’s an unspoken partnership between pilots and controllers, built on mutual respect and deep trust. Simple instructions — “cleared for takeoff,” “climb and maintain flight level 350,” “proceed direct,” “free speed (EU),” “block FL100 to FL160 (flight test),” or “cleared to the corridor at time XXX Zulu (Supersonic)” — carry far more weight than just operational meaning.
Each phrase reflects confidence. Trust that someone is watching, coordinating, and protecting everyone in their sky.
Crossing oceans, crossing boundaries
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to fly across continents and oceans — from commercial operations to long-haul ferry flights and test missions. I’ve crossed countless flight information regions: Manila to Melbourne, Phoenix to Keflavik, China to Dubai, Cairo to London, Honolulu to Bogotá — and no matter where I go, I’ve found the same thing: ATCs worldwide share the same professionalism and dedication to safety. Accents may change, but the mission never does.
Whether it’s the measured cadence of Singapore Approach, the calm authority of Oakland Oceanic, or the crisp precision of London Center, every ATC I’ve spoken to carries the same responsibility: to guide us safely and keep order in the busiest skies on Earth.
These seamless handoffs from one flight information region to another remind me that aviation is truly a global community. Different roles, different cultures, but one shared purpose — to get everyone to their destination safely.
Teamwork that transcends the radio
I’ve had my share of ‘situations’ over the years:
In every one of these moments, I was never alone. There was always a voice on the other side — calm, composed, clearing the way ahead. Their professionalism steadied mine.
We may be separated by thousands of feet and hundreds of miles, but through radio calls, controller-pilot data link communication texts, or SatCom relays, we work as one team. Pilots bring the aircraft home; controllers clear the path to get us there — safely and efficiently.
A day the skies went silent
On January 1, 2023, while much of the country celebrated the New Year, something unthinkable happened. In an instant, the entire Philippine air traffic control system — covering every inch of our national airspace — went dark.
An uncontained power outage blanked every screen, silenced every frequency, and rendered controllers suddenly blind, deaf, and mute. Backup systems failed to engage. No radar. No radios. No procedures for what came next.
This was a Black Swan event — the kind of crisis no manual anticipated, no simulator prepared for. Yet, outside, dozens of aircraft continued flying, unaware of the unfolding catastrophe, waiting for instructions that would never come. Some were on dangerous converging trajectories, separated only by minutes.
Inside the darkened ATC room, there was no time to hesitate. The duty supervisor acted instantly, dispatching a controller on his personal motorbike to Manila Tower to deliver instructions in person: recover those within the control zone, divert all flights, and stand down operations.
Stripped of their tools and technology, controllers reached for their personal cellphones, calling neighboring ATC centers one by one — Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taipei — explaining the crisis and asking them to recover every flight in Philippine skies.
For a moment, it felt like the early hours after 9/11: uncertainty, grounded flights, and an eerily silent sky. But through ingenuity, composure, and teamwork, a handful of ATC professionals averted what could have been a global aviation catastrophe.
Unsung heroes of the sky
In the days that followed, headlines swirled. Politicians issued statements. Promises were made. But in all the noise, there was little mention of the small team who faced the unthinkable — and prevailed.
There were no grand ceremonies. No big names. Just a simple, quiet recognition attended by a few, where these men and women were thanked and recognized for their extraordinary actions.
But make no mistake: their work that day saved countless lives. They held the line when everything else failed. They proved that even when the systems go dark, human skill, judgment, and calm under pressure remain our greatest safeguard.
To me — and to every pilot who has ever entrusted their life to the voice on the other end of the radio — these are heroes. And their story deserves to be remembered, not just within aviation, but by a grateful nation.
Shared goals, shared responsibility
At the end of every flight, whether it’s a short hop or a transoceanic crossing, our mission is the same: bring everyone home safely. That’s the promise we make as pilots, and it’s the same promise ATCs help us fulfill every single day.
For those of us who’ve been privileged to fly — and for the professionals who keep watch from the ground — we are all part of The System: one mission, one sky, one shared responsibility.
The trust between pilots and ATCs isn’t just procedural — it’s personal.
To all my colleagues in the Philippine Air Traffic Controllers’ Association (PATCA): thank you for the professionalism, the calm voices, and the countless unseen actions that keep our flights safe. From one pilot’s perspective, we couldn’t do it without you.
“…Requesting direct…” 😂
Patrick Roa started flying as a general aviation pilot. His career spans over 14,000 flying hours over 60 aircraft types. He holds an FAA license and is accredited by EASA and Transport Canada, among others.
He is part of Nomadic Aviation Group as its flight test manager.
Roa is the first Filipino accepted and trained at the National Test Pilot School and the first to complete supersonic high-performance upset recovery training.
He is based in Manila with his wife and son, and travels all over the world for ferry, demonstration and acceptance test flights.
Contributor
