Flight Sergeant Katie Mason is an Air Traffic Controller at RAF Wittering and Executive Secretary of the Guild of Air Traffic Control Officers.
Image By: SAC Matty Smith
Air traffic control officers in the RAF make sure that aircraft can fly into and around flying stations with maximum safety. They keep aeroplanes a safe distance from each other and co-ordinate landings and take-offs. It is a complex and demanding job that takes years of training and total concentration.
The Royal Air Force now accepts non-commissioned direct entrant Air Traffic Controllers if they meet the required criteria, but previously most recruits like Katie would have learned the basics as a flight operations assistant before their controller training began. Lancashire-born Katie was only 15 years old when she first considered becoming an air traffic controller. She said: “It’s hard to say why I chose air traffic control, it just appealed to me the most. It looked like a very punchy job that was really rewarding.”
Sixteen years later and Flight Sergeant Mason is working at one of the busiest flying stations in the RAF. When not controlling aircraft in the radar approach room, Katie is training new members of the team to ensure they meet the required professional level.
Image By: SAC Matty Smith
Many Royal Air Force personnel have secondary duties, which can vary enormously. For some this means representing their service at sport, for others it means involvement in their professional organisations. Flight Sergeant Mason is Executive Secretary for the Guild of Air Traffic Controller Officers (GATCO).
GATCO is not a union, but instead represents the whole profession and protects the interests of civilian and military controllers. As Executive Secretary, Katie makes sure that the Executive board of GATCO follows the organisation’s constitution. She organises the board meetings and annual general meetings and recently ran a conference for controllers and pilots.
She said: “Everybody’s principle is the safe passage of aircraft and passengers, so GATCO makes sure that its members are kept up to date with developments and policy changes. It’s really a communication thing.”
Dr Luis Barbero is the President and Chief Executive Officer of GATCO. He said: “Katie is an asset to the Executive Board and, personally, I know I can approach her for any GATCO matters knowing she will always deal with them efficiently, enthusiastically and with an open and positive mind.”
As part of GATCO Katie became involved with the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers Association (IFATCA). IFATCA represents over 55,000 controllers worldwide. She was voted in to the Professional & Legal Committee (PLC) and was the first ever military person to be co-opted to an IFATCA committee. During her time on the PLC Katie wrote and presented two policy papers to an International audience at two separate annual conferences.
After the PLC, Katie was approached by the President of IFATCA and asked to Chair the new Communications Steering Committee (CSC) and lead all communication output from IFATCA, which she did for two years. Katie graduated with a 2:1 BA(Hons) degree in ‘Organisational Capability Development’ in Sept 2018.
Managing a demanding full-time career, an important role with GATCO, looking after her six-year old son and finding time to be a keen gym-goer and avid reader means organising her time well. Katie said: “ I am very organised, literally, there is a folder for everything in our house. It’s infectious, our son even likes organising his toys.”
As to the future, Katie has some plans but is keeping an open mind. She said: “I love air traffic control and I’d like my next post to be an instructor’s job, but really I’d like to see what else is out there in the RAF. Of course, I’d like to become a Warrant Officer and see what an executive role might be like. Ultimately, being a woman and a mum is absolutely no barrier to having a successful career in the Royal Air Force.”
