People in air traffic control maintain safety by means of expert judgment, situational awareness, and the ability to manage complex air traffic scenarios, particularly through dead reckoning - the prediction of future positions based on incomplete information. Controllers use this skill while working within institutional and technical constraints.

Air traffic controllers are almost obsessively conscious of time; they prioritize efficiency and multitask. They operate in an environment where even seconds are crucial, and mistakes can lead to significant stress. Controllers constantly manage the complex dynamics of air traffic, with every second affecting the safe movement of planes. Their mindset is focused on immediate results—finish something and move on. They do carry the memory of their mistakes, which linger with them, often serving as a source of ongoing reflection and group identity.

The ethnographer’s approach to time is fundamentally different. Ethnographers operate with long time—they observe, reflect, and patiently wait to see how events unfold. They revisit moments, analyze experiences, and record everything, including what might seem inconsequential. In this way, ethnographers preserve experiences for years, turning them into detailed narratives that capture the full texture of human life and systems.

Dead Reckoning balances this clash, while showing how both the quick decision-making of air traffic controllers and the long reflective work of ethnographers illuminate each other. Despite the pressures of both roles, Diane Vaughan manages to portray the air traffic control system as one where human expertise and the historical development of systems coexist and evolve. The book leaves readers with an optimistic view of the air traffic control system, showing both its fragility and resilience, while also offering a deep understanding of how human actions shape and sustain it.

Air traffic control, like other socio-technical systems, relies heavily on both technology and human operators. Although technological failures are possible, systems often experience failures due to a buildup of small errors or violations over time, leading to catastrophic events. Air traffic control is a complex, dynamic system requiring constant human decision-making, which makes the social component crucial. Like chess masters, air traffic controllers must anticipate and manage multiple variables. Keeping humans in the loop is important in a world increasingly reliant on automation and artificial intelligence.

Air traffic controllers often describe airlines, control centers, and people as having personalities. Diane Vaughan, through her ethnographic work, shows that these personalities emerge from the social and technical dynamics within these environments. Organizations or systems can indeed develop distinct ways of operating, responding, and interacting, which can be understood as personalities. Controllers’ interactions, the technology they use, the acoustics, and the structure of the airspace all contribute to creating this collective personality. Vaughan avoids heavy jargon, even when addressing complex theoretical concepts, and instead uses clear, straightforward language to explain how systems and people work together.

Controllers experience high-pressure situations but often downplay the stress; they feel more in control at work than in their personal lives. Despite making rapid, high-stakes decisions, they report feeling less stress at work, perhaps due to the sense of security and control they gain from mastering their roles. Other high-pressure jobs often lead to burnout, but Vaughan’s fieldwork does not indicate high burnout rates among controllers.

Air traffic controllers develop specific skills, such as prioritization, multitasking, and controlling behavior, which become ingrained due to the fast-paced, high-pressure environment they work in. Controllers aim for maximum efficiency, and their level of skill influences how creatively they can handle complex air traffic situations.

Controllers often take their work habits home with them, such as being controlling or expecting quick responses, and this affects their personal lives. Some controllers admit that the job has changed their personalities, making them more assertive or even aggressive. For example, one controller mentioned becoming less shy and more willing to take charge, while another noted that they had developed a harder expression due to constant feedback and pressure at work.

 

Vaughan, D. (2021), Dead Reckoning - Air Traffic Control, System Effects, and Risk, Chicago University Press.