AN ATC CAREER?
The Vector Tango Campaign is inspired by my father Frank's career in air traffic control. If the game makes you curious about the real job and how to get into it, here are honest answers and the official places to start.
What air traffic controllers do
Controllers keep aircraft safely separated and moving. Tower controllers handle the runways and the airspace close to an airport. Terminal and area controllers handle traffic climbing, descending and crossing between airports, often from a control centre far from any runway. At some airports without a tower, such as North Bay, flight service specialists give pilots advisories instead.
In Canada: NAV CANADA
NAV CANADA runs Canada's civil air navigation system and hires and trains its own controllers. According to NAV CANADA:
- Applicants must be at least 18, have a high school diploma, be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, speak English (English and French in Montreal), be willing to relocate, and pass medical, security and drug screening.
- Selection includes an online assessment of about 30 minutes, an in-person test of about six hours, a half-day assessment centre and a language test.
- Training takes about 12 to 18 months for a tower and 20 to 27 months for an area control centre, and it is paid.
Read the details at NAV CANADA: Air traffic controller and NAV CANADA: Selection and training. Requirements and pay change, so always check there.
In the United States: the FAA
The Federal Aviation Administration hires air traffic controllers through its own process, which includes the ATSA aptitude test and training at the FAA Academy. Age and citizenship rules apply. Check the current requirements at FAA aviation careers.
Where Vector Tango fits
Vector Tango can give you a feel for the shape of the job: many aircraft at once, emergencies that jump the queue, weather that changes the plan, and the calm it takes to keep everyone apart. It does not teach real radio phraseology, separation rules or procedures. See what is real and what we simplify.
If you are curious about the people behind the job, the Campaign follows one controller's career across five Ontario airports, inspired by my father. Career journey inspired by life; dialogue and gameplay are dramatized.
Vector Tango is coming to the Meta Horizon Store in October 2026. Join the Flight List for launch news, a few emails a year. If you have a Meta Quest 2 or newer, you also get a beta invite, and beta testers get the game free at launch.
Vector Tango is a game. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by NAV CANADA, Transport Canada, the FAA or any airport named on this page.