What makes working at DFS
so unique for you?
"DFS is a great employer, unrivalled in the sector."
Tim Kleinschrot Aerodrome coordinator in a control tower, since 2019
The career so far
"I stumbled on DFS in an information flyer while on a flight to Turkey.
I studied philosophy for many years, so never had any connection to aviation or air traffic control. Like most people, I had no idea what is actually behind air traffic control, although I was interested in finding out. On a flight to Turkey, I found an information flyer in my seat pocket that really spoke to me. That's when I first had the idea of becoming an air traffic controller. So, I completed my studies, started training at the Academy and was responsible for small aircraft, flight plans, flight preparation, landing site supervision and so on for a long time. I then realised that working as an aerodrome coordinator really appealed to me, so I changed my direction, which turned out to be the best decision."
The motivation
"DFS was a life-changing opportunity for me.
After going through the selection process in Hamburg, I knew that I definitely wanted to stay here. I was impressed by everything, from the job tasks and opportunities to the way the teams interacted with each other."
The activities
"Every single pilot wishing to take off in Frankfurt has to talk to us first.
My main task is to assign the departure and flight route for the pilots. There are 70 aerodrome coordinators in Frankfurt, and I determine the route based on the direction of flight, aircraft type, meteorological conditions and so on. There are always two aerodrome coordinators in the tower cab – one of us on the radio and the other coordinating. We sit in the tower cab alongside the air traffic controllers. We are in direct contact with them at all times.
I’m also responsible for capacity management: There are around 1,400 aircraft movements in Frankfurt every single day, half of which are take-offs. There are popular peak times when everyone would rather depart, which of course is not possible. This would lead to traffic getting backed up on the runways and the controllers wouldn't be able to do their job properly, as one thing would interfere with another. So, we also manage the number of aircraft movements."
"You can also rely on DFS as an employer in all stages of your life. The jobs are secure and the opportunities are pretty much boundless."
The challenges
„Alles muss bis zum Ende des Flugbetriebs um 23 Uhr geregelt sein, das kann manchmal anstrengen.
We have to make sure that all flights can meet their slots. Our main objective is to offer the controller perfect conditions on the runway and to make 100 percent use of the airport's capacity. If we don't do this effectively, planes can't take off, for example because their slot at the destination airport has expired.
So, we make sure that we have several aircraft ready to take off at the runway. The controllers then always have the best options available based on their planning. Ideally, aircraft should never be stationary for longer than 4-5 minutes. When this goes well, everyone is happy, including the passengers. But when we encounter extreme meteorological conditions, for example, things can get very tricky."
The corporate culture
"We have the perfect mix of fun, enjoyment and professionalism here."
The atmosphere in our team is also very informal. There are many private friendships, and people do a lot together, including with their families. I enjoy coming to the tower every day, even after a holiday. And whenever necessary, we can switch to being fully professional and technical, although without ever being unfriendly or getting aggravated. We know that we can rely on each other both personally and professionally at all times."
Your future:
safety in the sky
Become part of our close-knit team
Do you have questions about DFS as an employer?
Simply get in touch with our careers team:
karriere@dfs.de