Air Traffic Management and Flight Student Excels Across Campus

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University students tend to have a passion for aviation, be good at what they study and be great at seeing the bigger picture.

For Sierra Iga (’28), this meant double majoring in Aeronautical Science and Air Traffic Management (ATM) — a challenge that very few students take on.

A Passion for the Skies

Sierra loves flying, especially in Prescott, Arizona. She earned her Private Pilot License and decided to pursue a career in aviation while growing up in Hawai'i. Now a junior, Sierra competes on the award-winning Golden Eagles Flight Team and is a lead flight dispatcher at Embry-Riddle's Flight Line.

"In high school, many universities interested me, but Embry-Riddle Prescott piqued my interest the most because of the partnerships they have with aviation-based programs, the extracurricular opportunities outside of the classroom and the tight-knit connections between professors, instructors and students," she shared. "Flying in the high-density altitude conditions of Prescott has benefitted my piloting skills and allowed me to understand the performance of the aircraft better."

Sierra came to Embry-Riddle as an Aeronautical Science student, but she quickly fell in love with the "why" behind air traffic control and added an ATM degree in her first year.

Air Traffic Management Completes the Picture

ATM was the piece of the puzzle that Sierra didn't know was missing in her education until she understood its essential role in pilot-controller communications.

"Knowing what a pilot is dealing with in the flight deck helps me give them better instructions," Sierra said. "I enjoy the mental puzzle of sequencing traffic, the collaboration and teamwork required when running scenarios and the simulations that my classmates and I run in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) Lab."

She became fascinated by the control and management procedures and saw how studying the ATM discipline could expand her career options. Having both a pilot's perspective and an air traffic controller's mindset helps Sierra manage aircraft traffic and flight operations efficiently.

"The double major gives me more options after graduation and a stronger foundation for whichever path I take," she said. "Together, they give me a wider view of aviation."

Leadership in the ATC Lab

Not only does Sierra visit the ATC Lab to sharpen her own skill set, but she also teaches and mentors students as a lab assistant.

"I run scenarios with students in the lab and give them one-on-one feedback so they can improve," she said. "Being a lab assistant gives me regular practice teaching students and learning from them, too."

Embry-Riddle Prescott was the first university in Arizona to offer an Enhanced Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program, meaning ATM students can receive advanced training during their undergraduate studies and can progress to localized FAA training right after graduating. As a leader in the lab, Sierra proudly represents this distinction and responsibility.

"Our program becoming AT-CTI-approved changed how I approach the job," she said. "The standards I teach have to be aligned with the FAA's standards."

Sierra's work at the ATC Lab has offered different insights into her studies and helped her improve her communication and presentation skills. It also made her experience at Embry-Riddle even more meaningful.

"I love the moment of realization a student has when they have been struggling with their phraseology or aircraft sequencing, and it suddenly clicks. Watching their confidence grow, and knowing that I helped, is what I look forward to every shift."

Sierra is a multidisciplinary learner at heart, which has led her to opportunities to dive into the cybersecurity side of air traffic management.

Blending Cyber and Aviation Safety

Sierra helps lead collaborative initiatives between Prescott's College of Aviation and College of Business, Security and Intelligence, facilitating ATC and cybersecurity projects for the university.

This fall, she attended DEF CON and the Aviation Information Sharing and Analysis Center's Cybersecurity Summit to simulate an attack on air traffic control radar and present a plan for detection and action.

"Those experiences opened my eyes to how much aviation depends on protected cyber systems," she said. "It made cybersecurity feel more relevant to the work I plan to do as a pilot and a controller."

Joining cybersecurity teams and projects also reinforced for Sierra the value of taking advantage of a new opportunity when it feels right — just like she did with the ATM program.

"Participating in DEF CON and the Cybersecurity Summit has shown me that some of the best opportunities come up in the most unexpected ways and by stepping outside of my comfort zone," she said.

A Robust Aviation Career Lies Ahead

Sierra is carrying the ambition she brings to each of her commitments at Embry-Riddle into her career. She plans to build experience as a flight instructor after graduating.

"From there," she said, "I plan to become an air traffic controller and later fly for a corporate or charter company."

In the meantime, she's balancing a full schedule with grace.

"While earning two majors, working two jobs, competing on the flight team and completing my flight training, I have to regularly check in with myself to make sure that I'm not burning out," she said. "I always ask myself whether an opportunity supports my short- and long-term goals and if it will help me grow as a pilot, controller or as a person."

At Embry-Riddle, every student can shape their education, learn in any lab and grow into the best version of themselves, just like Sierra is doing. By the time she graduates, Sierra will be ready to hit the ground running in both the flight deck and the radar room.

"Being on a campus where everyone supports each other is so important to me," she said. "I love surrounding myself with people who share my passion for aviation and push me to keep improving."