Controller trio has ensured aircraft are safe and separated across Kansas City’s airspace for 73 years

When Darren Rojohn plugs in at Kansas Downtown Tower, he carries on the legacy of three generations of air traffic controllers keeping KC’s airspace safe for passengers and pilots.

An FAA Academy graduate, Darren is now adding on to the 73 cumulative years his father and grandfather recorded as military-to-FAA controllers with careers at Kansas City Center.

“I drew a lot of inspiration from them my dad and grandfather at a young age; I saw how hard my dad worked, his dedication, how committed he was to his job and what it meant to him,” said Darren.

Just last month, his father Matt retired with 37 years of ATC service.

“It was a good day when Darren called and said, ‘Hey, I passed my final exam,’ Matt said. “I’ve always emphasized to Darren to give it 120 percent, be the best controller you can be and always be focused on how to reach your next goal, whatever that may be. He worked hard to certify as a controller.”

Matt followed in his own father’s footsteps to a career in keeping flights safe and separated – after many immersive experiences in the radar room at a young age. Ed, his father, instilled in him the “hard work pays off” mentality that Matt has passed to Darren.

“I spent a lot of summers with my Dad at his facility,” Matt said as he remembered shadowing his father at ZKC. “My dad would show me things on the scope and say, ‘You know, you can do this and that.’ I learned about ATC at an early age, and it when it came time to decide on a career, I knew what I wanted to do.”

Matt supports Darren in the same way his father supported him. The two of them flew in their neighbor’s plane from Miami County Airport to Kansas City Downtown Airport on Sept. 26 to partake in “Coffee with Controllers,” a pilot outreach event. Alongside other ATC professionals from MKC they met with pilots to discuss local procedures and safety. “Darren and I experienced what it was like to fly into his airport, received services from KMCI approach control and did an ILS into the airport…It was a great presentation from ATC,” Matt said.

Matt started in the U.S. Navy – just like his father had done 21 years prior during the Vietnam War. He got experience controlling military aircraft from USS Carl Vinson on the Pacific. He subsequently served the Navy in Texas and the Air National Guard in Missouri – and earned a degree in aeronautics form Embry-Riddle – before transitioning to the FAA in 1998.

“I think Matt saw that air traffic control is important and a great opportunity to make a decent living,” Ed said. “He really gained a lot in the Navy and created a great career for himself… Darren was a little apprehensive since he didn’t have the Navy training like us, but he got the training other ways and it’s worked out well for him. I’m very happy and proud of both of them.”

For Ed, guiding aircraft safely through the skies was not just a career; it was a lifelong passion. “If you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life,” he says. Before Ed transferred to the FAA at ZKC, he served the Navy as a controller on an overseas tour that included assignments in Sicily and Crete.

The air traffic control environment looked different when Ed was working than it does today, but the mission was the same – keep the skies safe. “We went from raw radar data to the alphanumeric type, and then more and more automation came in,” he recalls from his 35-year career. And now his grandson is starting his career amid the biggest ATC modernization initiative ever.

At Kansas City Downtown Tower, Darren and his controllers have new tools at their fingertips, including Mobile Clearance, tech that enables general aviation pilots to request departure clearances from controllers with the push of a button on their phone or tablet; and a digital voice switch that allows controllers to more easily change channels and connect faster with pilots and controllers in other facilities.

“The overhaul is exciting,” Darren said. “Being able to see and use the things we’re doing to make the NAS safer and help the workforce is exciting.”

Darren initially joined his father at ZKC, as a remote pilot operator and flight data specialist, before attending the Academy. And now five months as a certified controller, Darren sees the value of having mentors in his profession.

“I think it’s important having someone who understands ATC and what goes into it. When I get off from a long day he’s able to relate and knows what it feels like,” Darren said of his father. “The cool thing is we have all been in different eras of air traffic control. I drew a lot of inspiration from my grandfather as well. There were a lot of people at the center who told me how good of a controller he was. I carry that as motivation to become the best controller I can be.”

Interested in becoming an air traffic controller? The FAA is looking for dedicated professionals to help keep passengers and pilots safe. Learn more about how you can level up your career at FAA.gov/ATC-Hiring.