ATC career

[evapilotaz]

I have the upmost respect for Air Traffic Controllers. So why would one want to choose that as a career? How rewarding is it to be a Air Traffic Controller? On average how much money does your typical ATC make at a Major Airport Tower? What is the career path for becoming a controller?

I heard Controllers have the most stressful Job in the world? Why is that?

Thanks.

 

[Seanaldinho]

I chose to go into it because i didn't want to fly for a living but wanted a career in aviation, and its not your typical office job and will be challenging. The mean pay is around 110-120k a year. However, some people working in centers make close to 160k. The pay scale is based off the "level" of the facility you work where the busier facilities make more money. The career path is through the military, a CTI school (a college with an air traffic program), or an off the street hire. After the FAA selects you you go to the Academy in Oklahoma City to be trained and if you pass the academy you are sent to a facility where you spend a few years as a trainee and get certified on the different positions in the facility. Then you are a full fledged controller.

Its a stressful job because a busy facility can have dozens of planes in each sector. Working with old style VHF radios can be troublesome some times but in general there are a lot of moving parts that you really don't want touching each other.

 

[evapilotaz]

Thanks for the replies Danger.

So Fresh out of school either Military or CTI school what is their first typical duty assignment? Would it be going to a small Class D airport? Something like that.

 

[Seanaldinho]

In the military when you go through school you get assigned to radar or tower and then go to a base that takes new trainees and then will rotate to the rest of the bases.

As a civilian, at the academy you will pick a region of the country you want to work in and then the highest scoring person in the academy gets to pick off a list where they want to work, then the 2nd highest, and so on and so forth. The places you get to choose from will be places that need a body and cannot be higher than level 9 (it goes up to 12). As far as radar or tower I believe you get assigned to one of them at some point in the academy.

 

[Velocity173]

See, we need an ATC folder.

 

[evapilotaz]

Thank you Danger.

MCfly agree we need a Sticky ATC FAQ.

 

[Nistlerooy]

Deleted.

 

[Velocity173]

Thanks for the replies Danger.

So Fresh out of school either Military or CTI school what is their first typical duty assignment? Would it be going to a small Class D airport? Something like that.

Don't forget about private contract towers. They don't make much in the states but you can make well into 6 figures overseas. My first interview out of the military was going to be contract but I chose a different path instead.

Also, plenty of DOD civilian positions around. A lot of those are word of mouth and you'll see guys who get out of the military one day and roll right into a civilian position at their facility the next. DOD and contract don't have the 31 yr age restriction like FAA as well.

 

[Cpt_Kirk]

As a CTI grad (not implying anything), it's a great career to get involved in. That is, if you can get in.

The hiring process for the FAA has been... destroyed? and is only going to get worse before it gets better.

I used to work the two busiest ramps at Hartsfield and I loved every minute of it (...maybe not every minute). I'd move 200-300 aircraft in an 8-hour shift. The pay was despicable, so I left.

Flying is my main focus, but if I make it through the hiring selection, I'd love to stick it out and fly my own aircraft on the side.

Did I mention mandatory retirement is 56?