Air Traffic Controller jobs

[krucam]

i saw a news today that controllers are still at a shortage, yet they closed the hiring window at this moment. are they intentionally over working current employees?

A Level 12 like DFW gets trainees from medium sized airports who already have real experience. To get qualified here they go through a year of tough training and that training has a 30-40% wash out rate. Pass, and you get on the floor where you’ll then have to qualify on about a dozen roles. South arrivals, north departures, final monitor, feeder, etc.
It takes a lot of time and effort to be deemed Certified and sit at the scopes during heavy Push operations.

 

[krucam]

A kid coming out of High School getting accepted to the initial Air Traffic Control and passing that, isn’t going to floor at DFW. Theyll end up at Boseman or Wichita or Lancaster. If good there, Indy or Des Moines…on and up.

 

[John from MD]

A kid coming out of High School getting accepted to the initial Air Traffic Control and passing that, isn’t going to floor at DFW. Theyll end up at Boseman or Wichita or Lancaster. If good there, Indy or Des Moines…on and up.

That's after the 18 months they spend in Oklahoma City.

 

[wabbit]

i saw a news today that controllers are still at a shortage, yet they closed the hiring window at this moment. are they intentionally over working current employees?

I've seen how the federal government hires, and they're not efficient or use common sense. I think they closed the application window because their rules require it, irregardless of the shortage.

 

[Nanook]

Several controllers I know are private pilots, which can sometimes help when they are in either role. Otherwise when the pilot screws up, the pilot dies. When the controller screws up, the pilot dies.

Lots of stress indeed.

 

[krucam]

That's after the 18 months they spend in Oklahoma City.

Yup initial AT training in OKC and then onto smaller airports.

 

[skeet 028]

Took the test...passed same..offered job...said I'd probably start out in some Godforsaken hole in nowhere N Dakota or who knows where. It was women children and minorities first ...so. Decided to stay where I was. It is a very tough job...I knew many of the ATC. They had very stressful lives and many medical issues. And I retired at 47 anyway. Any airfield work can be stressful. I remember when Friendship(BWI) closed at 11PM when I first started there

 

[scottyfz6]

Another good job is a ship pilot. Takes a little training to get the job but they typically work 2 or 3 days a week.

 

[MaxVO2]

Took the test...passed same..offered job...said I'd probably start out in some Godforsaken hole in nowhere N Dakota or who knows where. It was women children and minorities first ...so. Decided to stay where I was. It is a very tough job...I knew many of the ATC. They had very stressful lives and many medical issues. And I retired at 47 anyway. Any airfield work can be stressful. I remember when Friendship(BWI) closed at 11PM when I first started there

****I know someone who is an air traffic controller and they have a remarkably stressful job. It took a lot of training and time working in other smaller airports before being assigned to BWI, that has a lot of traffic coming through. He makes a very decent living but pretty much only works and basically recovers or tries to recover from work to get back to work.

I think they have mandatory retirement at a certain age, but am not positive about this. He is a supervisor now and has responsibility for others in that job plus has to be a fill in when someone is ill or can't make it in, etc..

I feel bad for him as he got divorced in part due to being away from home, and from the stress of work, etc..

 

[John from MD]

Another good job is a ship pilot. Takes a little training to get the job but they typically work 2 or 3 days a week.

A little training? In NY, becoming a pilot was a 17 year apprenticeship. Granted, after you got there you made an outlandish amount of money, even 30 years ago, but it took some doing to get there.

 

[John from MD]

****I know someone who is an air traffic controller and they have a remarkably stressful job. It took a lot of training and time working in other smaller airports before being assigned to BWI, that has a lot of traffic coming through. He makes a very decent living but pretty much only works and basically recovers or tries to recover from work to get back to work.

I think they have mandatory retirement at a certain age, but am not positive about this. He is a supervisor now and has responsibility for others in that job plus has to be a fill in when someone is ill or can't make it in, etc..

I feel bad for him as he got divorced in part due to being away from home, and from the stress of work, etc..

It used to be 57. I don't know if it still is. And yes, it is very stressful and I have known a couple of controllers who broke under the stress.

 

[MaxVO2]

It used to be 57. I don't know if it still is. And yes, it is very stressful and I have known a couple of controllers who broke under the stress.

****Yes. The gentleman I know in that position mentioned he has had to fill in for people that had committed suicide, perhaps due to the stressful nature of the job. This individual is perhaps 50 years old but looks 65. He has a lot of responsibility and takes his job very seriously.

 

[eruby]

I've seen how the federal government hires, and they're not efficient or use common sense. I think they closed the application window because their rules require it, irregardless of the shortage.

 

[antco]

Watch the movie Pushing Tin.

 

[Blaster229]

It used to be 57. I don't know if it still is. And yes, it is very stressful and I have known a couple of controllers who broke under the stress.

You don't have to retire, but ATC are 6C covered positions along with LEO's and firefighters with a 20 year retirement. But you cannot hire on after age 37.
You can retire at age 50 with 20 years service or any age with 25 years, but your minimum retirement age MRA is determined by your irth year.

 

[John from MD]

You don't have to retire, but ATC are 6C covered positions along with LEO's and firefighters with a 20 year retirement. But you cannot hire on after age 37.
You can retire at age 50 with 20 years service or any age with 25 years, but your minimum retirement age MRA is determined by your irth year.

ATC GS-2152 positions have different retirement requirements than 6C LEO 18XX positions. The FAA has a requirement that they retire by 56. I don't know if that is by Statute or by Order. I don't know how their retirement benefits are structured.

 

[Blaster229]

ATC GS-2152 positions have different retirement requirements than 6C LEO 18XX positions. The FAA has a requirement that they retire by 56. I don't know if that is by Statute or by Order. I don't know how their retirement benefits are structured.

They are FERS 6C covered employees.

 

[John from MD]

They are FERS 6C covered employees.

Got it.

 

[wabbit]

View attachment 431625

damn grammar nazis.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

****Yes. The gentleman I know in that position mentioned he has had to fill in for people that had committed suicide, perhaps due to the stressful nature of the job. This individual is perhaps 50 years old but looks 65. He has a lot of responsibility and takes his job very seriously.

I remember learning of the stressful nature of ATC way back in the 70's as I was preparing to graduate HS and go to college. At 18, an elem school buddy had joined the Marines and went to San Diego for ATC school once he finished at Paris Island. Soon after arriving in SD, he discovered that he got thyroid cancer and was medically discharged. We are 10 days apart in age and I still thank God he has now been in remission since 1982.