air traffic controllers

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  • wabbit

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 29, 2010
    5,274
    They're hiring new air traffic controllers, if anyone is looking for a career change.
    Deadline is July 14.

    http://www.flyingmag.com/faa-opens-...pJobID=1080856242&spReportId=MTA4MDg1NjI0MgS2

    The vacancy — officially called Air Traffic Control Specialist (Trainee) — is expected to be highly competitive. Trainees receive a salary and a per diem to cover living expenses during initial training. Once fully qualified, salaries vary depending upon the working location, but can easily exceed $100,000 annually.

    But there are a few requirements applicants must meet before they fill out the initial paperwork. Applicants must be U.S. citizens under 31 years of age (controllers still face a mandatory retirement at age 56). Applicants must pass medical, security and pre-employment tests and speak English clearly enough to be understood on the radio. Trainees must have at least three years of responsible work prior to applying and be willing to relocate anywhere the agency requires.

    Applicants will be separated into two candidate pools. The first will include graduates of an institution participating in the Collegiate Training Initiative program who provide an appropriate recommendation, as well as eligible veterans. The agency apparently learned from its past hiring mistakes and said Pool 1 applicants will not be required to take a biographical assessment. Pool 2 includes the general public.

    Applicants can begin the screening process at USAJOBS.gov. The agency has also created an ATC career background page for applicants.​
     

    Qbeam

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 16, 2008
    6,085
    Georgia
    Be prepared to work odd schedules once you get to the field. I work with them, and they are a good set of folks. But like any job, you have the good ones and bad ones.

    Q
     

    swinokur

    In a State of Bliss
    Patriot Picket
    Apr 15, 2009
    55,489
    Westminster USA
    i have a friend who works at McCarran in Vegas as a supervisor.

    he loves the job and is very good at it.

    mostly good folks doing a hard job.
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,621
    Glen Burnie
    I know a guy who failed out of the class about 8 months ago. He wasn't the brightest bulb in the pack.
     

    engineerbrian

    JMB fan club
    Sep 3, 2010
    10,149
    Fredneck
    I know a guy who failed out of the class about 8 months ago. He wasn't the brightest bulb in the pack.

    Whats involved in the class? I had some FAA guys pushing me to apply for this years ago. I dont even remember whats involved for the training.

    He kept saying i could retire after 20 years. In hind sight that would have sealed the deal for me.
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,621
    Glen Burnie
    Whats involved in the class? I had some FAA guys pushing me to apply for this years ago. I dont even remember whats involved for the training.

    He kept saying i could retire after 20 years. In hind sight that would have sealed the deal for me.
    Honestly I don't know. This guy has half a brain, so we expected failure.
    Yeah. Federal LEO, fire and ATC get 20 retirements :)
     

    mdflyer

    Member
    Nov 19, 2015
    62
    Its a pretty good career but stressful. from my understanding you work an hour or two then an hour break. but you have to be under 31 to apply.

    Movie "Pushing Tin" is about controllers i don't remember how much it had in it about the career though
     

    Blaster229

    God loves you, I don't.
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 14, 2010
    46,621
    Glen Burnie
    These positions are most likely for control centers and not in actual towers at airports. Those centers are so automated nowadays even a caveman can do it. :)
     

    Mike

    Propietario de casa, Toluca, México
    MDS Supporter
    Think dark blue voting districts. LAX OAK ORD JFK SFO That is where the FAA is probably going to try to send any new graduates. Also consider the ongoing talk about ATC privatization that will impact any, if that happenes. Also FAA is not in the GS pay system it is in its own excepted service. In that you are not considered a government employee if you want to jump to another agency. Then there is the NATCA union that plays a part in things related to the job.
     

    K31

    "Part of that Ultra MAGA Crowd"
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 15, 2006
    35,678
    AA county
    Since The Evil Trump is talking about contracting out this task (like Europe) is this a good career move?
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,963
    Socialist State of Maryland
    I don't know what the entrance exam is these days but I know what it was 40 years ago. You could not study for it as it was a test where you had to have the ability to evaluate time/distance problems in your head.

    The test was given at the Civil Service Office and was in three parts. AFAICR, the first lasted 15 minutes, the second added altitude or speed to the problems and lasted 20 min, and the third part was knowledge of aviation but did not count towards your grade.

    I had no interest in being a ATC controller but, I was an Aviator and just wanted to see what it was all about. As it was, I got a 89 for parts 1 and 2 and aced all the questions in section 3. A controller friend at the time told me that they never even considered anyone who got less than 98%.
     

    airsporter

    Active Member
    Apr 28, 2011
    388
    Western MD
    My son did 4 yrs in the 82nd airborne as an 11B paratrooper - in an Airborne Infantry Regiment (AIR). He "re-upped," following a 15 mo. combat deployment to Iraq during the 2007 "surge." Then went to Army ATC school at Ft. Rucker. Finished 1st in his class and was assigned to Ft Rucker. Did a couple more years (as a Sgt. - shift supervisor) and then ETS'd. Entered college under GI bill - because FAA was not hiring. Did 2 years in computer science - his passion. Then hiring broke loose due to retiring ATC's - hired during the Reagan administration's firings of striking ATC's. Now, at 31, my son is in that +$100K salary - working at BWI! HOOAH!
     

    traveller

    The one with two L
    Nov 26, 2010
    18,427
    variable
    Be prepared to go through a 2 year hiring process just to be told that the FAA has decided to scrap the entire hiring process because it failed to yield enough LGBT/gay/black/native/veterans-preference candidates.
    Or their budget is hung up in Congress.
    Or the new secretary of transportation decided to hire your work out to SERCO or Leidos.
    Or they have decided that NextGen require a bachelor's in computer science from all applicants.



    Not to discourage anyone, but the FAA is famous for jerking job applicants around. Once you get in it's a sweet gig. Work little, make good money and retire early (just to double-dip working as tower controller for a contractor at some podunk airport for another 10 years).
     

    wabbit

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 29, 2010
    5,274
    Why all the negative energy? The odds aren't good, but at least there's a shot at getting a job. Being an ATC is more productive and useful than 95% of the federal workers in Washington DC.
     

    traveller

    The one with two L
    Nov 26, 2010
    18,427
    variable
    Why all the negative energy? The odds aren't good, but at least there's a shot at getting a job. Being an ATC is more productive and useful than 95% of the federal workers in Washington DC.

    Hence the:

    Once you get in it's a sweet gig. Work little, make good money and retire early

    The issue is not even that it is competitive to get into. It is the psychotic hiring process. If you go into this knowing that it is a completely random event surrounded by ******** and that you are probably not going to get in, then sure put your app in the stack.

    A friend of mine got hired in the late 80s, did it for 20 years, hated it, retired and became middle school teacher in PG county.
     

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