Any Center Controllers out there?

[OleGuy]

If a person that was not eligeble to take the ATSAT took a job as a Flight Data Communication Specialist could he then transfer to the controller trainee program?

 

[GIVDrvr]

Depends on why you cant take the exam. If its age then there have been no age waiver issued that I am aware of. In the past Flight Data assistants were frequently washouts from the Academy in OKC. Data folks that were highly thought of were sometimes offered second shots at the academy..or 'recycled'.
Good Luck.

 

[smellthejeta]

If a person that was not eligeble to take the ATSAT took a job as a Flight Data Communication Specialist could he then transfer to the controller trainee program?

The AT-SAT has yet to be offered... To anybody. The last exam administered was the good old OPM written exam, the one that asks aviation knowledge questions related to TCA's, ARSA's, PCA's, etc. You also have to check the hiring announcements, and see which ones offer internal transfers from within the government. AFAIK, right now, the only way in is to enter through a CTI (college) program, or be retired military.

 

[OleGuy]

Thanks for the info. This is for my son who's graduating from college and didn't take the CTI program. Figured he could make some money doing data and get his foot in the door at the same time.

 

[smellthejeta]

Thanks for the info. This is for my son who's graduating from college and didn't take the CTI program. Figured he could make some money doing data and get his foot in the door at the same time.

First ya gotta get in to do data... I tried and was rejected, and some other kids I'm doing the CTI thing with tried and got stuck in la-la land. I asked a controller friend about that route, and he said doing data is not a controller path.

Going back to school for CTI is not the end of the world and not that difficult, especially for somebody fresh out of undergrad. I'd say at least a third of my juco classmates (me included) are prior degree students returning for the CTI.

It's funny... I'm curious if the "I wanna beat CTI training" crowd is going to turn into the "I PFT'd crowd"? By that, I'm saying that one could equate CTI training with building flight time the "tried and true" way, and the "I don't wanna CTI" could be equated to those who want to take the short cut, ala GIA.

Why do I say that? Several students I know are not from the local area, and quite a few are from outside the state. We chose this particular school because we felt it is the fastest way to ATC. Frankly, CTI where I am at is really not that much work, especially for somebody with a pilot background. It took me 18.5 credits of school at a cost (including books) of less than $4,000 at the out of state rate. In state would have cost me less than $1000. My PPL cost me almost twice as much. So watching someone do an end run around us just doesn't sit well.

What CTI does is put you at the top ("preferential") of the hiring list of controllers. However, getting in without doing CTI in this day and age is all about watching the hiring announcements from the FAA. With an age 31 clock ticking, some retirement rules that change (25 years in allows retirement at any age, otherwise it's 20 and age 55), a $150,000 a year job at the end of your career, as well as additional retirement funds for years served, and a better seniority number (debateable about the usefulness, although it has some), why wait for a few years for the FAA to get off their butts? Suck it up and do it now.

 

[Flibmeister]

...(25 years in allows retirement at any age, otherwise it's 20 and age 55...

Slight correction: unless there's been a recent change, it's 20 years and age 50.

 

[OleGuy]

Smellthejeta....where are you attending school? I appreciate your comments. Thanks.

 

[smellthejeta]

Smellthejeta....where are you attending school? I appreciate your comments. Thanks.

Mt. SAC in California. Open enrollment, anybody gets in I came here because at the time I thought it was the fastest and cheapest option to go through CTI. It turned out to be faster and cheaper than I thought it would. Cost of living here sort of mitigates the cheaper tuition, but when you look at how fast you can get out of the program compared to the other schools, the extra time you would spend paying rent mitigates the cheaper per month cost.

Sidenote: I stand corrected on the retirement age.

 

[pilotman2105]

Slight correction: unless there's been a recent change, it's 20 years and age 50.

Age 56

 

[ATCER]

Air Traffic assistant (FAA 2154) is not a route to controller (FAA 2152). As posted above the FAA has only been hiring through the CTI program and former military... there are also some MARC students left but that program has been shut down and looks to be finished.


The AT-SAT test has been given to the public in 3 locations that I know of... they gave it here in NY, out west in Oakland (I think) and down south, can't swear to where. As far as my sources from Eatern region no one who took the test in this area has been hired, and nationwide there might have been 1 or 2.

If your son wants to go into ATC I would say that CTI would be your best bet in.

 

[Flibmeister]

Age 56

That's the mandatory retirement age for (most) controllers, not the minimum.

When I retired in '99 (with 25 years of service, at age 48), the other option was "with 20 years service, if age 50". I can't swear to it, but I don't think that's changed.

 

[ATCER]

That's the mandatory retirement age for (most) controllers, not the minimum.

When I retired in '99 (with 25 years of service, at age 48), the other option was "with 20 years service, if age 50". I can't swear to it, but I don't think that's changed.

Still the same... we lost 2 people this past year (04') with 20 years by 50 yo...

 

[Flibmeister]

Still the same...

Thanks, that's what I figured.

Not surprised that those with 20 years at age 50 pull the plug-- they'd have to stay an additional 7 years to get more than 50% retirement (or to get retirement credit for accrued sick leave). With 25 years, you only need to stay two more years before that happens.

Then there are those that looked at it the way I did-- once I hit 25 years, I was working for half pay. Who wants to do that? <g>