ATC Job Qualifications

[blzr]

Do you need flight time to get an interview? My son is interested and has no time or 4 yr degree.

I'm not sure how to respond to that. Not to knock your son, I'm sure he is plenty smart and would be a fine controller, but I'm not sure if I want someone directing traffic that is going 450kts with 100+ people on it if they don't have a resume that includes more that working overtime at Target. Most flying jobs (require) a 4 year degree in something, I would like to see that with controllers too.

Ok, My rant is over because my beer is gone.....NEXT

 

[Fugawe]

I'm not sure how to respond to that. Not to knock your son, I'm sure he is plenty smart and would be a fine controller, but I'm not sure if I want someone directing traffic that is going 450kts with 100+ people on it if they don't have a resume that includes more that working overtime at Target. Most flying jobs (require) a 4 year degree in something, I would like to see that with controllers too.

Ok, My rant is over because my beer is gone.....NEXT

Wow, some serious assumptions here......I said he didn't have his 4 yr completed. Quite smart, played college football. And.....after lots of years of military and civilian flying -- I can tell you that the 4 yr degree means squat.....it gets you in the door perhaps, but that's about it.

Now -- does anyone know if you need flying time or a degree to get an interview?

 

[Avtrchris]

Wow, some serious assumptions here......I said he didn't have his 4 yr completed. Quite smart, played college football. And.....after lots of years of military and civilian flying -- I can tell you that the 4 yr degree means squat.....it gets you in the door perhaps, but that's about it.

Now -- does anyone know if you need flying time or a degree to get an interview?

My credentials are 5 years of part time 30 hours work exsperience. 2 years of college. and 250 hours of flight time. They offered the ATSAT to me. Havent done the interview yet though.

 

[blzr]

the 4 yr degree means squat.....it gets you in the door perhaps, but that's about it.

Exactly!

 

[j41driver]

Did a little poking around and found this website:

http://www.atccti.com/index.html

Not sure if it's up to date info but looked pretty comprehensive. Good luck!

 

[atl pilot]

All you need is 3 years of work experience (it could be doing anything) or 4 years of college, or some combination of both. US citisen, no convictions. Yup, pretty much, they'll take anyone who has the apptuitude to score well enough on the AT-SAT exam.

Another great site is www.jetcareers.com. its free to sign up, and under career specific, there's a topic for ATC. Lots of good info there on the hiring and OKC training process.

 

[Rally]

What does the AT-SAT exam consist of? I am horrible with math but otherwise smart! I have the three years of work experience plus 2400 TT ATP CFI-I MEI etc. Flying experience help? Or not at all?

Thanks

 

[atl pilot]

They could care less about your aviation experince or time. Visit the www.atccti.website. There may be AT-SAT info there.

 

[CirrusDriver]

I don't think they would "care less" considering on the application it asks you if you have ever held an instrument rating or if you have more then 350 hrs flight time and hold a private license. They also ask about ATP/DX/Student pilot and Multi rating as well.

-The best place to get ATC info is jetcareers.com

 

[atl pilot]

Trust me....they do not care. I have been doing this for over 2 decades for the FAA. Only 1 person of all the new hires at my facility (ATL Tower) have any pilot experience or ratings at all. And over the years, I have worked with mostly non-pilots. There have been some pilots here and there, but they are truley in the minority.

Once you're in the system, you get points when applying for jobs within the FAA ATC system, 1 point each for private and comml pilot, instrument rating, CFI, and/or dispatcher. But the FAA really does not care, they're just checking boxes at the HR level when you apply initially.