ATC Job Qualifications

[Richard Gozinya]

Looking for info on qualifications for ATC specialists. I have seen the listed requirements, but it is quite vague. Specifically, do you need a 4 year degree and is there a specialized school you could attend that would aid in the process to get interviewed.

Thanks in advance,

Dick Gozinya

 

[payton]

You dont need any quals or a 4 yr degree. We just washed out an expaint salesman in my area.
It just takes being the unlucky one to get the job.

ps. you must be crazy to want to work for the faa under the current pay and work rules

 

[Richard Gozinya]

Looking for a possible avenue for my future son-in-law. Yea, my spare bedroom is not an option. Is the app something to be done online in the FAA website?

Thanks for the info.

Dick

 

[405]

You dont need any quals or a 4 yr degree. We just washed out an expaint salesman in my area.
It just takes being the unlucky one to get the job.

ps. you must be crazy to want to work for the faa under the current pay and work rules

Is the FAA that bad now? I miss ATC every day as I walk into my regional airline dispatch office.

 

[payton]

oh well you should have said the son in law was living with you. then it would be a perfect job for him.

yes the working conditions are that bad. i miss the cockpit of my challenger, lear, md80, and even c172

 

[pilotlbs]

They're not hiring off the street though right? Also what is the difference between ATC Specialist Developmental/RMC? Does it loook like they'll start hiring off the street soon? Would the work rules and conditions improve due to a lack of ATC over the next few years? Thanks for the info.

 

[gabbyzoel]

Payton is correct Wait a year or two to apply. An administration change this November is the only hope the current state of unfairness will change. If you like making half what the guy sitting next makes for doing the same job, then air traffic controller is the job for you. You may think that you could do that job for half cause that is still better money than Walmart until you've been there and done the job and realize you are under paid for a job only a few people in this world have the certain quality it takes to be an air traffic controller. Not everyone has what it takes just like not everyone has what it takes to be a pilot or surgeon or anyother highly skilled job. Don't help the FAA make the ATC profession turn out like the Airlines have done to the pilot profession. By the way, PAYTON I know who you are, look at my name and you should know who I am.

 

[aeronautic1]

I loved that movie... Pushing Tin... where doI sign up?

 

[payton]

ive been outed.

ps. my wife said she is dizzy and nassiated. something i should know??????????

 

[pilotx86]

If you like making half what the guy sitting next makes for doing the same job, then air traffic controller is the job for you. You may think that you could do that job for half cause that is still better money than Walmart until you've been there and done the job and realize you are under paid for a job only a few people in this world have the certain quality it takes to be an air traffic controller.

sounds like life at the regional airlines...im considering making the jump as well to ATC

 

[atl pilot]

Guys and Gals,
I hate to be the optimist here, but it was like this after the strike too. If you have a desire to try, then do it now! Seniority will benefit you down the road if you're qualified and make the training cut. When I came in back in the 1980s, a lot of people were being washed out. Now the FAA has dumbed this down so much that almost anyone can do it, and they have employed a "train to succeed" mantra. Don't listen to the bad press put out by NATCA. This is a great job. And in today's economy, you won't find anything better than a govt pension at the end. I have an ASA pilot living in my home, and I can tell you first hand the difference in what he has to put up with in terms of BS from his employer far outweighs what the FAA is doing these days. Its not perfect, but nothing is. Every job will have its issues. I love my job, even under the new work rules and pay.

 

[Rizzo]

atl pilot must be management....

but seriously....

yes, seniority is everything but you're too late. they've hired so many already you will never hold straight weekends off. i was hired at the very beginning of the wave and already have about 20 below me in my area alone....about 100 in the building.

yes, they have dumbed down training but apparently they are getting ready to change the way training is done at the academy...expect to see more fail out. and we have plenty failing out at my facility...not like it used to be though.

NATCA doesn't spout bad press, they spout the truth. we are losing 4 controllers per day to retirement and resignations. the faa waited too long to start hiring. we are understaffed. many facilities are working 6 day work weeks. you will do shift work and work holidays. the pay is crap at smaller facilities. pay was cut by 30% across the board. most management couldn't separate 2 planes and that's why they are management. i could go on and on.....

 

[atl pilot]

No atl pilot is just a controller living under the imposed work rules. However, its all what you make it. Just like any job.

 

[BrownStreak]

I loved that movie... Pushing Tin... where doI sign up?

My FO last month said the same thing about "Catch Me if You Can"...thought being a pilot'd be a great job for picking up chicks, and then spent the month trying to kill me. I think Frank Abagnale knew more about flying than him. Tragically, he's not one of the 27 getting furloughed.

 

[Avtrchris]

apply away, I dont have a degree or 4 years of fulltime work exsperience, and got a offer to take the AT-SAT test

 

[Rizzo]

All you need right now is a pulse...they are so desparate.

 

[blzr]

Sounds like the fAA is hiring just about anything with a pulse. I was getting the aTIS a few weeks ago at my home airport and it sounded like an ebonix lesson. Then, getting the full rout clearance, the controller was reading and giggling when they messed up, which was alot. Also, the clearance contained an unusual amount of "uh's" and "Um's".

 

[Bruno82]

If I get hired as an air traffic controller, I won't let you down.

 

[Avtrchris]

All you need right now is a pulse...they are so desparate.

sounds like go jet

 

[Fugawe]

apply away, I dont have a degree or 4 years of fulltime work exsperience, and got a offer to take the AT-SAT test

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

 

[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.