ATC Question

[TDTURBO]

My girlfreind wants to work in ATC and found out that you must be 30 yrs old or younger before getting hired. By the time she completes the program she will be 31, is there any teeth in this reg, is it written in stone, or is it bent on occasion? I would hate to go through all that and not get hired.

 

[flywithruss]

I would check to see when the limit must be reached ... in other words, do you have to be under 31 when you start the training, or when you finish it? The whole training process takes over a year to complete (OKC and facility training). I would suspect that the FAA wouldn't even have you start training if you couldn't work at the end.

Check with the feds on that one, but unless she's sacked because of her age, encourage her to go for it! We always need good controllers.

Tailwinds, y'all ...

R

 

[Buschpilot]

Is the FAA providing training again? Last I knew you had to either be military or some sort of college trained.

The FAA headquarters for your region is the office you need to get a hold of.

 

[ATCER]

Hey... I'm going to try and answer your questions.

First, the basics. The FAA is currenlty hiring controllers (ATCS) 3 ways.

1 - VRA - Ex-Military controllers are hired through the VRA program.

2 - CTI (Controller Training Initiative). About 16 colleges throughout the country offer an FAA approved program that leads to a college degree and application for employment as an ATCS. This is the only option for a civilian under 31 without a college degree.

For more info check out -
http://www.natca.org/about/career.msp
http://www.faa.gov/careers/employment/atc.htm

3 - MARC Program. The Minneapolis Community and Technial College offers a program for people that have a collge degree. The program is 4-5 months and leads to a job at an ARTCC only.

For more info check out -

http://www.mctc.mnscu.edu/aviation/airTraffic/atc.htm

VRA and CTI must go through the FAA academy in OKC. Not bad considering you get a salary and per diem for all expenses. MARC students do not go through OKC... they report directly to the ARTCC they are hired into.

Are you a pilot ??? How old is your girlfriend ??? Has she ever been to an ATC facility before ??? If not try and get a tour... many have been open to tours again. Talk to the people there and let her see what they do.

Hope this info helps. I normally lurk here to see what the pilots are up to but figured I actually had something to provide here.

Good Luck.

 

[TDTURBO]

You are the best ATCER!

Finally someone that knows exactly whats up. She is 29, with a BS degree and currently enrolled in post-graduate classes to earn her masters in English. ............insert lame.

She has flown with me on several international flights and handles most of the IFR radio work, she loves it. She is not a pilot but could easily get her private, she knows allot from flying right seat with me for hundreds of hours IFR. I will tell her tonight when she gets back from school and have her PM you if she has anymore questions.

Thanks for the solid!

 

[Wiggums]

The MARC program would be the only one that would fit her needs. To be hired as a controller you have to start no later then the day you turn 31, so she would need to hurry. It will take a few months to get all the applications stuff together, and to take the two distance learning courses that are required before enrolling. The MARC program takes about five months, and it starts three times each year, January, April, and August. After finishing the MARC course figure at least another four to six months for security clearance, background check, etc. Admission into the program is apparently competitive, but the biggest factor in getting in is how well you can score on their aptitude test.

For some more perspective on the job she could read these columns by Don Brown, and visit an ATC facility. Since MARC grads only go to centers, a list of them with contact info can be found on this page.

 

[Russ]

A point of interest, controllers are not allowed to control after their 56th birthday, One of the paths to a govt pension is 25 years of service, thus the 31 y/o entry rule.

 

[TDTURBO]

It's going to be tight, she turns 31 in January. It is my understanding that she needs to be hired by the time she reaches 31, if that's the case, then she is too old.

 

[Ravengirl]

I'm studying ATC right now, and some of my friends have had to face this issue. I believe that you must be under 31 when the FAA calls and offers you a position; ie, after graduation, or testing.

She could try the MARC, if she were really interested...

Stephanie