Fun aviation jobs not in the cockpit

[Lrjtcaptain]

I was flying this morning enroute between MCI and OMA and bored. Perfect VFR day, no heavy traffic and I was thinking to myself why aviation is so appealing.

I am detouring my flying career in a few months to become an ATC lackie in N.Calif. I was wondering what other fun jobs in aviation non flying would be and I could only come up with one.

I want to be the guy who gets to shoot the frozen turkeys and chickens into the engines during testing.

Any other good ones out there you guys and gals can think of?

 

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

Why are you giving up the corporate gig? Is there something more appealing about ATC (other than money) that I am not aware of?

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

I don't know for sure. Just another opportunity. A chance to move. I would like to go 121 sometime in the future but can't take a pay cut like that and make 19-30k a year. My spending habbits wont allow that. I just want to go and see what else is out there while im young and can afford to make some mistakes and get back into flying if i want to. Im sure I will in a few years but this is just an opportunity for me that i dont want to throw away.

 

[ATCER]

Hey lrjtcaptain ... have you been hired by the FAA ??? If so congratulations !!! Do you have a date for OKC ??? ATC is a great job...

I still love flying and took ATC due to the stability and $$$ ... before I was hired I figured I would go back... well... I do not see that happening soon.

Not many jobs out there that pay well over 100K and let you show up in jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt. The benefits and retirement are not bad either.

Your making a good decision and being from the flying side of things will help you out quite a bit.

Good Luck !!!

 

[TEXAN AVIATOR]

I always wandered if ATC guys make a good living. Their job carries such a heavy responsibility. What are the requirements to get a ATC job? Does a Aviation Science major help?

 

[Illini Pilot]

considering there is an Escalade, Benz E430 and Yukon Denali parked outside the Champaign Tower/Approach Building, i would say that most controllers are doing just fine

does it vary with the location, ie does ohare tower controllers get more than say some small class D tower controller?

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

yes, FAA has hired me.

My OKC date is Aug 11.
My first tour of duty is at Santa Rosa Tower, in Cali.

Looking forward to the move!

 

[airgator]

Congrats dude, I've always thought ATC would be an awesome career. So they just assign you places to go? Do you have any control over what jobs? Also, can you switch from towers to ARTCC's, or is that a whole different animal? Good luck.

 

[U-I pilot]

Two of the above mentioned belong to instructors...

That makes me sick

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

the way the selection process works is you bid a region

i bid western pacific which includes
NM,AZ,NV,CA,HAWAII, AND GUAM

as for Tower to ARTCC....yeah, you just try and get a new position whenever you can. Not sure how all the works but was told to plan on two years in the first spot.

Id like to hit Vegas or PHX for a TRACON spot


Two of the above mentioned belong to instructors...
----------did i miss something????

 

[doclarse]

My first tour of duty is at Santa Rosa Tower, in Cali.

I learned to fly at STS. It's a great place. The people are very friendly and there's plenty to do when you're not working, especially since the Bay Area is so close by. You'll have a lot of fun there. The guys over at Dragonfly Aviation were always fun and enjoyed having the controllers stop by.

 

[quigs]

What are the steps to becoming an air traffic controller? Is it very competetive?

 

[ATCER]

First, LRJTCaptain... congratulations again. It's a fun job, best of luck to you. As for your date, August 11, WOW ! You have a nice amount of advanced notice. I was called 6 days before I had to report to OKC... I got a call and had to say yes or no that second.

OKC is not a bad town. The Gov't picks up the whole tab. You get your salary AND per diem which I think is up to $65.00 per day or something. I went through OKC for the enroute program... was there 88 days ... the first day of class we were sworn in, filled out a ton of paperwork and then were cut a check for $3500 for our first 1 1/2 months there. Covered our rent, rental car, and "other" activities. After about 6 weeks they gave us our second check for the remaining time we are there. They pick up the travel also... If you would like some info on where to stay or any other info feel free to contact me... I'll be happy to help.

As for pay controllers are on the ATC pay scale. Natca negotiated us off the GS scale in the last contract... we are paid based on the facility level. Even that is not a true reflection... we also receive, locality pay, CIP (controller incentive pay), night diff., sunday pay, holiday pay, and ovetime. This all adds up fast.

As for becoming a controller the first thing is how old are you ??? You have to be under 31. If that's the case then there are 2 routes...

1 - Military. Become a controller in the military and then apply to the FAA once you leave.

2 - Civilian. Check out this link ===>

http://www1.faa.gov/careers/employment/atc.htm

If you have any questions after reading it then post them or PM me. It may take me a few days to get back to you but I will !

Hope this info helps.

 

[quigs]

To qualify for entry-level air traffic control specialist positions, applicants must achieve a qualifying score on the current FAA authorized pre-employment test.

NOTE: The pre-employment test is currently ONLY offered to students in the Student Intern Program, Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) Program, and Mid-America Resource Consortium (MARC) Program. It is NOT anticipated that this test will be open to the general public for several years.

Does this mean the general public can't set for the test? Do you have to be in a special school?

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

here is how i got the job


went to Embry riddle
Sept 11 **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**ed everything up so i got into the CTI program

took the FAA test, passed, taught the lab portion of ATC at riddle

got hired, now im waiting.

 

[VFR on Top]

Congrats man; the North Bay (Sonoma, Napa, Marin Counties) is some of the most beautiful country anywhere--and you're only about an hour and 15 by car from San Francisco, one of the ultimate playgrounds for twenty- and thirty-somethings.

STS isn't the busiest of airports, but I can think of few better office views than from the tower cab there.

 

[bobbysamd]

Northern Cal

I second the above. I lived there briefly and flew into your future airport. You won't want to leave.

Good luck with your career change. Keep flying.

 

[WrightAvia]

Sounds like a good move...

No shame in going the career route that offers quite a bit of job security and benefits. Plus you end up at home, when you punch out.

I say that if you get in there and you like it...that's the most important thing. Good luck to you!

 

[surfnole]

Just curious, what is the starting pay for a controller? How long is the training program? Does the goverment pay for the training?

 

[adam_jorgensen]

One job I would like to do if I wasn't flying is an airport security job where they drive out on airside and check all the aprons and gates that go to airside to make sure no body is jumping the fence or anything. I have been out a few times with people who do that at our airport and I would love to do that. I'm hoping that I can do it before I get a flying job because I have a few more years yet before I do get a flying job. The only problem is its a job everybody wants . Of course every job I want, everybody wants. I could probably get on with a major before I could ever get this job I really want at our airport.