regional pilot to ATC

[aland504]

hey there, so just a quick question for you controllers. old and new would be great. thinking of getting into ATC and leaving flying, but as with every job in the aviation industry seems to come with frustration and unfair work rules...whatever it is. what do you all think about getting into ATC now? do you really get to pick where you go? i have read multiple posts on here saying that is true and not true. just overall really, are you happy or not happy with your choice to do this?
thank you

 

[aland504]

sorry it posted five times, my server has been having issues.

 

[TV9Driver]

I've got another question to add. Back a few years ago when I was furloughed from my airline job, I looked into becoming an Air Traffic Controller. I quickly found out that I was too old ( i was 32 at the time), the age cutoff being 31 I believe. I find it strange that we (pilots) can be hired up until our 60th (soon to be 65th) birthday, but controllers can't be older than 31. I am not saying that one job is harder or easier than the other - rather that they seem to be along the same lines and require the same skill sets and abilities.

What are your thoughts?

 

[circletoland]

hey there, so just a quick question for you controllers. old and new would be great. thinking of getting into ATC and leaving flying, but as with every job in the aviation industry seems to come with frustration and unfair work rules...whatever it is. what do you all think about getting into ATC now? do you really get to pick where you go? i have read multiple posts on here saying that is true and not true. just overall really, are you happy or not happy with your choice to do this?
thank you

I am in ATC, and I keep looking at getting out and going back into flying.

 

[ATCT]

Im a controller at a busy facility (top ten) and I love it. To a point you get to choose where you want to go. The FAA offers you a facility (first they might offer you a state and then an option, enroute or terminal) and you get to choose if you want it or not. Simple as that.

Regarding the Age...
We're required to retire at 56...no idea why. 25 years of service subtracted from 56 is where they get the 31 number from.

ATCT

 

[circletoland]

Im a controller at a busy facility (top ten) and I love it. To a point you get to choose where you want to go. The FAA offers you a facility (first they might offer you a state and then an option, enroute or terminal) and you get to choose if you want it or not. Simple as that.

Regarding the Age...
We're required to retire at 56...no idea why. 25 years of service subtracted from 56 is where they get the 31 number from.

ATCT

They did a study back in the day and found that by the age of 31 the amount of time to grasp and learn the atc system it gets too difficult or too long to train, unlike the younger whipper snappers.

 

[dickburns]

circletoland: agreed! the younger you are, the quicker you can probably grasp it.

next time you see missile, tell him I said YEYEYYEYEYEYEYEYEYEYEYEYEYE.

or as DB always jokes, "bin, strips, scope....yeye db, just go in dere and go BIN, STRIPS, scope" his famous last-minute advice from missile before the pv.

 

[aland504]

thanks for the replies. i just cant tell what to do. i know several controllers who cant stress enough to me to not get into and others say it is great. guess its just like any other job. also can you go straight to OKC or do you have to go to a college first? i already fly for a regional so dont know if they take that into consideration that you already know a great deal about it....

 

[psysicx]

When does the new crappy contract expire?

 

[check6]

I think you can just get hired off the street now and go to OKC. They are hurting for people just like the regionals. With the new pay rules. A new trainee at a center now gets paid about half of what they used to. They get the equivalent of what a 1st year regional FO makes. The pay raises to rise up sharply, however, because once you get fully qualified, you'll be making the dough. Again, this is considerably less than "pre-contract adjustment" days.