Too late for ATC Career?

[psysicx]

Is it as stressful as people say.I know that everyone says they have a high divorce rate.And when are they suppose to start hiring?

 

[SkyBoy1981]

Stress depends where you work I'm sure. When I toured ZJX last year there were guys in North Area that were sitting around doing nothing while the guys across the aisle working the east coast traffic were up to their elbows in airplanes and had 2 or 3 heads on every scope. All I can say is don't do it unless you really have an interest in it....

 

[ISaidRightTurns]

It is true that most new hires are sent to 7's and below or centers. You can find pay scales at:

atpay.faa.gov, click documents, then view (on the left hand side).

I don't have an answer for the stress thing. Everyone handles it differently.

 

[VampyreGTX]

For the ATSAT, what is the best way to study for this. I don't recall ever seeing a study guide for it.

Anyone got any insight on this?

 

[Vector4fun]

Related Question:

What's the chances that someone gets into ATC "school" now and doesn't end up in ARTCC somewhere. I'm more interested in TRACON/Tower than Center. I'd love to get into it somewhere where it's busy. Any chance?

-mini

Mini,

I believe the school you attend determines (to a large extent) whether you'll go to a Tower/Tracon or to a Center. Right now, as I understand it, the Union's agreement with the FAA says that new hires in the Terminal Option will go to ATC-8 facilities or below.... UNLESS, the facility in question is very short of bodies and qualified bidders. There may be a half dozen ATC-9, 10, or 11 facilities that fit that description, I don't know. Some of the "young-uns" (meant with all due affection folks ) can probably tell you more, I've been attending retirement seminars lately, not the hiring kind.....

 

[atcloser]

i dont agree that the NY TRACON washout rate is 90%, and i dont believe we ever got any of those ATSAT people off the street.

 

[psysicx]

What is the difference between a 9 10 and 11?I toured the SLC center and they were busy enough not to get bored but not overloaded.

 

[RUNNINHORN]

The demand is everywhere. The trick is to get hired somewhere by one facility and then transfer. Getting the receiving facility to pick you up isn't hard, but your current facility will rarely let you go without a fight. I have never transfered, that is what I've hears.

what centers are typically easier to get into straight out of school?

 

[ISaidRightTurns]

Not really easy to say. You apply to 3 regions, 1st 2nd and 3rd choice. Then one picks you up and sometimes gives you an option, sometimes they don't. Often if you work with the region you can get where you want, just not that fast.

Its worth noting I think you only need to select one region, 2nd and 3rd are optional.

what centers are typically easier to get into straight out of school?

 

[ISaidRightTurns]

Alot of people wanting to get hired hang out here:


www.stuckmic.com

they would know more about all the pre hire stuff.