BoredwLife

Depends on what those top three choices are.

kalyx522

Training takes about three months in Oklahoma City. They pay you about 4k/month while in training. After you finish Oklahoma City and get to your facility you start on 33k/year base pay. Added to this is the "locality" pay. This amount depends on which city you end up in. The lowest locality pay is about 13% of the base pay (most facilities are 13%) and the highest about 25-28% (major metro areas and such.) After that, the pay depends on which level facility you end up in. The highest level facility is level 12, and all centers are level 12. Most class C towers are about level 6 or 7, and the ones in class B cities are usually level 10 or at most, 11.
I have the most current payscale chart if you want to take a look. I believe it's on the faa website as well, if you dont mind going through the trouble to look for it.

I'm not sure what the process is for off the street hires nowadays. The way it was done for CTI grads like me (FAA approved collegiate programs) you can pick anywhere UP TO five states. The facility that has a shortage at the time will determine which state you end up in . For example, if you pick New York, South Carolina and West Virginia... you would most likely be called for NY ARTCC because that's where they have a big shortage. That's why it's important to list ONLY the states that you really wouldn't mind living in. OR, do it like I did and list only ONE state. Obviously if they never have openings in that state you will never get called for an interview... and that's probably why people list more than one state, to broaden their chances. But in today's environment, probably every single state has numerous openings.
The one good thing about this process is that you know what facility you're headed to from the get-go. If you are chosen for an ARTCC position, they tell you exactly which center it is when they invite you to the interview. If you are chosen for terminal, they tell you the state, but not which tower (you find out after the interview.)

I think nowadays they are giving applicants the choice to narrow it down even further than just choosing the state: terminal or ARTCC, and maybe even the city or country.. I'm not 100%.

mccube5

kalyx,

you any closer to making that jump to ATC?

flyingfalcon401

Thanks for the help guys. I'm thinking about jumping from the pilot ship over to the controller ship. I live in the Cleveland area, wouldn't mind getting a job over in Toledo, Mansfield, or maybe the Burke Lake Front airport here in Cleveland.

kalyx522

I just have an interview coming up.... the process will take awhile (I intentionally chose the longer route vs. the new shorter interview process), so I still have several months to think it over. As of now I'm as undecided as ever.

what are your plans? god it must suck, your first regional went under and now the second one is furloughing. well i guess we can call you a true airline pilot now.

SongMan

So the job is listed again in FAA web.

I will be 31 this September. Any ideal if im too old since only 2 month remains until my 31st birthday?

youneek28

Sorry man, they are not that quick. I applied at the end of May and just found out that I can take the test. Will be a couple of weeks for them to even tell me when I can take it.

Bubba

New Off The Street (OTS) announcement:

ASAP - View Announcement

Good luck

ImperialxRat

Would you mind PMing me that revised ATC pay scale? Or posting it here for us to see?

I too have been considering taking the jump over to the dark side.

Thanks!

beechbum

What is the pilot retirment age...60?

Well, since we know that they can and will change mandatory retirment ages, I find it hard to believe that anybody can defend the argument that it is safe to be at the controls of an aircraft until you are 65, but not in a ATC facility.