ksatflyer

Im told by some that the atc job really sucks right now due to the new contract but I dunno, sure beats getting furloughed. Made a new 92 on my atsat so It looks pretty promising. Anyone else applying? Any controllers chime in please

andy171773

I've thought about it, but the disease of me being addicted to flying is hard to cure. I'm still undecided.

CaptainInop

Plus apparently those of us that are a ripe old age of 31 are too old. Geez.

pilot221

I made the switch last year. I'm now at my facility, almost checked out on my first two positions here at my tower. It was hard to convince myself to do it but it was either this or start at a regional which will now be furloughing, so I am ok with my decision at this point in time. It is hard some days seeing airplanes buzzing around (including the airline you would have been working for or have worked for) but some days it's pretty cool. Just don't go into it thinking because you are a pilot, you will breeze through. The general knowledge is there but it's a whole new game.

kalyx522

That's how I imagine it may be for me if I make the switch. If you were a pilot, how can you look out at those planes and not wish you were flying one? That part of me will probably never go away, we all love flying here after all.

So how is your experience with the job so far? Is management as bad as they say it is? What kind of hours do you work? I know one of the biggest gripes for some controllers is shift work... I don't think that'd be much problem for me, because I work some long and crazy hours (switching from morning/night days all the time) at my regional anyways, pretty used to the lifestyle by now.
One of my biggest problems with my current job.... is not getting compensated for work. I actually like working a lot. I just HATE it so much when I work a 15 hr day and get paid only 6.8 hours for it. I think with ATC you get paid for every single hour you work (like any normal hourly job actually, lol). Please correct me if I'm mistaken.
Also, my ****tyass regional loves to jip us on pay. They would deliberately take away legit pay credit and maybe hope you never notice because they do it TWO WEEKS after the fact. Unfortunately for them I check my pay credit religiously and know exactly, down to the minute, how much pay credit I've accrued at any given moment. I hate that I have to be so anal about it, but this company gives me no choice.. And I won't knowingly let them rip me off on pay. Even it's only a 20 minute credit.. it's the principle of the matter. In the end, I have to fight and fight at least a few times every month to get the correct pay.
I can't tell you HOW MUCH stress it causes me.

This kind of issue doesn't really exist with ATC, does it? I would assume that pay rules are pretty straightforward with the FAA. Because if it isn't, the whole point of moving over to that side and not having to deal with the stress anymore is moot.

Also, is it true that the FAA is no longer letting controllers have flying jobs on the side? I'd like to keep flying if possible, through any kind of part 91 or 135.

pilot221

So far so good. I work at a Class C tower. I'm checked out on my first position (which is a combination of 3...technically). I haven't dealt with management really so I can't say but everyone is fairly po'd since they have their own "management" story. I wouldn't mind seeing it change for the better though, that's for sure. My hours vary but they are always 8 hours. At the end of that, I go home. It's not bad considering I've been in the 15 hour day crap before as well. You get paid for all your time, yes. You earn leave as well. You get Sunday/Night/Holiday pay too.

You won't get anything taken away that your earned if that's what you asking. I'm sure there are some stories but...ya. Everything is pretty straightforward. I'm pretty laid back too and just do what I need to do...keeps everyone happy and keeps me out of peoples hair.

As for flying jobs, I have never heard of anything like that. I might have heard something along those lines but it sounded like they were talking about "way back when". I think you can do whatever you want and I'v been asked by management type people if I was going to instruct or something. I know I've been looking around for something good

And sorry it took a while to get back to you.

wordfromthewise

any atc forums out there???

CPOonfinal

LIVE Air Traffic Control ATC monitoring of Atlanta Center, Atlanta TRACON, and Atlanta Tower Air Traffic Control Communications and Radar Video

My wife is a Navy ATC'er getting ready to retire this December. I think she's going to continue controlling for the military. The above is a good site that I've looked at a couple of times. Not as good as APC though.

Lowtimer77

Well, I have yet to fly for an airline, but I think I can say with some degree of confidence that being an air traffic controller is nothing at all like being a pilot. I frankly think it would be a lot more stressful, and honestly quite tedious and boring, atleast at times. When I was in the middle of training for my private, my instructor and I visited the control tower at Portland( PDX). I remember asking one of the controllers, "So you guys have a mandatory retirement age of 55, correct?" His response, "Yeah, but most guys I know don't make it that long. They get burned out."

Then again, I also remember that all the controllers were wearing T-shirts and jeans to work. And if you think that Pilots are the only ones in the aviation world who have egos, think again. Some of these controllers definitely gave off vibes of being badasses, they were pretty cool to watch( and listen to). They are definitely in a league of their own. I admire anybody who can do the job.

ryan1234

I don't think my brain could handle being a controller... especially anywhere in Florida with all the people who can't speak english learning to fly.