Anybody an air traffic controller? Know anybody who is? Is it a good job?

CirrusWRX · 06-07-2006, 12:54 PM

I'm not exactly itching to get out of my current spot or anything, but had always thought it would be a pretty cool job. Obviously, I don't expect that any ATC people are actively scoping out OT at the moment while on the job, but thought if anybody here was a controller or is married to one or has a friend who is one could shine a little light on it. I used to play that TRACON simulator as a kid and actually thought it was really fun.

+Good pay
+Challenging position
+Decent retirement
+Hiring a lot of people
+Government job

-Government job
-Lots of training+school
-No gaurantee of getting hired
-Decent retirement?
-Can get crappy hours (rotational shifts?)
-High stress

IBPushingTinJolieBoobs
IB"ItHasItsUpsAndDowns"

Any real ATC people care to chime in?

* Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

dr_wheel · 06-07-2006, 12:57 PM

I'm no expert on the subject, but isn't it one of the highest stress jobs around?

El Camino · 06-07-2006, 12:57 PM

for some reason i remember a statistic saying that it had a pretty high suicide rate.

BhamRoadrunner · 06-07-2006, 01:00 PM

It is probably the highest stress job I know of outside of the medical field.

You'll kill yourself in the first 5 years or you'll quit the job.

runnah · 06-07-2006, 01:03 PM

Hmm lets see.

My bad day: Vending machine is out of snickers.
ATC's bad day: Hundreds dead in flaming wreackage.

stidailydriver · 06-07-2006, 01:05 PM

Movie: Pushing Tin

First thing i think of.

dr_wheel · 06-07-2006, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by runnah

Hmm lets see.

My bad day: Vending machine is out of snickers.
ATC's bad day: Hundreds dead in flaming wreackage.

Exactly.

Also... while you enjoyed playing with an ATC simulator, imagine how much 'fun' you'd be having if hundreds of lives were at stake.

Julian · 06-07-2006, 01:07 PM

Don't play TRACON, read it:

http://tinyurl.com/n629m

MattDell · 06-07-2006, 01:16 PM

My gf's dad was an Air Force ATC. From what I've heard it's a very good opportunity if you can do it.

It certainly takes a certain type of person to be a good ATC, and he's definitely that type. Very smart, witty, and able to take charge and deal with lots of pressure. It's the people who can't do that that get stressed out and kill themselves.

-Matt

yeral · 06-07-2006, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dr_wheel

I'm no expert on the subject, but isn't it one of the highest stress jobs around?

The last I heard, it was considered THE highest stress job around. (Not including elitest jobs like presidency, etc..)

Howl · 06-07-2006, 01:22 PM

I wrote the test for being an ATC once. Out of a group of about 100 applicants only about 20 passed (85% or better), and they only called up the top ten or so (depending on how many spots are available). I got 87% and never got called.

sirfrankwilliams · 06-07-2006, 01:23 PM

If by 'good job' you mean loads of stress, yes, its prolly the best job out there.

<--- pixel pusher

joe z · 06-07-2006, 01:27 PM

a friend of mine went into the airforce to be a air traffic controll but didn't get to do that becasue his eye sight was not good enough.

UberWilhelm · 06-07-2006, 01:59 PM

I was a radar controller for four years and I have two words for you........booooorrrrrr and iiinnggggg. I did approach, departure and final. There are so many rules it makes your head hurt, they come out with changes to said rules every stinking month, and did I mention it is boring? I have never had a hard time with stress so it wasn't too bad. The stressful part is when they change a rule you had memorized for a few years and you have to deprogram yourself of the old rule and memorize the new one. Being a tower controller is much better because you have a much smaller ata to worry about and you can get some damn sunlight. If you have a good memory go for it. If not, don't bother.

Edit: If you want, PM and I will look to see if I still have any of the manuals laying around I can send you. They will very out of date, but at least you can get an idea.

Whitford · 06-07-2006, 02:06 PM

It is the number one highest stress job. Literally.

FiveDoorSVT · 06-07-2006, 02:11 PM

They are going through alot of labor negotiations with airlines right now.

Apparently they are trying to pay new controllers less than old ones and shrink the pension of the old ones now.

Careers in the Airline industry = shaky ground right now.

skimmilk68 · 06-07-2006, 03:58 PM

by looking at some of the Airmen that are ATC here, I'm pretty damn sure you can handle it

It's not THAT stressful/intense as people describe it. If it was, planes would be falling off the sky very often on my base

FaastLegacy · 06-07-2006, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FiveDoorSVT

They are going through alot of labor negotiations with airlines right now.

Apparently they are trying to pay new controllers less than old ones and shrink the pension of the old ones now.

Careers in the Airline industry = shaky ground right now.

No. ATC is a branch of the FAA, they aren't employed by the airlines.

In some of the more high stress, busier areas of the country, they'll only let you work three hour shifts.

beachbum · 06-07-2006, 04:03 PM

I hear they're looking for controllers at Miami-Dade county's Opa-locka airport:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald...miherald_local

06-07-2006, 12:54 PM	#1
CirrusWRX Scooby Guru Member#: 17439 Join Date: Apr 2002 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: Yardley, PA Vehicle: 2002 x2 Silver WRX Sedan, White WRX Wagon	Anybody an air traffic controller? Know anybody who is? Is it a good job? I'm not exactly itching to get out of my current spot or anything, but had always thought it would be a pretty cool job. Obviously, I don't expect that any ATC people are actively scoping out OT at the moment while on the job, but thought if anybody here was a controller or is married to one or has a friend who is one could shine a little light on it. I used to play that TRACON simulator as a kid and actually thought it was really fun. +Good pay +Challenging position +Decent retirement +Hiring a lot of people +Government job -Government job -Lots of training+school -No gaurantee of getting hired -Decent retirement? -Can get crappy hours (rotational shifts?) -High stress IBPushingTinJolieBoobs IB"ItHasItsUpsAndDowns" Any real ATC people care to chime in? * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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06-07-2006, 12:57 PM	#2
dr_wheel Scooby Specialist Member#: 60106 Join Date: Apr 2004 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: Pennsyltucky Vehicle: I eat pieces of ** like you for breakfast	I'm no expert on the subject, but isn't it one of the highest stress jobs around?

06-07-2006, 12:57 PM	#3
El Camino Scooby Newbie Member#: 78760 Join Date: Jan 2005 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Open the door get on Vehicle: the floor everybody walk the dinosaur	for some reason i remember a statistic saying that it had a pretty high suicide rate.

06-07-2006, 01:00 PM	#4
BhamRoadrunner Scooby Specialist Member#: 87294 Join Date: May 2005 Chapter/Region: South East Location: Wanna fight ab'at it?	It is probably the highest stress job I know of outside of the medical field. You'll kill yourself in the first 5 years or you'll quit the job.

06-07-2006, 01:03 PM	#5
runnah Scooby Specialist Member#: 77447 Join Date: Dec 2004 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: Maine! Vehicle: 2000 RS Salty	Hmm lets see. My bad day: Vending machine is out of snickers. ATC's bad day: Hundreds dead in flaming wreackage.

06-07-2006, 01:05 PM	#6
stidailydriver Scooby Specialist Member#: 69650 Join Date: Sep 2004 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: des moines Vehicle: 06 sti black w/gold	Movie: Pushing Tin First thing i think of.

06-07-2006, 01:07 PM	#8
Julian Scooby Specialist Member#: 1182 Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Ventura, CA Vehicle: MY00 RS BRP	Don't play TRACON, read it: http://tinyurl.com/n629m

06-07-2006, 01:16 PM	#9
MattDell Scooby Guru Member#: 16803 Join Date: Mar 2002 Chapter/Region: International Location: London, England	My gf's dad was an Air Force ATC. From what I've heard it's a very good opportunity if you can do it. It certainly takes a certain type of person to be a good ATC, and he's definitely that type. Very smart, witty, and able to take charge and deal with lots of pressure. It's the people who can't do that that get stressed out and kill themselves. -Matt

06-07-2006, 01:22 PM	#11
Howl Scooby Specialist Member#: 57830 Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ontario CA Vehicle: 1999 OBS	I wrote the test for being an ATC once. Out of a group of about 100 applicants only about 20 passed (85% or better), and they only called up the top ten or so (depending on how many spots are available). I got 87% and never got called.

06-07-2006, 01:23 PM	#12
sirfrankwilliams Scooby Specialist Member#: 6817 Join Date: May 2001 Chapter/Region: BAIC Location: red x Vehicle: 2008 STI Aspen White	If by 'good job' you mean loads of stress, yes, its prolly the best job out there. <--- pixel pusher

06-07-2006, 01:27 PM	#13
joe z NASIOC Supporter Member#: 599 Join Date: Dec 1999 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: Manchvegas Vehicle: 2007 Impreza Sti UGM	a friend of mine went into the airforce to be a air traffic controll but didn't get to do that becasue his eye sight was not good enough.

06-07-2006, 01:59 PM	#14
UberWilhelm Scooby Newbie Member#: 80937 Join Date: Feb 2005 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: I floop the pig Vehicle: --	I was a radar controller for four years and I have two words for you........booooorrrrrr and iiinnggggg. I did approach, departure and final. There are so many rules it makes your head hurt, they come out with changes to said rules every stinking month, and did I mention it is boring? I have never had a hard time with stress so it wasn't too bad. The stressful part is when they change a rule you had memorized for a few years and you have to deprogram yourself of the old rule and memorize the new one. Being a tower controller is much better because you have a much smaller ata to worry about and you can get some damn sunlight. If you have a good memory go for it. If not, don't bother. Edit: If you want, PM and I will look to see if I still have any of the manuals laying around I can send you. They will very out of date, but at least you can get an idea.

06-07-2006, 02:06 PM	#15
Whitford Has never had a cavity Moderator Member#: 97875 Join Date: Mar 2005 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: Los Angeles	It is the number one highest stress job. Literally.

06-07-2006, 02:11 PM	#16
FiveDoorSVT Scooby Newbie Member#: 79933 Join Date: Jan 2005 Chapter/Region: South East Location: Birmingham, AL Vehicle: '03 Mazda Protege5	They are going through alot of labor negotiations with airlines right now. Apparently they are trying to pay new controllers less than old ones and shrink the pension of the old ones now. Careers in the Airline industry = shaky ground right now.

06-07-2006, 03:58 PM	#17
skimmilk68 Scooby Specialist Member#: 53385 Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Hippyville, CO Vehicle: 05 Titan 4x4 Puh-tooey	by looking at some of the Airmen that are ATC here, I'm pretty damn sure you can handle it It's not THAT stressful/intense as people describe it. If it was, planes would be falling off the sky very often on my base

06-07-2006, 04:03 PM	#19
beachbum NASIOC Supporter Member#: 457 Join Date: Oct 1999 Chapter/Region: MWSOC	I hear they're looking for controllers at Miami-Dade county's Opa-locka airport: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald...miherald_local