Watching Airplanes As An American Air Traffic Controller.
Watching Airplanes - The United States needs exceptional men and women to control air traffic at their airports and in their skies.
This job is for those of you who are:
It takes some work to get there, but you'll be provided with the training and support you need for a great career. You will work with other FAA controllers and expert staff dedicated to keeping the American skies safe. Come join us at the FAA and watching airplanes in the sky!
The FAA values and hires men and women who already have air traffic control experience. We hire three types of experienced controllers:
At a minimum, experienced controllers must have:
These types of veterans are eligible to apply for a VRA appointment:
The FAA hires former military air traffic controllers who retired from the United States armed forces. Retired military air traffic controllers can apply if:
Note: If your experience was as a civilian air traffic controller with the Department of Defense (DOD), you must have been hired for that job before you reached the age of 31. As you can see, watching airplanes on radar for the US Military can be most profitable to you after your years of service. Nothing like retiring at the age of 60 with two full time pensions (from diffrent employers) all from watching airplanes on a radar screen. Path 2 - You have no prior experience with watching airplanes. We invite the general public to apply for air traffic controller positions at various times during the year. You do not need prior experience at watching airplanes to apply. These positions are located in air traffic control facilities across the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. If I have no prior experience with watching airplanes, and want to be selected, what must I do?
The FAA has partnerships with many colleges and universities. These schools offer two and four-year non-engineering degrees that teach basic courses in watching airplanes. We call this program the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program. The program is designed to provide qualified applicants to fill developmental air traffic control specialist positions. If I am interested in the AT-CTI program and want to be an air traffic controller, what must I do?
Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) What is the AT-CTI program? Graduates of the AT-CTI program are eligible to bypass the Air Traffic Basics Course, which is the first five weeks of training for watching airplanes at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. Academy training consists of option-specific (terminal or en route) initial training. Students must successfully complete all required training at the FAA Academy to continue employment with FAA. Length of Training
Does FAA provide tuition assistance for the AT-CTI program? No. You must pay to attend an AT-CTI program. For tuition assistance, contact the financial aid office at the AT-CTI school you want to attend. They will tell you about financial aid programs, scholarships, and grants. How does FAA track my status in the AT-CTI program? The Aviation Careers Division maintains an inventory of students enrolled in the AT-CTI program provided by school officials, and of eligible AT-CTI graduates. The FAA uses the AT-CTI inventory to track information on applicant eligibility, graduation dates, school recommendation status, and for scheduling the pre-employment test. How long can I stay in the AT-CTI inventory? You can stay in the inventory for at least three years after you graduate from your AT-CTI program. The initial eligibility period is 3 years from your graduation date or your 31st birthday, if sooner. After that, you can stay in the inventory only if you apply each year for an extension. Can I extend my eligibility in the AT-CTI inventory? Yes. You may apply for a one-year extension after your three-year eligibility period expires or within 60 calendar days of expiration. You may continue to apply for one-year extensions until you reach age 31. You must contact the Aviation Careers Division to request an extension. Why do I need a recommendation from my AT-CTI school? An official school recommendation from your AT-CTI school tells us that you satisfied all academic requirements and that we can consider you for employment. If you do not get a school recommendation, then your name will be removed from the AT-CTI inventory. Are AT-CTI graduates guaranteed employment with FAA? No. The FAA hopes to employ all eligible AT-CTI graduates but cannot guarantee that all will be hired. What if I am referred on a list of eligible candidates but not selected? Your name will be returned to the AT-CTI inventory for future referral unless:
If I decline a position, will I receive future consideration for an ATC job? Yes, until your eligibility expires. Who can I contact for information regarding the AT-CTI program? Aviation Careers Division AMH-300 P.O. Box 25082 Oklahoma City, OK 73125 Phone: (405) 954-4657 Fax: (405) 954-8531 Email: 9-AMC-AMH-CTI@faa.gov
Pre-Employment Testing After you apply for a position, you may need to take a pre-employment test called Air Traffic Selection and Training (AT-SAT). Some applicants must take this eight-hour, computer-based exam that will tell us your aptitude to become a successful air traffic controller. Unfortunately, watching airplanes on radar is not an easy job so we must do these apptitude tests. Questions about Pre-Employment Testing Do all job applicants applying for an air traffic controller position take the pre-employment test? No. Only general public applicants and students enrolled in the Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program are required to take the pre-employment test. Applicants with prior air traffic control experience do not need to take the test. The FAA will test as many applicants as possible to meet its hiring goals. When do I take the pre-employment test? Our goal is to test applicants as quickly as possible. This will generally occur about 4-8 weeks after a vacancy announcement closes. How will I be notified to take the pre-employment test? Our Aviation Careers Division will tell you that your name has been referred for testing. An FAA contractor will contact you to provide specific test scheduling information, including the date, time and location of your test. Can I reschedule the date of my pre-employment test? Our contractor will work with you to establish a firm date for you to take the test. However, if you do not appear on or reschedule before your test date, you may be considered for future tests. Can I choose the location of my pre-employment test? In most cases, you will be able to choose one of the pre-established test locations that is convenient to you. Test sites are typically located in major U.S. cities or near AT-CTI schools. Does FAA pay for my pre-employment test? Yes. Does FAA pay for my pre-employment test travel expenses? No. You must pay all your travel expenses to and from the pre-employment test site. Does FAA provide any materials to prepare me for the test? No. What is a passing score on the pre-employment test? To pass, you must score 70 or above on the pre-employment test. Can I retake the pre-employment test if I want to improve my score? Yes. No matter what your score, you may retake the test one year after the first time you took the test. Your second test score will always replace your first score. How long is my pre-employment test score valid? Pre-employment test scores are valid for three years. Special Note for AT-CTI Air Traffic Controller Applicants All AT-CTI students, in good standing in their programs, will be given the FAA pre-employment test. Normally, you will be tested six months prior to your graduation date. Your pre-employment test scores are valid for three years from your AT-CTI program graduation date. If you fail the pre-employment test two times, you may not retake the test under the AT-CTI program. Pay, Benefits, & Training For Watching Airplanes Pay FAA Air Traffic Controller jobs are rewarding and the pay is good.
* Represents pay while completing entry level training at the FAA Academy. The pay increases to $33,100 after reporting to an assigned facility and continues to increase as each required developmental training phase is completed. Pay for Fully Certified Air Traffic Controllers We operate 24 hours per day, 7 days per week in different kinds of facilities in many locations. As a fully-certified air traffic controller, your pay will depend on when and where you work and the level of complexity in your facility. Whatever facility you work in, we offer some of the most competitive salaries in the Federal government. Benefits Air traffic controller recruits can earn annual and sick leave, and are eligible for a variety of federal benefits, including health insurance, life insurance, retirement benefits, as well as participation in the Thrift Savings Plan, which is similar to a 401(k). For more information about Federal employee benefits, visit OPM.gov. Training Air traffic controller recruits must complete various phases of training at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma so that they are eligible for watching airplanes. Depending on the specific class, the length of training can last from several weeks to several months. Students must pass the required training courses at the Academy to advance further in their air traffic controller career. Academy students are reimbursed for meals, lodging, and incidental expenses at a rate of $79.20 per day. The FAA also pays for the cost of travel to and from Oklahoma City based on the student's official address. Facility Training for Developmental Air Traffic Controllers Students who pass the Academy training program are assigned to air traffic control facilities where their training continues in an operational environment. Training is conducted in stages and consists of a combination of classroom, simulation, and on-the-job training that leads to being a fully certified air traffic controller. Watching airplanes on radar can be very demanding. We want to take our time in your training so that you receive the most benefical training and we receive a return on our investment in your career. Watching airplanes on radar is a very rewarding job and we want to see you succeed. Source for information can be found here at FAA Air Traffic Controllers
Return From Watching Airplanes To Air Traffic Controller
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Path 1 - You have prior experience watching airplanes as an air traffic controller.
Path 3 - You can enroll in an Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) Program
