Air Traffic Control.

[Prelude-Vtech]

Wondering - does anyone know somone in air traffic control?
i have been looking into being a vfc and was wondering if it pays
well - I have seen 43000 to start but i have heard it pays very well. and that does not sound too outstanding. and also wondering how hard it is to get posted at an airport you like.
thanks guys

[AllGoNoShow]

id take 43000 for a start, work ur way up if ur any good.

[LKL]

How do you get into a job like that

[Prelude-Vtech]

its supposed to be the pinnacle of stress and i have heard to have little to no say on were you are posted.

[BlackArcher101]

Extremely stressful job which you have to take a TON of training for, and go through multiple tests before you even start training. If you plan on having a family, don't think about it. A lot of people are stationed at small airports or do FSS. The odds of actually being placed somewhere like YYC (ground control or what not) or say Edmonton center are remote.

Go here to read about it and apply: http://atsrecruitment.navcanada.ca/default.asp?presets=lang=0

[Nalgene]

Dont they retire in their early 4-'s because of high stress?

[Lanks]

^^^ I think there is two routes you can go right from the start, either a flight service specialist (the ones all over Canada), or an IFR controller (based in the major centers, ie edmonton, vancouver and winnepeg)

Also i have a buddy whos currently in their training program... I'm pretty sure that after you've done all the initial training it is only a six month course or somthing (that they pay for) Although my buddy was already a pilot when he started the ATC thing so maybe it was different in his case.

[ryder_23]

Originally posted by Nalgene
Dont they retire in their early 4-'s because of high stress?

That would be considered almost late. I think the average is lmid - late 30's.

My friends dad was one, he retired fairly late as well. I'll see if i can get ahold of him, and get you some info. He worked in edmonton at the major place thingy up there (sorry dont know alot, just heard the stories), and he worked at YYC.

[Prelude-Vtech]

2 routes -
FSS Flight service specialist - ( most training ) starts around 40000
ATC - Branches into 2 seperate careers (vfc visual flight controller)
pays 46000 - 10200 and (ifc instrument flight controller - "controls
flights that are outside of the 1.5km airspace of the aiport pays 73000 - 10200. i honestly cant see it being that stressfull. i think its what you make of it

[koopkoop2]

A

[djayz]

this job is extremely stressful....imagine directing a plane every few minutes carrying close to 300 people for 30 years.

It sounds really easy but its not as easy as it sounds. You have be perfect one mistake and you could screw yourself over pretty bad.

Ive done a little reading and to me the pay seems okay but for a job that stressful i dont think its worth it. Its all up to you...im sure if you read up on it youll get a much better understanding

[RC-Cola]

Back in highschool I did a work experience term as an ATC. For the most part it wasn't too bad. It's kind of like being a cop I guess in that you have hours and hours boredom followed by a few minutes of absolute panic!

[Lanks]

It sounds really easy but its not as easy as it sounds. You have be perfect one mistake and you could screw yourself over pretty bad.

Dude i don't think its as bad nowadays as you make it out to be. I've met a few ATC guys before and they were all fairley laid back. Plus any larger transport aircraft will be equipped with a TCAS system which allows the pilots to see and avoid potential collisions, So if ATC makes a mistake the TCAS unit automatically tells the pilots of both aircraft what to do and the collision is avoided. Its when the pilots ignore the TCAS strikes that the problems begin.

[lookingforwork]

Ya someone i know does that...its like 1 in 4 people commit suizide...its great if i could spell today...ya hes only been doing it for alittle while hes under probation from fca, or fcc whatever i guess anyways its very high stress

[fast95pony]

I think some people have watched too many movies.ATC is not that stressfull .The busy Centres such as Toronto or Vancouver are no picnic,but controllers work short shifts with lots of breaks.

The passing grade is very high,and many people fail the course.

[Z_Fan]

My step-father was an ATC and is now retired. The stress level associated with ATC is extremely high - despite what you might be reading here. It is dependent on what air port you work at. Obviously the higher the traffic, the more decisions you have to make and the faster you have to make them.

A lot of other people's lifes are dependent upon the decisions of ATC's. So, it's going to be stressful. Although I do agree that stress is sometimes "what you make it."

Anyhow, nowadays the most stressful jobs are Teaching and Social Work. A very good and clear sign that kids need much more ass whooping at home. Kids are right out of control. A direct result of lack of discipline and respect from the home and at school.

Back on topic, I always thought being an ATC would be a very cool job. Good pension and benefits I suspect with a relatively good pay scale. Constant stream of business and you can work pretty much anywhere as there are a lot of airports in this country!

[Mazstyle]

You can apply online, then you have to take an exam when they are in your city with a bunch of people. I took it, and found it pretty easy. It's mostly spacial reasoning questions with time limits. You don't ever get a mark back, but if they call your for an interview then you did well. I had an interview but at the time I was pretty young <18> and all the questions they asked me were like " Tell us about a time in your life when you thought you wouldn't succeed but overcame a huge obstacle" I was totally unprepared for the interview and bombed. So they said try again next year.

If they do take you on, you get free schooling in ontario, and everything, like Im talking accomadations+living allowance, then after that they will post you in some shithole like Nunavut or NWT for a few years, then by the time your 35 you might be able to work in a big city.

Yea the pay is awesome last I remember it was in the neighborhood of 80K a year....