Life as an ATC

**YoungstownATCS** · 12-30-2004, 05:18 PM

If you're in it for the money, you're in the wrong field...you'll be runnin scared working traffic...I absolutely love it doing it!

I worked tower today, pretty fun mixing afew Cessnas in with a KC-135 doing touch and goes!

**RyanbATC** · 12-30-2004, 07:26 PM

Hi, I'm studying ATC here @ the univ of north dakota- grand forks. I'm about 80% through the ATC program and just finished up what is dubbed as our most difficult radar class @ UND (it was tough, the class median (not mean) of about 20 students was about a 75%, and you have to get a 76 to pass this class!).

There are a lot of different ATC positions, including FSS (more weather though), clearance delivery, ground, local (tower), enroute (centers like memphis/minneapolis), and then some. @ UND we simulate local/ground and enroute and terminal tracon (approach and departure) facilities. It is true that in radar you sit in a dark room (although over Christmas we had rudolph the raindeer and xmas lights covering our consoles talk about epilepsy:-)). I prefer tower position over radar because you can see the planes you are talking to.

ATC is very rewarding because you get to do something you love (aviation!!!) and help people get from point A to B safely, and yeah the salary is pretty decent, even starting out. As of October this yeah, the FAA was not hiring many new controllers, but by Oct 2005 the regular hiring schedule should be goin again (around 800 new hirees by the FAA sent to OK City). I have a lot of friends waiting to be hired and they are just sittin around TAing (teaching asst) with the students like us for minimum pay while they wait. I know the head of our ATC program pretty well so if you have any detailed questions that I or the other RW ATCers on this forum cant answer feel free to email me!

Hope that helps!