someone mentioned federal but in the private side there’s a bunch of jobs in IT, HR, office management etc. They usually require a bachelor but I think some might prefer a masters. Healthcare is paid for by the company with a low deductible. Some companies have the equivalent of EAP. Company match sometimes exceeds our 5% for 401K. It’s pretty good. I have a couple of buddies who work in these industries. The only thing they don’t have is a pension. But with all the other benefits they get it might be a good trade off. Idk depends what you value
Just Lost the Biggest Opportunity of My Life
- Thread starter mbs110
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You're not getting a TERPS job off the street with no experience or degree. You people have lost your mind. The amount of anti-ATC bullshit you guys post is hilarious.
No, you will not find a 150k job with no degree easily. If you do, you will lose out because your resume is shit.
No, you will not just "become a pilot". You have to spend time and money and network.
Benefits are real shit /s.
15% of private jobs have a pension. Let's ignore how awesome a pension is.
Lets ignore that health insurance is cheap. Much cheaper than when I worked privately.
Lets ignore that you can call out whenever without questions or fear of losing your job.
Lets ignore that you're guaranteed time with your annual leave.
Lets ignore how much annual leave you get.
Lets ignore that the TSP is better than most company sponsored 401ks.
Lets ignore that the matching is pretty decent compared to many private companies.
Yes, schedule sucks. People suck in all career fields.
Don't compare this job to any tech jobs or doctors. Thats not you. You don't have the skills or brain for it or you wouldnt be in ATC. Most of you are delusional. If you had the ability you would have quit already. You have no skills so youre stuck here.
AB19
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Realest thing I've read on here. People want to act like landing a six figure job is the easiest shit in the world.
WhatintheATC
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Get a CTI degree, work for Serco for a couple years, and try again as a prior experience? Join the NAVY, ARMY, AIRFORCE, MARINES and let them teach you. 6 years and come back to the FAA again as experienced prior military controller...
Slarti Bartfast
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Yep, every time I see someone say "Just go become a pilot" I think why don't you go do it then? It'll take a years while working full time to time build, or you could quit and take out a $100,000 loan to do it quick. Then two years of flight instructing for $35k a year. I don't even know how to get the multi and turbine time for the airlines after that. Probably costs thousands. Totally possible, but it takes time and money. I'm working towards it so I can go fly for another agency after getting my 20 good years in.
Some of us have too many years in to walk away from the pension.
ATC benefits are too good is what I'm hearing.
If you've been in for 5 years you can get a deferred annuity or withdrawn in a lump sum. Don't make excuses if the job is so terrible.
SNHU
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Currently doing this. I was at ACK for 4 years and moderately/aggressively grew my TSP. Cashed out my contributions to pay for flight school. Moved south because it's cheaper and the flying weather is better. Looking at 9 months (accelerated program) to become a CFI, CFI until about 700 hours, then go fly for someone like Planesense. Total time to the major airlines is expected to be 3-4 years. Of course, a lot of making this decision has to do with age, family situation, how settled down you are, etc. I get that not everyone can do this. And if I don't make it, there's always the option for me to get back in. But I have to try. Like it's been stated above, the days off, the benefits (automatic 16% 401k employer contribution), the travel destinations, and the pay is far better than ATC. I have family in the airlines which is what motivated me to make the switch. I also talked to a current airline pilot who started as a pilot, worked ATC for years at a high level tower and a high level TRACON, and resigned to go back to the airlines.
I absolutely LOVED controlling. I am truly passionate about the job. I loved the crew I worked with and the overlying approach guys were absolutely the best to work with. To the guys working 6 days year-round at a level 10+, all my respect to you. However, if you are not happy being forced to live/work at your current facility like myself, I'll be the first to tell you I don't regret my decision to resign thus far. I had to draw the line somewhere as to how long I would stay where I did not want to be. Until NCEPT is fixed, I encourage more people to put their foot down. I spent so many days off looking at NCEPT data which shows how many facilities continue getting AG's and releasing nearly every single NCEPT panel. It is completely broken. ACK released 1 CPC in 3.5 years. Meanwhile, there are level 4-7 facilities releasing 5+ CPC's/year (the revolving door). I spent many days off attending NATCA conferences (CFS, ATX, regional meetings) and weekly Safety Rep meetings. None of it allowed me to transfer where I wanted. And the agency will continue replacing those of us who resign with AG's.
I'm not bashing on anyone in this thread or in the agency. Simply stating that the pay and transfer process needs to be fixed. We all have to agree on that. You all deserve better considering the job you do.
That's a far cry from actually retiring with 25 FAA.
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I did not say “no degree” and the NGA just requires a degree for TERPS. Just throwing suggestions out brother.
Slarti Bartfast
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Fuck yeah that's awesome brother. Keep in touch I want to know how it turns out for you. I'm taking a much slower path by staying in, I'll be 46 when I can transfer to another agency to fly, then fly for the private sector at 50 while pulling my pension. I hope you'll be a 767 captain by then making bookoo bucks.
Yeah but you people are telling this dude that just washed at the school house that this an option. If he cant pass the school house and I'm assuming he has no college degree or military experience this is a hard no for him. I remember when I was active duty the only people getting TERPS jobs were in for at least 8-10 years so it was no easy task and took networking.
Guess ATC benefits are too good.
SNHU
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Will do! And your case is what I mean by some of us cannot make such an easy decision like I did. Of course there's a point where it's better to stay in and finish out your time for the pension! Best of luck to you too.
Slarti Bartfast
Active Member
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Yeah exactly, it's because I'm happy with my location so it works better for me to stay. At ACK... yeah that wouldn't work. I'm surprised they even managed to release one person. I was at BGR for 5 years before I went DoD and never saw anyone ERR.
The people who say "just become a pilot" make me laugh. I'm doing ATC because I couldn't afford to be a pilot lol. I worked 2 jobs in high school, 1 job in college saved as much as I could and I still ran out of money after I got my instrument rating. I needed at least $40k more to just get my CFI which pays worse than a level 4.
A CFI certificate is helpful but hardly necessary. You can fly on the side while you are working as a controller. Build your hours and ratings.
Y_R_U_so_controlling
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Mentioned above, it sounds like snhu put all the chips on the table by converting his TSP to cash and paid for school. It’s possible with a few years at the FAA. Age matters too…
How exactly does a line controller even get into TERPS? I live pretty close to an NGA location, but I’d want to do it through the FAA.
Im going to counter this with watching the clock to go home might be the most difficult part of the job. Sometimes I swear that mf be going backwards 😂
RalphBeast
Trusted Contributor
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This ^^. I've once got a message calling me an FAA shill for saying controllers at ZAU have it "pretty good". No real skills or education required and the bare minimum fresh CPC makes $173k with excellent benefits in a decent COL area. With moderate OT, differentials, seniority, most are making way beyond that.
We should always push to improve our situation. And yes, there are a non-trivial amount of controllers that got dealt a shit hand (e.g. getting forced to ZNY or some low level glue trap tower). But that doesn't mean you have to shit on the career as whole.
Being a pilot is way more hit-or-miss. Yes, some pilots sail through their career and now make $400k flying a handful of flights each month to whatever international location they want. On the other hand, you get guys go into debt to get their ratings and required time (or grind it out as a CFI), then spend a decade at a shit regional, finally get hired by a major, only to get furloughed a few years in after flying the scraps no one with seniority wants.
