Air Traffic Controller Pay Scale

Knowing nothing about FSS, the guy above stated it's a similar pay structure to ATC. You have your OKC pay which I assume is the $42k. Then a slight bump to $57k after successful completion of OKC. And then you get pay increases for position(s) certification until you are fully certified.
Gotcha. So you graduate, and train. The pay is less while training and then when fully trained the salary increases. That makes more sense now. Appreciate that.
 
My $0.02, Take the FSS position, experience how badass Alaska is (I lived in Alaska for nearly 7 years) get some NATCA seniority built up and keep applying to OTS ATC bids.


While you won’t be able to transfer straight across, if you get nabbed on an OTS bid, you'll fly through the process as your security and medical will already be done it should just be a quick check to make sure you are current like they do with ERRs. So long as you clear MMPI (assuming you don’t take it for FSS) it will be an easy transfer with FAA, and you should keep your base pay while training in ATC vs starting at the 42k base again and will have seniority day one walking into a facility.

Being in agency already and in Alaska should help you when your name comes up for a list as well. The ATO team, contrary to many people’s beliefs takes each person’s experience and background into at least some consideration before just shot gunning them a list.
 
Good thing you said “almost no one” because you truly don’t know. It’s okay to not be familiar with all the intricate ways people maneuver throughout the NAS. You don’t know what you don’t know. I can see your mind is stuck on NCEPT.
It also appears you don't, or the forum here is lying. This is one instance that shows what I was saying. Feel free to provide whatever proof you'd like :)

 
It also appears you don't, or the forum here is lying. This is one instance that shows what I was saying. Feel free to provide whatever proof you'd like :)

MF just admit you don’t own the NAS. Look at the post above you dumbass
 
MF just admit you don’t own the NAS. Look at the post above you dumbass
Lol who hurt you?
The post also proves what I said. You can't transfer from FSS to ATC. You can apply off the street, but not a direct transfer. I'd love to sit here and have more of an argument with you but it seems pretty clear that you're trying to defend FSS and it's odd (ie none) transfer ways. You have as good of a chance getting picked up as a controller without FSS experience. The only good things are starting your time (go get a dod 2152 gig) and the NATCA seniority time.

FSS ain't a bad gig. Just not the gig you want if you're trying to control. It's been the same problem for the last 5 years.
 
Lol who hurt you?
The post also proves what I said. You can't transfer from FSS to ATC. You can apply off the street, but not a direct transfer. I'd love to sit here and have more of an argument with you but it seems pretty clear that you're trying to defend FSS and it's odd (ie none) transfer ways. You have as good of a chance getting picked up as a controller without FSS experience. The only good things are starting your time (go get a dod 2152 gig) and the NATCA seniority time.

FSS ain't a bad gig. Just not the gig you want if you're trying to control. It's been the same problem for the last 5 years.
WHERE in my original comment did I say you could directly transfer?! It’s too early for shrooms pissingtits.

Also, you want this man to turn down his CURRENT offer, ATTEMPT to go DoD just to end up in the same position later in his career.

I’m fucking done man….
 
WHERE in my original comment did I say you could directly transfer?! It’s too early for shrooms pissingtits.

Also, you want this man to turn down his CURRENT offer, ATTEMPT to go DoD just to end up in the same position later in his career.

I’m fucking done man….
Good, because you didn't read a thing I said. It was simply informative to let him know what the options are to getting from FSS to ATC.
 
My $0.02, Take the FSS position, experience how badass Alaska is (I lived in Alaska for nearly 7 years) get some NATCA seniority built up and keep applying to OTS ATC bids.


While you won’t be able to transfer straight across, if you get nabbed on an OTS bid, you'll fly through the process as your security and medical will already be done it should just be a quick check to make sure you are current like they do with ERRs. So long as you clear MMPI (assuming you don’t take it for FSS) it will be an easy transfer with FAA, and you should keep your base pay while training in ATC vs starting at the 42k base again and will have seniority day one walking into a facility.

Being in agency already and in Alaska should help you when your name comes up for a list as well. The ATO team, contrary to many people’s beliefs takes each person’s experience and background into at least some consideration before just shot gunning them a list.
FSS doesn’t have the same medical clearance as ATC
 
If you don't mind my asking, why do they say your pay is so low in the offer letter? Was it that way for you as well? Training is $42k including locality and once stationed is 57k. I rec'd my offer letter for Fairbanks FSS. It seems very confusing. I'm not sure why anyone would go?
Yeah the first 5ish months of training pay in the academy is pretty low, but if your going to Fairbanks afterwards, you're considered to be in a temporary travel duty(TDY) status at Kenai, while in the academy. So you'd get a handsome per diem in Kenai.
After the academy, you're at 57k. There are 2 pay bumps after that. After you get to Fairbanks you'll study your area and cert on a very easy position. Shouldn't take longer than a month. Then you're at about 75k. After that, training time is variable, but attainable after another 6 months. That would put you at 85k.

FSS doesn’t have the same medical clearance as ATC
How is it different?
 
Yeah the first 5ish months of training pay in the academy is pretty low, but if your going to Fairbanks afterwards, you're considered to be in a temporary travel duty(TDY) status at Kenai, while in the academy. So you'd get a handsome per diem in Kenai.
After the academy, you're at 57k. There are 2 pay bumps after that. After you get to Fairbanks you'll study your area and cert on a very easy position. Shouldn't take longer than a month. Then you're at about 75k. After that, training time is variable, but attainable after another 6 months. That would put you at 85k.


How is it different?
I don’t know specifics but the requirements are not the same so usually nbd it just means one medical clearance doesn’t transfer to the other.
 
I don’t know specifics but the requirements are not the same so usually nbd it just means one medical clearance doesn’t transfer to the other.
Well when I first got in(2019), I applied for FSS to jumpstart the medical and security, anticipating a TOL for ATC. I was selected for FSS, started the process, MMPI, medical, security, etc. I got a TOL for Center while I was in the process, so I contacted the Alaska region medical office and they slid everything over without a problem. It might just be considered differently because we're under SysOps, and in a different department? but I go through all the same tests and have the same vision, hearing, and medication requirements as the controllers I know.

Disclaimer: If anyone reading this thinks they can pull this trick to get in quicker, Don't. The FAA got wise to this. If you accept a TOL for FSS now, they will call OKC and withdraw you from ATC.
 
Back
Top Bottom