At what point is one officially an air traffic controller?

[SkyPapi]

Given all of the training involved, I figured it'd be somewhat official once you receive your first facility assignment. I wanted to pick the brains of actual controllers to get an impression if controller culture would indicate otherwise (e.g. upon certification).

I am no doubt getting ahead of myself here, but I love a dangling carrot. So at what point, in your guys' opinion, would it be prudent to change my LinkedIn, buy a pilot watch, and make aviation my entire personality?

 

[32andBelow]

When you can work a control position by yourself

 

[novelist1985]

When you cert at N90.
Everyone else are peons.

 

[Bama]

When you update your Tinder profile! You're officially a Controller.

 

[CF]

When you finalize your VATSIM registration

 

[DowntownTG]

Depends on who your audience is.
If it's an average Joe on the street, as soon as you get access to the building and a DOT badge, you are a controller.
If it's a pilot, as soon as you get to talk on the radio, you are a controller.
If it's your friends/family, once you CPC.
If it's anyone with more seniority than you, you'll always just be the dumb trainee who gets to work on their own after a santa claus check ride.

 

[MikeSierra]

When you start to sit down to pee.

 

[CF]

Depends on who your audience is.
If it's an average Joe on the street, as soon as you get access to the building and a DOT badge, you are a controller.
If it's a pilot, as soon as you get to talk on the radio, you are a controller.
If it's your friends/family, once you CPC.
If it's anyone with more seniority than you, you'll always just be the dumb trainee who gets to work on their own after a santa claus check ride.

lol this is actually pretty good

 

[GulfCharlie]

When you start to sit down to pee.

Hehe I chuckled at this one… legit though the amount of colleagues I have and had with any form of bowel syndrome /intestinal issue is astronomical

 

[SkyPapi]

When you start to sit down to pee.

Then I'm ahead of the curve, as usual.

 

[ClearanceClarence]

When you can work a control position by yourself

^this. As soon as you get a position, you get an FAA credential saying you’re “qualified to exercise the privileges of air traffic control specialist.” At that point, you’re working alone, making controller decisions, and it’s all on your ticket. If you fuck up, you’re filling out the ATSAP and being called into the office. To me, that clearly means you’re an Air Traffic Controller. Now whether you become area rated is another story.

 

[32andBelow]

When you cert at N90.
Everyone else are peons.

Pre 9/11

 

[Billybob]

After you finalize your first divorce

 

[MikeSierra]

After you finalize your first divorce

 

[Phillytroll69]

When you start to sit down to pee.

In defense that's so I can vape

 

[Smitty]

when you get a cringe douchey vanity license plate featuring something ATC'centric . the earlier the better, especially when u show up tp your facility w it. trainer doesnt like it well fuck em! this aint 2009 no more

 

[Mike Kilo]

when you get a cringe douchey vanity license plate featuring something ATC'centric . the earlier the better, especially when u show up tp your facility w it. trainer doesnt like it well fuck em! this aint 2009 no more



View attachment 7220

That stands for Controller A for all of the statements he has to make.

 

[Kilo popa]

That stands for Controller A for all of the statements he has to make.

Or she.. in this case

 

[rhombus]

Given all of the training involved, I figured it'd be somewhat official once you receive your first facility assignment. I wanted to pick the brains of actual controllers to get an impression if controller culture would indicate otherwise (e.g. upon certification).

I am no doubt getting ahead of myself here, but I love a dangling carrot. So at what point, in your guys' opinion, would it be prudent to change my LinkedIn, buy a pilot watch, and make aviation my entire personality?

When you go to the doctor and tick the box that says 14+ drinks/week on the medical history form

 

[Peter Gibbons]

Depends on who your audience is.
If it's an average Joe on the street, as soon as you get access to the building and a DOT badge, you are a controller.
If it's a pilot, as soon as you get to talk on the radio, you are a controller.
If it's your friends/family, once you CPC.
If it's anyone with more seniority than you, you'll always just be the dumb trainee who gets to work on their own after a santa claus check ride.

This is the correct answer.