Career Progression Advice

[JNev]

If I wanted to eventually control overseas somewhere like Oman, Doha, Abu Dhabi, or Dubai, what minimum level facility should I aim to cut my teeth at? Will having only Tower experience be a negative? I'm currently at a Level 5 tower and obviously that doesn't really do much to prepare me for that amount of traffic, much less qualify me for a job like that. I was hoping to transfer to a DC area airport (IAD, DCA, or BWI) and was wondering if anyone had any insight as to whether either of those were better than the others to prepare me and make my resume look good to the contractors over there or if I needed to aim even higher.

Thanks!

 

[CaptainObvious]

If I wanted to eventually control overseas somewhere like Oman, Doha, Abu Dhabi, or Dubai, what minimum level facility should I aim to cut my teeth at? Will having only Tower experience be a negative? I'm currently at a Level 5 tower and obviously that doesn't really do much to prepare me for that amount of traffic, much less qualify me for a job like that. I was hoping to transfer to a DC area airport (IAD, DCA, or BWI) and was wondering if anyone had any insight as to whether either of those were better than the others to prepare me and make my resume look good to the contractors over there or if I needed to aim even higher.

Thanks!

Most the posts, especially Dubai list busy international airport experience as a requirement. Just a guess but I’d say at least a 10 or above

 

[JNev]

IAD: Level 9 International
DCA: Level 10 Domestic
BWI: Level 8 Mixed

Siiiiigh

 

[ajmezz]

IAD would be your best bet of the 3. They get a decent amount of big international flights.

 

[JNev]

IAD would be your best bet of the 3. They get a decent amount of big international flights.

That was my thinking too (and IAD is my #1 preference of the 3), but I worry the traffic numbers aren’t impressive enough.

I also know little about the hiring process and how strict the qualifications are for these sort of things too

 

[yoboiconnor]

Sorry if this is a dumb question but is it common for overseas countries to take FAA controllers? And do they take more tower or enroute?

 

[ajmezz]

That was my thinking too (and IAD is my #1 preference of the 3), but I worry the traffic numbers aren’t impressive enough.

I also know little about the hiring process and how strict the qualifications are for these sort of things too

Yeah, might be something to look into first. Aside from dca picking up 2 next panel, they’re usually all pretty well staffed, so not all that easy to get in. Might have better luck getting into like lax/sfo/bos etc., but iad is your best option in this area.

 

[JNev]

Sorry if this is a dumb question but is it common for overseas countries to take FAA controllers? And do they take more tower or enroute?

Areas of the world that aren't equipped to make their own ATC training and development system often contract out their needed services to companies who take controllers from all over the world (USA, Canada, Europe, Australia I believe)

 

[Stinger]

I've got a friend that was a military controller, then started FAA and certified at a center, quit the FAA soon after and went into the overseas contract world, got hired back into the FAA and certified at a level 6 up/down, less than 2 years there before he quit the FAA again, and did a short time at a US contract tower before getting hired at Dubai.

 

[jdatc]

I've got a friend that was a military controller, then started FAA and certified at a center, quit the FAA soon after and went into the overseas contract world, got hired back into the FAA and certified at a level 6 up/down, less than 2 years there before he quit the FAA again, and did a short time at a US contract tower before getting hired at Dubai.

Interesting. I would think the pay and benefits would keep someone in the FAA more, maybe not at a level 6, but at a center I would have thought so. I understand people going over there after they retire to double dip.

Is the pay that much better for some, or it the locale and time off?

 

[DL0509]

IAD: Level 9 International
DCA: Level 10 Domestic
BWI: Level 8 Mixed

Siiiiigh

I'm pretty sure DCA gets some INTL flights, maybe to Canada.

 

[JNev]

I've got a friend that was a military controller, then started FAA and certified at a center, quit the FAA soon after and went into the overseas contract world, got hired back into the FAA and certified at a level 6 up/down, less than 2 years there before he quit the FAA again, and did a short time at a US contract tower before getting hired at Dubai.

From asking around in a few places, it seems like one of those "who you know, not what you know" kind of jobs (within reason of course)