Honestly, you won’t know until you tried it. Try to apply for a temp supe job if you can find it. Best of both worlds. Make supe pay and you don’t loose all your seniority (you just stop accumulating for that year). Many times if you like it, those temp jobs can roll into permanent jobs.
Is switching from controller to supervisor for better money/transfer chances worth it?
- Thread starter FloopThePig
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the inquirer
Forum Sage
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One guy did it for the money and decided it wasn’t worth it. Was young enough in career that didn’t set him back too much. The other just wanted to transfer(high level to high level across the country) and that was the only way. He was in his mid-40s. Decided it was better to transfer and lose seniority than not.
100% untrue. It’s subject to the ATM’s approval, and I know of a few ATMs who have said no.
Raise when?
Legendary Member
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ah yeah i always forget about bypassing ncept
sad that people will do that just to get a crummy raise because our union doesn’t seem to give a damn about our terrible step raises
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Oh, absolutely, becoming a supervisor is the pinnacle of air traffic control success! You’ll be trading in those exhausting hours of actual controlling for the thrilling life of paperwork, managing petty grievances, and writing glowing performance reviews for the people who will resent you for it. Plus, nothing says ‘career progression’ like being the person who gets blamed for everything that goes wrong but gets zero credit when things go right.
Think about it…while others are stuck doing the same old job, you’ll be expanding your mind with PowerPoints and PDFs, learning the deep mysteries of workflow diagrams, and mastering the true art of air traffic: managing spreadsheets. Who needs to keep their radar skills sharp when you can sharpen your expertise in the nuanced differences between FAA forms 3120-1 and 3120-25? That’s real brain work right there.
And don’t forget, all those extra acronyms you’ll learn from leadership seminars will give you the edge in any intellectual debate. Supervisors don’t just think..,they strategize, delegate, and prioritize. So yes, supervisor life is not only worth it but a golden opportunity to ascend above the plebeian masses of ‘mere controllers’ with your newfound intellectual prowess. Truly a gift to the profession.
And don’t worry about liking controlling…everyone knows that skill atrophies anyway, right? Supervising will make you smarter, better, and, most importantly, morally superior to those stuck in the trenches doing the job you used to love. Sure, you’ll have to work harder to convince yourself that those extra bucks are worth the stress, but hey, you’ll finally have an excuse to talk down to people. Doesn’t that sound like a dream come true?
