When I first started this page, I was still "on the boards" as an air traffic controller and my purpose was to have a comprehensive list of resources for newer NATCA facility representatives to access. Over the years, I've received a number of emails from teachers and parents thanking me for this particular (non-genealogy-related) page, their students/children have offered additional suggestions and a real interest in aviation has developed for some of those children. For that reason, I've kept the page with the 2019 update of my website and included those suggested links, as well as added an aviation history subsection.

A number of wonderful ATC blogs (FAA Follies and The Main Bang, to name a couple) have been taken down and others are no longer writing.  Most have retired; others may believe their thoughts/words are no longer relevant in a less antagonistic labor environment.  However, I've kept the links to those that are still online, whether they are updating or not, since I believe that if we ignore (or rewrite) history, we become complacent and inured to warning signs that the pendulum is once again swinging in the opposite direction.

At the bottom of this page, I've added my own thoughts about anyone thinking of air traffic control as a career.  These are based on MY own experiences in the ATC field and do not reflect anyone's opinion but my own.

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Thinking of ATC as a Career?

Although retired, I still make myself available for Career Days, etc. in our local school system.  This is some of what I pass along to students learning about air traffic control...

Minumum requirements (from the FAA website):

  • Be a United States citizen
  • Be age 30 or under (on the closing date of the application period)
  • Pass a medical examination
  • Pass a security investigation
  • Pass the FAA air traffic pre-employment tests
  • Speak English clearly enough to be understood over communications equipment
  • Have three years of progressively responsible work experience, or a Bachelor's degree, or a combination of post-secondary education and work experience that totals three years*
  • Be willing to relocate to an FAA facility based on agency staffing needs

Communicating clearly and accurately (and listening) is critical, so pay attention in your Language Arts classes (ex. turn left, right there is not clear to many people).  Math, especially the higher maths, are important.  Not because you'll be using the actual math itself, but because it teaches 3-dimensional thinking.  Science is helpful as it helps you understand the theories involved in flight.

It takes a unique set of knowledge, skills, abilities and innate personality traits to become a successful air traffic controller - some of which can be taught and refined, some cannot.  Let me repeat that: some things can NOT be taught; you either have it or you don't.

ATC is a 24/7/365 day a year profession.  You WILL miss important events in your personal life during your career.  If you are not willing to make that sacrifice, you may need to choose a different career in aviation.  Depending on where you work, rotating shifts/days off are not uncommon; many friends and family members will never really understand your schedule.

You will be subject to random drug/alchohol tests.  You will be required to report all medications (including over-the-counter ones) you take or are prescribed.  If you are foolish enough to drink and drive, you are truly risking your career; it does not matter if you are ultimately found innocent.  Failure to report a violation is grounds for termination.  If you aren't terminated, after jumping through a number of expensive and time-consuming hoops, you will end up having to sign an agreement that you will NOT have another alcholic drink again for the duration of your career - this includes off-duty hours.

If you require lots of positive reinforcement about your performance, ATC is the worst career choice you can make.  You are expected to be 100%, 100% of the time, so relaying "nice jobs" are considered irrelevant to many in positions above you.  You need to be able to find your sense of self-worth and gratification from within, not without.  You also need to be able to continuously improve your performance based on your experiences (and learn from what you observe).  And a tough emotional skin is necessary, since air traffic controllers can be very straightforward in their observations.

You do not need a college degree to become an air traffic controller.  If you do choose to pursue an aviation sciences degree, my experience as an ATC instructor has been that if you are interested in tower/TRACON, the best school is Community College of Beaver County in Pennsylvania.  If enroute operations interest you more, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida is your best option.  Most importantly, if you do go to college for an aviation sciences degree, minor (or get a dual degree) in another area of study that interests you.  The reason is this:  You can learn all the bookwork perfectly and regurgitate it on tests, but until you are talking to airplanes under real life, stressful conditions, you have no idea if you are able to use the learned information fast enough and accurately enough when you are actually responsible for others' safety.  Some people, no matter how much they love the idea, are just not meant to do the job.  Example:  I am more than intelligent enough to learn whatever there is to know about neurosurgery, but actually applying it would be beyond me - I simply do not have the steady hands necessary to do the job.  So have a backup plan in place with a second option available to you, just in case.  And if it happens to be a degree in something that will translate to another non-ATC position in the FAA, you may find it easier to cut your losses.

If you do not choose to pursue a college degree in aviation sciences, I suggest taking a good ground school course (for flying) before applying.  You will learn a lot of necessary and/or useful information that will help you along the way.  It's a relatively small financial investment.

Two of the toughest lessons to learn to be successful: 

1.  You can make mistakes, so long as you correct them before anything bad happens, you learn from them, you MOVE ON and not dwell on them.  This is more difficult than it sounds and I've seen many good, motivated, intelligent people fail in the profession because they couldn't learn this important lesson.

2.  You can do everything perfectly and it still can go bad very quickly through no fault of your own.  You still have to work with it, do your best and live with the outcomes - good or bad.  If you can't accept that, look elsewhere for a career choice.

However, if you can do all of the above without getting an ulcer and still sleep at night (or day, depending on your shift), you will probably find that ATC is one of the most interesting (sometimes aggravating) and fun professions you could choose.  While the basics of what you are doing each day is the same, each day is different - weather, pilots, aircraft types, etc. and there is room for creativity on your part.

Whatever you choose, I wish you the best!