Air traffic controller

I work at a busy regional airport in the south of England. We were in the top 10 in the UK last year by aircraft movements, and we're getting busier. I am qualified and active in tower, approach and approach radar. I have instructor and assessor qualifications, and I've been in the job since 2015.

I've noticed threads about ATC in the US getting attention recently, so I thought this might be useful for anyone looking for information about the UK side of things. I can talk about the training process, the qualifications and how the job itself works, at least as far as my qualifications go. If there's anything you'd like to know - AMA!

I'm happy to answer about my experience of joining NATS (it's the initial route I'd recommend to anyone looking at getting in ATC), but my experience dates back about 15 years, so obviously your mileage may (and almost certainly will) vary.

I can answer about Area control but only in a fairly general way as I work at an airport. I did train for Area initially, but I am absolutely not an expert on that.

I won't be posting anything that identifies my place of work as I'm not speaking as a company representative, though anyone that wanted to could narrow down where I might work from the CAA movement statistics.

Proof:

Edit: Thanks for all the questions everybody, I am working my way through!

Edit 2: Thanks again everyone, I think I ended up going through in reverse order, so I'm sorry for that. Still working through.

Edit 3: I'm getting a lot of similar questions so I'm starting to C&P some answers to reduce response time. I'm sorry to everyone I haven't got to yet!

Edit 4: I'm pretty wiped out for today, but I'll come back for more tomorrow. Thanks everybody, I hope you got some useful information out of me.

Edit 5: Here we go, day 2. A few FAQs:

How can I get a job as an ATCO?

I always suggest in the first instance - it's the only organisation that will recruit you directly as a trainee controller, and pay you while you do so. Unfortunately it looks like their intake is closed at the moment, but you can still register your interest via that link.

Needless to say competition is high but if you do some research, learn about the job (Google CAP 493) and visit some units to get some background (look at the for an airport you're interested in visiting - the telephone number for ATC will be in there) it will stand you in good stead during the selection process.

I'm a <insert nationality> ATCO. Can I get a job in the UK?

I don't believe the CAA offers any "conversion" pathways for licence holders from other countries, so you might have to follow the licencing process from scratch. As far as I know you don't have to be a UK citizen though, so it might be easier for you to make the transfer than it would be for me to do the reverse!

Your previous experience would probably qualify you for reduced training hours as a "previously valid" controller once you reach the unit you're working at. In addition some units have in their UTP provisions for trainees showing exceptional competence, which could reduce required training hours further.

Have you ever seen a UFO?

Yep! Occasionally on night shifts I used to see lights hovering in the sky too high to be a drone, and too low to be an aircraft. I'd notice them, then look back a few minutes later and they'd have disappeared. Happened a few times.

When I was idly zooming out the radar feed one night when it was quiet, I realised that I was seeing landing lights of aircraft being vectored for a large airport about 40 miles away, that happened to be facing me at the time. When the aircraft turned away, they "disappeared."

I felt pretty stupid.

How about that EE advert. Can you land a plane over the internet?

Everyone got a good laugh at that advert. You can't clear an aircraft to land over the internet.

Watch it again - they don't even identify themselves as "Cambridge Tower" or "Cambridge Approach/Radar," and they don't clear the aircraft to land either. IIRC they call themselves "Cambridge Ops" and they say "Runway XX available for landing," which is just giving the aircraft information, not permission to do anything.

Our operations team has their own frequency that they can use to talk to crews of airborne aircraft. Logistical details like how many vehicles the passengers need, any particular handling or fuelling needs, etc. That's all they were doing in this advert, not passing control instructions. The controlling happened at the tower like always. The "we landed a plane!" stuff is just laughable.

That said there are airports out there with remote towers, where the controllers are situated elsewhere, and control via cameras mounted at the airport. They have many layers of redundancy to their data connections - "less service interruptions" isn't going to cut it.

I am an Air Traffic Controller working at one of the top 8 busiest UK airports by runway movements per year. I've found that not many people really understand what we do or how we do it, and infact a good portion of people dont even know we exist.

If there's anything you ever wanted to know or ask, AMA!

For obvious reasons as I'm still in the job, I wont be risking my career by revealing sensitive company information, but otherwise feel free.

My Proof:

For obvious reasons I've removed my photo, signature, name, company I work for and the pass serial number.

EDIT: I didnt realise this would be so popular. Please be patient everyone, Im trying to get through your posts. If I dont reply, please check other replies as I have probably already answered somewhere.

2nd EDIT: A few FAQ's:

• No its not like Breaking Bad - we couldnt do that

• Salary starts at £12k a year to train, top of pay scale of experienced controllers is like £110k+

• I dont really have any tips for how to succeed and I couldnt tell you anyway I'm afraid. All publically available knowledge is available on wikipedia and forums though.

• No, I do not know where MH370 is.

Please feel free to check the responses. I had no idea how many replies I would get, thanks for your time in reading. Most questions have been answered in there somewhere. Any further questions feel free to inbox me.

Happy flying!

EDIT 3:

I have been made aware that some information I provided regarding a video of the A-SMGCS and voice overlay was not in fact an official release. I'm told it was infact supplied to the crew who made their own decision to upload it. The video is not owned by me nor am I responsible for it. The video is still available to view on YouTube if you search for it, and my sincerest apologies for any offence caused. My view that the controller that day was and is a credit to the profession remains.

Update 4/23

The bid is closed. I hope everybody who was interested was able to get their applications in. The next step is to keep an eye on your email for status updates from the FAA and AT-SA test scheduling. Be sure to sub to and join the discord pinned at the top to keep in touch with other applicants and those who have gone through the process before you.

Update 4/19

The bid is live.

Update 4/14

I have caught up on most questions and DMs. Please feel free to continue to ask questions over on , here, or in my DMs.

I’ll see y’all here on Friday when I post the link to the application at the top of this post.

Update 4/12

I’m back on to answer more questions. I’ve received a lot of DMs, and will respond to all of them and all questions here as well.

I will post a direct link to the application at the top of this post once the application goes live on April 19.

I also highly suggest subbing to to keep in touch with other applicants and ask questions along the way.

is a list of all the facilities in the country with their unofficial staffing count and max pay.

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Here we are again. I’ve been doing AMA’s for these “off the street” hiring announcements since 2018, and they always receive a lot of interest. I’ve heard back from hundreds of people (if not thousands at this point) over the past few years who saw my posts, applied, and are now air traffic controllers. Hopefully this post can reach someone else who might be looking for a cool job which happens to also pay really well.

I made a sub for applicants, controllers, trainees, and anybody interested to find a common place to communicate with each other. Feel free to join over on .

Also, check out my previous AMAs from years past for a ridiculous amount of info:

** This year the application window will open from April 19-22 for all eligible U.S. citizens.**

Eligibility requirements are as follows:

• Must be a U.S. citizen

• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (Required for males born after 12/31/1959) 

• Must be age 30 or under on the closing date of the application period (with limited exceptions)

• Must have either three years of general work experience or four years of education leading to a bachelor’s degree, or a combination of both

• Must speak English clearly enough to be understood over communications equipment

- Be willing to relocate to an FAA facility based on agency staffing needs

to visit the FAA website and read up on the application process and timeline, training, pay, and more. Here you will also find detailed instructions on how to apply.

Let’s start with the difficult stuff:

The hiring process is incredibly arduous. After applying, you will have to wait for the FAA to process all applications, determine eligibility, and then reach out to you to schedule the AT-SA. This process typically takes a couple months. The AT-SA is essentially an air traffic aptitude test. The testing window usually lasts another couple months until everyone is tested. Your score will place you into one of several “bands”, the top of which being “Best Qualified.” I don’t have stats, but from my understanding the vast majority of offer letters go to those whose scores fall into that category.

If you receive and accept an offer letter (called a Tentative Offer Letter, or TOL) you will then have to pass medical and security clearance, including:

• Drug testing

• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI2)

• Class II medical exam

• Fingerprinting

• Federal background check

Once you clear the medical and security phase you will receive a Final Offer Letter (FOL) with instructions on when/where to attend the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, OK.

Depending on which track you are assigned (Terminal or En Route), you will be at the academy for 3-4 months (paid). You will have to pass your evaluations at the end in order to continue on to your facility. There is a 99% chance you will have to relocate. Your class will get a list of available facilities to choose from based solely on national staffing needs. If you fail your evaluations, your position will be terminated. Once at your facility, on the job training typically lasts anywhere from 1-3 years. You will receive substantial raises as you progress through training.

All that being said:

This is an incredibly rewarding career. The median pay for air traffic controllers in 2021 was $138,556. We receive extremely competitive benefits and leave, and won’t work a day past 56 (mandatory retirement, with a pension). We also get 3 months of paid parental leave. Most controllers would tell you they can’t imagine doing anything else. Enjoying yourself at work is actively encouraged, as taking down time in between working traffic is paramount for safety. Understand that not all facilities are well-staffed and working conditions can vary greatly. But overall, it’s hard to find a controller who wouldn’t tell you this is the best job in the world.

Please ask away in the comments and/or my DMs. I always respond to everyone eventually. Good luck!

The Federal Aviation Administration halted flights into New York’s LaGuardia Airport because of a shortage of air-traffic control staff, while flights were delayed at several other major airports, escalating the pressure on President Donald Trump and lawmakers to end the government shutdown.

Submissions that may interest you

It was suggested from all the questions and responses I received an another sub to do an AMA. So, whatcha got?

Original thread

Prompted by thread, I and a bunch of other redditors were wondering what it was like to have been working as an air traffic controller on that horrible day.

Questions per IAmA Rules:

1. What was it like to issue the "NO FLY" call to the aircraft you were monitoring? Scary? Exciting? Sad?

2. Did any pilots question the legitimacy of what you were saying? Were they hesitant to divert and land?

3. How tense was the tower during and after the attacks?

4. Did any of the ATCs or yourself stop to watch the news? How were you informed otherwise?

5. Were you allowed to go home at your regular scheduled time, or were you requested to stay after and help manage some of the sure-to-be chaos?

EDIT: To those who are offended by this request, I would really like to apologize. I am the son of a flight attendant, but even I had no idea how taboo the general subject was to those in aviation.

Update July 10

The first round of AT-SA invite emails has begun. Check your emails!

Update May 5

The bid is live.

Update May 4

The bid goes live tonight at 12:01 eastern. I’ll post a link to the application here once it’s available.

Update April 24

For those wanting to know what to do now, you can go ahead and make a profile on USAJobs and create your resume using the resume builder tool (highly recommended). The job posting will be under series 2152 and titled “Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee”, but you won’t see it until it goes live on May 5. Again, I’ll update this thread with a direct link to the application once it goes live to make it easy.

Keep sending questions my way. I’ll answer everyone eventually!

Update 2 April 22

I’m still answering all my DMs and any questions here. Same as always, I’ll keep updating this post over the next 2 weeks, and will have a direct link to the application posted here once it goes live. Feel free to keep engaging here, and I’ll also be posting updates over on

Update April 22

Just waking up, seeing a lot of questions now. I’ll start combing through and get back to everybody!

Also feel free to sub to . I made that sub a few years ago to be a place for people to keep in touch while going through the hiring process.

I’ve been doing AMA’s for these “off the street” hiring announcements since 2018. Since they always gain a lot of interest, I’m back for another one. I’ve heard back from hundreds of people (if not thousands at this point) over the past few years who saw my posts, applied, and are now air traffic controllers. Hopefully this post can reach someone else who might be looking for a cool job which happens to also pay really well.

Check out my previous AMAs for a ridiculous amount of info:

** This year the application window will open from May 5 - May 8 for all eligible U.S. citizens.**

Eligibility requirements are as follows:

• Must be a U.S. citizen

• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (Required for males born after 12/31/1959) 

• Must be age 30 or under on the closing date of the application period (with limited exceptions)

• Must have either three years of general work experience or four years of education leading to a bachelor’s degree, or a combination of both

• Must speak English clearly enough to be understood over communications equipment

- Be willing to relocate to an FAA facility based on agency staffing needs

to visit the FAA website and read up on the application process and timeline, training, pay, and more. Here you will also find detailed instructions on how to apply.

Let’s start with the difficult stuff:

The hiring process is incredibly arduous. After applying, you will have to wait for the FAA to process all applications, determine eligibility, and then reach out to you to schedule the AT-SA. This process typically takes a couple months. The AT-SA is essentially an air traffic aptitude test. The testing window usually lasts another couple months until everyone is tested. Your score will place you into one of several “bands”, the top of which being “Best Qualified.” I don’t have stats, but from my understanding the vast majority of offer letters go to those whose scores fall into that category.

If you receive and accept an offer letter (called a Tentative Offer Letter, or TOL) you will then have to pass medical and security clearance, including:

• Drug testing

• Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI2)

• Class II medical exam

• Fingerprinting

• Federal background check

Once you clear the medical and security phase you will receive a Final Offer Letter (FOL) with instructions on when/where to attend the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, OK.

Depending on which track you are assigned (Terminal or En Route), you will be at the academy for 3-4 months (paid). You will have to pass your evaluations at the end in order to continue on to your facility. There is a 99% chance you will have to relocate. Your class will get a list of available facilities to choose from based solely on national staffing needs. If you fail your evaluations, your position will be terminated. Once at your facility, on the job training typically lasts anywhere from 1-3 years. You will receive substantial raises as you progress through training.

All that being said:

This is an incredibly rewarding career. The median pay for air traffic controllers in 2021 was $138,556 (I don’t have the number from 2022). We receive extremely competitive benefits and leave, and won’t work a day past 56 (mandatory retirement, with a pension). We also get 3 months of paid parental leave. Most controllers would tell you they can’t imagine doing anything else. Enjoying yourself at work is actively encouraged, as taking down time in between working traffic is paramount for safety. Understand that not all facilities are well-staffed and working conditions can vary greatly. But overall, it’s hard to find a controller who wouldn’t tell you this is the best job in the world.

Please ask away in the comments and/or my DMs. I always respond to everyone eventually. Good luck!

UPDATE July 11

The next step for those who applied will be to wait for the AT-SA email to come. That can take anywhere from a couple weeks to a couple months. I will update you all over on once I hear that some emails have started to go out.

UPDATE June 28

The FAA has reopened the application from now until tonight at 11:59 PM EDT. If you haven’t been able to get your application submitted yet, .

UPDATE June 24

The application is live! .

UPDATE June 15

I will be joining representatives from FAA Human Resources, the FAA Academy, and other air traffic controllers for an AMA about the application process on June 24th at 1:00 PM EDT over on .

The FAA is also having a live Q&A with current air traffic controllers on June 21, 3:00PM EDT. Follow them on to join.

UPDATE June 11 #2

I will update the top of this post with a direct link to the application once it goes live on June 24.

In the meantime, you can go ahead and make an account on and create your resume. The FAA highly encourages applicants to use the resume builder on the site rather than upload your own.

UPDATE June 11

I’m beginning to work through my DMs in the order I got them. I will get to all of you eventually.

UPDATE 4

I know I’ve got a ton of you who sent me DMs hours ago and are still waiting for a response. I absolutely will get to each and every one of you as soon as I can.

UPDATE 3

You will apply . Search for job series 2152 and look for “Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee”.

UPDATE 2

UPDATE: To everyone sending me DMs, I WILL respond to all of you. I’m working through the comments first, and responding to DMs as I can in the order I got them. Hang tight!

I’ve been doing AMA’s for these “off the street” hiring announcements since 2018. Since they always gain a lot of interest, I’m back for another one. I’ve heard back from hundreds of people over the past few years who saw my posts, applied, and are now air traffic controllers. Hopefully this post can reach someone else who might be looking for a really cool job.

Check out my previous AMAs for tons of info:

The application window will open from June 24 - June 27 for all eligible U.S. citizens. Eligibility requirements are as follows:

• Must be a U.S. citizen

• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (Required for males born after 12/31/1959) 

• Must be age 30 or under on the closing date of the application period (with limited exceptions)

• Must have either three years of general work experience or four years of education leading to a bachelor’s degree, or a combination of both

• Must speak English clearly enough to be understood over communications equipment

I highly recommend checking out the FAA’s info on their site . It includes instructions on how to apply.

Let’s start with the difficult stuff:

The hiring process is incredibly arduous. After applying, you will have to wait for the FAA to process all applications, determine eligibility, and then reach out to you to schedule the AT-SA. This is basically an air traffic aptitude test. The testing window usually lasts weeks-months for everyone to get tested. Your score will place you into one of several “bands”, the top of which being “Best Qualified.” In previous bids, essentially only those in the Best Qualified band get an offer letter.

If you receive and accept an offer letter (called a Tentative Offer Letter, or TOL) you will then have to pass medical, background, and psychological evaluations. If you do, you will receive a final offer letter (FOL) and be scheduled to attend the FAA Academy in OKC (paid).

Depending on which track you are assigned (Terminal or En Route), you will be at the academy for 3-4 months. You will have to pass your evaluations at the end in order to continue on to your facility. There is a 99% chance you will have to relocate. Your class will get a list of available facilities to choose from based solely on national staffing needs. If you fail your evaluations, your position will be terminated. Once at your facility, on the job training typically lasts anywhere from 1-3 years. You will receive raises as you progress through training.

All that being said:

This is an incredibly rewarding career. The median pay for air traffic controllers in 2021 was $138,556. We receive extremely competitive benefits and leave, and won’t work a day past 56 (mandatory retirement, with a pension). We also get 3 months of paid parental leave. Most controllers would tell you they can’t imagine doing anything else. Speaking for myself, when I’m not on position working traffic I’m either playing Xbox, spikeball, volleyball, resting, etc. Enjoying yourself at work is actively encouraged, as taking down time in between working traffic is paramount for safety. Some controllers will read this and scoff, and rightfully so as not all facilities are well-staffed and working conditions can vary greatly. But overall, it’s hard to find a controller who wouldn’t tell you this is the best job in the world.

Please ask away in the comments and/or my DMs. I always respond to everyone eventually. Good luck!

Hi all. I’ve been an ATC for a little over 14 years now at a busy radar facility in the Northeast (no, not New York). Prior to this I actually worked CS/Ramp for United for 5ish years. I know there’s been a continuous EWR meltdown over the last few weeks and I’d be happy to answer any air traffic questions you all have related to that or just anything you’ve always been curious about.

Edit: thanks for all the questions and hopefully I answered adequately enough for everyone! I’ve been at work for a few hours and storms are starting to fire off so I’m going to spend my breaks staring at the wall. If anyone else has anything they’d like to know I’ll reply when I can!

Final Update 8/3

The application window is closed! This will be my last update on this thread, although I will continue to answer any questions that I get notifications for here.

To all who applied: Head over to to keep in touch throughout the upcoming process. There are a lot of hurdles to clear and I know a lot of you will continue to have a ton of questions. I’ll be over there posting updates and helping out along the way. See you there, and good luck!

——————————————————————————

Update 8/1, 11:00pm CDT

Wrapping up for the night. I’ll be back here tomorrow for the last day of the application window. After that, I encourage those of you who applied and want to stay in touch to head over to . I created that sub after the last hiring round to be a place for everybody to keep in touch and bounce questions off each other as they move along through the very long hiring process. See you tomorrow!

——————————————————————————

Update 8/1, 7:00am CDT

Good morning! I’m back here all day to continue to answer any lingering questions. Fire away.

Update 7/31, 9:30pm CDT

Logging off for the night. Thank you all for the continued interest! For those of you who aren’t familiar with how I did my previous AMAs, I will continue to update this thread daily until the bid closes, and then periodically with any major updates. The hiring process takes MONTHS, sometimes over a year. I know a lot of you will continue to have questions as we move along, and I want to be here to help in any way I can.

If you haven’t already, check out the links below to my previous AMAs. I have a bunch of info on how this process works moving forward.

I will be back here tomorrow morning to continue the conversation, and I’ll update this thread accordingly. Also please continue to DM me with any questions you don’t feel comfortable asking publicly. I will do my best to answer every one of you ASAP.

Good night, see ya in the morning!

——————————————————————————

Update 7/31, 5:30am CDT

Back to answer more questions. Keep them coming! I will continue to respond to questions here and in my DMs throughout the day, and I’ll update here again once I’m done for the night.

is the link for the medical requirements.

——————————————————————————

Update 11:30pm CDT

I’m heading to bed for a few hours. I’ll be back on in the morning to continue answering questions. A couple answers for some common questions:

I can’t answer many specific questions regarding medical requirements, but I posted a link in my 2018 and 2019 AMA’s, so check those out.

The pay listed on the job posting is your salary while attending the academy at OKC. This will be for 3-4 months depending on which track you are selected for. If you graduate the academy, your pay at your facility will be significantly higher.

See you all tomorrow! Please continue to ask questions here and in my DMs. I’ll answer everyone at some point.

——————————————————————————

Let me start off by sharing 2 AMA’s I did here for the 2018 and 2019 “off the street” hiring bids that the FAA held. I will link them below. Please take a look at those archived posts as they have a wealth of information contained in them:

Now on to today’s relevant information…

If you are under the age of 31 and interested in becoming an Air Traffic Controller, the Federal Aviation Administration’s public hiring bid is now open through August 2.

This job does not require a college degree, and the average salary after completion of training is $127,805.

Minimum requirements:

•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 test

•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

More information can be found on the FAA’s website

——————————————————————————

The hiring process is extremely lengthy (typically at least a year from date of application to your report date to the FAA Academy in OKC), so please understand what you are getting into. That being said, this is very rewarding career which has amazing benefits, including high pay, a pension which will pay around 40% of your highest 3 year income average for the rest of your life, and a 401k with 5% match. Mandatory retirement is age 56, and you can retire sooner with full benefits if you meet certain criteria.

This job isn’t for everybody, but my previous 2 AMA’s had a lot of success and I’ve received hundreds of messages at this point from people who saw my AMA’s, applied, and have since made it into the field. Please check out my previous AMA’s linked above. Some things have changed (such as the removal of the BQ from the hiring process), but there is still tons of relevant information there.

AMA!

************ UPDATE October 2 ************

For those of you still waiting for an email, it looks like another batch is going out today.

********** UPDATE September 25 ***********

It looks like the AT-SA email blasts are going out today. Check your inbox for an email from PsiOnline with instructions on setting up an account and scheduling your test date.

*********** UPDATE September 5 ***********

Nothing new to provide, just wanted to check in with everybody. So far the only emails that I have heard of going out are rejection letters. I believe the ATO is still processing applicants from the N90 bid that was posted just before the general announcement that most of you applied to. Just keep checking those emails for AT-SA information, and I’ll update here as soon as I hear of any being received.

************* UPDATE August 7 ************

I’m getting a lot of questions from people asking about the delay. I know this process is most likely unlike any other hiring process you have experienced. This will take a while. The standard delay between bid closure and AT-SA emails has been 1-2 months. The delay from application to receiving a class date for the academy can easily take a year longer. Obviously things could go quicker than that, but be prepared to do a lot of waiting. There isn’t much else for me to update as of now, but I will continue to update this post as the process moves along, as well as answer any DMs.

************** UPDATE July 30 *************

The bid has closed. The next step will be waiting for the AT-SA email, which could take up to a couple months. In the meantime, is a comprehensive guide detailing what to expect on the AT-SA. Huge props to those who contributed to it over on pointsixtyfive.com.

************** UPDATE July 29 *************

The bid will be closing tonight at midnight EST.

********* UPDATE July 27 00:01 EST *********

************** UPDATE July 26 *************

The day is finally here. The bid will open up at 12:01 EST tonight. Fingers crossed that the site doesn’t crash.

************** UPDATE July 24 *************

EDIT 1:55 PM CST

The July 27 hiring date is confirmed. From the National Air Traffic Controllers Association:

“The #FAA is accepting applications nationwide beginning July 27 from people interested in becoming air traffic controllers. When the application link is available, NATCA will share it on social media & member communications.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, speak English clearly, and be no older than 30 years of age (with limited exceptions). They must have a combination of three years of education and/or work experience. They are also required to pass a medical examination, security investigation, and FAA air traffic pre-employment tests. Applicants must be willing to work anywhere in the U.S. Agency staffing needs will determine facility assignment.

Accepted applicants will be trained at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. Active duty military members must provide documentation certifying that they expect to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions no later than 120 days after the date the documentation is signed.

Visit to start building your application and for more information.”

END EDIT

The July 27 opening date seems to be as set in stone as can be. Supposedly the FAA is shooting for a rough cap of 5,500 applicants, however that number could change. They plan on giving a 24 hour advance notice to CLOSING the bid. If you’re profile and application isn’t already as complete as you can make it, I suggest getting it together within the next 2 days.

************** UPDATE July 23 *************

Coming through in the clutch once again, has said that the post date has been pushed to July 27 and the FAA will provide a 24 hour notice prior to the bid going live. to his comment.

************** UPDATE July 21 *************

I have been waiting to post another update until I had some concrete information, but at this point that is hard to come by. The latest information is that the FAA wants to try to open the bid on July 26 but is still waiting for the all clear from the Department of Transportation. It is not yet known if they plan on capping the number of applications they accept, so plan on first come first serve for the worst case scenario. As always, I will answer any questions and continue to update this thread.

************** UPDATE July 12 *************

EDIT 5:03 PM CST

Another user who claims to work at HQ and has given solid information up to this point says that the bid will open the week of July 23. There will be no BQ and the bid will only stay open until they receive the maximum number of applications, which the user says will be around 5-6 thousand. to his post.

END EDIT

As you have probably discerned by now, the bid will not be opening this week. The Department of Transportation was supposed to give the all clear this week, but as if this update they have yet to do so. We’re hoping that it will be posted by the end of this month, but as always nothing is confirmed. Unfortunately this delay is going to be just the first of many long waiting periods as you progress through the hiring process. I will continue to update this post with new information as it comes in, as well as respond to all of the DMs I receive.

************** UPDATE July 6 **************

There is a possibility of the bid opening next week minus the Biographical Questionnaire. While this information is unconfirmed, it is believed by people close to the source to be accurate. Of course this could change (as you should be used to by now), but I wanted to give you all an update going into the weekend. Continue to follow this thread and USA Jobs for the most up to date information as I get it.

************** UPDATE June 29 *************

The June 27th public hiring announcement has been delayed while the FAA assesses how it will handle the hiring process moving forward. The administration is facing ongoing litigation regarding the Biographical Questionnaire (BQ) portion of the application. There is substantial pressure from the White House, Congress, and the media for the FAA to eliminate the BQ while developing a filtering method that is more effective and equitable for all. There is hope that this can be resolved within a few weeks; however, it could take longer. I will continue to keep this post updated with new information as soon as it is available.

************** UPDATE June 27 *************

I know all of you have been waiting for this day, and I will update this post as soon as I receive some new information.

************** UPDATE June 20 *************

There is currently a job posting for new hire ATC Trainees on USA Jobs. This bid will last through June 26. The FAA will use this bid to fill positions at New York TRACON (N90) in Westbury, New York. *** This is ONLY OPEN to those who live within 50 statute miles of N90. ***

If you meet this criteria and wanted to stay in the NY area, you can apply to this bid. Understand, however, that you will be going to THE busiest airspace in the world. The reason the FAA is offering this direct bid is because the staffing is critical at this facility. This is due to an extremely high washout/burnout rate which is also causing mandatory 6 day work weeks.

From June 27 through July 2 the FAA will post the vacancy announcement open to ALL U.S. citizens for ALL locations, which is what this thread has been preparing you for.

NOTES: USAJobs now requires applicants to create a new account through login.gov to sign in to USAJobs before they can begin the electronic application.

************** UPDATE June 7 **************

The open source bid will be open for applications from JUNE 27 to JULY 2. Pool 2 is for the General Public applicants (you). Once again, you will be applying for the “Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee” position under series 2152. Once again, it is HIGHLY recommended that you use the resume builder on USA Jobs rather than upload a resume with a different format.

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RESOURCES

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It is speculated that the bid will he posted on June 25, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

- The listing will be for “Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainee”

It is HIGHLY recommended that you use the resume builder tool on USA Jobs rather than uploading your own.

Call a Tower or En Route Center near you and schedule a tour of the facility. We are always happy to show people around and give them a first hand look at the job.

Understand that this is a LONG process. Be prepared to do a lot of waiting.

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To be eligible to apply in the upcoming hiring panel, you must be a US citizen, be under 31 years old, and have either 3 years of full time work experience, a bachelor’s degree, or a combination of both full time work experience and college credits.

Part of your application will be to take a Biographical Questionnaire. This is similar to personality tests you can find online. Once you’ve completed the application, you’ll have to wait a couple months to find out if you passed the BQ. If you didn’t, you’ll have to try again next time they open a hiring bid, which will most likely be next year. If you do pass, you will have to wait another 2-4 months to be scheduled to take the AT-SA. This is an 8 hour aptitude exam that you must pass to continue through the process. If you pass the AT-SA, you will get a Tentative Offer Letter around 2 months after that will include instructions on getting your medical completed, as well as setting up an appointment for a psychological evaluation. Once you’ve done that and your background check is completed, you’ll once again have to wait a few months to find out a class date for the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City. We joke around that the FAA’s motto is “Hurry up and wait”, and it’s pretty much spot on.

You will spend 3-4 months at the academy getting your initial training, the time difference being based on whether you were hired for Terminal (airport towers) or En Route (radar centers). At the end of your training you will take several examinations, which consist of you running simulated air traffic. If you fail, you lose your job. If you pass, you’ll get a list of facilities to choose from that can be anywhere in the country. YOU MUST BE WILLING TO RELOCATE. Once at your facility, you will continue your training on real traffic at your facility. This can take anywhere from 1-3 years, depending on your skill and the facility.

I can’t stress enough how amazing this job is. You will make anywhere from $70,000 - $180,000 per year, depending on your facility. You will have a pension that will pay you around 40% of your highest 3 year gross pay average for the rest of your life, and a 401k that matches 5% (1 for 1 the first 3%, 1/2 for 1 for the other 2%). Mandatory retirement is at 56, but you can retire at 50 with full benefits. You will earn good vacation time, as well as 13 sick days per year. On any given 8 hour shift you will have anywhere from 2-4 hours of break time. The worst part about the schedule is the rotating shift work, but it’s not that bad.

Any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask here or PM me. I would love to help as many people get into this field as possible. Most people have no idea that this is even a thing.