Air Traffic Control Major

Wild_Weasel · January 3rd, 2005, 02:52

Hey, if I end up going to UND next year I was thinking about taking their ATC major and pursuing that career instead of commercial aviation and becoming a pilot. I couldn't find much info on it other than a basic summary and was wondering if you guys could give me a more detalied description of what it's like and also what goes on in the day of an ATC controller, such as if its true that the job is really stressful. Thanks!

Foxcow · January 3rd, 2005, 17:48

I cant tell you because Im commercial aviation as most of the UND people on this board.

cessna2351 · January 4th, 2005, 12:14

Hi, I'm in the ERAU atc program and can help you a bit. I'm pretty sure UND has like 7 core ATC classes, ERAU has around 6. However, upon completion of the CTI program, which you would be entering, everyone is under the same hiring standards no matter where you went to school.

Once you graduate, your school will 'recommend' you to the FAA. You have two years from your grad date to be called and place "in-process" or you are SOL. This two year clock of death is the cause of some tension because of the latest hiring freeze which is just about to end. Some CTI grads are dangerously close to 'timing out' of their two year clock.

Once you are placed 'in-process' you simply wait for a class date in OKC and after class in OKC (avg 6 weeks) you are sent out to a facility in a region of 8 or so states (soon to be a broader choice) that you chose.

While it is notoriously a very stressfull job understandingly, I've met a handful of controllers who love it. The younger crowd tends to work more than the older crowd. But I've heard that the average work week is the standard 5 day 40 hours but be prepared to work some graveyard shifts as well. Also, the pay is very good. Pay is determined by how busy your facility is, thus somebody working in the N90 (ny tracon) will be making more than the person sitting in the Hickstown, Iowa control tower. I have a friend of a friend who works in the N90 and claims to be making 150k at the age of 24. However, a good chunk of that, probably 30k is cost of living expenses because of NY, but still pretty good.

Hope this helps.

CAFFEINE · January 5th, 2005, 18:25

I am a Commercial Aviation and ATC double major (however have been more focused on the Commercial side of things lately because flying is more fun than controlling

). This link may help answer some questions. UND ATC Also if you have any specific questions, let me know.

Wild_Weasel · January 15th, 2005, 18:06

hey, thanks for the posts, i do have one question though: if i take the atc major at UND, will i still be able to get the same ratings as i would receive if going for the commercial aviation major. Thanks.

Wild_Weasel · January 17th, 2005, 21:34

....also, do u know how much you can expect to be making starting out. thanks.

polishpilotND · January 27th, 2005, 17:26

hey,
i came to und as a commercial aviation major and ended up adding the atc double major and now ta atc. und has the top cti atc program in the nation with cutting edge simulators (radar lab being replaced in fall 05). the faa just announced also that they will be hiring heavily starting in the fall of this year. looks like a good profession to be in.

polishpilotND · January 27th, 2005, 17:29

starting pay by the way depends on the facility. i just recently talked to a chicago center controller who started out there at 60k. again chicago is a level 12 facility. grand forks for example is a level 7 or 8 i believe and they get paid in the 40's starting i think.

polishpilotND · January 27th, 2005, 21:53

furthermore about what the erau guy said, the faa got rid of their two year hiring limit but you still need to be hired by 31 i think or else youre history

SickBird · May 28th, 2005, 18:26

In 2002 the median income for an Air Traffic Controller was 91,000$.

I am trying to decide between going to Alaska or North Dakota for my CTI schooling.

CaptainChris87 · June 10th, 2005, 23:38

can I take ATC 101 or intro to ATC in the fall if my 102 got postponed until spring???? are there any requirments for intro to ATC?

CAFFEINE · June 11th, 2005, 00:01

[ QUOTE ]
can I take ATC 101 or intro to ATC in the fall if my 102 got postponed until spring???? are there any requirments for intro to ATC?

[/ QUOTE ]

I dont think there is a prereq for AVIT 103: Intro to ATC. It is seriously the easiest class you will ever take.

AngelFuree · June 11th, 2005, 01:18

[ QUOTE ]
furthermore about what the erau guy said, the faa got rid of their two year hiring limit but you still need to be hired by 31 i think or else youre history

[/ QUOTE ]
I believe the exception to this rule is if you are a government employee (e.g. FSS employee). Then the age limit isn't imposed and you can "transfer" from that gov't job into the ATC job. But don't quote me on that, lol.

NDviaEP · June 11th, 2005, 18:35

About 103... Although it is one of the easiest classes, I hear they are actually making it a little more difficult... Well, more work... Even in the fall, I only had to write a 1-2 page paper on the book TRACON, and this spring my roomate had to do like a 5 pager I think... not that it's difficult, but they are trying I guess... oh and the final is still a joke...

ATCtexas · June 12th, 2005, 12:32

I didn't even have a final in 103. We just showed up and signed a paper saying we were there and then left.

January 3rd, 2005, 02:52	#1
Wild_Weasel Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: UND Posts: 212	Air Traffic Control Major Hey, if I end up going to UND next year I was thinking about taking their ATC major and pursuing that career instead of commercial aviation and becoming a pilot. I couldn't find much info on it other than a basic summary and was wondering if you guys could give me a more detalied description of what it's like and also what goes on in the day of an ATC controller, such as if its true that the job is really stressful. Thanks!

January 3rd, 2005, 17:48	#2
Foxcow Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: St. Louis Posts: 1,121	Re: Air Traffic Control Major I cant tell you because Im commercial aviation as most of the UND people on this board.

January 4th, 2005, 12:14	#3
cessna2351 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Daytona Beach/Cleveland, OH Posts: 637	Re: Air Traffic Control Major Hi, I'm in the ERAU atc program and can help you a bit. I'm pretty sure UND has like 7 core ATC classes, ERAU has around 6. However, upon completion of the CTI program, which you would be entering, everyone is under the same hiring standards no matter where you went to school. Once you graduate, your school will 'recommend' you to the FAA. You have two years from your grad date to be called and place "in-process" or you are SOL. This two year clock of death is the cause of some tension because of the latest hiring freeze which is just about to end. Some CTI grads are dangerously close to 'timing out' of their two year clock. Once you are placed 'in-process' you simply wait for a class date in OKC and after class in OKC (avg 6 weeks) you are sent out to a facility in a region of 8 or so states (soon to be a broader choice) that you chose. While it is notoriously a very stressfull job understandingly, I've met a handful of controllers who love it. The younger crowd tends to work more than the older crowd. But I've heard that the average work week is the standard 5 day 40 hours but be prepared to work some graveyard shifts as well. Also, the pay is very good. Pay is determined by how busy your facility is, thus somebody working in the N90 (ny tracon) will be making more than the person sitting in the Hickstown, Iowa control tower. I have a friend of a friend who works in the N90 and claims to be making 150k at the age of 24. However, a good chunk of that, probably 30k is cost of living expenses because of NY, but still pretty good. Hope this helps.

January 5th, 2005, 18:25	#4
CAFFEINE Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Ontario, CA Posts: 664	Re: Air Traffic Control Major I am a Commercial Aviation and ATC double major (however have been more focused on the Commercial side of things lately because flying is more fun than controlling ). This link may help answer some questions. UND ATC Also if you have any specific questions, let me know.

January 15th, 2005, 18:06	#5
Wild_Weasel Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: UND Posts: 212	Re: Air Traffic Control Major hey, thanks for the posts, i do have one question though: if i take the atc major at UND, will i still be able to get the same ratings as i would receive if going for the commercial aviation major. Thanks.

January 17th, 2005, 21:34	#6
Wild_Weasel Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: UND Posts: 212	Re: Air Traffic Control Major ....also, do u know how much you can expect to be making starting out. thanks.

January 27th, 2005, 17:26	#7
polishpilotND Newbie Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Grand Forks, ND (KGFK) Posts: 10	Re: Air Traffic Control Major hey, i came to und as a commercial aviation major and ended up adding the atc double major and now ta atc. und has the top cti atc program in the nation with cutting edge simulators (radar lab being replaced in fall 05). the faa just announced also that they will be hiring heavily starting in the fall of this year. looks like a good profession to be in.

January 27th, 2005, 17:29	#8
polishpilotND Newbie Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Grand Forks, ND (KGFK) Posts: 10	Re: Air Traffic Control Major starting pay by the way depends on the facility. i just recently talked to a chicago center controller who started out there at 60k. again chicago is a level 12 facility. grand forks for example is a level 7 or 8 i believe and they get paid in the 40's starting i think.

January 27th, 2005, 21:53	#9
polishpilotND Newbie Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Grand Forks, ND (KGFK) Posts: 10	Re: Air Traffic Control Major furthermore about what the erau guy said, the faa got rid of their two year hiring limit but you still need to be hired by 31 i think or else youre history

May 28th, 2005, 18:26	#10
SickBird Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Tucson, Az Posts: 110	Re: Air Traffic Control Major In 2002 the median income for an Air Traffic Controller was 91,000$. I am trying to decide between going to Alaska or North Dakota for my CTI schooling.

June 10th, 2005, 23:38	#11
CaptainChris87 Old Skool Join Date: May 2004 Location: O.C. Posts: 1,784	Re: Air Traffic Control Major can I take ATC 101 or intro to ATC in the fall if my 102 got postponed until spring???? are there any requirments for intro to ATC?

June 11th, 2005, 00:01	#12
CAFFEINE Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Ontario, CA Posts: 664	Re: Air Traffic Control Major [ QUOTE ] can I take ATC 101 or intro to ATC in the fall if my 102 got postponed until spring???? are there any requirments for intro to ATC? [/ QUOTE ] I dont think there is a prereq for AVIT 103: Intro to ATC. It is seriously the easiest class you will ever take.

June 11th, 2005, 01:18	#13
AngelFuree Old Skool Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: G-Forks, ND/ NYC Posts: 3,372	Re: Air Traffic Control Major [ QUOTE ] furthermore about what the erau guy said, the faa got rid of their two year hiring limit but you still need to be hired by 31 i think or else youre history [/ QUOTE ] I believe the exception to this rule is if you are a government employee (e.g. FSS employee). Then the age limit isn't imposed and you can "transfer" from that gov't job into the ATC job. But don't quote me on that, lol.

June 11th, 2005, 18:35	#14
NDviaEP Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: KGFK, KFCM (home) Posts: 202	Re: Air Traffic Control Major About 103... Although it is one of the easiest classes, I hear they are actually making it a little more difficult... Well, more work... Even in the fall, I only had to write a 1-2 page paper on the book TRACON, and this spring my roomate had to do like a 5 pager I think... not that it's difficult, but they are trying I guess... oh and the final is still a joke...

June 12th, 2005, 12:32	#15
ATCtexas Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 85	Re: Air Traffic Control Major I didn't even have a final in 103. We just showed up and signed a paper saying we were there and then left.

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