Factor
Woodstock, VA
Male, 65
My life in ATC began with 4 years Air Force then another 30 years with the Federal Aviation Admin. working tower & radar at some big international airports. I fought in the 1981 war with PATCO, survived the strike and kept a job that was just too exhilarating to walk away from. While there was nothing better than working airplanes, I did move on through several air traffic supervisory and management positions. It was a long, crazy career but I wouldn't trade a moment of it for love or lucre!
Hi there, “ATC Wannabe.” I really hate it when I can’t answer a reader’s question but just going to have to buck up and admit defeat. I have no idea what O”Hare or the Great Lakes Regional Office’s hiring policies are. O”Hare Airport is within The Great Lakes Region’s authority. As in the previous reader’s question, I recommend you call the Great lakes Region when you are ready and ask them about ATC job openings. I also recommend you take your friend’s opinion as well intended but likely to be uninformed. As a “high schooler” – you have plenty of time to position yourself as a viable ATC candidate - anywhere.
As to the idea of starting your career off in one of the many busy facilities; there are differing opinions. The skeptics and those motivated by ego will say you must be an experienced and exceptional controller before setting foot in the door. While I understand their argument I disagree. Having started my own FAA career in a very busy facility, I can attest to the benefits of learning how to handle complex and heavy traffic conditions right off the bat. I also know that, later in my career, when I was training folks who transferred in from less active facilities, it was hard breaking them of their more laid back work habits. When you start off in a busy place, you learn to work quickly and efficiently. Plus; the steady pace of traffic makes for more frequent and meaningful training opportunities. This is something the smaller facilities can’t always provide.
I’m happy to hear of your enthusiasm for air traffic control and wish you all the best in your pursuit of a career.
Cheers,
Factor
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This is a tricky question. If you want to fly airways, under the hood, in VFR conditions; you can do it. Just have your safety pilot on hand and fly at VFR altitudes. I would recommend patronizing your local approach control/s, who can provide flight following, traffic advisories and perhaps let you get some practice approaches in at one of their airports. With few exceptions, center sectors are not the best resource for practice approaches. Whichever you choose; try to get a feel for when the controllers are busiest. Call the ATC facility, tell them what you want to do and ask when would be the best time. Peak traffic periods should be avoided when seeking flight following, practice approaches, holding, etc.
Thanks for writing!
Factor
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Thanks for writing, Doctor Hank. I’m glad you caught me during office hours. You’ve raised some great questions but, unfortunately, I don’t make house calls.
In fact, I was trained in stress management and the ways of coping with pressure - but the FAA didn’t provide this training. They did, however, provide the learning environment. Our primary means of dealing with pressure was simply understanding that nearly everyone else on the crew was dealing with it too – perhaps even simultaneously. There was a strong team “will” to meet and defeat the challenge. No one had to face the dragons alone and knowing that made a big difference.
Then, after those dragons were dispensed with, we’d all come together for the best kind of therapy we knew. We’d meet at our favorite after-work bar and rehash the shift’s best and worst moments in a non-judgmental environment. As you know; talking about your issues with others who have been through the same thing is both calming and cathartic. As a result; we’d usually show up for our next shift - free of regret, revitalized and ready to do it all over again.
Everyone had their own individual ways of coping with pressure; some more obvious than others. As a floor Supervisor, you’d learn to recognize the signs that a controller was feeling the squeeze. A change in body posture, pumping a leg, drumming fingers, changes in voice level, cursing or throwing things were a few of the more obvious signs. Others were more subtle but a good Supervisor knew them all and acted quickly to assist.
One thing we all tried not to do during periods of high stress was to imagine the number of lives in our hands and the consequences if something went wrong. Stuff like that is distracting and will quickly throw your whole game off.
As to the ability to handle pressure being factor in hiring controllers; I cannot speak for FAA's current policies. I can say that, during my career, there was no reliable way of assessing a potential new employee’s strength in that area. Everyone, including the new employee, had to find out during their first few dips in the crucible. Some did the backstroke and others burned up. Going into the profession, I doubt that many people know how they’ll react when the vise begins to close. I sure didn’t. Although their coworkers may notice some early indicators; most controllers don’t recognize that emotional squeeze until it’s too late. Robert Burns nailed it when he wrote; “O would some power the giftie gie us to see ourselves as others see us.”
Thanks again,
Factor
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Well “C fed,” I wish I could come up with a simple answer to that one; like maybe we use a Ouija Board or just let the pilots draw straws. What really happens can often be far less organized or egalitarian. I’ll start with the easiest part to answer. If the adverse weather event is taking place at the destination airport; departures heading that way will normally takeoff in “first come – first served” order. Flights to that destination will be metered out according to how many aircraft the destination can accommodate each hour. For example; if there is a firestorm impacting Hades International and they can only land 20 flights per hour; departures from Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington and other points will be metered out so as not to all arrive in Hell at the same time.
If the weather event is affecting the departure airport; it may affect much of or all departing traffic, regardless of destination. During these situations, departing traffic is affected if the weather is impacting their particular departure direction and/or route. The ultimate destination doesn’t really matter. If the weather is projected to impact that route for some time, ATC may begin rerouting those flights onto an alternate route.
Then there are times when a severe storm parks itself right off the departure runway end. In such cases; nobody goes until the storm moves away and flights can takeoff safely.
During rapidly changing weather conditions; departure routes may open and close several times as the bad weather blows through. This presents the Ground Controllers with very difficult challenges. Generally speaking airplanes cannot pass each other on taxiways. So if, for instance, the third airplane in line can go but the first two can’t? Everybody might have to wait. Flight crews become frustrated, passengers get angry and controllers wish they’d stayed at home. Things eventually get sorted out but not before some departures take significant delays.
The key to all of this is patience; how much everyone has and how long it lasts.
I hope this helps!
Factor
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Good to hear from Greg the Pilot! I can’t tell you how seniority is calculated these days. I’m sure it is addressed in the contract between the controllers union (NATCA) and the FAA. As to pay – it should come as no surprise to learn that controllers in the busiest facilities have the greatest earning potential. For example; controllers working at Chicago Center, Atlanta Approach or Kennedy Tower will make more money than those working at a much smaller, low density facilities. Of the busy places; controllers working in centers and approach controls will generally be paid more than those working strictly tower duty.
Monetary compensation aside; controllers learn more and learn quicker in the busy facilities. If you plan on joining the profession and want to work lots of airplanes, those are the places to be.
Thanks for writing!
Factor
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Hello there Mister Pep! Thanks for writing.
The short answer to your question would be “confusion or chaos.” We’re lucky though. Here on Earth, English is recognized as the official international language of aviation. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) says so. However; as one flies further and further away from the U.S. and big, international airports elsewhere, you are likely to hear pilots and controllers communicating in their native tongue.
The big challenge is for pilots and controllers who must communicate in English - when English is not their native language. Unfortunately, it becomes too easy to lose patience with a pilot or controller who is trying to speak English but isn’t doing so well. When controllers must ask for repeat transmissions, it literally doubles their workload and can put them behind in other time-critical tasks. Tempers may temporarily flare but not for long. Such problems are quickly forgotten in ATC’s fast paced environment. That’s when me and my teammates could get back to the problem of misunderstanding each other :(
Fortunately for all concerned, aviation has its own unique lexicon. If everyone sticks to the prescribed, standard phraseology for the situation at hand, everything is usually fine. If not; I blame it on what happened over at the Tower of Babel.
Keep those cards and letters coming,
Factor
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Hi Mathew! Having retired from the profession, I don't work at an air traffic facility anymore. I can tell you though; all air traffic facilities are awesome places to see. Some are impressive from an architectural standpoint, some for the cutting edge equipment the controllers use but all are amazing for the high level of responsibility their staff takes on when they’re controlling traffic.
Another amazing but rarely seen or acknowledged group of professionals are the ones who maintain the myriad of equipment that controllers and pilots rely on. They install and maintain the radio, radar and telecommunications gear that makes air traffic control possible. Gotta love ‘em!
Thanks for writing!
Factor
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