Question for Air Traffic Controllers.

[b757lvr]

Hey guys, I am very interested in air Traffic Control , however I am passed the 'Age 31' rule to get trained/hired by the FAA; are there any support roles that are available within the tower/center or is everyone who works there a controller?

[atcman23]

The "support" roles are typically supervisory and primarily filled from within. So yeah, those people are typically controllers.

[b757lvr]

Ok cool, thank you very much for the information.

[RV1]

Although you are past the age limit for the FAA, I'm not sure if the contract tower operators have the same age limit. It would be worth your time to investigate.

[byoungblood]

Even though contract towers don't have an age limit, they typically have experience requirements that are difficult, if not impossible, to get without previous experience in the FAA or DOD. I have only heard of contract jobs that will hire someone with nothing but a CTO (which you'd have to go to school to get) but I have never actually seen an actual job posting like that. I looked far and near until I knew for certain that I was getting picked up by the FAA, and I just made it in by the skin of my teeth before I turned 31.

There are some jobs, like remote pilot operators, that are present in centers in the training departments, that don't require ATC background, but most people in them either have ATC experience (such as attending a CTI school) or have connections.

Sad to say, if you're past 31, there's not much you can do to get into this profession.

[b757lvr]

Well, I wish I had pursued it earlier I'm 33 and currently in airport ops so I'm just going to pursue that track and satisfy my interest in atc by continuing to tune in to the professionals on liveatc.net!    Thanks for all the replies though, much appreciated.

[mklatval]

You could get a CTO from a school like Beaver and work for them for a year or so to meet the experience requirements for a contract tower job.

[sykocus]

You could get a CTO from a school like Beaver and work for them for a year or so to meet the experience requirements for a contract tower job.

CTI schools receive some funding from the FAA to train people for potentially being hired by the FAA. I don't think a school like beaver creek would be able let you into their CTI program if you aren't eligible to apply for the FAA.

[w0x0f]

You could get a CTO from a school like Beaver and work for them for a year or so to meet the experience requirements for a contract tower job.

CTI schools receive some funding from the FAA to train people for potentially being hired by the FAA. I don't think a school like beaver creek would be able let you into their CTI program if you aren't eligible to apply for the FAA.

The Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) or (Beaver Creek    )  will take anyone's money and has accepted retired former FAA Center controllers who would like to get a CTO for a contract tower job.

w0x0f

[atcman23]

CCBC does have a certificate program that will allow you to get a CTO and, as was mentioned, you can use that to get a position at a contract tower.  They will not let you into the CTI program if you are already 31 or over or will reach your 31st birthday while attending school.

[davolijj]

You could get a CTO from a school like Beaver and work for them for a year or so to meet the experience requirements for a contract tower job.

I think this would be a great option for someone over 31.  I worked as an instructor at Beaver for three years after I graduated and I've been recruited by several contract towers (all of which I had to turn down).  If you're serious about becomming an air traffic controller, this would be a good way into the field.

[kjoey]

After getting your CTO, where can you get experience to be a Contract Tower?...And can a Contract Tower work for major airport tower in US?

[sykocus]

After getting your CTO, where can you get experience to be a Contract Tower?...And can a Contract Tower work for major airport tower in US?

A person doesn't become a contract tower. You get a job at one. A "contract tower" is a tower that the FAA has "hired" a private company to manage. The controllers there are employee's of that company not the federal government. While they abide by the same rules when it comes to separation, not all the same HR rules apply. I believe that the current contract tower program only applies to towers which are or were level 3 and lower. That means that towers in major cities probably are too busy to be contacted out. For example San Diego Lindbergh Field is a level 7. Compared to places like LAX, ATL, and NYC, San Diego is very slow.

[tyketto]

A couple of Level 3 or lower towers, just to give you perspective to LAX, SAN, ATL, etc.

KMHR - Mather Field, Sacramento, CA.
KIFP - Laughlin/Bullhead City Int'l,
PGUM - Agana Int'l, Guam
KSBD - San Bernardino Int'l, San Bernardino

Obviously, locations vary, but they pretty much are traffic dependent.

BL.