air traffic controller school pennsylvania

Among the many aircraft preparing to fly on that Tuesday morning are four flights which will be boarded by 19 passengers carrying weapons and a plan to hijack the planes and use them as missiles to destroy targets in New York City and Washington D.C. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, “peak summer traffic demands had diminished and air traffic controllers were expecting a routine, on-time day.”2 Thousands of passengers board commercial aircraft, heading for business meetings, returning home from conferences, meeting friends or family for vacations. The day is perfect for flying, what some pilots call “severe clear”. Bush goes for an early morning run.1 It is an ordinary late summer day. In Sarasota, Florida, President George W.

At the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, people begin to line up for a White House tour. Across the Potomac River, the United States Congress is back in session. Others go to Arlington, Virginia, to the Pentagon. Some make their way to the Twin Towers, the signature structures of the World Trade Center complex in New York City.

Millions of men and women ready themselves for work. For example, Earley works in the Terminal Radar Approach Control Facility (TRACON) in Memphis and is responsible for controlling aircraft leaving the airport for their next destination, as well as directing flights into the airport for a quick and safe landing.Įmployees can also work in one of the 21 air route traffic control centers throughout the US, which direct aircraft that are en route to their destination.Tuesday, Septemdawns warm and nearly cloudless in the eastern United States. You won't necessarily work in the tower.Īir traffic controllers are not just confined to the airport tower but can also work in a number of stations around and between major airports. Initial tests are pass/fail, according to the agency, and failing certain exams will eliminate applicants from the hiring process. These exams assess applicants' health, and their ability to train for and perform the job. Whether you become a controller through the FAA or military, you will have to undergo months-long training and pass aptitude, physical, physiological, and skill tests. You have to go through a lot of testing and training. However, some applicants come from other careers that place them in the 'experienced hire' category, like the military. These applicants, if accepted, will spend up to five months at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City where training and testing occurs. To be eligible, off-the-street applicants only need to meet minimum requirements, like the ability to speak English, be under the age of 31 (more on that later), and have three years of progressive work experience, or a combination of work and school, according to the FAA's August job posting. You don't need a college degree.įor people looking for a high-salary job that doesn't require a college degree, ATC is a good option. Here are nine things you should know before applying to become an air traffic controller. Insider spoke with FAA controller Cedrick Earley to discuss what it is like to work the job. While the salary and benefits of working for the federal government may be enticing, becoming an air traffic controller can be a high-stress and busy job, so interested applicants should understand what to expect before diving in. The training is demanding, with about 50% of aspiring Air Force controllers washing out, according to the agency. Moreover, FAA applicants must be 30 or younger, with few exceptions.įor those that apply through the FAA, successful applicants must undergo months of extensive training and pass mandatory tests before being officially hired, like an aptitude test, a skills assessment, and physical and psychological exams. These employees handle everything from jumbo airliners to tiny prop planes.įor a lot of people, becoming a controller is a dream job, but getting there is not easy and must be done through specific channels, like applying to the FAA's periodic job openings or joining the military. There are over 14,000 controllers employed under the Federal Aviation Administration that operate out of some 700 facilities across the US and manage an average of 45,000 flights per day, according to the agency. It often indicates a user profile.īeing an air traffic controller is an extremely high-stress job, with workers responsible for the movement and direction of thousands of lives onboard commercial and general aviation aircraft every day. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.

Air traffic controller school pennsylvania