FAA looking for entry level Air Traffic Controllers
- Thread starter skymonkey
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Difficult training from what I hear. I have two friends that made it through the selection process. One made it through a'll the training and testing and is working as a center controller. The other washed out after a few months of training but he is trying g to get for the rotation.
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As a pilot, I have nothing but respect for the ones that do the job and maintain a good demeanor. It's a super stressful job at times.
Ditto! Most people don't have a clue the level of stress they get under and how they are able to do so much to make our "efforts" easier and safer.
I had to declare an emergency the same day I obtained my PPL and ATC was AMAZING!!
I have two friends that have gone through the training in OKC. You have to be intelligent and have a very good sense of spatial orientation. Both said it was grueling. One made it through the other got washed out after about eight weeks (hoping to give it another try). The one that successfully made it through training got through the various levels of working in different tower environments and is now at the regional center on LI covering in route traffic in the northeast. The top pay is very good but it takes a lot of work to get there. He is also a pilot so he sees things from both sides of the microphone.
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What was your emergency? I've had a couple myself, but thankfully neither occurred on my checkride day. That had to have the adrenaline going.
Shortly after getting my PPL (actually getting the piece of paper 10 minutes earlier) I was headed home leaving the flatlands of SC flying to the mountains of WNC. The ceiling was getting lower as terrain was getting higher and daylight was fading quickly. To make a long story short I experienced an electrical failure causing me to lose all lighting etc inside and out. I had a flashlight and my handheld radio so I was able to "see" my instruments to fly but they couldn't see or hear me until I got on my handheld. They gave me direct routing and got me on the ground safely.
Come to find out there was a wire that was loose that grounded out causing the circuit breaker to open up. My terms not the "Technical/Correct" terms.
Anyway we filled out the reports etc and all was good to go. Yep my first flight as a Private Pilot LOL.
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I was overloaded and fatigued on top of it all LOL! I went through a couple of moments of "This is IT" and I even remember thinking (and maybe even saying outloud to myself)
"Oh great... it's going to be in the newspapers tomorrow "New pilot of 30 minutes crashes into the side of a mountain on his FIRST flight as a Private Pilot" "
Fortunately things weren't happening fast and I still had full control of the aircraft so I was able to calm down, assess my situation, and come up with solutions to try. I could have turned back to my takeoff airport at any moment but that was busy airspace and I was invisible to all other aircraft. Makes for an interesting story too
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Emergencies seldom kill pilots. Panic, on the other hand, does. Glad you didn't give inI was overloaded and fatigued on top of it all LOL! I went through a couple of moments of "This is IT" and I even remember thinking (and maybe even saying outloud to myself)
"Oh great... it's going to be in the newspapers tomorrow "New pilot of 30 minutes crashes into the side of a mountain on his FIRST flight as a Private Pilot" "
Fortunately things weren't happening fast and I still had full control of the aircraft so I was able to calm down, assess my situation, and come up with solutions to try. I could have turned back to my takeoff airport at any moment but that was busy airspace and I was invisible to all other aircraft. Makes for an interesting story too
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