Anyone with Air Traffic Controller Experience?

[WilsonFourTwo]

I figure that my current occupation should be complete (ie. company sold, cash in pocket) within the next year to 18 months and I'm contemplating "Career 3.0". I thrive under pressure, I'm decisive, I am solid with numbers and I am a very, very efficient organizer (mentally and otherwise). Apparently these are core skills for Control Staff, which makes me think that I may enjoy the job.

Does anyone on CP have experience working for NAV Canada? Specifically looking for information/anecdotes on training, the lifestyle, job availability/placement, although pretty much any info is useful at this point.

[moncton golden flames]

i went thru some navcanada interviews to become a controller. my father was a controller for over 35 years. he told me to tell them what they want to hear, and not what you really think, when it comes to their interviews. well, i did not tell them what they wanted to hear (not sure what they wanted either) and i am not a controller.

[CaptainCrunch]

I have a buddy that does Air Traffic control for the Military.

The training is extremely tough and thorough, and they try to pile as much stress on you as possible to see if you'll break. His life style is all over the map, he works unusual hours, and is pretty much always on call unless he's on leave. The stress is incredible, and every moment of your day is filled with decision making.

I do know that there is a shortage of air traffic controllers in Canada, especially at the smaller airports, which might be a good place to start.

[Finny61]

Several years ago I had my ticket to go to NavCanada but gave it up because after 3 years of schooling I was exhausted and the schedule that NavCanada has you on for training is brutal. As I recall a good 6 months and you don't get out much. Interview wise, it is difficult and most "fail", for me it was a mix of puzzle (thinking in 3D) and personality questions. If you want to be an ATC though you will have to go through NavCanada, they control that segment of the industry among some other things.

[NBC]

You will typically find experienced, long-serving ATC at smaller airports. You put in the hard graft at a major centre and when you're done, you are put to pasture somewhere like Springbank. The life on an ATC out there is great. It is largely still a training airport and you never have to manage more than a half dozen a/c at any one time. I knew a bunch of the guys out there and they were a decent lot.

I'm quite sure that working arrivals at Pearson is a whole different kettle of fish. Plus if I remember correctly, there may be some component of working in isolated communities for a period of time. Either that or some serious training takes place somewhere like the Yukon. My memory is a bit fuzzy bit I remember an ATC telling me something of the sort.

Good luck.

[MarchHare]

I don't have direct ATC experience, but I am a licensed pilot and have toured control towers before.

The selection process to get into NAV CANADA's training program is very difficult (as it should be), and even if you are selected, you may not actually graduate from the course. After graduation, you are assigned to any location in Canada where they have a need for a novice controller. If choosing where you want to live is important to you, you might want to reconsider this career. You can later apply for a re-posting when internal opportunities become available, but you don't get to choose your first posting. Because of this, I suspect that all the best places to live are fully staffed by senior employees, so rookies get sent to the less desirable areas.

There are two main types of ATCs -- those that work in a control tower and "own" the airspace in a 25 nautical mile radius around an airport, and those that work in an area control centre (there are seven in Canada) to manage enroute flights between airports. Area controllers are paid significantly better, but every ATC I've ever talked to prefers to work in a tower. It's much more interesting to actually see the planes and have a cool view than it is to work in a windowless room where the only thing you look at is blips on your radar screen.

Where would you rather work:

Here?


Or here?



If you haven't already, you should check out NAV CANADA's career FAQ: http://takecharge.navcanada.ca/en/content/careers/faq

[mykalberta]

I have had 5 friends who have gone through this - the one who I thought least likely to pass was the one who passed.

Had the contacted me about training a while ago I would have gone through with it, but now I am more secure in my job and have no reason to want to leave Calgary.

Region ATC is the much better paying one, but it also means you are stuck in either Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, TO, Montreal, or St Johns.

Controller ATC is from what I can tell the easier job, but training is in Ontario but you have the ability to work in alot better (and alot worse) locations.

I have read through alot of the manuals and books (for region ATC) and it doesnt seem overly difficult. I think the difficulty comes in 6 months with no pay and then people start to take part time jobs and then the spiral goes downhill from there. I think so long as someone can commit 100% for the 6 months of no pay training then you have a good shot.

Also with ATC, like the above said - tell them what they want to hear. Never go off script, they dont want people who can improvise under pressure, they want people who will follow procedure under pressure.

[MarchHare]

Region ATC is the much better paying one, but it also means you are stuck in either Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, TO, Montreal, or St Johns.

Or Moncton.

And I think it's Gandar, not St. John's, but I could be wrong.

[bizaro86]

My brother has a friend who started as an ATC a couple of years ago. He did his training somewhere east of here, then he go posted to somewhere in the North for a few years. (Yellowkife, I think.) Its a great job as long as you don't mind working where they tell you to work.

My wife's cousin is an area controller in Edmonton (where he's from). It took him over 12 years to get the posting he wanted, and that was enough time to be the junior guy there, working the worst shifts that nobody else wants. (Holidays, Weekends, Nights, etc)

If you're not tied to working in a certain place, or regular hours, I think it can be a pretty good job. (Lots of breaks, etc)

[Finny61]

From what I remember, Winnipeg or Manitoba in general is the first place the rookies tend to get exported to. I'm sure it is just wherever they need staff but Manitoba is a popular one.

[moncton golden flames]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Or Moncton.

And I think it's Gander, not St. John's, but I could be wrong.

moncton, best spot of all the regional centres for atc. and yes, i am biased...a little.

i believe it is gander as well. we almost got transfered there when i was in junior high.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

I haven't read everything on this site, but my sister is an ATC so I may be able to add a little.

If you're not willing to move, it may not be the job for you.
Working in the tower is a pretty good gig, but if you don't get assigned to the tower path, and wind in in the Radar section then there are only 7 cities you can work in (I believe they are Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, Gander, and possibly Moncton, but I could be wrong). They try to accomodate you, but there is always the chance that you could get assigned to Gander Newfoundland, and if you aren't willing to take that risk, it might not be the job for you.

[CaptainCrunch]

[Bigtime]

If you have an account on the Skyscraperpage forums look up the user 'cyeg66', he is an area controller up in Edmonton.

A couple of times a year we'd take groundschool classes up to the YYC tower, very impressive to watch them work and coordinate with each other (and Edmonton control) to make the dance work. I'd also go hang out in the YBW (Springbank) tower when my students were doing solo circuit flights, it was fun to sit at an empty station and try and keep everything going on straight in your head. Very challenging (especially for us pilots).

[WilsonFourTwo]

That's a pretty terrific response - thanks CPers.

I think I'll keep this career high list to explore in greater detail, and if/when I move forward, I'll keep you posted.