tkatc
Well Known Member
Someone privately asked me this question:
"Is there any way to become a air traffic controller at the age of 34?
I have always been interested in being a controller and now I may have to change jobs."
Unfortunately, age 31 is the typical cut off for new controllers. There are only 2 provisions I know of that allows the hiring of someone older. One is retired military who have spent 20 years as a controller in the military (they have a special program for those guy) and the other is the RE-HIRING of controllers who were FIRED by Reagan.
That rule has to do with the mandatory retirement age of 56.
You can still become a controller in a contract facility, but not with the FAA. I know there use to be a company called Robinson Van Buren that did contract towers and such and I know there are 1 or 2 companies that still do this work but I don't know what they are called or how they do their hiring.
Somebody at OSH asked about getting his son into ATC and I mentioned the best and quickest way to get in (if you don't have military experience) is a CTI school. The following link will explain it much better than I could. I will say that not ALL the schools are created equal. The best students I have seen (other than military) have been out of Beaver College in Pittsburgh, PA.
"Is there any way to become a air traffic controller at the age of 34?
I have always been interested in being a controller and now I may have to change jobs."
Unfortunately, age 31 is the typical cut off for new controllers. There are only 2 provisions I know of that allows the hiring of someone older. One is retired military who have spent 20 years as a controller in the military (they have a special program for those guy) and the other is the RE-HIRING of controllers who were FIRED by Reagan.
That rule has to do with the mandatory retirement age of 56.
You can still become a controller in a contract facility, but not with the FAA. I know there use to be a company called Robinson Van Buren that did contract towers and such and I know there are 1 or 2 companies that still do this work but I don't know what they are called or how they do their hiring.
Somebody at OSH asked about getting his son into ATC and I mentioned the best and quickest way to get in (if you don't have military experience) is a CTI school. The following link will explain it much better than I could. I will say that not ALL the schools are created equal. The best students I have seen (other than military) have been out of Beaver College in Pittsburgh, PA.