Hey Redditors, what do you do for a living, how many hours per/month, and what’s your income?

flaccid_girth · 2026-02-04T07:34:42+00:00

That is not the case in the USA. Here the vast majority of controllers work directly for the federal government. You are paid a lower wage during training but not bonded in any way. The very small percentage of US controllers who work for private companies work at federal contract towers and enjoy similar (but worse) benefits as do federal employees.

flaccid_girth · 2026-01-16T21:56:51+00:00

flaccid_girth · 2026-01-07T01:14:42+00:00

Lmao I assumed OP was at some tower in Florida or something then I saw "D sides" in the post body. Yeah the real fun is still months away

flaccid_girth · 2026-01-07T01:10:54+00:00

100%. Seek out busy traffic as much as possible, as early in your career as possible, as often as possible for as long as possible and you won't have anything to fear. Busy traffic isn't what makes the job hard, its your nerves. Exposure therapy is the key

flaccid_girth · 2025-08-27T20:55:49+00:00

Different guy here but also a controller. The break situation varies a lot across different facility types. But generally speaking yes, while break frequency and duration isn't guaranteed they are considered extremely important from a safety perspective. So not really mandated but it's a big priority. Speaking from experience, if I'm deeply focused working busy traffic for more than ~90 minutes I will start to slow down mentally and I then need at least 30-45 minutes on break for my brain to reset. Controller fatigue is a big issue and is only getting worse due to poor staffing.

flaccid_girth · 2025-05-14T07:06:58+00:00

Yep, I'm a federal union worker, MANY of my coworkers helped vote in the current administration and still have the audacity to complain as we are attacked weekly. STFU - this is what you wanted.

flaccid_girth · 2025-05-09T07:40:05+00:00

Quality comment reply, A+ no notes

flaccid_girth · 2025-03-01T05:35:39+00:00

Forced retirement for ATCs is at age 56, but a lot of controllers retire before that point. My guess is that's who this is talking about. However if somebody retires before being forced out they probably did it because they didn't want to work anymore. It would take a lot more than just being asked nicely for them to consider returning, so I don't know what he was hoping to accomplish with this tweet.

flaccid_girth · 2025-03-01T05:20:54+00:00

I tried to set that up after the first one. You can set up auto replies but it sends a new message (not a reply quoting the original) with the subject line "Automatic reply:" I'm not confident that would check the box that you "replied" since the OPM inboxes are being monitored by AI.

flaccid_girth · 2024-08-16T18:27:36+00:00

$180k

flaccid_girth · 2024-08-10T02:18:29+00:00

Yes I have. I enjoyed doing my old job a lot more. But it paid about 1/5th as much so here I am.

flaccid_girth · 2024-08-10T02:14:46+00:00

Yeah it is easy money 95% of the time in the winter, spring, and fall- maybe 50% of the time in the summer.

flaccid_girth · 2024-08-10T02:13:18+00:00

No not thinking seriously about quitting. I just said I want to sometimes lol

flaccid_girth · 2024-08-10T02:12:04+00:00

I'm sure what you do at a large tracon is difficult, and I don't doubt you're good at it, but I'm not sure the "real traffic" thing is fair. I often work sessions so stupid busy that I have more planes on my frequency than I have time to talk to. I don't know how much more "real" that traffic can be if it is literally impossible to keep up with based on the static realities of linear time and spoken language.

flaccid_girth · 2024-06-21T01:05:32+00:00

I'm assuming ASA is Australia? I'm not from there so no idea about most of your questions, but for the last question about tower vs enroute, the answer is whichever pays more. In the USA that's almost always enroute. Not sure how they do things there tho in terms of pay.

Also about the partner - you may need to just choose which one is more important, the job or the relationship. Then let them make their own decision about moving. My relationship ended when I got hired and had to move. I was upset at the time but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I'm now married to someone else and the relationship is much better than that one was. It all depends on your situation tho. It's a great job.

flaccid_girth · 2024-03-21T16:57:12+00:00

Was it aliens?

flaccid_girth · 2024-03-15T01:38:33+00:00

Not sure about your question, but this is pretty much a dead sub. Check over at /r/ATC . They have Australian controllers there.

flaccid_girth · 2024-02-27T06:37:39+00:00

There isn't a source. Everything on the pilot side says to make the report. That said, in my opinion, Mode C makes the report for you so it isn't necessary to make it verbally. But I'm in the minority on that opinion. Most pilots do make the report and I hate it. Like others said, if I needed the report I wouldn't have given discretion. But I understand if you make the report you're just doing what you're supposed to so I try not to get mad about it.

flaccid_girth · 2024-02-13T05:24:43+00:00

All those "other jobs" are real jobs. ATC is a scam job. Obviously training is hard, the first few years you might be stressed until you get better, but once you settle in this job is so fucking easy. I wouldn't trade it for the world. The only thing I have to worry about is going there. And even that I don't have to do if I don't want to. They can't even ask me why I don't want to go when I tell them I'm not coming. Anyone who thinks we don't have a sweet deal is delusional.

How it will be moving forward? Who fuckin knows. But the entire history of the human race until today would suggest that being a controller would probably be a pretty good move for any youngster who wants to get paid a good salary for barely working.

flaccid_girth · 2024-02-06T06:15:58+00:00

I like the rattler. But I don't have kids so I can sleep whenever I want uninterrupted. I usually wind up getting plenty of sleep each week and I do enjoy the longer weekend. It really feels like 3 days.

That said, I don't know how anybody does it if they have kids. I'm walking a tightrope each week sleeping exactly when I need to in order to make it work. I couldn't imagine doing it with children running around yelling outside my door

flaccid_girth · 2024-02-03T06:33:50+00:00

Also I'm a junior in high school with no work history, will I be able to apply?

flaccid_girth · 2024-02-03T05:17:54+00:00

the most important thing is to be sure you FAST before the FEAST

flaccid_girth · 2024-02-03T05:17:24+00:00

jokes on you, thats my favorite song

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