How many lives until the game is over? I jest. I think gamers and ATC are soulmates if there ever was such a thing. Surprised it’s taken anyone this long to introduce them to each other.
It wasn't bad back then. I wanted to be involved in the aviation world and ATC (even as a Flight Service Specialist - basically someone pilots called for a weather briefing) was "status".
I had three months to accept or reject and gambled that I could eventually land a "real" pilot job even though I was only a private pilot at the time.
Took a while but I became a flight instructor, then a freight pilot, then a corporate pilot, then Director of Operations for a charter company, then a corporate jet pilot.
They’ve tried to before. The Congressional Delegation from Oklahoma reportedly sabotaged the efforts to get the funding and instructors every previous attempt.
I wonder what kind of screening they use? Some smart, but potentially a bit of emotionally unstable people in that group. (Just judging off some I know..lol)
Depends, I mean, if it was something you were actually interested in. It is HIGH stress, HIGH focus serious but, as well HIGH paid and, every state is always hiring ATC, small airports and large. lol.
It was the starting salary, $35,000 ish is what I remember. I was very interested, but decided to continue on the professional pilot path which paid off eight years later.
This was a few years after the PATCO debacle and the FAA was desperately looking for talent.
I mean, most of those applicants must feel they are at least highly interested in a high paying job that they ARE interested in doing.. Treat it like a trade school, maybe some of them actually might work out in the end and end up going from mom's basement to working a steady job with real good pay, in any state they want.
Good luck out there? lol BTW: there are two positions for ATC. 1. radar where you sit and direct traffic of lil blips, keeping them separated at all times no matter what speed, direction and altitude each one is going, the moment they enter your airspace till the moment they leave OR if they are to land on your air strips, you hand them off to the other ATC position. The Tower: you are eyes on controller, you deal with all the aircraft arriving and departing and sitting on your airstrip(s), the ones you can visually see from a top your tower. It is a LOT of constant communication between each position and any aircraft in your airspace AND any vehicle or other goings on, on the ground working on the airstrips.
Madness due to the INSANE RAGE that gamers can possess. And express.
Could you imagine being directed to land and then the gamer suddenly flips out in a curse laden screed about your mother and the closet your dad locked you in? Because something that didn't involve you set them off?
Have you told them this is NOT online, and they have to leave mom's basement?
Funny but air traffic control is often situated in basements, or at least windowless rooms.
They'll feel right at home.
Those towers are for ground control.
But seriously, many gamers will have the exact skill sets required to be effective air traffic controllers... with training of course.
…And that those bleps on the screen are real people?
This is making me want to read Ender's Game again🐸
How many lives until the game is over? I jest. I think gamers and ATC are soulmates if there ever was such a thing. Surprised it’s taken anyone this long to introduce them to each other.
Haha 😂
Drug testing will eliminate 90% of applicants.
Mountain Dew blood plasma is also a disqualifier.
That's got to be better than the dei hires. One of the reasons I won't fly.
https://x.com/SecDuffy/status/2045896190135296056?s=20
It wasn't bad back then. I wanted to be involved in the aviation world and ATC (even as a Flight Service Specialist - basically someone pilots called for a weather briefing) was "status".
I had three months to accept or reject and gambled that I could eventually land a "real" pilot job even though I was only a private pilot at the time.
Took a while but I became a flight instructor, then a freight pilot, then a corporate pilot, then Director of Operations for a charter company, then a corporate jet pilot.
35 years condensed into one sentence. kek
Cool. Are they going to set up temporary FAA academies? Or are they going to funnel everyone through the singular Academy in Oklahoma?
I think they are indeed setting them up at several Universities across the country…
They’ve tried to before. The Congressional Delegation from Oklahoma reportedly sabotaged the efforts to get the funding and instructors every previous attempt.
Hope they have better luck this time
I wonder what kind of screening they use? Some smart, but potentially a bit of emotionally unstable people in that group. (Just judging off some I know..lol)
I was accepted into ATC school as a flight service specialist in 1986 with a duty station in Seattle.
Ultimately chose not to attend and I am so glad! Can you imagine me living in that area?
Depends, I mean, if it was something you were actually interested in. It is HIGH stress, HIGH focus serious but, as well HIGH paid and, every state is always hiring ATC, small airports and large. lol.
It was the starting salary, $35,000 ish is what I remember. I was very interested, but decided to continue on the professional pilot path which paid off eight years later.
This was a few years after the PATCO debacle and the FAA was desperately looking for talent.
Well, ya sound like you ended up doing a job you got along with well enough to make it your career so, maybe you made the right choice for yaself lol.
That doesn't sound like bad starting money for the 80s though... I came out of college in the 90s with similar. Maybe your situation was different
I mean, most of those applicants must feel they are at least highly interested in a high paying job that they ARE interested in doing.. Treat it like a trade school, maybe some of them actually might work out in the end and end up going from mom's basement to working a steady job with real good pay, in any state they want. Good luck out there? lol BTW: there are two positions for ATC. 1. radar where you sit and direct traffic of lil blips, keeping them separated at all times no matter what speed, direction and altitude each one is going, the moment they enter your airspace till the moment they leave OR if they are to land on your air strips, you hand them off to the other ATC position. The Tower: you are eyes on controller, you deal with all the aircraft arriving and departing and sitting on your airstrip(s), the ones you can visually see from a top your tower. It is a LOT of constant communication between each position and any aircraft in your airspace AND any vehicle or other goings on, on the ground working on the airstrips.
https://preview.redd.it/a-far-side-comic-from-1990-satarizing-the-idea-that-someone-v0-pl8cy14992eb1.png?auto=webp&s=716eb4fbcb0578b68547b04da5ec5a29df3c9d51
Ha! "Please read him or her this ad"🐸
Someone should give USB laparoscopic surgery simulators to children.
As a gamer, this is both genius and madness.
Genius because of the skillset overlap.
Madness due to the INSANE RAGE that gamers can possess. And express.
Could you imagine being directed to land and then the gamer suddenly flips out in a curse laden screed about your mother and the closet your dad locked you in? Because something that didn't involve you set them off?
I really hope these gamers will not be expecting the work to be like their games.