Well that was worrying to read since I flight through San Diego coming up.
Why are the budgets low and why is our government running atc like a best buy durring holiday season?
Why are the budgets low and why is our government running atc like a best buy durring holiday season?
- There are high health requirements to hold the job, which should be revisited
- The federally mandated retirement age is relatively low.
- Pay is not attractive
- Overall FAA funding is largely set by the finicky Congress, which swings between extreme austerity and moderate fiscal pragmatism
- Airports can supplement federal funding, but it's difficult to get someone that cares. The right port authorities would need to be elected, then raise rates at risk of airlines pushing back... only to improve the safety of their one airport (likely still taking the full PR/trust-hit if a tragedy happens at a different airport anyway)
- COVID19 led to a higher rate of people exiting the field (due to reduced labor demand + natural retirement), and few entering the field.
- Hiring/pay was not managed in alignment with the return of travel demand.
- These ATC articles have been circulating for a couple years now. That's probably dampened interest in these jobs.
That's not my impression at all, based on discussions with FAA employees.
From a quick online search:
> ATC 2022 median pay: $132,250 per year
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/transportation-and-material-moving/a...
Add in the fact that the FAA is about 50 years behind the times in understanding mental health, so you might lose your entire career if you are diagnosed with depression (even if it is a result of stress at work).
Plus, you have to be younger than 31 to start an ATC career, and are required to retire no later than 56. So for good, not great, pay: you have to pick your career before the age of 31. Pass rigorous training. Have a plan for starting a new career if you ever have health issues, or when you turn 56, whichever comes sooner.
In a vacuum, the pay is attractive. In context, it doesn't seem much more than "above average", at best, for a VERY hard job.
In any case, the proof is in the pudding. If people thought the pay was generous and worth it, would there be a shortage?
Ok you lost me there. Which part of retail work has you responsible for the lives of 200 people at a time?
A significant number of retail jobs involve the risk of a mass casualty event if you make a mistake and the opportunity for such mistakes happens many times through a day, each day for years on end?
> In any case, the proof is in the pudding. If people thought the pay was generous and worth it, would there be a shortage?
The rest of your comment is irrelevant. The “great”-ness of a price is evident by the number of sellers willing to accept it.
Is overtime mandatory or voluntary? https://www.jetwhine.com/2008/02/atc-overtime-faa-controller... Looks like a mix of both. Answer your phone, it’s mandatory.
I’ve talked to a few ATC people. One quit his job due to the stress. “The money was not worth it”. They were getting panic attacks and drinking to sleep as mentioned in the article.
There is also a pilot shortage and it takes a long time to get to being paid well after over $100k in training fees.
Policy is to run government entities like a corporation.