FCT pay increase

$82,000 without benefits in a VFR tower is more than you will get compensated in a level 5, 6, or a 7 in the FAA. If you take 20 grand of that pay per year you can buy a good blue-cross family health plan and contribute the remainder of of the money in a 401K. You would be better off than somebody in the FAA at a VFR tower making 45-50 grand with benefits. So you would be making 62,000 with health insurance and retirement. Also if your moving from a VFR tower to a level 10-12 FAA tower its not just going to work doing the same thing you did before and getting free extra money. Trust me, I did the same thing and you will go home way more tired with way more headaches. In other words be prepared to earn that extra 15 grand a year. Having said all that I have kids myself and am overall happy to have the opportunity to work harder for some extra cash. I just don’t think your painting an accurate picture of the contract towers by comparing them to high level FAA facilities. When you match them up to small FAA towers their at least even and maybe a bit better.

there is no matching on the 401k and there is no fers so you would have to put a lot more into retirement than you think to come up with the same figures you would get even at a level 6 tower over the years compounded.

Comparison--

1st year FAA as a developmental
start pay $33,ooo/year

Avg starting pay at midwest
60,000/year

difference of $27,000/year

So if you buy a $5,000/year family health insurance plan (top tier at Anthem), and max out your 401k at 20% of your income, ( 12,000/year)

$27,000 difference in FAA/Contract salary , minus, $17,000/year in retirement/insurance=your are making $10,000 more in a contract tower. Given you max invest your 401k and get the most expensive family insurance.

If you work for 25 years (given the above numbers) in a contract tower...your 401K will be worth about 1.3 million the day you retire. Not too bad.

You also have to look at vacation time/sick time in the faa isn't use or lose. FCTs are. That is a big benefit. Not that faa guys/gals can take much time off with the current manning. But I guess neither can FCTs. Most are undermanned themselves. Hopefully things turn around for both. I am for controllers period, no matter who signs the paycheck.

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TangoTango

nice figures but you will only make 33k for the most 1 year, us guys at level 10 or aboves lets just say mine is 83k checked out w/locality will be getting that in no more than 2-3 yrs now do those figures with fers added onto the tsp. most of the contract towers are on dol wages and usually thats how much it cost to live in these places, if you were to put 20% away you would be living in poverty.20% 60k is 12k then 5k a yr for health insurance that leaves you with 43k a yr

ouch doesn't sound too good!

Has anyone heard any updates on the rumored pay increase

lol... im curious too but not expecting anything anytime soon. Even if it does go through and we get a raise it probably wont start until the next fiscal year and then we would want another 8 months before getting paid our backpay. fingers crossed though.

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~controller since 99'

Good luck to you contract guys, I hope you get the increase!

It's almost October! Any word? I heard this rumor all the way in Okey Dokey, so any facts to support yet?