Career Alternatives to ATC???

rollsroyce105 · Posted: 12-10-2009, 02:23 PM

Ok, suppose you were at the top of your class at a CTI school, a perfect candidate for ATC, and a Meteorology/Telecommunications buff. BUT you just found out you were color blind. You see what everyone else sees just fine (red is red and green is green, etc.), but you're color blind enough to fail the tests. Are there any other careers comparable ($$$) to ATC? Flight Service? Airline dispatch? Flight Management? Weather Observer? DOD? Other ATC agencies or private companies that permit slight color blindness? Assume that you can't go the commercial pilot route, and you don't want to have wasted a perfectly good Aviation Science degree. Any thoughts???

RFDATM · Posted: 12-10-2009, 02:35 PM

bummer - I guess CTI schools need to advise CTI candidates of the need to pass the color vision test before plunking down big bucks for their programs - (I wonder if they also disclose that passing the AT-SAT is required to be hired?)

ATC_MacGyver · Posted: 12-10-2009, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rollsroyce105

Ok, suppose you were at the top of your class at a CTI school, a perfect candidate for ATC, and a Meteorology/Telecommunications buff. BUT you just found out you were color blind. You see what everyone else sees just fine (red is red and green is green, etc.), but you're color blind enough to fail the tests. Are there any other careers comparable ($$$) to ATC? Flight Service? Airline dispatch? Flight Management? Weather Observer? DOD? Other ATC agencies or private companies that permit slight color blindness? Assume that you can't go the commercial pilot route, and you don't want to have wasted a perfectly good Aviation Science degree. Any thoughts???

airfrield management. airfield operations. dispatcher for a train company.

luna75 · Posted: 12-10-2009, 03:53 PM

aviation science...hmmm...are you nerdy enough like me to want to go into avionic electrical engineering?

Roddy_Piper · Posted: 12-10-2009, 04:07 PM

there's train traffic control. i don't know if u need a color test for that. i suppose u would.

JosueZQ8 · Posted: 12-10-2009, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RFDATM

bummer - I guess CTI schools need to advise CTI candidates of the need to pass the color vision test before plunking down big bucks for their programs - (I wonder if they also disclose that passing the AT-SAT is required to be hired?)

CCBC does just this, I got freakin annoyed at how many times the instructors would make sure everyone wasn't color blind or had some other disqualifying situation...lol

Shitty deal for sure though. I'll be looking into FSS should I not make it into the FAA. Same shenanigans as the FAA it seems, with decent pay too...

atcguruaf · Posted: 12-13-2009, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rollsroyce105

Ok, suppose you were at the top of your class at a CTI school, a perfect candidate for ATC, and a Meteorology/Telecommunications buff. BUT you just found out you were color blind. You see what everyone else sees just fine (red is red and green is green, etc.), but you're color blind enough to fail the tests. Are there any other careers comparable ($$$) to ATC? Flight Service? Airline dispatch? Flight Management? Weather Observer? DOD? Other ATC agencies or private companies that permit slight color blindness? Assume that you can't go the commercial pilot route, and you don't want to have wasted a perfectly good Aviation Science degree. Any thoughts???

This may be waiverable. Do some diggin. Talk to flight docs and ask around (perhaps even on here) if anyone else has/had a similiar situation.

MTCTIGUY · Posted: 12-13-2009, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JosueZQ8

CCBC does just this, I got freakin annoyed at how many times the instructors would make sure everyone wasn't color blind or had some other disqualifying situation...lol

Shitty deal for sure though. I'll be looking into FSS should I not make it into the FAA. Same shenanigans as the FAA it seems, with decent pay too...

I wouldn't look for a job with Lockheed in FSS right now if I were you. They've already cut many jobs and consolidated several FSS stations. Rumor has it that they will be making more cuts in the Spring. Flight Dispatch might be a viable option, however no one is really hiring now and look to spend about $5000 and a couple of more months in school for the license.