Applying for contract tower work

1984warrior Rookie Minnesota

Hello,
Is it possible to get a job with someone like midwest atc without any controlling experience? I have been a pilot for almost 10 years and would like to do some controlling. I have been reading other's posts on how long it is taking and also have a cousin who controls at socal approach and it took him two years after he applied to get to the facility. Just curious if there is a different route. I don't really care about the pay.
Thanks for any help!

Adam Unregistered

You need a Control Tower Operator (CTO) Certificate/License to work at a contract tower....no way around that one...as far as I know anyways.

1984warrior Rookie Minnesota

Thanks for the help

JimmyB007 Rookie All over but home is Florida

I contacted RVA awhile back and asked this very question. They told me You cant work in a tower without a CTO, BUT they do have some ramp control postions that dont require a CTO, but a CTO is recommended. Might be worth looking into to.

Pete Trusted Member

ok I have a few questions...

If you have a fresh CTO is it hard to get hired for a contract tower? Do they look for experience?

How do you go about getting hired with the FAA later? What anouncements do you apply to?

If you end up controlling in a contract place, is it possible the FAA will be done with their mass hire like now and it will be harder to get a spot somewhere?


Thanks, I appreciate the input

1984warrior Rookie Minnesota

By ramp control is that basically directing planes where to park or giving taxi clearances?

JimmyB007 Rookie All over but home is Florida

I have been told that a CTO is a CTO. If you are able to get one then someone thought you can handle it. That being said I dont think you will have any trouble getting a contract tower job.

As for the FAA

If you are military then you will aplly to the faa under a VRA announcement.

If not then you can apply OTS, and sometimes if you keep an eye out for it the FAA will put out CTO announcments meaning if you have a CTO that would be the Best annoucment for you, as apposed to an OTS.

JimmyB007 Rookie All over but home is Florida

Yeah, approving pushbacks, giving engine starts, assigning gates(i think). once the plane leaves your ramp hand em off to ground.

noid Curtis E. Carr Jawja

Depends on the company. I know RVA was only taking people w/1yr minimum experience (had CTO for at least one year) for a while, not sure what they're doing now.

Call RVA and ask. I know they are hiring in TX like crazy right now. Only problem with applying with RVA is that you can only apply for 3 locations at a time. If you're interested in any more than 3, you have to keep applying. You can't just put in the remarks that you'll go anywhere, they don't look at that.

polo708 Epic Member tower

if you have a CTO they are scrambling right now...hell, my facility alone has 3 people leaving in the next few months. Many contract controllers are leaving for the FAA so plenty of slots are opening up everywhere.

It will take quite a few years for the FAA to reach their hiring quota, but when they do I believe it will be like it was a few years ago... pretty much a hiring freeze for the next 25 years. I dont see them getting anywhere close to their quota for another 10+ years though.