Does being a pilot help your chances?

raptor145 · Posted: 05-19-2009, 02:29 AM

I was curious if whether or not having pilot ratings help your chances, or if it can be somehow added to your experience on the ASAP program? I know it is probably a major advantage once actualy hired and training knowing how to communicate, but would whoever is hiring look at that as a plus, or irrelevent?

RL1011 · Posted: 05-19-2009, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raptor145

I was curious if whether or not having pilot ratings help your chances, or if it can be somehow added to your experience on the ASAP program? I know it is probably a major advantage once actualy hired and training knowing how to communicate, but would whoever is hiring look at that as a plus, or irrelevent?

Though a pilots licenses is not needed, i don't see why it won't be a plus. From what i've read though, having a pilots licenses won't make your training that much easier in OKC but it will give you an edge. I am sure the person conducting the interview would appreciate your piloting credentials and you'll get brownie points for it.

mills3ff · Posted: 05-19-2009, 09:04 AM

Being a pilot is a plus...the experience will remind you as a controller that you are dealing with aircraft, not magic carpets. It would definiting be a great tool to add to your resume.

irishcarbomb · Posted: 05-19-2009, 09:34 AM

seeing as they have check boxes for it on the application i'm sure it holds some kind of weight.
straight off the app:

Quote:

7. Alternative Requirements:
a. Do you hold or have held an appropriate facility rating and have actively controlled air traffic in civilian or military air traffic control terminals or centers?
b. Do you hold or have held an FAA certificate as a dispatcher for an air carrier?
c. Do you hold or have held an instrument flight rating?
d. Do you hold or have held an FAA certificate as a navigator or have been fully qualified as a Navigator/Bombardier in the Armed Forces?
e. Do you have 350 hours of flight time as a copilot or higher and hold or have held a private certificate or equivalent Armed Forces rating?
f. Have you served as a rated Aerospace Defense Command Intercept Director?

does that mean you should run out and get your private just to help get hired, NO.

MTCTIGUY · Posted: 05-19-2009, 09:46 AM

I know that having your dispatch certificate can also help your chances. It's a more closely related career field to ATC than pilot.

raptor145 · Posted: 05-19-2009, 11:26 AM

thanks guys, I'll keep an eye out for those check boxes when I actually apply. I went on a tour of JAX tracon and tower a few months back with a class, and the guy talking to us said that he hates pilots and thinks they are horrible controllers and there is no advantage.....a hour later he said one of the hardest parts of training for ATC is getting phraseology down and mic fright... Needless to say, we all came to the conclusion that he just hated pilots and college students because he probably never did either...the morale there seemed to be horrible too.

Rosstafari · Posted: 05-19-2009, 05:23 PM

I'm pretty sure there was an area to indicate what kind of pilot certificate you held, if any. It's been a while since I've filled my app out, so I may be wrong... but I'm about 99% sure on that.

Does being a pilot help your chances?

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