What's Airforce ATC life like?

lance · Posted: 12-01-2009, 08:01 PM

I'M swore in to go to bmt in march and wanted to get an idea of what to expect. What is the working environment like and also the Down time, I'm married with three kids. What kind of life should I be expecting and will there be time for college?

AlphaLima · Posted: 12-02-2009, 12:18 AM

Dont count on college until you have your 5 level, and even then most likely forget classes that require you to attend in a classroom. Mainly because most bases at a minimum rotate back and forth between day shifts and swing shifts (and some mids) and they are not willing to give up a rated body to go to classes on the swings. Some people pull it off but its a pain in the butt to everyone you work with since they have to pick up for you not being there on the swings.

As far as down time, it depends on the base, facility, and manning. During training expect 5-6 day work weeks 8-10 hours a day. We keep our trainees at 8 hour days unless they are having trouble then they end up staying for 10 hours a day. Alot of bases are closed every weekend and only open if they need to support something but larger ones are 24/7.

Develop a thick skin now, you will be made fun of when you mess up. And you will mess up, alot. If your feelings get hurt your going into the wrong career field. Basic is easy peezy, its just a game there. Tech school is all about studying, the practical there is not that hard. In fact you'll get to your first base and laugh about how easy it was back then. (First time you have two departures at once, OMFGWTFBBQ *head explodes*)

Radium · Posted: 12-02-2009, 11:10 AM

there are a lot of threads in this section about the AF and ATC... I'd read up and you can pretty much get ALL the info you need! Good luck dude.

Durden · Posted: 12-02-2009, 12:01 PM

If you get a base that isn't to busy it will be the easiest job you will ever have once you are rated. It takes a lot of studying and being made fun of to get rated even at slower bases though. Have fun!

P_to_the_R · Posted: 12-02-2009, 03:49 PM

AF ATC is a good gig. Get checked out and dont worry about spending time with your wife and kids because....its not the army, navy or marines. those guys got it hard, you got it easy. expect to see you wife and kids everyday until you deploy for 6 months and/or get sent to korea for a year

atcguruaf · Posted: 12-02-2009, 06:23 PM

ya, but you have to go for 2 years or something like that, so it may not be worth it to some.

DotsonUSAF · Posted: 12-14-2009, 02:30 AM

I work at a busy USAF base and its still a pretty chill lifestyle. We regularly have a heavy pattern saturation(7+ in the VFR pattern, busy for a stateside base these days) but even then, thats only about 20% of the day. The rest of the time, we sit around with our thumbs up our butts and hang out. Plus its the trainees that work that traffic. I just got my 5-level and I spend most of the day in GC or FD/CD. That kinda sucks, I wanna work those planes!

Best job in the USAF.

-Dotson

DotsonUSAF · Posted: 12-14-2009, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlphaLima

Dont count on college until you have your 5 level, and even then most likely forget classes that require you to attend in a classroom. Mainly because most bases at a minimum rotate back and forth between day shifts and swing shifts (and some mids) and they are not willing to give up a rated body to go to classes on the swings. Some people pull it off but its a pain in the butt to everyone you work with since they have to pick up for you not being there on the swings.

As far as down time, it depends on the base, facility, and manning. During training expect 5-6 day work weeks 8-10 hours a day. We keep our trainees at 8 hour days unless they are having trouble then they end up staying for 10 hours a day. Alot of bases are closed every weekend and only open if they need to support something but larger ones are 24/7.

Develop a thick skin now, you will be made fun of when you mess up. And you will mess up, alot. If your feelings get hurt your going into the wrong career field. Basic is easy peezy, its just a game there. Tech school is all about studying, the practical there is not that hard. In fact you'll get to your first base and laugh about how easy it was back then. (First time you have two departures at once, OMFGWTFBBQ *head explodes*)

From what I have been hearing from trainees, the program has become much more difficult in the past year. The USAF has caught up to the demand of controllers and now has the luxury of failing the "poor-performers," where as before we were desperate for fresh trainees. Back in October, we were suppose to get six new trainees by Decemember and only two showed up, the rest failed. Before we were getting all of those scheduled to come here.

And take what AlphaLima said to heart. Controllers are relentless. It doesn't matter that your fresh out of tech school, people will treat you like a complete idiot/moron until you gain a little wisdom in the world of air traffic. Even then, it wont stop. I also recommend finding a way to cope. Its hard being away from friends and family and being treated like shit for (up to) a year. Figure out what helps you relieve stress. Some people run, some people cry, and some people drink.

I was always a drinker in training but I don't recommend that path. Its expensive and I gained about 15 pounds in training(haha). Plus it lays the foundation for long-term alcohol abuse.

Hope I wasn't being discouraging, just wanted to throw a little reality your way. Best of luck to you!

atcguruaf · Posted: 12-19-2009, 02:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DotsonUSAF

I work at a busy USAF base and its still a pretty chill lifestyle. We regularly have a heavy pattern saturation(7+ in the VFR pattern, busy for a stateside base these days) but even then, thats only about 20% of the day. The rest of the time, we sit around with our thumbs up our butts and hang out. Plus its the trainees that work that traffic. I just got my 5-level and I spend most of the day in GC or FD/CD. That kinda sucks, I wanna work those planes!

Best job in the USAF.

-Dotson

I'd hardly say that's busy for a USAF base.

Jagz05 · Posted: 05-13-2010, 09:50 AM

Hey fellas. Sorry to dig up an old thread, but I have been researching the hell out of the AF and ATC. I will be joining the AF in Jan. and am finally getting the wife to agree with it all.

Most guys should be expected to be treated like shit when they first start. If you played sports your whole life, you should be used to that. Just be a man and deal with it. I would be more concerned with landing the plane than a bunch of people calling me names.

What's Airforce ATC life like?

Stuck Mic - Air Traffic Control - ATC - Aviation