Part 1: What does it take to be an Air Traffic Controller?
For those who don’t know, I have been going through the hiring process to become an air traffic controller for awhile and there is still no end in sight. Just in case you were a) curious how this works, and b) wondering where I am in the process let me break my experience, thus far, down for all y’all. To save space, I’ll post these in 6 month segments. Part one will be the first six months, from 30-JUL-2008 through 31-JAN-2009. Part 2 will follow in a couple days. Here goes nothing, good thing I kept emails for records of this headache!
30-JUL-2008: Applied for job posting for Air Traffic Control Specialist. Had choice of three locations, chose only Indianapolis (drastically reduced my chances) Cost: $0
31-JUL-2008: Nationwide job posting closes for Air Traffic Control Specialist. Cost: $0
26-OCT-2008: Notified by email that my application was reviewed and screened and approved for me to take the AT-SAT exam. This exam will be all day long. The testing authority will be contacting me “soon” with further details. Cost: $0
2-DEC-2008: Contacted by the testing authority. Notified that the exam will be one day of my choosing between 5-Jan-2009 and 17-JAN-2009 in Lisle, IL at the Wyndham Hotel. I needed to call and schedule my test date. “All travel and lodging arrangements and expenses are your responsibility.” Cost: $0
16-JAN-2009: Anna’s 31st birthday. At the time I was working hourly as a contracted consultant so I had no paid time off. I took the day off without pay (~$275). We rent a car for the weekend ($154.91) and drive to the Wyndham Hotel (a very nice place might I add) for the exam on Saturday the 17th. It is a record breaking -20°F air temperature in Lisle, IL. We have a 4mo old baby, and it is simply deplorable out. The hotel room is impossible to keep above 60°F due to the outside air. Yes, the heater worked. We were able to get a “family fun night package” at the hotel that included the room; a still-in-theaters pay-per-view movie; a gourmet pizza, soda, and popcorn from the kitchen; and free gourmet breakfast the next morning ($135.99). It was nice had I not been apprehensive about the exam. Cost: $565.90
17-JAN-2009: Exam day. The gourmet breakfast must have been not bad, because I’d remember it if it had been awful. I do remember the lady taking the orders was also busing the tables and cooking and there were probably 15 people in there, most of us needing to be done by 7:45am so we could check in for the exam. I barely inhaled my meal in time to walk across the lobby for check-in. The AT-SAT exam was slated for 8 hours. It was a self-paced, computer-based exam. You could take breaks at certain points of whatever length you saw fit. I took the recommended 2 fifteen minute breaks and a forty-five minute lunch. I finished the exam in around 5 hours including the breaks. It was fun and I felt that I did the best I could. I don’t have records of gasoline, but it is fair to assume that we drove about 450 miles roundtrip and got ~25mpg @ $1.50/gal which would be $27. Cost: $27
21-JAN-2009: Exam results are posted. “An AT-SAT score of 70 or above is necessary for passing. Your score was 100. Eligible applicants are categorized as “well qualified” or “qualified” based on AT-SAT scores.” A 100 is considered a perfect score. Whew! Cost: $0
First 6 months of hiring process cumulative expense: Much travel, hours of time, and $592.90!