Be honest

[TripSix]

The job was stressful enough that I became quite adept at drinking. It was tolerable enough that I lived through both.

Yeah, that...

 

[AnImbroglio]

Seriously....did you just crack open the .65?:rotfl::dunno:

You obviously have not plugged in yet... Everyone..shiats themselves a few times.

lol My thought's exactly. Wait til you hit radar, then talk to me about the .65. lol... Once you hit #34 en route, there is no more talk of separating aircraft being the primary thing. Making it out of that room alive is your first priority. lol

 

[scongdon]

lol My thought's exactly. Wait til you hit radar, then talk to me about the .65. lol... Once you hit #34 en route, there is no more talk of separating aircraft being the primary thing. Making it out of that room alive is your first priority. lol

Did you really just use academy problems to gauge the stress level of this career?

 

[Rosstafari]

Did you really just use academy problems to gauge the stress level of this career?

Heh. I wondered if anybody else noticed the Academy guy putting the smack down on the applicant for not knowing "what it's like". I guess that's what we'll get for a while, what with JC (and SM) being dominated by non-controllers.

I'm declaring PUBNAT3 seniority right now. Ask me about the stress level of the geographic preferences. Go on. I've got answers.

 

[mademoiselle]

We are not being honest if we say its not a stressful job. Being in charge of the safety of several aircraft at once, thousands of passengers, can be very stressful. Just compare what the result of a mistake is for a controller vs a mistake at your current job. Also look at the importance placed on breaks for ATCs.
Add to that, some of us trying to get into the field already have well established careers elsewhere. Once we go to OKC, there's no turning back. Failing out or finding out this career path is not for you could mean the old job is no longer there, having to take a paycut, working a different job you hate, or being unemployed.
Burger King jobs are a dime a million. Yell at a customer and get fired, there's 30 other fast food chains willing to hire you. Leave ATC and probably never get hired again.

I live in the OKC area...so if I ever make it to the academy, I would not be getting per diem (I dont think you get it if you live in the area). So would I really be living on 17k/yr? And with no experience in the airline industry, how long would I be at the academy making 17k/yr? A full 12mo? Wouldnt be bad if I'd just finished college, but I do currently have an established career, mortgages, etc and dont know if I could live on that.

 

[jermscentral]

I live in the OKC area...so if I ever make it to the academy, I would not be getting per diem (I dont think you get it if you live in the area). So would I really be living on 17k/yr? And with no experience in the airline industry, how long would I be at the academy making 17k/yr? A full 12mo? Wouldnt be bad if I'd just finished college, but I do currently have an established career, mortgages, etc and dont know if I could live on that.

Take a look at the sticky threads and read a little more in the forum. Training is just over 3 months, so the $17k annual salary is only while you're in training. Then you go to your facility, where you start in the D1 pay band. And no, you don't get $17k while you're at the Academy. That's $17k per year, or $1416.67 per month, or roughly $8.17/hour during Academy training.

 

[mademoiselle]

Take a look at the sticky threads and read a little more in the forum. Training is just over 3 months, so the $17k annual salary is only while you're in training. Then you go to your facility, where you start in the D1 pay band. And no, you don't get $17k while you're at the Academy. That's $17k per year, or $1416.67 per month, or roughly $8.17/hour during Academy training.

Appreciate the info. I've looked all around and everything isnt so obvious.

 

[Atcdc]

Back to "stress," that's really the biggest myth laypeople think about us, so it's funny to see people seriously discussing it here. I suppose it could be stressful to developmentals if they don't know what they're really doing on a position, or the general job conditions and shift work can be "stressful" although people in other jobs have that too. No CPC though is going to say working traffic itself is stressful. Things are only "stressful" when you don't know what you're doing (and if you don't, you've probably moved into a staff or supe job anyway).

 

[ATC RET 2003]

I respectfully disagree. I don't believe that stress is a myth. I think that it is very real and it affects everybody... not just the weak sticks. It can very easily reach up and bite you on the ass if you pretend it's not there. It's something that needs to be dealt with throughout your career regardless of your status (trainee, CPC, hotshot, etc.)

The two most common forms of relief were the ability to bitch and the ability to laugh.

 

[queeno]

Back to "stress," that's really the biggest myth laypeople think about us, so it's funny to see people seriously discussing it here. I suppose it could be stressful to developmentals if they don't know what they're really doing on a position, or the general job conditions and shift work can be "stressful" although people in other jobs have that too. No CPC though is going to say working traffic itself is stressful. Things are only "stressful" when you don't know what you're doing (and if you don't, you've probably moved into a staff or supe job anyway).

OH REALLY! so how long have you been working traffic?you sound like some nubee thats still wet behind the ears. ill tell you what ,the stress affects you in ways you dont realise untill your no longer around it weak stick or not. but what do i know i only worked in 2 of the busyiest facility in the world for 25 years.

 

[bippoptl]

OH REALLY! so how long have you been working traffic?you sound like some nubee thats still wet behind the ears. ill tell you what ,the stress affects you in ways you dont realise untill your no longer around it weak stick or not. but what do i know i only worked in 2 of the busyiest facility in the world for 25 years.

What facilities did you work in????

 

[Atcdc]

OH REALLY! so how long have you been working traffic?you sound like some nubee thats still wet behind the ears. ill tell you what ,the stress affects you in ways you dont realise untill your no longer around it weak stick or not. but what do i know i only worked in 2 of the busyiest facility in the world for 25 years.

Oh really, I worked the boards for 17 years and am now at HQ out of boredom.

Tell you what though, you get too stressed at your position, just call me over and I'll work your traffic for you any day. I mean it! Message me here. I got it, big boy.

(Hey, I bet those "busiest facilities" were on the east coast, weren't they? All those one-way airways got you stressed? PM me and I can give you some tips on what to do with those 30 kt overtakes of yours).

 

[Rosstafari]

What facilities did you work in????

The busyiest ones. Nubee.

Oh really, I worked the boards for 17 years and am now at HQ out of boredom.

Tell you what though, you get too stressed at your position, just call me over and I'll work your traffic for you any day. I mean it! Message me here. I got it, big boy.

(Hey, I bet those "busiest facilities" were on the east coast, weren't they? All those one-way airways got you stressed? PM me and I can give you some tips on what to do with those 30 kt overtakes of yours).

Heh. Don't mind queeno, he's the resident troll. Drops by every month or so to boost his ego in whatever conversation is going on, then heads back to his cave for 30 days.

 

[Atcdc]

I respectfully disagree. I don't believe that stress is a myth. I think that it is very real and it affects everybody... not just the weak sticks. It can very easily reach up and bite you on the ass if you pretend it's not there. It's something that needs to be dealt with throughout your career regardless of your status (trainee, CPC, hotshot, etc.)

The two most common forms of relief were the ability to bitch and the ability to laugh.

But were you actually stressed at the thought of plugging in? Or was it more the shift work? Or crappy RDO's with no end in sight? Or denied vacation? Or forced OT? Or other management BS? Or NATCA BS? Or family problems probably because of all of the above? None of that is from working traffic itself, which I believe is the topic.

 

[Juliet Lima]

the job is stressful at times. other times it's cake.

 

[ATC RET 2003]

But were you actually stressed at the thought of plugging in?

Sometimes... R32 was never a relaxer for me.

Or was it more the shift work?

Sometimes... especially the quick turns.

Or crappy RDO's with no end in sight?

There were no crappy RDOs... it was the days on that sucked.

Or denied vacation? Or forced OT?

Not usually... both were expected.

Or other management BS? Or NATCA BS?

Sometimes both.

Or family problems probably because of all of the above?

Sometimes... sometimes even because of none of the above.

None of that is from working traffic itself, which I believe is the topic.

The first one was. As for the topic, here's what the OP said:

How stressful is the job? I've heard the horror stories but I assume those are exaggerated. Is ATC just one of those jobs were you are always doing something and there is no real time to screw around? Or is it really as stressful as it is stereotyped?

I don't see the part where he indicated that he was referring only to working traffic.

 

[queeno]

Oh really, I worked the boards for 17 years and am now at HQ out of boredom.

Tell you what though, you get too stressed at your position, just call me over and I'll work your traffic for you any day. I mean it! Message me here. I got it, big boy.

(Hey, I bet those "busiest facilities" were on the east coast, weren't they? All those one-way airways got you stressed? PM me and I can give you some tips on what to do with those 30 kt overtakes of yours).

WOW you worked a whole 17 years on the boards, i spent 29 years on the boards 20 at ZAU and 5 at C90 and not one day as some office puke. BOARD so you went to HQ HAHAHAHAHAHA thats BS.real controllers stay on the boards and dont go running to DC as a office suck up to dodge taffic. iva head that "ill show you how good i am" before and none of your type could seperate the cheecks of there butts, but the put on a good show.sorry sonnie i retired and no longer have to put up with your type.

OG
ZAU/C90 retired

P.S. id love to see you work the sector 1/4 combo when MDW is on ILS13, youd run screaming from the tracon in 2 minutes flat.

 

[queeno]

The busyiest ones. Nubee.



Heh. Don't mind queeno, he's the resident troll. Drops by every month or so to boost his ego in whatever conversation is going on, then heads back to his cave for 30 days.

TROLL? sorry that the truth hurts soo much.

 

[Rosstafari]

P.S. id love to see you work the sector 1/4 combo when MDW is on ILS13, youd run screaming from the tracon in 2 minutes flat.

zomg! No he di-in't! Daaayyyyyyymn!

 

[challenger]

The busyiest ones. Nubee.



Heh. Don't mind queeno, he's the resident troll. Drops by every month or so to boost his ego in whatever conversation is going on, then heads back to his cave for 30 days.

This is ridiculous! There can only be one person with a Challenger as their picture thinger!