Controlling and flying

Flying Bison

Well-Known Member
Ive started the process to become a controller, but flying is still important to me. I was wondering if it is possible to be a controller, and fly part time? I'm not saying work for a major airline, but possibly a small part 135 operator on the side?
 
I talked to a retired atlanta center controller a few months ago. He said his last five years as a controller he flew crjs for ASA out of Atlanta. Don't ask me how this was possible with all the training at the airline. I'm not sure if this is still allowed or not. That guy flys for Netjets now.:rolleyes:
 
Being a controller we have crew rest... no shifts longer than 10 hours and we are required at least 8 hours of rest between shifts. I know Pilots have crew rest also but dont know the details, im sure you do. With that in mind im not sure how the FAA would see it... its not exactly recreational flying, its employed flying. I wouldnt be suprised if they held you to crew rest, but I can also see them saying that they dont care.
 
Ive started the process to become a controller, but flying is still important to me. I was wondering if it is possible to be a controller, and fly part time? I'm not saying work for a major airline, but possibly a small part 135 operator on the side?
Rules change over time, but it used to be that a controller could not fly professionally in the area they controlled. In other words, if you were a tower operator, you could fly from any airport except that one. If you were a controller for center, the footprint of where you could not fly was much larger. However, just to restate, the rules change over time, so that information may not be current.
 
You sure can. One of the part time caravan pilots for Castle out of Akron Fulton is a enroute controller at Cleveland Center. He works morning shifts mostly in the center and flies the 5:30 flight to Cincinnati.
 
Anybody know any 121 pilots/controllers and how they manage both? I still am in awe that the guy flew for ASA and worked full time as a controller.
 
Anybody know any 121 pilots/controllers and how they manage both? I still am in awe that the guy flew for ASA and worked full time as a controller.

now days it is not allowed to fly for 121 and work as a controller "conflict of Interest". I was quoted that you can not work for an airline and control. "Financial Interest" includes being employed by that airline.
 
if you cant take buddy passes from a family member as a controller what makes you think you can work for an airline?
 
I don't know..since i talked to a retired controller who was an airline pilot as welll as working at atlanta center (just a few years ago he retired).
 
I've been curious about this as well. I've talked to a few controllers who go back and fourth between ATC and the airlines and I'd like to at least be able to instruct if I became an ATCS. Does anyone have an employee handbook or regulation handy that could clear this up?
 
I've been curious about this as well. I've talked to a few controllers who go back and fourth between ATC and the airlines and I'd like to at least be able to instruct if I became an ATCS. Does anyone have an employee handbook or regulation handy that could clear this up?
instructing is one thing that isnt a problem. but when you start working for a 121 carrier like some guys are talking about its a totally different ballgame....some of instructors at the academy will tell you if asked a question they dont know the answer to....."do what you think your career can handle" or something along those lines...and i wouldnt go posting fliers up at your facility looking for students. personally, if i were instructing and a controller i would put the cfi gig under the dont ask dont tell policy
 
I've been curious about this as well. I've talked to a few controllers who go back and fourth between ATC and the airlines and I'd like to at least be able to instruct if I became an ATCS. Does anyone have an employee handbook or regulation handy that could clear this up?

Handbook, they don't need no stinkin' handbook. They make up the rules as they go....on a case by case basis.
 
I've been curious about this as well. I've talked to a few controllers who go back and fourth between ATC and the airlines and I'd like to at least be able to instruct if I became an ATCS. Does anyone have an employee handbook or regulation handy that could clear this up?


FAA Order 3750.7, outside employment in general is permitted so long as it neither conflicts with official Government duties and responsibilities nor appears to do so. Employees are permitted to engage in outside aviation employment so long as the outside employer does not conduct activities for which the employee's facility or office has official responsibility.

As a controller the employee must submit an approval request to hold outside employment within aviation employment. The agency has 30 days to respond to your approval request.
 
if you cant take buddy passes from a family member as a controller what makes you think you can work for an airline?

Wait...what?? I don't know if I ever heard about that one.

So what if I was married to an airline pilot I can't non-rev with him?!?! What if we weren't married? WTF? I know I'm getting my britches in a bundle here, but there is no way in hell I am buying full fare tickets when I can go for free (albeit standby, but that never bugged me too bad).
 
Wait...what?? I don't know if I ever heard about that one.

So what if I was married to an airline pilot I can't non-rev with him?!?! What if we weren't married? WTF? I know I'm getting my britches in a bundle here, but there is no way in hell I am buying full fare tickets when I can go for free (albeit standby, but that never bugged me too bad).
my dad works for an airline. the first day at the academy i asked the HR lady if we could take buddy passes and she never really gave me a straightforward answer, but she strongly advised against it while youre in your probationary period..take it for what its worth...its your career not mine.

http://www.stuckmic.com/atc-employment-forum/1294-jumpseat-travel-benefits-3.html

http://www.stuckmic.com/atc-employment-forum/2297-flight-benefits.html

that should answer your questions
 
FAA Order 3750.7, outside employment in general is permitted so long as it neither conflicts with official Government duties and responsibilities nor appears to do so. Employees are permitted to engage in outside aviation employment so long as the outside employer does not conduct activities for which the employee's facility or office has official responsibility.

As a controller the employee must submit an approval request to hold outside employment within aviation employment. The agency has 30 days to respond to your approval request.

FAA Order 3750.7 (Appendix 5) is the policy for employment. I have flown for a couple organizations and asked FAA Legal about them. They were "based outside my area of jurisdiction" and were therefore OK.

The basic rule quoted earlier is correct, you MAY NOT BE AN EMPLOYEE of an airline/air taxi/flight school/FBO/whatever as long as it is based in your "area of responsibility." This includes any airlines/companies flying into the airport which you work, and also any airlines that are related to airlines that operate out of the airport at which you work. For example, if ASA flies out of your airport, you may also not be an employee of SkyWest, since they own ASA.

Using buddy passes or other flight benefits falls into the same category. If the airline operates out of your airport, its verboten (see http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/agc/pol_adjudication/agc400/ethics/media/flight%20policy.pdf ). Now, if you work at DeKalb-Peachtree and Delta doesn't fly out of there, it's fine. On the other hand, I don't think TSA is comparing our names to the F'nAA watch list either.

I HAVE gotten double-secret permission to flight instruct at airports in our airspace provided it was in the owners airplane (we weren't renting from one flight school or another) and I didn't advertise it.... Oops... Looks like I just did... But speaking of that, PLEASE if you know someone who is doing this please help us out and keep it under your hat. We will thank you later.

Sorry, very long explanation, but here's the summary: You may not BE AN EMPLOYEE of those companies that operate out of your area of responsibility. They don't say you can't work for them...

Happy Flying.
 
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