Low&Slow
Ancora imparo
If that's true, then why don't more women frequent the website? :laff:Because it is frequented by men who will hit on them!
Circular reasoning I guess...
Women in ATC
- Thread starter Crisally07
- Start date
Circular reasoning I guess...
Actually Toria is 100% correct. Men can't control themselves.
If I had a dollar for every "OMG, Yer so purdy I'll be yer pilot/controller/mx coordinator" emails sent, I'd be retired, drunken, listening to the empty bottles of Cristal roll left and right on my private yacht anchored off the French med coast.
If I had a dollar for every "OMG, Yer so purdy I'll be yer pilot/controller/mx coordinator" emails sent, I'd be retired, drunken, listening to the empty bottles of Cristal roll left and right on my private yacht anchored off the French med coast.
Toria
Well-Known Member
Flattery will get you every where..............er........but isn't that what this is all about????
ATCtexas
Well-Known Member
Took me awhile to actually read this thread I guess, but I'm a woman ATCer and having a child is not going to be a problem so I wouldn't worry about it. You just take leave when the time comes, like most jobs. I would recommend waiting till after training to alleviate the stress of training from the pregnancy though.
Crisally07
New Member
Wow, you just might be my savior. I think this is the first response from a female ATC. Thank you for eventually finding this thread. So, having a child isn't a problem, but how about raising the child. Do you think there are additional strains to raising a child that you might not have in another career. Also, what facility are you at?
mekia
New Member
I'm sorry Crisally07 for disrupting your thread, and Omdahl thanks for reading.
If you don't mind my asking, how long it it take to finish training? (Just curious).
I try to make myself believe that motherhood is going to be a balancing act & ATC is something I really want to do...so it must balance that also. I just wanted to know how other women were handling it.
Low&Slow
Ancora imparo
I'm not arguing that. Not at all.
My comment was, apparently, a poor attempt at tongue-in-cheek humor pointing out that not all women are anti-men and dislike the attention they are given. It's a poor assumption to make. I'm not saying all women like it, but I don't think it's fair or realistic to assume none of them do.
Maybe there are fewer women than men on JC because there are fewer women than men involved in aviation. Perhaps it's a problem of proportionality in the industry.
i don't think so. There are a lot of women out in the field now, even MX...
in the past, they'd come on here using their real names or names/avatars that would obviously point them out as girls and within days or less, there would be swarming going on.
I think it's pretty fair to say they don't expect that type of attention when coming onto an aviation board and when there are swarms of attention like that, they get weirded out and either complain about it to us or leave. been here since 1996, we've seen more than our fair share and it's always been sad to watch (from my end) because i think it would really be a benefit to have more women aviators on board. we'll see how it goes when the FA forum opens up. that will tell the tale of future women additions.
in the past, they'd come on here using their real names or names/avatars that would obviously point them out as girls and within days or less, there would be swarming going on.
I think it's pretty fair to say they don't expect that type of attention when coming onto an aviation board and when there are swarms of attention like that, they get weirded out and either complain about it to us or leave. been here since 1996, we've seen more than our fair share and it's always been sad to watch (from my end) because i think it would really be a benefit to have more women aviators on board. we'll see how it goes when the FA forum opens up. that will tell the tale of future women additions.
ATC RET 2003
No More Vectors
I did not chime in at first because of this:
I am not a female; you already had the male perspective; you specifically requested the female perspective and besides, I have been too busy lately driving around not asking directions to be able to do much else.
But then you wrote this:and I decided to go ahead and give you "our" perspective.
My wife and I were married while we were both ATCSs and when we decided to start a family, we considered the many options available to us, including the utilization of child care facilities, nannies/au pairs, etc.
We opted to try to raise our kids, to the maximum extent possible, ourselves. With the arrival of our first-born, Mrs. RET was able to go to a part-time schedule where her only days on were the same as my days off. That way, one of us was always at home with the baby. This lasted about five years and encompassed the arrival of our second (and final) child.
We relocated coincident with the end of the availability of a part time position to a facility that had on-site child care available. While our schedules were the same (during the initial training program) we just brought the kids to work with us and visited them on breaks. After we went to the floor and back to shifts, we requested (and later, bid) schedules that were as opposite as possible. That way we were again able to have one of us at home with the kids.
The upside was that we were able to raise the kids without the added expense of full time child care, plus we maximized our "bonding" opportunities with them.
The downside was that Mrs. RET and I didn't see much of each other for about nine years. We literally left messages to one another on the fridge.
I retired five years ago and started seeing more of my wife. She retired this past June and here we are now... together all day, every day with two seemingly well-adjusted and prospering kids.
So to answer your question... yes... it CAN be done. There are an infinite number of possible ways to go about it, but there were none we found that didn't involve some sort of sacrifice. That's how it goes with raising kids no matter what line of work you're in. Or even if you work at all.
Carefully consider all of your options. Consider them, but don't fret about them. You'll do fine... you can do it.
An aside to mekia... your change of avatar was, by the classic definition, "a joy forever."
ATCtexas
Well-Known Member
I don't think any woman should put their career aside for fear of how kids will change it. ATC is not the only job that has crazy hours and bad days off. Nurses work long hours and over night shift as well and look how many women are in that field. I think you adapt to what works for you. I have no fear of raising a child and working ATC. I also have the support of my husband who is willing to go part time at work if needed once that time comes. We won't really know until that happens based on each of our schedules at that time.
As far as training, I am at a level 7 up/down and it took me about 10 months to check out which included a month of going back to RTF in OKC. Each facility is different and I would guess that a year to year and a half is average for a smaller facility.
As far as training, I am at a level 7 up/down and it took me about 10 months to check out which included a month of going back to RTF in OKC. Each facility is different and I would guess that a year to year and a half is average for a smaller facility.
MissATC
New Member
I did not chime in at first because of this:
I am not a female; you already had the male perspective; you specifically requested the female perspective and besides, I have been too busy lately driving around not asking directions to be able to do much else.
and I decided to go ahead and give you "our" perspective.
My wife and I were married while we were both ATCSs and when we decided to start a family, we considered the many options available to us, including the utilization of child care facilities, nannies/au pairs, etc.
We opted to try to raise our kids, to the maximum extent possible, ourselves. With the arrival of our first-born, Mrs. RET was able to go to a part-time schedule where her only days on were the same as my days off. That way, one of us was always at home with the baby. This lasted about five years and encompassed the arrival of our second (and final) child.
We relocated coincident with the end of the availability of a part time position to a facility that had on-site child care available. While our schedules were the same (during the initial training program) we just brought the kids to work with us and visited them on breaks. After we went to the floor and back to shifts, we requested (and later, bid) schedules that were as opposite as possible. That way we were again able to have one of us at home with the kids.
The upside was that we were able to raise the kids without the added expense of full time child care, plus we maximized our "bonding" opportunities with them.
The downside was that Mrs. RET and I didn't see much of each other for about nine years. We literally left messages to one another on the fridge.
I retired five years ago and started seeing more of my wife. She retired this past June and here we are now... together all day, every day with two seemingly well-adjusted and prospering kids.
So to answer your question... yes... it CAN be done. There are an infinite number of possible ways to go about it, but there were none we found that didn't involve some sort of sacrifice. That's how it goes with raising kids no matter what line of work you're in. Or even if you work at all.
Carefully consider all of your options. Consider them, but don't fret about them. You'll do fine... you can do it.
An aside to mekia... your change of avatar was, by the classic definition, "a joy forever."
Thanks for this insight. I guess your situation was like that b/c both you and your wife were ATCs. I'm hoping it's easier to raise a family and see each other if both husband and wife DON'T have "hectic" schedules. This ATC career was a major concern for me too when it comes to raising a family.
Katbonilla
New Member
I would really like to know the same thing being that I am about to be a controller at ZDC... i dont want to start having kids after 32yrs old maybe late 20's
Were are all the women controllers there arent many sites for us and the jetcareers site hardly has any controllers on there :banghead:
aviatorzz
New Member
Perhaps you could start a thread in the actual ATC portion of this site. I know there are quite a few female posters over there, none that have actually posted in this thread.
zz
KDskylark
New Member
ATC RET is right. Modern families have to find a way. Try to go one step at a time... They may not tell you this at the OKC but life does not end on your 31st birthday. I've decided to take this process one step at a time.
The best thing about women and Moms especially is... we do what we have to.
The best thing about women and Moms especially is... we do what we have to.
MissATC
New Member
You couldn't have said it any better...moms do what we have to do! Anyone on here a single mom?!
