Air Traffic Controllers
Directing carrier aircraft approaches and departures using radio communications and approach radar transfers directly to civilian aircraft movement control.
How to prepare: Assemble certification, facility-rating, and duty records to check the FAA experienced-controller route: original appointments have a maximum entry age of 35 and require 52 consecutive weeks of full-time active traffic separation after certification or facility rating, within five years of application, at a qualifying FAA, DOD, National Guard, or FAA-contract tower facility; pre-certification training does not count, education cannot substitute, and the CATCC designation alone does not establish eligibility. Alternatively, FAA entry-level applicants must be under 31 and have one year of progressively responsible work experience, a bachelor's degree, or combined postsecondary education and work experience totaling one year, plus clear spoken English and passing FAA pre-employment tests including ATSA.
What the civilian work involves
- Issue landing and take-off authorizations or instructions.
- Transfer control of departing flights to traffic control centers and accept control of arriving flights.