ATC/FSS Candidate Reality Check

[Waterline]

After taking several years off from flying to be a single dad, I’ve remarried and am now considering a return to aviation, but not the cockpit. (Living in a permanent state of jet lag wears thin after a while.)

I’m interested in applying to be an Air Traffic Controller or Flight Service Specialist on the West Coast and have found excellent answers to most of my general questions on this forum. That said, I am hoping those in the know can shine a light on a few specific questions relative to my personal situation:

1. Do ATC/FSS trainees in the Vancouver FIR have to accept job placements assigned to them when they complete their training, regardless of where they live?

My family and I live in Victoria and my wife’s job is such that moving is not an option. Nevertheless, my spouse is supportive of me working away from home, if necessary, provided it is practical.

I already commute between Victoria and Vancouver for work and am wondering if a new-hire could realistically hope to commute between Vic and Van until an opportunity closer to home manifests?

2. What kind of schedules do VFR Tower Controllers and Flight Service Specialists work? Do the schedules change from month to month, or is there continuity of sorts? In the same vein, does one have input (seniority? bidding? blocks?) into scheduling, or is everything assigned?

3. How often do Tower Controllers/Flight Service Specialists work graveyard shifts?

I’m not concerned about working a few nights a month, but I spent two years regularly flying night freight and found it wore me down considerably. Can’t say I’m keen on a nocturnal profession again.

4. Are the Victoria Tower & FSS plum positions that require decades of seniority to bid on?

5. I've read several posts on ATC and ACC, but there seems to be relatively little on FSS opportunities. Just wondering what the pros and cons of the latter might be.

Any insight and perspective on the above would be greatly appreciated.

[TheJudge]

1. Do ATC/FSS trainees in the Vancouver FIR have to accept job placements assigned to them when they complete their training, regardless of where they live?

You do not really get a say in where your first posting will be, although they may ask what you prefer. If the YVR FIR trains/hires you, then your first posting will be somewhere in that FIR. You can start to bid to other locations / jobs 3 years after you have completed the training. Given your circumstance, IFR/centre might be your best bet because you would be based out of YVR assuming you have interest in the work.

2. What kind of schedules do VFR Tower Controllers and Flight Service Specialists work? Do the schedules change from month to month, or is there continuity of sorts? In the same vein, does one have input (seniority? bidding? blocks?) into scheduling, or is everything assigned?

Your schedule will be consistent, and you will know well in advance what days you will have off (a year +). It's a repeating schedule of days on / days off. Seniority helps for booking vacation / time off.

3. How often do Tower Controllers/Flight Service Specialists work graveyard shifts?

Depends greatly on the location. They tend to spread the midnights around in my experience, and many locations have guys that actively seek midnights - so getting rid of them might be easy enough. From what I've seen, you tend to get between 0 and 2 midnights every work cycle working out to something like 4-6 per month.

4. Are the Victoria Tower & FSS plum positions that require decades of seniority to bid on?

Not sure, although I'd imagine YYJ tower is very hard to get into.

5. I've read several posts on ATC and ACC, but there seems to be relatively little on FSS opportunities. Just wondering what the pros and cons of the latter might be.

FSS training is shorter, which means a paycheck sooner. Having said that, the pay is also less than you can expect as ATC (although FSS is still reasonably well compensated). FSS tends to have more remote locations, which can be both good and bad depending on your viewpoint.

[Big Pistons Forever]

YYJ tower is chronically short staffed and desperate for personel. They have 2 new hires there right now. The issue with YYJ is cost of living in Victoria and the difficulty of qualifying. A not atypical scenario

B 737 on the ILS 09
Dash 8 waiting to go from 03
Another dash 8 on final 13
1 C 172 starting the takeoff roll on 09
2 C 172 with student pilots ( one ESL) on downwind for touch and go 09
A beaver on the slide from Pat bay for the low level West Bound
A Military Sea King holding on Delta for departure Southbound
An Otter overhead the airport South bound for Victoria Harbour

And all of this is happening at the same time.

[thatdaveguy]

Victoria Harbour FSS is one of the most coveted seniority bid locations in the country. You can expect a minimum of 20 years of seniority will be required to win a bid into there.

From my limited understanding, YYJ isn't so hard to bid into, but it's very hard to qualify. It's a complex operation.

[kevenv]

From my limited understanding, YYJ isn't so hard to bid into, but it's very hard to qualify. It's a complex operation.

The top 4 people to bid to YYJ tower in the last bid have 20-30 years seniority.

[TA/RA]

The last ab initio class sent 1 to YYJ twr.

[Waterline]

Thanks for all the valuable insight and perspective from all those who responded. Much appreciated!

[Dutchpilotguy]

YYJ tower is chronically short staffed and desperate for personel. They have 2 new hires there right now. The issue with YYJ is cost of living in Victoria and the difficulty of qualifying. A not atypical scenario

B 737 on the ILS 09
Dash 8 waiting to go from 03
Another dash 8 on final 13
1 C 172 starting the takeoff roll on 09
2 C 172 with student pilots ( one ESL) on downwind for touch and go 09
A beaver on the slide from Pat bay for the low level West Bound
A Military Sea King holding on Delta for departure Southbound
An Otter overhead the airport South bound for Victoria Harbour

And all of this is happening at the same time.

BPF:
That just gave me a raging... Uhhh... Ya, I'd LOVE to end up in Victoria one day

[robshelle]

To Dutchy - ah to be young and full of piss and vinegar. Just remember that it's all pensionable time!

Robshelle