Going from ATCO to flight crew

[SinjunThames]

Hi all - just looking for some advice.

Having been in ATC since 1988 and a valid ATCO for 2 years almost, you think becoming an airline pilot would be a little easier. After a recent chat to a training captain who explained to me that being an ATCO would not help in any way to become an airline pilot.

Not sayiong i should queue jump or anything, but you would think an airline may be interested.

Any thoughts :O :mad:

[Mister Geezer]

You won't get any credits on the flight training side with your ATCO experience.

Judging by your location I guess you are an ATCO at LATCC. You will be hard pushed to find a airline that has the same terms and conditions that NATS offers so you have to really want to fly! Since you are in Area then I guess you will be on the top salary level and you will take a big drop for a prop job and possibly even a drop for a jet job.

Being an ATCO won't harm your application but at the end of the day, flying experience are what the airlines are wanting. Your controlling skills could be useful in other areas in a airline environment in addition to line flying, so that could always be a sweetener to add on to a CV.

When you are giving up things like a final salary pension scheme then you have to really want to fly! At least there would not be any excuses for poor R/T!

[WX Man]

I did just that... left behind a Eurocontrol salary and I now have a frozen ATPL with no type rating, but with an Instructors Rating.

Take my word for it. If you want things to improve from LATCC... I suggest you email MUAC!!!!

(I've had interviews for flying jobs. Being ATC gets talked about in interviews. It's a talking point, not a brownie point IMHO)