View Full Version : Old American Goat Seeks Employment
Yes, somebody my age (65) should be sitting on the beach with a pina colada in my hand, but a meager pension and a profligate wife keep my nose to the grindstone as an ATC Instructor.
Here in the U.S., Raytheon took over the ATC training program and pretty much trashed it. The FAA Academy has cut back to nearly zero and facility instructors work as few as 3 days a week - if they work at all.
So now would be a wonderful time to see the world as an ATC instructor. I've been certified in Tower, Approach and Center and have over 40 years experience in the business. I'm also working on the side as an 'English as a Second Language' teacher.
Does anyone have any ideas (other than get rid of the wife)?
HEATHROW DIRECTOR
3rd May 2010, 13:14
My sympathies.... I retired at 58! I'm surprised your pensions are "meagre" and hope you're coping reasonably well.
Not sure how easy you would find employment in Europe and suspect you might have to sit ATC licensing exams and take a medical, none of which would be fun at 65. Whether one of the major ANSPs would employ as an instructor someone with zero experience in their country I rather doubt. The other point is that the cost of living over here is horrendous compared with the US. Fancy paying $8 a gallon for gas?? Australia and New Zealand are far better places to live but I know little about ATC in those countries.
DC10RealMan
3rd May 2010, 13:39
If you are a US citizen working in Europe you are also taxed twice, once by the country you are working and living in which is fair enough and again by the IRS because you are a US citizen. Good Luck!!!
West Coast
3rd May 2010, 14:23
One possibility is to seek employment at an airline. Many larger ones have former controllers on the payroll.
alwaysmovin
3rd May 2010, 17:41
There are quite a few ex us ATCOS working as intructors at the DFS academy in Langen......(near Frankfurt). Perhaps contact the DFS and ask them...DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung GmbH - www.dfs.de (http://www.dfs.de)
Thanks for the suggestions. It seems American controllers are not much in demand in other than the US and its war zones. I have visited Langen and a few other training facilities in Europe, and was impressed with the professionalism.
I wonder where China is doing their training.
samotnik
4th May 2010, 18:07
Well, there are some possibilities. I think that converting your licence to allow you to be an OJT might be a problem, but I don't think it's technically any problem to work as a pre-OJT instructor in Langen or Prague. Check out Air Navigation Service (http://www.ans.cz) - I know about some non-EU citizens working there as instructors. A nice place to live, by the way.
Kronan
3rd Jun 2010, 18:39
How about giving the recruiters at Entry Point North a call? EPN is the nordic ATC-academy and it is situated outside Sweden's third city, Malmö, in the very south of Sweden. We've had instructors from Britain, New Zeeland and Canada, so they are no strangers to employing foreigners. Currently beeing a student at EPN, I personally find it very interesting to listen to people like yourself sharing ATC-experience from around the world. Check out Entry Point North - Go north for take off (http://www.trynorth.com) and think about it, Sweden is nice!