A shortage of air traffic controllers has the Federal Aviation Administration trying to hire applicants for its air traffic control training program.
John Faulkner, the director of Great Falls International Airports, said, “Air traffic controllers - they sit up in the towers and they deconflict the airspace. So their main job is to intercept planes as they come into their airspace, they pass on information about the weather, conditions on the ground, and they become kind of the emissary between the airport and the airline.”
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He explained, “Nationally, there’s a shortage, and certainly here in Great Falls there's a shortage. This is your opportunity to go out and apply for these positions where you can go to the air traffic school, which is in Oklahoma City. Once you’re done with that, there are job offerings around the country you can apply for. Obviously, we really want you to apply to Great Falls and get some local folks that want to be in our community to come back to our community and this great career path.”
The FAA website states:
The approximate median annual wage for air traffic control specialists is $127,805. The salaries for entry-level air traffic control specialists increase as they complete each new training phase. Because of the serious nature of this work and zero margin for error, the training regimen and proficiencies needed to become an air traffic control specialist, are demanding.
More information is available on the FAA website.
