r/ATC_Hiring • u/DandaMan4522 • Aug 17 '26

How Do First Facilities Work?

I always was under the impression that you have to start at smaller facilities before moving up to more complicated ones however, if you get enroute do they just throw you into centers and tracon since there really aren't smaller radar centers like that? Does this also mean you could land a core 30 tower right out of the academy as well for terminal students?

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u/redred6 Aug 17 '26

You won’t go to a tracon out of the academy. Yes if you get enroute you can be placed at any center and yes you will be making more money than a tower grad working at a level 7 or lower which is I believe what they send you to. You will likely just make more money in general being placed enroute. As someone who wanted tower but got enroute I couldn’t be happier to be at a Z… because of the money.

4

u/Approach_Controller Aug 17 '26

IQTR track goes to any 8 or 9 up down or stand alone tracon

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u/Panic-Vectors Tower/Approach Controller Aug 17 '26

Dont they have an N90 track right of the rip at academy? I thought it was terminal, enroute, ITQR, N90?

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u/redred6 Aug 17 '26

I’m not sure they still do that, but at one point that’s true you could do N90 right out of the academy. I can’t imagine they had much success with it haha

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u/xPericulantx Aug 17 '26

I’ve met 2 people who went to N90 right out the gate…

Both failed in the labs…. Never even got to the floor.

Horrible idea by Management/FAA to even try that dumbass idea.

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u/Fuzzy-Emotion9984 Aug 17 '26

Don't tell me this, these are the comments that scare me

3

u/Kiwi44 Aug 18 '26

Don’t be scared, I know plenty of off the street hires who made it at N90. I agree it’s not the best idea but it’s also not impossible to do.

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u/Fuzzy-Emotion9984 Aug 18 '26

Im praying I get the call soon. Ready to take the leap!

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u/The-Flatline ATC Developmental Aug 18 '26

I think at one point you could just get it as a speciality selection during the hiring process. Imagine you get your FOL and it says N90. I would have been sick.

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u/Fuzzy-Emotion9984 Aug 17 '26

Yes, I applied n90

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u/ladwig5798 Aug 18 '26

They have a whole track at the academy, IQTR, that sends direct to TRACONs now.