FAA To Change Age Retirement Rules For Air Traffic Controllers

[ap23ap]

FAA To Change Age Retirement Rules For Air Traffic Controllers

 

[405]

Why won't they change the age 31 restriction?

 

[Joblu]

Why won't they change the age 31 restriction?

Because it's the government.

 

[kwick]

There are bound to be some idiots that think raising the retirement age is a bad thing.

 

[GIVDrvr]

read the fine print

This is not a retirement age policy change. In late 2009 the FAA embraced ATSAP a self reporting safety culture that mirrors the ASAP programs currently in place at many air carriers. The only change is now applicants for the waiver no longer must certify that they have not been involved in an operational error in the last five years. Mandatory retirement age is still 56 unless a waiver is granted and they are far from automatic by any means even under the new guideline.

 

[27 driver]

There are bound to be some idiots that think raising the retirement age is a bad thing.

Dude, if you can retire at 56 with a full pension why would you continue working.

 

[GIVDrvr]

"Dude, if you can retire at 56 with a full pension why would you continue working."

Because under CSRS even full pension is much less than the annual pay for a CPC. Retiring under the FERS retirement system is even less advantageous. Continuing to work provides the continued higher income plus most likely a higher retirement annuity when the controller does punch out. ATCS retirement benefits are generous but there are lots of reasons to keep working if you can.

 

[GittinFatter]

It takes a very long time to train a controller to be trustworthy at their job, and effective. Then have them be "on their own" for many years before the "age" factor takes it's toll. Being an ATC , takes far more concentration than being a pilot of a jumbo in the northeast. Then the Gov't kicks in and says, "we want our controllers to have "X" amount of years in before they start to degrade, (56), so we can have our monies worth before they go off to pasture.

Folks, as a pilot, I used to be fairly cocky at a younger age. Couldn't understand why the old geezers used to be so s l o w at doing stuff. I could whip off answers before the question was finished. I was sharp, could multi task like no one else. Then, I became the old guy. CRS big time! What did he say? Now, I have gobs of respect for the old guys that I thought were "not quite with it". Experience is irreplaceable, but age will take it toll, no matter how much you don't want it to. It's a fine line between saturday night and sunday morning!

God I love Tanquery and tonic !

 

[DieselDragRacer]

Dude, if you can retire at 56 with a full pension why would you continue working.

I know of more than a few controllers in Hampton that thought they were putting 20 yrs in then getting out.....until they tried flipping one or three of those new Destin condos with interest only mortgages one too many times.

Another couple, both controllers about to retire and making upper $200k/yr combined, barely bought a new cheap vehicle from a salesman I know. It was everything he could do to get them qualified with a BIG down payment.

Do they still offer disability insurance for ATC's? I can tell you about all kinds of fake hearing loss, nightmares and depression a year or two before retirement, just after said controller got 2 new car loans and a boat loan.

 

[golfkilo]

"Dude, if you can retire at 56 with a full pension why would you continue working."

Because under CSRS even full pension is much less than the annual pay for a CPC. Retiring under the FERS retirement system is even less advantageous. Continuing to work provides the continued higher income plus most likely a higher retirement annuity when the controller does punch out. ATCS retirement benefits are generous but there are lots of reasons to keep working if you can.

Very True, but a $70,000 or $80,000/yr pension with full benefits ain't nothin' to sneeze at, especially in today's economic environment. I retired 2 yrs ago (age 56) and it gave me the opportunity to return to flying. The FAA actually did me a favor!