OCCUPATION: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER

Name: Steven Casarez

Company: Federal Aviation Administration

Thumbs up: “I like the excitement. It’s a job that will never get boring because of the endless things that can happen--the intensity is good. I also like the security and pay. And for not having a (college) degree, this job has not only given me financial pride, but pride in myself, as well. Minorities are being given a chance to do this job. I did four years in the Air Force, then two years as a controller in Palm Springs, four years in Carlsbad and four years here. I’ve passed all the tests, and made the best use of the breaks I’ve been given.”

Thumbs down: “On the negative side, the FAA falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation, and because of their budget, the FAA cannot afford to purchase modern equipment. Even Third World countries have radar systems that make ours look antiquated. That upsets me.”

Next step: “I’m going to start an outreach program to educate and to recruit ethnic minorities. I will also educate myself in the areas of supervision. My next promotion would be to supervisor. I’ve reached the highest level I can reach as an air traffic controller.”

Advice: “Stay in school, and at least get a high school diploma. Start planning realistic goals, and if you don’t have the education, seek it out through every means possible. And you must learn to be patient with the federal government! Always remember that you are providing a civil service. That’ll help you keep a positive attitude.”

Salary range: $30,000 to $95,000 annually at the three facilities in Orange County: Coast Traffic Radar Approach Control (TRACON) at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station and John Wayne and Fullerton airports.

Fringe benefits: Paid vacations, holidays, sick leave, retirement, life and medical insurance; extra pay for working holidays, Sundays, nights, overtime and cost-of-living allowances.

Hours: Shift work. Rotations are determined by the facility.

Educational and training requirements: Call the FAA for requirement options, but a general requirement is that controllers must pass the written aptitude test with a score of 70 or above, plus one of the following: civilian or military facility rating in air traffic control; FAA air-carrier dispatcher certificate; instrument flight rating; FAA certificate as a navigator or armed forces navigator/bombardier; pilot rating with 350 hours of flight time; rating as an Aerospace Defense Command intercept director. Controllers must be no older than 30 when entering duty and U.S. citizens.

Size of work force: Small. In Orange County, 153 people work as controllers.

Expected demand: Demand is expected to be steady because controllers have the luxury of retiring at age 50, and the FAA considers Coast TRACON a hard-to-staff facility.

Job description: Controllers give pilots taxiing and takeoff instructions, air traffic clearances and advice regarding flight conditions. Controllers at Coast TRACON also use radar or manual procedures to keep track of instrument flights within the center’s airspace. They also start search-and-rescue operations to find overdue planes.

Major employing industries: The Federal Aviation Administration is the only employer of controllers.

Advancement: Controller progress by salary levels, facility and experience. After a certain grade, they are eligible for management positions in supervising, training or quality assurance.

For information: Call FAA regional headquarters in Hawthorne at (310) 297-0279 or (310) 297-0087.