So if a person makes it through the recruitment process and then becomes a VFR Controller, what is required to retrain for the Center? Are there a minimum number of years that one has to serve in the Tower before being considered for IFR training?

I believe that there is now a 2 year wait on initial qualification before you can bid out to any new unit (you can bid prior to the 2 years is up, but the course can't start until they are up).

You would then have to go through the local basic IFR course (somewhere around 6 months), most likely with brand new people. This means that while you would be recieving a decent salary and eating steak and lobster, your class mates are eating Mac and Cheese and deliviering pizzas when they should be studying.

You would also be an operational controller while doing this basic training, which causes some minor problems. Your schedule would be 4-3-4-3-4-3-5-2. Meaning, you work only 1 friday every 4 weeks. So either they pay you overtime for the other 3 fridays, or you miss out and have to catch up somehow. It is possible that you could be on a basic course with only VFR controllers, then they would modify the schedule as such.

You will also have the luxury of knowing that should you not succeed, you still have a job at your old tower, which is a 2 edged sword. On one hand, there is less pressure to qualify, as you are already employed and have a job, so that takes off a lot of stress. But on the other hand, most center positions are a lot harder, more work intensive than towers, (plus training always sucks) and you could very easily quit and go back to looking out the windows and seeing that all planes don't just look like triangles!

Rob Benusic, CYEG Tower

Since there is a need for tower people in YMM, I assume all new hires will go there. So after 2 years in Ft. Mac you could apply for IFR course back in civilization in YEG. I wonder what sort of living allowance they will give YMM folks? Are there any bunk beds in the tower up there?

robshelle wrote: You would also be an operational controller while doing this basic training, which causes some minor problems. Your schedule would be 4-3-4-3-4-3-5-2. Meaning, you work only 1 friday every 4 weeks. So either they pay you overtime for the other 3 fridays, or you miss out and have to catch up somehow. It is possible that you could be on a basic course with only VFR controllers, then they would modify the schedule as such.

Doesn't your contract have a provision that schedules may be adjusted to accommodate training?

No living allowance is being given to controllers in YMM. The FSS there right now have a $9000/year living allowance.

auroraborealis wrote:No living allowance is being given to controllers in YMM. The FSS there right now have a $9000/year living allowance.

What's the OFP for ATC?

I think you get changed to non-op status for the basic training.

The OFP will be slightly over $5000.
If a person wants to go IFR via Fort Mac, plan for a wait to get out. There are a lot of people that will be trying to get out, all with similar seniority.