Can you be an ATC with ADHD?

Moreover, the position of the air traffic controller requires some of the strictest medical and mental requirements for any profession in the world; conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease, and many psychiatric disorders (e.g., clinical depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder, a history of drug abuse) almost ...



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The applicant must have no established medical history or clinical diagnosis of any of the following: (1) A psychosis; (2) A neurosis; (3) Any personality disorder or mental disorder that the Federal Air Surgeon determines clearly indicates a potential hazard to safety in the Air Traffic Control System.

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Due to the risks to flight safety posed by ADHD, regulatory authorities worldwide consider ADHD a disqualifying condition for pilots.

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3,177 newly hired controller candidates received training at the FAA Academy. Of these, only 98 candidates (3.1 percent) failed Academy training.

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Piloting, especially on large, complex aircraft, is largely a matter of training and practice. Talent is required, of course, but mostly you just have to put your hours in. In that sense, training and qualifying to be an airline pilot is more rigorous than becoming an ATC at a busy facility.

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On average, air traffic controllers are paid six-figure salaries because the nature of the work is stressful, exhausting, and leaves no room for error. 2021 data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that the median salary of air traffic controllers per year is $129,750 / $62.38 per hour.

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The highly logical and organized Introverted-Sensing-Thinking-Judging (ISTJ) Myers-Briggs test type is often a good fit for this career.

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