For most in the air traffic controller (ATC) position, “good time” is defined as qualifying service years for which your FERS pension calculation uses a 1.7% multiplier instead of the normal 1.0 or 1.1 percent for regular federal occupations. Like other Special Provisions employees, this enhanced annuity computation is only available for the first 20 years of federal service.
However, as stated in 5 U.S. Code § 8415(a), any ATC employee who served any time as a second-level supervisor (does not require service in a non-supervisor ATC role), or an ATC that served any time as a first-level supervisor with some experience in a non-supervisor ATC job, can receive the 1.7 percent multiplier for all of their “good time” in an ATC position, even beyond 20 years, so long as they have at least 30 years of total service when they retire.
This article will explore the mandatory retirement age for ATCs, the various eligibility and calculation rules for receiving a FERS annuity after serving in an ATC role, and further explore the enhanced annuity rule for some supervisors.
Federal Retirement Age Guide for Air Traffic Controllers
Due to the cognitive demands of managing airspace, the oldest air traffic controller retirement age attainable is 56, whereas other demanding occupations like federal firefighters and law enforcement officers (LEOs) have to retire at age 57. This mandatory retirement age ensures continued aviation safety.
This is why if you want to become an air traffic controller, you can’t start past age 36 because you won’t have enough years to be eligible for a pension. This is a contributing factor to both a high turnover rate in the field and air traffic controller shortages.
Mandatory Retirement Age Considerations for Feds
Mandatory retirement age considerations are paramount for air traffic controllers, shaping their career trajectory. The mandatory retirement age for air traffic controllers is 56, as dictated by the FAA. This regulation ensures the controller workforce maintains peak cognitive performance in managing national airspace.
Federal employees in this role must plan their careers with this mandatory retirement age of 56 in mind. It is possible to take a non-covered FERS position after your mandatory retirement age limit.
Eligibility for FERS Retirement
Here’s how air traffic controllers can become eligible for an immediate FERS retirement, involving specific age and service requirements. Generally, ATCs can retire with full benefits if they meet one of the following criteria:
- Stay on the job for 20 years of service, you can retire starting at age 50
- Any age after completing at least 25 years of service
“Good Time” Calculation for ATC Pension
As mentioned above, “good time” refers to the years that Special Provisions workers get 1.7% when computing their pension. These years are normally capped at 20 years.
For air traffic controllers who served as a first level supervisor (with some experience as a regular ATC) or a second level supervisor (no experience as regular ATC required) can receive the 1.7% for their whole retirement calculation if they are able to retire with over 30 years of creditable federal service. For this to be possible, you’d have to meet the criteria and have started working on the job by age 26 or younger or else you’d hit the mandatory age before reaching the necessary amount of service years. Again, you can continue working past that in a non-covered federal job but that time wouldn’t be “good” and those pension benefits would be calculated at 1.0%.
Here are some comparisons of federal employee benefits in retirement and how it impacts their calculation: The High-3 salary will be set at $100,000 for all categories for illustrative purposes:
| Employee Type, Age, & Service Years at Retirement | Pension Calculation | Gross Annual Benefit Amount |
| Special Provisions, age 50, 20 years | $100,000 x 1.7 x 20 | $34,000 |
| Special Provisions, age 49, 25 years | $100,000 x 1.7 x 20 = x $100,000 x 1.0 x 5 = y x + y = FERS Annuity | $39,000 |
| ATC Supervisor, age 56, 30 years | $100,000 x 1.7 x 30 | $51,000 |
Impact of Good Time on Retirement Calculations
The “good time” calculation under FERS can significantly affect the pension benefits for ATCs. This provision allows controllers to maximize their annuity calculation, recognizing their dedicated service and contributions to aviation safety. This helps ensure that controllers can retire at age 56 (or at any age, retire after 25 years of service) with a more substantial retirement income, reflecting their years of service managing the national airspace system from the control tower, keeping airplanes in the sky.
Along with the Special Retirement Supplement (SRS), and then Social Security benefits at age 62, plus TSP investments, financial stability is possible after controllers retire.
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