CRQ
Palomar Tower
FAA Control Tower Carlsbad, California
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | CRQ |
| Facility Name | Palomar Tower |
| Airport Name | Mc Clellan-Palomar |
| Type | Tower |
| Leveli | Level 6 |
| Core 30 Airporti | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operationi | 0700-2200 |
| Airspace Class | Class D |
| Approach/Departure | SCT |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZLA |
| Airport Diagram | View Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| Address | 2200 Palomar Airport Rd Carlsbad, CA 92010 |
| Phone Number | 760-438-4969 |
Salary Information
2026 Pay for Palomar Tower
| Career Leveli | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Salary Min. | Salary Max.i |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $51.75 | $69.86 | $108,008 | $145,806 |
| D3 | $46.75 | $51.75 | $97,561 | $108,008 |
| AG | $31.73 | $31.73 | $66,222 | $66,222 |
| Includes everything except premium pay. | ||||
ATC pay has stalled over the past decade. Marangos & Brown are on a mission to increase pay.
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Leveli | Level 6 |
| Locality Area | San Diego |
| Locality Payi | 33.72% |
| Controller Incentive Pay (CIP)i | 7.10% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Indexi | 111.9 (11.9% above avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Mini | $96,530 |
Staffing and Training
| Staffing Information, April 2026 | |
|---|---|
| CPCs on Boardi | 15 CPCs |
| 2026 TRB Targeti | 11 CPCs |
| 2026 TRB Staffingi | 136% |
| CRWG Targeti | 14 CPCs |
|
Number of Trainees
Click to view breakdown
|
2 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 1 |
| ↳ Developmental 3 | 1 |
| Current CRWG Staffingi | 107% |
|
Projected CRWG Staffingi
Click to view components
|
111% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 1.8 |
| ↳ Committed Outbounds | - 1 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 0.3 |
| Training Information, April 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg)i | 0.58 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 0.95 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 0.37 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg)i | 89% |
| ↳ New Hires | 82% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 91% |
| Travel Days from Academyi | 3 days |
Historical Trends
CRQ Staffing Percentages
CRQ Personnel Counts
CRQ Training Metrics
Traffic
| May 2025 - April 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 178,074 operations/year |
| Average Daily Operations | 488 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 6 Tower) |
140,883 operations/year |
| Relative Workloadi | +26.4% vs peer median |
Traffic History
NCEPT
| Current NCEPT Metrics | |
|---|---|
| Possible Lossesi Apr 2026 |
4 |
| Expected Staffing (12-Month)i Apr 2026 |
112.7% |
| Possible Gains to National Avgi Apr 2026 |
0 |
| Priority / Draft Orderi Mar 2026 |
#287 |
| Inbound ERRs on Filei Feb 2026 |
1 |
| Employees with Outbound ERRsi Feb 2026 |
1 (7.1%) |
NCEPT is the centralized system for managing controller-requested transfers between facilities. Transfer requests are only approved based upon a set of complex metrics that attempt to balance the distribution of the workforce.
Demand Trends
NCEPT Priority
Administration
| Organizational Structure | |
|---|---|
| Service Area | Western |
| District | Los Angeles |
| HR Region | Western Pacific |