FFZ
Falcon Tower
FAA Control Tower Mesa, Arizona
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | FFZ |
| Facility Name | Falcon Tower |
| Airport Name | Falcon Fld |
| Type | Tower |
| Level | Level 9
Show historyHide history
• Prior to Aug 2025: Level 8
• Prior to Jan 2020: Level 7 |
| Core 30 Airport | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | MAY 15-AUG 15 0530-2100; AUG 16-MAY 14 0600-2100 |
| Airspace Class | Class D |
| Approach/Departure | P50 |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZAB |
| Airport Diagram | Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 4822 E Falcon Dr Mesa, AZ 85215 |
| Phone Number | 480-981-1376 |
Salary Information
2026 pay for Falcon Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
| Career Level | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Total Pay Min. | Total Pay Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $60.71 | $81.96 | $126,711 | $171,060 |
| D3 | $52.44 | $60.71 | $109,432 | $126,711 |
| D2 | $44.15 | $52.44 | $92,147 | $109,432 |
| AG | $27.59 | $27.59 | $57,583 | $57,583 |
| Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay. It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays. | ||||
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Level | Level 9 |
| Locality Area | Phoenix |
| Locality Pay | 22.45% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 103.3 (3.3% above avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $122,639 |
How this pay is calculated
| Basic Pay (Level 9 CPC band maximum) | $139,698 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.45% of Basic Pay for Phoenix) | + $31,362 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $171,060 |
| = Total Pay | $171,060 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 CPC band minimum) | $103,480 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.45% of Basic Pay for Phoenix) | + $23,231 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $126,711 |
| = Total Pay | $126,711 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D3 band maximum) | $103,480 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.45% of Basic Pay for Phoenix) | + $23,231 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $126,711 |
| = Total Pay | $126,711 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D3 band minimum) | $89,369 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.45% of Basic Pay for Phoenix) | + $20,063 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $109,432 |
| = Total Pay | $109,432 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D2 band maximum) | $89,369 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.45% of Basic Pay for Phoenix) | + $20,063 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $109,432 |
| = Total Pay | $109,432 |
| Basic Pay (Level 9 D2 band minimum) | $75,253 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.45% of Basic Pay for Phoenix) | + $16,894 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $92,147 |
| = Total Pay | $92,147 |
| Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally) | $47,026 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.45% of Basic Pay for Phoenix) | + $10,557 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $57,583 |
| = Total Pay | $57,583 |
The AG band is a single national rate, so the top and bottom of the band are the same.
| Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally) | $47,026 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (22.45% of Basic Pay for Phoenix) | + $10,557 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $57,583 |
| = Total Pay | $57,583 |
The AG band is a single national rate, so the top and bottom of the band are the same.
Amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar, so lines can differ from the total by a dollar or two.
ATC pay has stalled over the past decade. Marangos & Brown are on a mission to increase pay.
Staffing and Training
| Staffing Information, August 2026 | |
|---|---|
| CPCs on Board | 14 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 18 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 77.78% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
97.62% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 3.9 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 0.3 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
4 trainees |
| ↳ Developmental 2 | 1 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 0 (Transfer) | 1 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 2 (Transfer) | 1 |
| ↳ CPC-IT 3 (Transfer) | 1 |
| Training Information, August 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 0.53 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 0.84 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 0.4 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 96% |
| ↳ New Hires | 89% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 100% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 2 days |
Historical Trends
FFZ Staffing Percentages
FFZ Personnel Counts
FFZ Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities. See FFZ transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.
| Eligibility & Staffing, August 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Non-Academy Sourced |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 87.53% |
| Gaining Target | 87.53% |
| Possible Gains | 0 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 2 |
| ↳ Standard | 2 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 0 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 6 |
| Last Standard Release | 1.7 years ago |
Selections by Year, 2016–2026
Demand Trends
NCEPT Priority
Traffic
| July 2025 - June 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 478,712 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 1,312 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 9 Tower) |
367,537 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | +30.2% vs peer median |