GTF
Great Falls Tower
FAA Control Tower and Approach Control Great Falls, Montana
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | GTF |
| Facility Name | Great Falls Tower |
| Airport Name | Great Falls Intl |
| Type | Tower and Approach Control |
| Level | Level 5 |
| Core 30 Airport | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operation | 0000-2359 (always open) |
| Airspace Class | Class D |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZLC |
| Airport Diagram | Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| View on full map → | |
| Address | 2830 Airport Ave A Great Falls, MT 59404 |
| Phone Number | 406-454-7500 |
Salary Information
2026 pay for Great Falls Tower, built from the FAA Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan bands:
| Career Level | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Total Pay Min. | Total Pay Max. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $38.93 | $52.56 | $81,249 | $109,685 |
| D3 | $35.79 | $38.93 | $74,698 | $81,249 |
| AG | $26.38 | $26.38 | $55,049 | $55,049 |
| Total Pay combines Basic Pay, Locality Pay. It excludes premium pay for overtime, nights, Sundays, and holidays. | ||||
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Level | Level 5 |
| Locality Area | Rest of U.S. |
| Locality Pay | 17.06% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Index | 96.9 (3.2% below avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Min | $83,892 |
How this pay is calculated
| Basic Pay (Level 5 CPC band maximum) | $93,699 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (17.06% of Basic Pay for Rest of U.S.) | + $15,986 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $109,685 |
| = Total Pay | $109,685 |
| Basic Pay (Level 5 CPC band minimum) | $69,408 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (17.06% of Basic Pay for Rest of U.S.) | + $11,841 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $81,249 |
| = Total Pay | $81,249 |
| Basic Pay (Level 5 D3 band maximum) | $69,408 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (17.06% of Basic Pay for Rest of U.S.) | + $11,841 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $81,249 |
| = Total Pay | $81,249 |
| Basic Pay (Level 5 D3 band minimum) | $63,812 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (17.06% of Basic Pay for Rest of U.S.) | + $10,886 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $74,698 |
| = Total Pay | $74,698 |
| Basic Pay (Academy Graduate band, set nationally) | $47,026 |
|---|---|
| + Locality Pay (17.06% of Basic Pay for Rest of U.S.) | + $8,023 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $55,049 |
| = Total Pay | $55,049 |
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 (17.06% of Basic Pay for Rest of U.S.) | + $8,023 |
| = Adjusted Basic Pay (counts toward your High-3) | $55,049 |
| = Total Pay | $55,049 |
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, July 2026 | |
|---|---|
| CPCs on Board | 11 CPCs |
| CPC Target (CWP) | 18 CPCs |
| Current Staffing | 61.11% |
|
Projected Staffing
Show componentsHide components
|
89.83% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 6.1 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 0.9 |
|
Number of Trainees
Show breakdownHide breakdown
|
9 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 8 |
| ↳ Developmental 3 | 1 |
| Training Information, July 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg) | 1.85 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 1.85 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 0.62 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg) | 68% |
| ↳ New Hires | 68% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 89% |
| Travel Days from Academy | 4 days |
Historical Trends
GTF Staffing Percentages
GTF Personnel Counts
GTF Training Metrics
NCEPT
NCEPT manages controller-requested transfers between FAA facilities. See GTF transfer selections on the Transfer Flow Map.
| Eligibility & Staffing, July 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Staffing Source | Academy Sourced |
| TSL (One Training Time) | 91.50% |
| Gaining Target | 102.61% |
| Possible Gains | 4 |
| Primary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Secondary Releases Avail. | 0 |
| Transfer Activity | |
|---|---|
| Releases, Past 3 Yrs | 0 |
| ↳ Standard | 0 |
| ↳ Priority/Other | 0 |
| Gains, Past 3 Yrs | 0 |
| Last Standard Release | None in 3+ years |
Selections by Year, 2016–2026
Demand Trends
NCEPT Priority
Traffic
| June 2025 - May 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 33,679 operations/yr |
| TRACON Operations | 27,216 operations/yr |
| Total Operations | 60,895 operations/yr |
| Average Daily Operations | 167 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 5 Up/Down) |
77,360 operations/yr |
| Relative Workload | -21.3% vs peer median |