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That jolt after landing behind a big plane isn't turbulence, it's wake turbulence. Here's the physics behind it, why heavy jets cause it most, and why FAA spacing rules make it a non-issue on your next flight.
Where you get stationed decides almost everything about your paycheck as an air traffic controller. A small tower can start you near $50,000. The busiest hubs in the country push past $175,000 in base pay alone, before overtime or locality pay. Here's exactly how the FAA's facility-level system splits the money, and what's actually changed in your favor this year.
The FAA allows your flight to cruise just 1,000 feet from the plane above it. That rule has been in place since 1997 and has never been revised upward.