wrote:



The old rumor around the flight line was that many FSS specialists were controller
initial-hire trainees who couldn't complete the course at OKC or perhaps at their
first ATC facility.

FSS had two pipelines. They did hire new people on their own that went
to the Academy to become FSS. They then also got some Center washouts
who didn't qualify for a tower. The last I heard was that if you had
two radar sectors and then washed from a center you went to a level 3
tower like here at BIL or Des Moines. If you washed after only one
radar sector you went to a level 1 or 2 VFR tower. If you washed with
no radar then you could go to FSS. Once those guys got there very few
ever tried to move back up. Some of these places are in the middle of
nowhere and GS-12 is a pretty good living out there doing nothing. As
soon as the internet came along their fate was sealed.