What Makes the Air Traffic Controller Pension Unique Unlike many government pensions, the air traffic controller pension comes with unique benefits. Because controllers retire early, they receive higher annuity percentages during their initial retirement years. For instance, the first 20 years of service are calculated at 1.7% of the high-3 average per year, compared to the standard... https://www.federalpensionadvisors.com/post/air-traffic-controller-retirement