Stl1326 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 494 posts, RR: 0 Posted (7 years 8 months 4 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 4810 times:
I was interested in knowing how you can become an air traffic controller. I was thinking about maybe doing this or becoming a pilot. I was interested in knowing what schools or what you need to go to to train to become one. Any comments would be much appreciated.
DeltaGuy767 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 633 posts, RR: 2 Reply 1, posted (7 years 8 months 4 weeks 12 hours ago) and read 4806 times:
Greetings STL1326,
I went to Embry Riddle's Summer Program and I asked this very question to the Tower Mananger at DAB who gave a presentation to the whole Summer Group. He said that if you were to get a four year degree from any college you should then apply to the FAA ,and if you are accepted they will train you. He said however it would help more if you got a degree from ER or a similar university in Air Traffic Management where you have already been trained. Then the FAA will be more inclined to hire that canidate as they only have to check that person's skills rather than training them and then having to give them a stamp of approval. Then you will start work at an ATC tower TRACON,or ARTCC. You have until you are 25 or Three years, which ever comes first to quit. Then you can be a controller until you are 55-65. I hope that this helps.
PSAjet17 From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 242 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (7 years 8 months 3 weeks 6 days 22 hours ago) and read 4638 times:
DeltaGuy767 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 633 posts, RR: 2 Reply 4, posted (7 years 8 months 3 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 4616 times:
[quote=PSAjet17,reply=3]I thought the maximum entry age for a "new" candidate was 31.[/quote
PSAjet17,
I don't know beyond a reasonable doubt that it was 25, that was what the ATC guy from DAB told us but, that would sound a little impractical.
Zamaria From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 82 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (7 years 8 months 3 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 4603 times:
if you're from the US, which I believe you are, here's good information from the FAA:
Stl1326 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 494 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (7 years 8 months 3 weeks 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 4555 times:
Pilottim747 From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 1607 posts, RR: 5 Reply 7, posted (7 years 8 months 3 weeks 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 4528 times:
Dont forget the University of North Dakota's ATC program (www.aero.und.edu). This summer we just got a new radar simulation installed this summer. This complements the two tower simulators that we have.
pilottim747
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LawnDart From United States of America, joined May 2005, 968 posts, RR: 4 Reply 8, posted (7 years 8 months 3 weeks 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 4471 times:
Quoting Pilottim747 (Reply 7): Dont forget the University of North Dakota's ATC program (www.aero.und.edu). This summer we just got a new radar simulation installed this summer. This complements the two tower simulators that we have.
Also Penn State and Middle Tenn State have very good ATC programs. Google ATC University programs.
PHLapproach From Philippines, joined Mar 2004, 1180 posts, RR: 22 Reply 9, posted (7 years 8 months 3 weeks 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 4416 times:
PSAjet17 is correct. You have until 31 years of age to finish your CTI and pass OKC. CTI is the best way to become a controller, some people take the Military VRA route also. But most go through CTI. There are 13 CTI schools in the US. You can check www.atccti.com for info. A this time, the FAA is only hiring controllers for the ARTCC's. And the main ones to be staffed in FY 06' is ZTL, ZJX, ZME, and ZMA. If you want to go the Terminal route and work in a Tower or Tracon, you'll have to wait a few years. When the FAA starts placing people at Terminal facilites, and get the ARTCC's staffed.
Stl1326 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 494 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (7 years 8 months 3 weeks 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 4393 times:
Thanks everybody for submitting information. It helped me a lot. Now I know what schools are good choices for this field. Welcome to my RR list.
Flyibaby From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 1015 posts, RR: 6 Reply 11, posted (7 years 8 months 3 weeks 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 4394 times:
Quoting PHLapproach (Reply 9): PSAjet17 is correct. You have until 31 years of age to finish your CTI and pass OKC. CTI is the best way to become a controller, some people take the Military VRA route also. But most go through CTI. There are 13 CTI schools in the US. You can check www.atccti.com for info. A this time, the FAA is only hiring controllers for the ARTCC's. And the main ones to be staffed in FY 06' is ZTL, ZJX, ZME, and ZMA. If you want to go the Terminal route and work in a Tower or Tracon, you'll have to wait a few years. When the FAA starts placing people at Terminal facilites, and get the ARTCC's staffed.
31 is incorrect. You have until the age of 30 to pet put "in process" with the FAA. In other words, it depends upon which region of the country you selected as your preference. If you selected SE USA, then they will not fill you in a SW open slot. Nonetheless though, you can sit in process past the age of 30 and still be okay. You will not have had to attend school in OKC first.
PHLapproach From Philippines, joined Mar 2004, 1180 posts, RR: 22 Reply 12, posted (7 years 8 months 3 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 4288 times:
Quoting Flyibaby (Reply 11): Quoting PHLapproach (Reply 9):
PSAjet17 is correct. You have until 31 years of age to finish your CTI and pass OKC. CTI is the best way to become a controller, some people take the Military VRA route also. But most go through CTI. There are 13 CTI schools in the US. You can check www.atccti.com for info. A this time, the FAA is only hiring controllers for the ARTCC's. And the main ones to be staffed in FY 06' is ZTL, ZJX, ZME, and ZMA. If you want to go the Terminal route and work in a Tower or Tracon, you'll have to wait a few years. When the FAA starts placing people at Terminal facilites, and get the ARTCC's staffed.
31 is incorrect. You have until the age of 30 to pet put "in process" with the FAA. In other words, it depends upon which region of the country you selected as your preference. If you selected SE USA, then they will not fill you in a SW open slot. Nonetheless though, you can sit in process past the age of 30 and still be okay. You will not have had to attend school in OKC first.
31 actually is correct, You need the mandatory 25 years of government service. Since the mandatory retirement age for an ATCS is 54. I just talked to a few friends who are controllers, they said you have to be in process by the age of 31.
Senorcarnival From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 13, posted (7 years 8 months 3 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 4211 times:
NPR had an interesting story a few months ago about how the FAA is scrambling to hire about 12,000 new ATCers in lieu of the many that were hired as replacements to the ones Reagan fired when they went on strike in '81. IIRC, it does offer a bit of insight how it is to be in training at OKC. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4239379
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