Newb here - to become an ATC

tyler Rookie South Jersey

Hey fellas my name is Tyler. I'm a Junior in HS and plan to become an Air Traffic Controller when I grow up. I've been looking at the Advanced Air Traffic Control program out of Valdosta Technical College in Georgia. It's a 52 week program and sounds pretty sweet.

I'd like to talk to people here about their career as an ATC - if they like it, etc. I'm glad to be here !!!!

irishcarbomb Moderator Houston, TX

welcome...glad to have you here...checkout the reviews section there may be a few for that school

Rosstafari Daaaang. /X

Welcome. You're at a good time, plenty of directions you can go in. Unfortunately, you've picked a poor one.

DO NOT GO TO ADVANCED ATC IN VALDOSTA.

AdvancedATC is not a college track towards an ATC career. CTI schools are, and there are many good ones (here's the official list, notice a conspicuous absence?). AdvancedATC gets you a CTO, which won't help you in your application -- you'll have to take the same off-the-street application path, which is a less than sure thing and takes a long time. It also costs a ton. Money poorly spent.

Check out the CTI schools listed here for the kind of places that you'll want to go to for college. Don't let AdvancedATC (or Link, in Denison, TX) con you out of your money.

skyscanner Newcomer

Hello Tyler. Some of what these individuals are expressing to you is true; but some not true. That is only because they lack information. Schools such as Advanced ATC , are based on an additional hiring source for Air Traffic Control Specialists for placement in terminal facilities. Please refer to FAA Policy Bulletin #48 -Special Appointing Authority for Individuals Possessing a Control Tower Operator Certificate with Facility Rating from Trade Schools/Universities/Colleges. The policy applies to Trade/University/College students who possess a Control Tower Operator Certificate(CTO) with a facility rating and meet the maximum entry age.
The traditional paths of hiring with the FAA are what these individuals are referring to, they are just not aware of this new policy. The reason people are not familiar with Advanced ATC's program is because Advanced ATC is currently the only school that is associated with a College, operating under FAA Policy #48. I Here's how the Policy Reads:
PURPOSE: FAA is adding additional hiring sources of Air Traffic Control Specialists for placement in terminal facilities. Schools have been identified with programs that allow students to receive training and development towards earning a CTO certification with facility rating, in accordance with Part 65 of the Federal Aviation Regulations(FAR). This policy bulletin establishes a special appointing authority for those individuals possessing a CTO with facility rating from such trade schools, universities, and/or colleges.
POLICY:
a. A Special Appointing Authority is established for individuals from trade schools, universities, and/or colleges who possess a CTO certificate with facility rating. The certificate is issued in accordance with Part 65 of the FAR.
b. This authority is established with the approval of the Assistant Administrator for Human Resource Management, AHR-1.
c. Individuals appointed under this authority must meet all other applicable qualifications requirements for air traffic control specialist positions in the FAA, including, EMP-1.20 Maximum Entry Age for Air Traffic Control Specialists; EMP-1.13 Citizenship Requirements; EMP -1.24 Suitability security and medical requirements.
d. Newly hired employees who are initially assigned to the FAA Academy for training are hired on temporary appointments. These temporary appointments may be converted to permanent using the same process as academy air traffic training graduates. Newly hired employees reporting directly to a terminal facility will be hired into permanent appointments. Appointments are in accordance with EMP-1.10, Permanent External Hiring or EMP- 1.11 Temporary External Hiring.
e. Individuals appointed under this authority are appointed at the AG level under the Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan (ATSPP). Increases in pay levels are in accordance with training requirements established by the Air Traffic Organization.
f. Individuals appointed under this authority are not required to pass the Air Traffic Selection and Training (AT-SAT) examination (EMP-1.7 (Series 2152): Testing Policy for Filling Entry Level Air Traffic Control Specialist Positions in Terminal and En Route Options)
g. This Authority cannot be used to circumvent the requirements of EMP-1.20 (ATS Supplement # 1: Employment of Retired Air Traffic Controllers Program).
There are a lot of options available to you to become an ATCS, especially at your age. It depends upon your priorities in life, what is most important to you, what kind of learning environment you thrive in, or learn best. There is a training path for all types of people. Each having benefits and expenses. I would HIGHLY Recommend that you visit all types of schools. Visit a CTI facility and visit Advanced ATC facility at Valdosta Technical College. Since you are only a Junior you have time to gather more information over the year and then be able to compare apples to apples, vs. apples to oranges. Then you can make the best decision for you. It is always good to seek counsel, just be sure your counsel is informed. Take care and all the best to you.

speediebang Senior Member Gulfport, Mississippi

Dang sky, couldn't have put it any better myself! Welcome Tyler!!

skyscanner Newcomer

Thanks Speediebang...Good Luck to you!

tyler Rookie South Jersey

Thanks guys for the replies. It's definitely a newer program and I gotta see how it'll work out. If it produces the same results as a 2 to 4 year college, it pretty much sounds like a no-brainer.

TennesseZ Rookie OKC

Good luck and welcome.

Rosstafari Daaaang. /X

It's NOT the same as a 2 or 4 year college, and if you do about ten minutes of looking into it, that'll be blatantly obvious. And if you haven't, well, a fool and his money are soon parted. This is your money and your future you're talking about, do the homework.

By the way, skyscanner works for AdvancedATC. Look at his posts here. There's four of them. All are selling their program. My "Delete as Spam" finger's getting itchy.

tyler Rookie South Jersey

I know it's not the same, I've said that before. When I went onto the site and chatted with one of the agents, he told me graduates would be able to become ATCs in major airports..... Not sure why or if he would even lie about it??? I've written down 5 good colleges so far, so I'm not sold on Valdosta.