New to this form and atc

flyboy44 Newcomer

Good evening folks, I am new to this form and just scheduled my atsat test for mid nov. I am currently a fo for a regional airline with CFI/MEII/CFII and 3500 flight hours, looking for a career change to atc. Can anyone suggest any study material for pilots as well as any other tips?

Rosstafari Daaaang. /X

Welcome. You're in good company; plenty of other migrants from the cockpit.

Study material for pilots is the same as everyone's else, and there's not much of it. For the AT-SAT, you'll find some things here. There's a practice test on the main page, and if you click on ATC Information on the left sidebar, there's a long guide on the AT-SAT there as well. Other than that, you don't really need to study anything until you actually get the job... which will be a long time from now. Keep flying as long as you can.

irishcarbomb Moderator Houston, TX

welcome! quite a few pilots making the jump (myself and wife included)...make sure you checkout the pilot section

flyboy44 Newcomer

Thanks for the tips

flyboy44 Newcomer

If I do well on the test, how long before I can expect to be hired?

psachs Trusted Member Chicago

It could easily be a year or more after you take the test before you start training. Lots of the people who are starting training between now and the end of the year took the AT-SAT in January '09 or earlier. Hopefully you have another job currently that you can hang onto for a while...

flyboy44 Newcomer

Oh ok that's what I figured, I am still employed and I relatively young, but I need to make a decision on a career. I would love to have a different career in aviation, but I am not getting any younger. Hopefully I will still have a job throughout the whole application process.

Rosstafari Daaaang. /X

That's the maddeningly frustrating thing... it can take so, so long to just get into training in this field, and there are a few points where you can get dropped from the process entirely (you don't get picked at the selection panels, you fail the final performance evaluation in the Academy). My first application went in May last year and at the current estimate, it may be right around two years since then when I finally get to start.

So, what I'm trying to say is... hedge your bets. Go for it if it's what you want to do, just be aware of the risks and wait so you won't end up in a bad spot should things take longer than expected (or if they don't work out at all).

DRod It is certainly an exciting field!! San Diego

Good luck with the pursuit of your ATC career. It certainly is an exciting field!!