Hello from NC

zachoe Senior Member Purgatory, USA

Hey everyone-

So I pretty much have always had a passion for aviation. I thought--well, knew--that I was always going to be a pilot. Got my PPL and am just finishing up my Instrument, just after graduating college. The older I got, however, the more cognizant I became that the airline industry is perhaps irreversibly in the crapper. I've taken a part time job in an unrelated field, and actually ended up meeting the supervisor at RDU. Took a tour of the facility, and thought...wow, maybe there are other ways of being involved in the field that don't involve starving oneself and constantly worrying about furloughs...I felt like a little kid in the tower and TRACON.

With that said, I think it's refreshing to see how so many people are passionate about the job. I'll be waiting anxiously for PUBNAT 9, like I'm sure many others are. Thanks for the great site, it's a wealth of information in an industry that can be quite confusing for a new guy.

Rosstafari Daaaang. /X

Welcome to the website, glad you're here.

There've been several discussions lately about the increased difficulty of getting hired off the OTS path. If you're seriously considering ATC as a career, you may want to peruse some of the related threads on the short-term CTI programs.

zachoe Senior Member Purgatory, USA

Thanks, Rossta.

I've been browsing a lot of threads regarding OTS and I have considered CTI, but at this point I think it would be wiser (and certainly cheaper) to wait and see this January or February if there will be a Pubnat. It seems like a lot is speculation, as with any industry. Somewhat comforting to know that a lot of people are in the same boat.

Fingers crossed

GolfJuliet F*** Terrorism

Even if PUBNAT9(not saying it won't) comes out, your chances of being hired are maybe 1 in 3-4 at best. Like Rossta said, if your serious about the career go to a one year CTI program.

zachoe Senior Member Purgatory, USA

I know this has probably been asked before (a quick search didn't reveal anything immediately useful), but if I have a four year degree already and my PPL/Instrument, about how long would it take to graduate at a CTI school? I was looking at the curriculum for CBCC, and a lot of this stuff I have taken either through college or by virtue of getting my certificates (English, Algebra, Physical Science, Instrument Theory, Private Pilot). Would I just automatically place out of these?

Rosstafari Daaaang. /X

Yes, although the length depends some according to the program. CCBC (the Beaver County one... there're two CCBC's) tends to be the shortest one, as you can cram everything into one calendar year if you A. Already have a bachelor's and B. Hold a PPL or higher. A few others are around the two year mark, I think. And, of course, there are four year CTI schools.

You may have already figured it out, but "CTI" isn't actually the degree; if you go to a CTI school it's still a regular associate's or bachelor's program. It's just the recommendation you get after passing the CTI classes. So, like you already have started to figure out, you can get through things much more quickly than if you were going for, say, a bachelor's in aerospace engineering.