Facts About Military ATC to Civ. ATC

[nis350ztt]

Advanced ATC in Valdosta, GA offers a CTO program if you're willing to shell out the $50k Sallie Mae student loan (they don't allow 9/11 GI Bill).

From my research you still have to go through the Academy, this only saves you from taking the Basics course, costs $50k for 1 year as opposed to getting paid to attend the academy basics course and earn pay. Some say you can use the AATC to get in as staff, earn 52 weeks of experience, and then apply to FAA under prior experience bid.

 

[ajmezz]

From my research you still have to go through the Academy, this only saves you from taking the Basics course, costs $50k for 1 year as opposed to getting paid to attend the academy basics course and earn pay. Some say you can use the AATC to get in as staff, earn 52 weeks of experience, and then apply to FAA under prior experience bid.

The graduates from aatc that have gone through the academy have been picked up on ots bids. The company currently has 3 and soon to be 4 towers that they send their graduates to at a pretty steady rate to gain experience and move on to the FAA/other contract towers. Not a graduate but went to a similar school years ago and work at one of their towers currently. I'd say it's a solid program if the military isn't in the cards for you or you don't want to play the ots lottery.

 

[Alnando215]

update...got my facilty rating in tower control

 

[dominipino]

Don’t listen to your recruiter (like a lot of us did). When I was in I saw a couple people come through on the national call to service program which was a 15 mo enlistment....that’s it. They went to boot camp, A school then did a year at the facility. You just need to be in the books so you can prove to them you want that cto before you get out. https://www.thebalancecareers.com/two-year-enlistment-program-3332723

 

[Skykid91]

Don’t listen to your recruiter (like a lot of us did). When I was in I saw a couple people come through on the national call to service program which was a 15 mo enlistment....that’s it. They went to boot camp, A school then did a year at the facility. You just need to be in the books so you can prove to them you want that cto before you get out. https://www.thebalancecareers.com/two-year-enlistment-program-3332723

Would you consider a 2 year enlistment over a normal or 4 year one?

 

[NovemberEcho]

If you’re trying to go FAA, for you military experience to count you need 52 weeks POST Certification. You won’t get that on a 2 year enlistment.

 

[KeelowJay90]

I didn't say go to CTI school. I said go to a school that offers a cto.


Air Traffic Control School Air Traffic Controller Training / Academy / College - Advanced ATC Valdosta Georgia United States

is your best bet now

CCBC offers a tower program that offers a CTO, but in order to complete the program, you got to shell out a couple thousand bucks for a PPL as well. What from what I understand though, Advanced ATC at Valdosta will give you the ability to maintain currency and the ability to transfer towers across the southern region, which, you could probably just apply to an FCT or hit up some DynCorp job overseas.

 

[slater]

Perhaps off the street bid with 3 years work exp and skip military entirely if ur end game is FAA. get your seniority going asap.

 

[KeithDus]

much of Africa is ICAO class G airspace meaning uncontrolled with no ATC, so pilots have to provide their own separation. With low traffic volume and good weather its not necessarily dangerous -- many thousands of VFR aircraft in the U.S. fly around daily without separation from ATC for example -- but theres a limit, and it does get dangerous if visibility is limited. Its probably a lot more dangerous on the ground in some of those countries, though.