Has Anyone Done Advanced ATC?

[littleloogy]

Has anyone Attended this school? Air Traffic Control School Air Traffic Controller Training / Academy / College - Advanced ATC Valdosta Georgia United States
I was considering attening this school. It was not under the FAA's list of approved schools. I was wondering what I would expect after graduating from that school. Thanks!

 

[Pants81]

i have never heard of it but I would be careful if its not on the faa approved list. Check out the FAA cti schools on the left hand side and choose a school from there if you can.

 

[MTCTIGUY]

This isn't a CTI school. I believe that it is a program where you earn a CTO at Valdosta's airport. If your looking to get done with school quick, try one of the two year CTI programs. If you have some time however, go for a four year program with a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree will definintly help if you ever want to move into management or get another job.

 

[Rosstafari]

It's pretty much like the Link school in Denison, Texas. You get a CTO, but no CTI. In other words, you're still in the OTS group after graduating, and will have to apply with no background experience.

I wouldn't recommend it. If you're looking to go to a school before applying, take a shot at CTI.

 

[littleloogy]

Thanks guys. This helps a little. I am just trying to figure out the best way to go. I am thinking about going to the School in calif, Mt. San Antonio, Has anyone went to that school?

 

[MTCTIGUY]

I always heard that Mt. SAC is a pretty good school. Good luck!

 

[blakeh]

Thanks guys. This helps a little. I am just trying to figure out the best way to go. I am thinking about going to the School in calif, Mt. San Antonio, Has anyone went to that school?

Im sure its a good school. Although, Ive also heard that they dont have any sims. I would def say if your going to CTI school to make sure it has a sim. Otherwise whats the point?

Im at Aims Community College and were getting a brand new sim this summer. Kinda excited!

 

[ATCtower]

Being that Advanced ATC and the L3 School are ?Private ?schools?, it is very likely that you will never see them listed under the FAA website. Per FAA Policy Bulletin #48, the FAA now can hire an individual who poses a CTO with a facility rating which, our students will have provided they pass the CTO written Exam and Hands-On Evaluation which is administered by an FAA CTO Examiner. They may be hired under the CTO Announcement which is currently open (Not necessarily under the Off-The-Street Announcement). They will attend the FAA Academy for 37 days as a temporary employee prior to going on to their tower where they will transition to a permanent employee status but with 1 year probation. The benefit to both the L3 program and ours is that we both have small classes giving students great quality training and the whole process of receiving a CTO is shortened to a 10-12 months. A student could very well attend a CTI school, graduate, wait to go to the Academy and in that time, a graduate from AATC could have been in a tower, in a position with two (2) years under their belt making $+++++. As far as experience goes, working in a live tower for 6 months during our program will provide experience that a CTI stand alone school could not in a classroom environment. I am not saying that one is better than the other just stating the obvious that they are (2) different programs and produce (2) different results. I would agree that getting a degree is important for anyone but, it is not needed to be hired as a Controller in the FAA today.

I love picking apart words... I would have a very hard time going to a school whose "spokesperson" doesnt know the difference between "poses" and "possesses" but that is just me. The two biggest problems I have with these type of schools is that 1. they are NOT on the FAA approved list. So what if they are private, if the FAA recognizes them as a legitimate CTI school, they would be on the list. 2. They charge a F****** fortune! I have heard costs as high as 65-70k to go through. I paid out of state tuition in Miami and tuition was only about $12,000.

My $.02

 

[Davo]

Correct me if I am wrong but I did not think ERAU was a state owned school which would make it private. Am I wrong? Why does the FAA care if schools are public or private as long as they meet the FAA training requirements. I am at GRCC and yes it is a community college but it is regulated by the FAA and they regularly remind us of this. They have certain criteria they are required to teach us and test us on. Just today our instructor informed some students that were attending a dispatch class on the wait list they were not going to be allowed to attend class any more because we have a set class size limit. Why would a school not want to be FAA certified if they could meet the requirements?

 

[noid]

The only thing I would say about it not being on the "approved list" has nothing to do with it being a private school, but that it is not providing a degree program. Therefore it is not a CTI school, which is all the FAA "approved list" is about.

I would call HR and ask them the specifics behind the CTO announcement to verify it. I have not noticed where you had to maintain currency for any certain amount of time, but that you just needed a CTO for that specific announcement. I could be wrong, but these schools seem to offer another option that might be valid.

I would encrourage anyone thinking about these types of schools to check it out first.

 

[noid]

FWIW, I talked to the manager out there about Advanced ATC. I was told the program is 52 weeks, but I'm not sure if I heard him correctly on this one. Plans are for 4 students per class, with a new class starting each month except Nov and Dec. I asked if someone got a CTO and wasn't hired by anyone, if they had the option of maintaining currency at the tower, and was told that the procedures are not finalized yet but that is one possibilities that they hope to implement. Overall seems to be a legit operation to me, but it's up to whoever has the money to spend.

 

[Wilco1]

Took advanced ATCIII at CCBC. Good class, went over the basics, En-Route and Terminal. Enjoy

 

[MTCTIGUY]

Took advanced ATCIII at CCBC. Good class, went over the basics, En-Route and Terminal. Enjoy

LOL, the original post was about a CTO training school in Valdosta, GA.

 

[Neuroav8R]

I personally think Advanced ATC is just in it for the money. There are schools out there that have been around for a long time and that cost much less. Minneapolis community Technical College is one of the schools that has been around for a while and the sims are the same (I have been told, don't know this 1st hand) as the ones you will use in Oklahoma City. I chose to go to an approved CTI school that had been around for a while and had good statistics placing their CTI grads. Although, I have to admit I was considering Aims in Colorado but it was to expensive with the out of state tuition. Good luck!

 

[jl_aatc]

I'm a student at Advanced ATC. I have completed the majority of my course work and have been training at the local tower for a month now. I have taken my CTO (score=97), passed my LAWRS test, and I have qualified on Flight Data. I have been training on ground and local combined for a week now. Seeing how there is only two of us in the tower training, I haven't had much sim time lately, but the plan is to spend a couple of days in the tower and the rest at the school in the newest Adacel 315 degree sim. This is a great program because we are getting 6 months of tower training. How many CTI schools can offer that? Don't get me wrong, Im not dogging any other school out there. The US needs the next generation of controllers asap with the right training and background! I think that graduating from this program will open sooo many doors! Feel free to ask questions....

 

[rogersjf]

So from what i gather from everyones postings is that this school is not CTI and you get a CTO and work at a private tower. I mean it sounds like a great route for learning but what is the point??

How many CTI schools can offer that? Don't get me wrong, Im not dogging any other school out there. The US needs the next generation of controllers asap with the right training and background! I think that graduating from this program will open sooo many doors! Feel free to ask questions....

Many CTI schools offer sims, and some have there own towers my only sticking point to this thread is that the school is not CTI. So the only way to apply for ATC is Pubnat and CTO. Both which get picked up after VRA and CTI, the CTO is not a bad route to go(EXTRA MONEY) but a lot worse i think due to the fact you get selected after CTI and you have no choice on your location. So have fun in a level 6,7,8 where they cannot get anyone to go.

 

[jl_aatc]

Yes, the program is expensive for just one year but check out UGA's out of state tuition cost for just one year....$36,210 and in state is...$18,000. Im sure you can do the math on your own. The great thing about aatc is that for just ONE year you do nothing but air traffic control. No math, science, or english...just atc. And after you finish the majority of the course work you get to work in a real tower controlling airplanes for at least 6 months and you take your CTO exam and LAWRS! Tell me somewhere else that this opportunity is given? Wouldn't you rather have 6 months of controlling and ALL the basics and background needed BEFORE you go to your first facitliy?? I dont know about you but I would rather pay $50,000 and come into the FAA more prepared than a student from a CTI school. Once again, I respect any school trying to put out new controllers, but I want the most for the money I pay.
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[arg3b]

Why pay $50,000 and have about the same chance of getting a job as an OTS applicant? CTI students have a way better shot of getting a job, even with a low 70s AT-SAT score, than anyone without a CTI or veteran background. However, as a graduate of the Advanced ATC program, in the FAA's eyes, you will be treated as an off the street applicant.

Also, why do you say you will be more prepared than a CTI student? Where are your facts? How many of Advanced ATC graduates have gone to the Academy and passed? Which facilities do your graduates work at? Im sorry, but the FAA does not recognize this program, and this sounds like a huge rip-off.

 

[Pavel]

I always heard that Mt. SAC is a pretty good school. Good luck!

Mt.Sac is the worst school up there, they don't even have radar scopes to train on and it's in LA this means traffic and expensive life. I had a friend who went there and he wasn't so happy about this school. I would defiantly recommend going to Green river Community College in Auburn Wa.

 

[shibbyromes]

Correct me if I am wrong but I did not think ERAU was a state owned school which would make it private. Am I wrong? Why does the FAA care if schools are public or private as long as they meet the FAA training requirements. I am at GRCC and yes it is a community college but it is regulated by the FAA and they regularly remind us of this. They have certain criteria they are required to teach us and test us on. Just today our instructor informed some students that were attending a dispatch class on the wait list they were not going to be allowed to attend class any more because we have a set class size limit. Why would a school not want to be FAA certified if they could meet the requirements?

I attended ERAU. Yes it is private and Yes it is a FAA CTI school. You are correct. I don't believe being private/public has anything to do with CTI.