jetcareers - View Single Post

icephalt24 · April 26th, 2007, 11:55

I know i'm probably the least experienced person on the boards, but I'll take a whack at it since nobody has yet.

Off the street hiring is done by you showing up, taking at AT-SAT and if you pass you're put in a pool. They pick a number at random and they hire all those who have an SSN ending in that number who passed the AT-SAT. From what I hear they only do this at hard to staff facilities, generally level 12's like Memphis Center I believe is one, and from what I imagine and what I hear alot of people wash out since FAA training at OKC alone just doesn't seem to be enough for alot of people when they get thrown into the fire, especially at a level 12. It would be alot like going from zero time to ATP in 18 months and finding yourself type rated in a 737 flying for a major. Sure you have a piece of paper that says you can, but chances are you aren't really ready for it. That and actually getting picked up is a little like playing the lottery, if you've got the right number you win.

Were I you, I'd go to a CTI school which will pretty much assure you get hired after you graduate. I'd do some research, get the ATC career prep book put out by ASA by Patrick Mattson, see if it is for you and act on it if it is. If you wait until you are 29 to do anything about it, there is a good chance you wont actually get picked up until you are too old. Given your age and you are 4 years from the hiring cut off, I'd go to one of the 2 year ones since you have enough work experience and thus only need an AS anyway. If you have a bachelors you'll pretty much just take 3 to 5 classes depending on which one you go to not counting maybe a core class you never took the first time around and will be out in a year. If you have no previous college classes you can bang it all out in 2 years. There are 3 CTI schools offering 2 year programs, one in PA, on in Florida and one in Minnisota. For a part 121 pilot it won't be strenious course work by any means, but it seems like having that foundation before going to OKC makes a huge impact and turns the academy from a crash course into a fine tuning session since you've already had a year of runing problems etc in a similar setting.

April 26th, 2007, 11:55	#2
icephalt24 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 30	Re: Pilot to Controller? I know i'm probably the least experienced person on the boards, but I'll take a whack at it since nobody has yet. Off the street hiring is done by you showing up, taking at AT-SAT and if you pass you're put in a pool. They pick a number at random and they hire all those who have an SSN ending in that number who passed the AT-SAT. From what I hear they only do this at hard to staff facilities, generally level 12's like Memphis Center I believe is one, and from what I imagine and what I hear alot of people wash out since FAA training at OKC alone just doesn't seem to be enough for alot of people when they get thrown into the fire, especially at a level 12. It would be alot like going from zero time to ATP in 18 months and finding yourself type rated in a 737 flying for a major. Sure you have a piece of paper that says you can, but chances are you aren't really ready for it. That and actually getting picked up is a little like playing the lottery, if you've got the right number you win. Were I you, I'd go to a CTI school which will pretty much assure you get hired after you graduate. I'd do some research, get the ATC career prep book put out by ASA by Patrick Mattson, see if it is for you and act on it if it is. If you wait until you are 29 to do anything about it, there is a good chance you wont actually get picked up until you are too old. Given your age and you are 4 years from the hiring cut off, I'd go to one of the 2 year ones since you have enough work experience and thus only need an AS anyway. If you have a bachelors you'll pretty much just take 3 to 5 classes depending on which one you go to not counting maybe a core class you never took the first time around and will be out in a year. If you have no previous college classes you can bang it all out in 2 years. There are 3 CTI schools offering 2 year programs, one in PA, on in Florida and one in Minnisota. For a part 121 pilot it won't be strenious course work by any means, but it seems like having that foundation before going to OKC makes a huge impact and turns the academy from a crash course into a fine tuning session since you've already had a year of runing problems etc in a similar setting.