ATC aptitude?

[wrxpilot]

Just wondering what it takes to be an air traffic controller... It seems like it could be a pretty good job, but I'm not sure what sort of skills/natural abilities you need. Do you need a photographic memory? Why do people washout of ATC programs? Is being a pilot a huge advantage or just a minor benefit? Is there any sort of ATC aptitude test available?

Hopefully some of you controllers out there (Vector4Fun?) can point me in the right direction. Thanks!

 

[flatspin7]

First of all most of the controllers I know (I do know quite a few) all have at least a privates... but that is becuase UND's ATC program required it... I have met an hear from a number of controllers that are not pilots at all.

That being Said.. there are only 2 ways to be an Air Traffic Controller the first is to be a controller in the Military and the second way is to go to college spefically in an ATC program... There are not a lot of schools that do this, the ones I know are UND, ERAU, Daniel Webster, Beaver Community College (not kidding).. I think Texas Southern and Averett University in Virginia have programs but I really dont know any specifics.


As for what it really takes... basically to get hired you need a fairly decent GPA and you also have to pass a Aptitude test... it used to be called the OPM but I think its been changed in the past few years.

Thats really all I know .... If you want more info try to get in touch with Gary Bartelson at UND... He is the head of the program there and an overall good guy. Hope this helps.

 

[wrxpilot]

As for what it really takes... basically to get hired you need a fairly decent GPA and you also have to pass a Aptitude test... it used to be called the OPM but I think its been changed in the past few years.

Thats really all I know .... If you want more info try to get in touch with Gary Bartelson at UND... He is the head of the program there and an overall good guy. Hope this helps.

That's about the same as I've heard too. It's not something I've really considered until recently, but I figure why not consider all the options. Seems pretty crazy for people to take an aptitude test AFTER they've already signed up for an ATC program (or even graduated).

I will have my inst rating this spring and already have a 4 yr engineering degree w/ a 3.5 gpa. Not sure if that'd make a difference or not though...

 

[check6]

After those tests, once you are selected you have to get at least a 2nd class Medical, background check, and Psychological Evaluation.

 

[timeoff]

Just wondering what it takes to be an air traffic controller

The ability to handle funky schedules, stress, azzhole sups, politics, govt women/minority preference just because, crybaby pilots complaining to the chief, forced OT and......well those are just a couple of nuggets I got from my father over the years.

Great money, we just never saw our father growing up. Holidays, nights, whatever. He was always working.

 

[gkrangers]

The ability to handle funky schedules, stress, azzhole sups, politics, govt women/minority preference just because, crybaby pilots complaining to the chief, forced OT and......well those are just a couple of nuggets I got from my father over the years.

Great money, we just never saw our father growing up. Holidays, nights, whatever. He was always working.

So like a pilot, except better money and benefits.

 

[Say Again Over]

Great money, we just never saw our father growing up. Holidays, nights, whatever. He was always working.

Ya that's because they make double or triple pay on the holidays, lol.

 

[jeroom]

There are 14 schools that propose the ATC course, it's a 2 years program (AS I think). you have to be below 30 when hired and a US citizen, clean record, no DUI and stuff like that. Go check the ATC association website, you'll find all the infos you're looking for.
http://www.natca.com

 

[MarineGrunt]

List of approved schools:

http://www.faa.gov/jobs/employment_information/special_hiring_programs/air_traffic_cti/approved_atcti_schools/

If I could find one where about 90% can be completed by distance learning, I'd do it, but I highly doubt there is.

 

[smellthejeta]

Why do people washout of ATC programs?

The programs are a joke, it's the OKC academy you should worry about.

Is being a pilot a huge advantage or just a minor benefit? Is there any sort of ATC aptitude test available?

I think that a pilot background is more beneficial during training at OKC than anything else. On the job, it depends on your experience and your job assignment more than anything. For instance, I fly C172's in and out of smaller airports. If I get assigned to a Center (like I did) I'm going to have very little familiarity with high altitude stuff like jets and how jets deal with weather. If I get stuck at a large tracon/tower, I'm going to have to deal with 121 rules (which are completely different than GA stuff). If I get stuck in a small class D tower, I'm going to know everything there is to know about how GA pilots think and operate in my airspace.

Aptitude test? Now a computer based simulation (among other things) known as the AT-SAT. There is no demo version available AFAIK.

 

[smellthejeta]

That being Said.. there are only 2 ways to be an Air Traffic Controller the first is to be a controller in the Military and the second way is to go to college spefically in an ATC program...

Wrong answer. There is a third, but it's really spotty -- over the last few months, several ARTCC"s have held "job fairs" where they have hired people directly from the street without doing the college thing.

As for what it really takes... basically to get hired you need a fairly decent GPA and you also have to pass a Aptitude test... it used to be called the OPM but I think its been changed in the past few years.

The term "OPM" is slang... OPM stands for the Office of Personnel Management, which is the bureaucratic office in Washington, DC that handles personnel matters. Somewhere along the way, title of the test just got abbreviated to "OPM." In July '05, they began administering a computer based aptitude test called the AT-SAT. That has a few interactive simulations as well as some other static aptitude tests.

 

[smellthejeta]

After those tests, once you are selected you have to get at least a 2nd class Medical, background check, and Psychological Evaluation.

Technically speaking, you get an ATCS medical, not a second class medical. The difference is that it IS a different test processed through different people administered by specific AME's. Not all AME's can do an ATCS medical. Not all waivers/SODAs for flying are acceptable for ATC.

 

[smellthejeta]

That's about the same as I've heard too. It's not something I've really considered until recently, but I figure why not consider all the options. Seems pretty crazy for people to take an aptitude test AFTER they've already signed up for an ATC program (or even graduated).

I will have my inst rating this spring and already have a 4 yr engineering degree w/ a 3.5 gpa. Not sure if that'd make a difference or not though...

If you go the college route, you absolutely must attend one of the 14 schools and get a degree within the guidelines of their ATC program. Prior college is only useful in waiving coursework towards your new degree.

 

[smellthejeta]

There are 14 schools that propose the ATC course, it's a 2 years program (AS I think). you have to be below 30 when hired and a US citizen, clean record, no DUI and stuff like that. Go check the ATC association website, you'll find all the infos you're looking for.
http://www.natca.com

Of the 14 schools, four of them are community colleges and offer a 2 year AS program. The rest are four year schools, and AFAIK, only 1 of them has a 2 year option. The rest require you to complete a four year degree.

 

[MarineGrunt]

Smellthejeta - Can you post or PM me information about these career fairs? I would love to go the ATC route, but unfortunately I do not have the time/money to go back to school.

Thanks!

 

[PC800]

...information about these career fairs?

A Google search found a lot of info on ATC hiring (including the job fairs) on this site:

http://www.obapseast.com/faa.htm


FWIW, I switched from a pilot career to a controller career in 1974-- and it turned out to be the best move I ever made.

 

[MarineGrunt]

Thanks! I'd appreciate any other help or advice your ATC guys can offer!

 

[MarineGrunt]

A Google search found a lot of info on ATC hiring (including the job fairs) on this site:

http://www.obapseast.com/faa.htm


FWIW, I switched from a pilot career to a controller career in 1974-- and it turned out to be the best move I ever made.

Very educating link, however all of the career fair dates have passed.

 

[smellthejeta]

I sent Marine Grunt a PM telling him the fairs are poorly organized. I think my point is proven when 1) M.G. missed all the job fairs and didn't even know it, 2) The Organization of Black Airline Pilots is the link on the web with the most information, and 3) Even with the dates published in the .doc, there's still no way to know where to go to take the test. In LA, they goofed and never publicized it.

 

[wrxpilot]

I sent Marine Grunt a PM telling him the fairs are poorly organized. I think my point is proven when 1) M.G. missed all the job fairs and didn't even know it, 2) The Organization of Black Airline Pilots is the link on the web with the most information, and 3) Even with the dates published in the .doc, there's still no way to know where to go to take the test. In LA, they goofed and never publicized it.

The ATC thing seems pretty whacky to me, particularly since I'm already 28. I think I'll continue the engineering thing while pushing the pilot thing on the side. If things work out for flying, great. Otherwise I've got my backup. Thanks for all the useful info everyone!