Advise please?

pdaddis

New Member
I'm going to preface this by saying that this is going to be way too long, but I hope to be thorough in explaining my story and issue. I have recently become a member to the growing community of violin sob stories that involves me being laid off and now looking for a new direction. While looking for immediate work to support my family, I am also looking into training/schooling to go towards new career opportunities. That's where ATC comes in. I have done research over the last couple of days and I now wish I would have been introduced to this career sooner. The potential has me very excited. I have spent hours online and have called the FAA and a university that offers CTI training in my area(Good info from FAA, just not specifics. No response yet from CTI). Unfortunately, it appears as though I may be too late. That's why I'm writing this in hopes of some quick guidance from experienced people, because I feel time is of the essence. I have zero experience, so I believe my only options are CTI or OTS. Next, I'm 28, turning 29 in November. Which pretty much takes me out of CTI because I don't believe I have enough time to finish the training. Unless there is a fast track way that I don't know of. Which leaves me with OTS. When I spoke to FAA, the gentleman said that he does not know when there may be another public announcement but he's sure it wouldn't be until at least next year, and from the tone of the forums, it appears as though the OTS route is a couple year process as well. So I guess after all that rambling, I'm just wondering if someone with some useful info would help me get a definitive answer. If I can put in the hard work, is it even possible? If so, what would be my best course of action? Or is it just a pipe dream, and should I just forget about it? I know I'm ignorant, but I'm a good man just looking for some advise. Thank You.
 
Ok nine times out of ten I am going to be kinder to you in my response then some others because this type of question and problem comes up pretty often in here and the guys tend to get tired of repeating themselves which is of course not your fault.

With that being said, yes it is too late to go CTI considering that you have to receive a TOL before your 31st birthday. And even if you graduated in 1 1/2 years you would not have time to get that far in the process in 6 months.

Your other 2 options (yes 2 more) are that you can just wait, hope, and pray that there is another OTS announcement and apply then, cross your fingers that you at least get your TOL in time. in your case who the hell cares if you sit and wait for a class date for another year at least you got your TOL.

Oh your other option of course would be joining the military.... don't know as much about that but you could go into the military for it, do your time and then try to get hired as a VRA or whatever its called....

On a side note, because this is such a trick bag situation/occupation don't put all your eggs, hopes, dreams, and aspirations into this. Make sure that while you may try for this that you look into other viable options for you and your family.

Good luck and I hope this helped even a little bit......
 
Thank you srm1734, I appreciate it. Yeah, I have noticed that the experienced people on forums can lose their patience with "noobs" like me, and I don't blame them. I have tried to go through here and get as much info as I could, but I began wondering if there was something I may be missing and how would I know if I was missing it. Know what I mean? I feel as if time isn't on my side and I also don't want to waste it if it's just not possible. As far as the military option, I had originally ruled that out, because quite honestly, I have never seen myself in the military. The more I think about it though, considering the future opportunity that would come with it, maybe it is an option worth looking into. Thanks again.
 
There are some fast track and online CTI programs out there. You get your degree in 1-1.5 years. You would have to do some resaerch to find where they are. If you try the "the other site," you'll be able to visit the CTI forum and ask. CTI applicants have been known to get hired quicker than OTS (not always, but their timeline is usually shorter than OTS).

Military route requires you to be hired by the FAA before your 31st birthday as well, unless you are a retired miltary or a retired DOD controller. I don't know the max age for a retired military controller. The "other site" has a fourm for that too.
 
Yeah, I'm learning more and more, and it appears that my only realistic option is to hope for another PUBNAT. Even then, it's not all that realistic. I just showed up to the party too late. Pretty disheartening. Thanks all for your time and info.
 
Ok, a couple things:

I have heard (or read somewhere) of people finishing CTI schools in 6 months if they already had some sort of degree. The CTI awards an associates degree, if you already have a degree I believe you only have to take the CTI courses, not the general education that goes along with it (if your credits transfer).

As far as the military route goes, you are too old to become an officer (which if you are trying to do ATC you don't want to be anyway), but if you want to enlist, the age is higher with waivers. As far as I know the only requirements for a waiver are to be able to make weight and pass a fitness test. Another downside to the military route is for ATC the minimum enlistment is probably going to be 6 years or possibly longer. Also, there are different transitions with the FAA (not just VRA). I believe VRA has a minimum age requirement too, but I am not sure on that one.

If I am wrong, plz forgive me, but these were the impressions I got after reading a ton of stuff, though it has been a while since I've read those things.
 
There's no 6 month CTI track. The shortest one available is Vaughn's one calendar year program (and maybe CCBC? can't recall). Even then, the time that give you between CTI completion and selection panels isn't enough.

Same goes for OTS. Even if one opened up today, you wouldn't have enough time to get selected.

Tough break, man. Look into dispatch if you'd like a somewhat similar career. Or you could get really enthusiastic about a UNICOM...
 
I am a CTI grad. I had a professor who used to teach at the U. of North Dakota. I could be wrong, but I think he said the do, or maybe did, offer a fast track type program.

Your other option would be to try to simply apply as an off the street candidate. It's much tougher this way, and they tend to close that option off as they get backed up out at OKC, but it's worth a shot. Try to find some training aids and get a copy of the 7110.65 and study up as much as you can first. Maybe even take a lower level CTI course first.

Another option could be reserve ATC. You could get certified and get a VRA appointment that way, possibly before you turn 31.

It's a looong process either way. I've been waiting a year and a half for a class date and was just told it wouldn't be until at least 2012.
 
I am a CTI grad. I had a professor who used to teach at the U. of North Dakota. I could be wrong, but I think he said the do, or maybe did, offer a fast track type program.

Your other option would be to try to simply apply as an off the street candidate. It's much tougher this way, and they tend to close that option off as they get backed up out at OKC, but it's worth a shot. Try to find some training aids and get a copy of the 7110.65 and study up as much as you can first. Maybe even take a lower level CTI course first.

Another option could be reserve ATC. You could get certified and get a VRA appointment that way, possibly before you turn 31.

It's a looong process either way. I've been waiting a year and a half for a class date and was just told it wouldn't be until at least 2012.

Don't mean to be a downer, but there's a lot of problems in there:

1. There's no short/fast track CTI program at UND. It is a great program, though.
2. There hasn't been an OTS opening for over a year now, and there's been no indication that there'll be another one soon. Even if there was one, your knowledge of the FARs and a CTI class won't make a difference in selection -- it's not how the process works -- and there wouldn't be enough time for it to happen.
3. VRA applications require a minimum of 52 weeks experience working traffic. Even if you leave out a 4 or 6 year commitment, there's no way for an almost 29 year old to fit that in, let alone have enough time for the application.

Fact of the matter is, unless you can start the actual application at the beginning of 29 years of age, you're not going to make it in through the OTS or CTI routes. Possibly mid to late 29 as VRA. In all three cases, it's a stretch at best. RMC, DOD, REINST, ex-PATCO... those are all different stories. But hardly any of them are knocking around in the employment advice forums.
 
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