Hired - On the other end of the radio!

Bigey

Bigey

Well-Known Member
So I've stayed lurking since I've been so busy but I've been trying to keep up with each of your stories and recent hires/upgrades. Its amazing to see how much progress everyone has made. I figure I'd throw in my tidbit of news as well --

Starting August 22nd, I'll be in OKC for the FAA ATC Academy. Some may have remembered when I first started the process back in 2008. I get to firmly say, after 8 years, I have been conditionally hired (praying to pass OKC). It has been nothing short of the most wild ride these past 8 years including leaving the aviation industry altogether, working for corporate America - hating it, then opening up my own business. Luckily, I have an amazing business partner who will continue to run the business as I pursue this dream of mine since I was a kid.

I want to give a big shout out to Doug and Kristie for this website and the friendships and family I've made as a direct result. I literally, wouldn't be where I'm at if it wasn't for the connections I've made from here. I'd also like to thank each and everyone one of you who helped make this dream a reality.

For those of you interested, I'm thinking of keeping a blog of my experience at the academy. For the inner ATC nerds or those familiar with the ATC Process, I've been assigned En-Route. Hopefully soon enough, you'll hear me on a center frequency.

That is all. :)
 
Congratz. I went through the academy in 85 and washed. Only 4 in my class of 20 passed. I've heard things changed a lot but be sure to work your butt off.
 
Please do keep up updated if you have the time ... I've always been curious how ATC training works.
 
Bigey said:
Some may have remembered when I first started the process back in 2008
Click to expand...

I do in fact remember, but at that time I was under the name ATLTRACON and was a Moderator.

Good luck in OKC and at your first facility. Study like you've never studied before and listen and watch the seasoned controllers. Show interest, as they are judging you from the minute you walk into the facility to gauge as to whether to take the extra time with you. You'd be surprised the amount of times in my last half-dozen years or so, before I retired from A80, that new hires have walked in like their %^# don't stink and in the end, they wash out. Good Luck
 
DE727UPS said:
Congratz. I went through the academy in 85 and washed. Only 4 in my class of 20 passed. I've heard things changed a lot but be sure to work your butt off.
Click to expand...

That was in fact a much different time. Went through in '86 and out of appx 430, 140 of us made it. Back then it was a pass/fail system and I had a roommate that failed with a 69.9% and was sent packing back to FL. Ive never studied so hard in my life, but now I believe that the pass/fail has been pushed to the facilities themselves and OKC is just a primer to ATC.
 
Good to hear. I worked very hard and was committed. The graded problems the last few days were just overwhelming. I ended up with a 68 or so and they offered me an ATA job at LAX tracon which I did for less than a year. It was a really cool experience I wouldn't trade for anything. All the FPL's highly suggested flying was a better career choice. I ended up getting back into the cockpit and the rest is history. Best thing that ever happened to me was washing out of the academy....
 
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