Frequently Asked Questions  

 

Q. Is your College an FAA approved school? 

A. The term " FAA Approved School" is associated with the traditional "College Training Initiative" (CTI) program. Our training program is known as a "CTO" program. The CTO or Control Tower Operator program is a one year technical certificate program that complies with the Federal Aviation Regulations "FAR Part 65" and FAA orders. In order for a student to complete this program they will have to meet all the requirements of FAR Part 65 and satisfactorily pass an FAA facility rating by an "FAA Designated Examiner".  Once they satisfactorily complete the facility rating the FAA will issue a "Control Tower Operator" certificate.  The FAA is the issuing authority for all CTO certificates.

 

Q. Are your Instructors certified by the FAA?

 A. All of our instructors that are qualified in the Control Tower have a CTO certificate issued by the FAA. Our instructors average over 30 years of Air Traffic Control experience.

 

Q. Is a college degree required for employment as an Air Traffic Controller?

 A. No, the air traffic career field is a technical skill. No amount of education will make you a qualified controller. The skills required are much like a race car driver who has excellent hand/eye coordination with instantaneous decision making abilities. Controllers must be able to communicate precisely while simultaneously typing on a small keyboard and write on small pieces of paper and make split second accurate decisions. This is why AATC developed this program, we take students with no experience and provide a full year of technical training by developing their skill sets to work in a variety of control towers throughout the nation.

 

Q.  Am I required to complete any flight training before entering your program?

 A. No, it is not necessary to have any flight training before beginning our ATC program. We do not require students to spend up to $10,000 dollars on unnecessary pilot training.

 

Q. How much does this Air Traffic Training program cost?

A. The tuition cost of the program is $50,000.  This may seem like a lot, but if you put it in perspective, you will spend this much money just in room and board if you were to attend a four year college program.  Additionally, your first year earnings as a qualified Air Traffic Controller will be in the low $40's.

 

Q. Do you have any financing options?

A. Our preferred lending institutions offer a deferred repayment program.  Payments are deferred for 18 months.  This gives you an opportunity to complete the program and begin your career before you have to start making payments.

 

 Q. What is the difference in a CTI program and a CTO program, like yours? 

A. A CTI school agrees to teach a course titled Air Traffic Control Basics.  This is accomplished by adding the lesson objectives to various academic courses taught at that institution. In the CTO program our focus is on technical training. We teach the Air Traffic Control Basics objectives the FAA requires of CTI programs as well, but we accomplish this in the first 5 weeks of the CTO program.  Additionally, with a CTO program when you successfully complete the program you are a fully qualified "Air Traffic Controller" with a CTO certificate issued by a FAA Designated Examiner.