Academy Skippers

[hayashi310]

Hello, all!

I have just read this article: College Controller Grads To Skip FAA ATC Academy - AVweb

Basically, it states that the FAA will now be hiring new CTI grads direct acceptance into facilities without having to go through Academy at Mike Monroney. They would still have to pass ATSA and medical.

I hadn't heard anything about it from anyone yet, and am naturally very curious about how this works. Placement at facilities, for example?!

Anyone else with further deets? Naturally, all opinions are also welcome, haha. The sole CTI grad in our Academy cohort hadn't passed (and actually had shown a huge lack of effort the entire way through)... but that being said, I've heard that CTI schools in the country have a huge range in program quality and ability. I've gone on to meet some excellent trainees with CTI backgrounds, as well.

 

[Phillytroll69]

Hello, all!

I have just read this article: College Controller Grads To Skip FAA ATC Academy - AVweb

Basically, it states that the FAA will now be hiring new CTI grads direct acceptance into facilities without having to go through Academy at Mike Monroney. They would still have to pass ATSA and medical.

I hadn't heard anything about it from anyone yet, and am naturally very curious about how this works. Placement at facilities, for example?!

Anyone else with further deets? Naturally, all opinions are also welcome, haha. The sole CTI grad in our Academy cohort hadn't passed (and actually had shown a huge lack of effort the entire way through)... but that being said, I've heard that CTI schools in the country have a huge range in program quality and ability. I've gone on to meet some excellent trainees with CTI backgrounds, as well.

I believe this was the actual intent of the program. There are some great ones (beaver, embry) and some not great ones....no pointing fingers. (My tower class was shittily animated powerpoints versus beaver grads getting a literal cto a long time ago)

I find it hilarious that the faa nuked the requirement in 2011-2017? I can't imagine how bad some of these off shoots have become.
HOWEVER, various schools are basically the academy-the SAME map, the SAME non radar problems, the SAME terminal and en route problems. Some of those students didn't need it-they had already done it.

That said I think the smartest thing they could do is bridge the gap-you MUST complete the academy basics elms and a facility intro, map/sop/loa, BEFORE reporting. This demonstrates an ability and willingness to learn

Then some sort of ghost pilot->a side/flight data/tmu route checker [6 months with built in study/monitor/observation time]

->tower/tracon/enroute Sims and instruction for ALL positions.

->then you come to the cab/darkroom/floor to learn the rules...giving an ojti someone who has ZERO industry knowledge but had a 2 year cti cert and just learned what an airplane is...lol.

What concerns me about all this is diversity-the cti degree is a trade and minorities and women are SIGNIFICANTLY under represented, I mean Trish pointed it out on the report.

This is a great way for facilities to hire local people that want to stay AND evaluate the actual effectiveness of the academy.

What will actually happen-speculation only-a bunch of cti grads are going to get to pick nowhere close to home and be given a report day with no information and nothing to study. They'll then have X weeks to complete a local facility test and begin training.

Every other trade has residency/internships/etc we need to set a clear DEVELOPMENTAL MENTORSHIP program.

 

[skykid11]

I believe this was the actual intent of the program. There are some great ones (beaver, embry) and some not great ones....no pointing fingers. (My tower class was shittily animated powerpoints versus beaver grads getting a literal cto a long time ago)

I find it hilarious that the faa nuked the requirement in 2011-2017? I can't imagine how bad some of these off shoots have become.
HOWEVER, various schools are basically the academy-the SAME map, the SAME non radar problems, the SAME terminal and en route problems. Some of those students didn't need it-they had already done it.

That said I think the smartest thing they could do is bridge the gap-you MUST complete the academy basics elms and a facility intro, map/sop/loa, BEFORE reporting. This demonstrates an ability and willingness to learn

Then some sort of ghost pilot->a side/flight data/tmu route checker [6 months with built in study/monitor/observation time]

->tower/tracon/enroute Sims and instruction for ALL positions.

->then you come to the cab/darkroom/floor to learn the rules...giving an ojti someone who has ZERO industry knowledge but had a 2 year cti cert and just learned what an airplane is...lol.

What concerns me about all this is diversity-the cti degree is a trade and minorities and women are SIGNIFICANTLY under represented, I mean Trish pointed it out on the report.

This is a great way for facilities to hire local people that want to stay AND evaluate the actual effectiveness of the academy.

What will actually happen-speculation only-a bunch of cti grads are going to get to pick nowhere close to home and be given a report day with no information and nothing to study. They'll then have X weeks to complete a local facility test and begin training.

Every other trade has residency/internships/etc we need to set a clear DEVELOPMENTAL MENTORSHIP program.

They need to nuke the MMPI-2

 

[AB19]

They need to nuke the MMPI-2

We don't need more mentally unstable people there's already enough

 

[32andBelow]

Let them move and get settled in and then send them to the academy for a quicker rtf style class

 

[skykid11]

We don't need more mentally unstable people there's already enough

Or just updated to the newest version

 

[AB19]

They'd get even less people through with a harder MMPI lol

 

[boots]

We don't need more mentally unstable people there's already enough

Look at the people that run around with multiple accounts on here screaming raze nau and tell me we don’t need the mmpi

 

[ClearanceClarence]

I remember several years back when I was at the Academy, the CAMI mad scientists mentioned that statistically there was almost no difference in historical Academy pass/fail rates between OTS and CTI hires. Pass rates for enroute have traditionally fluctuated between 50-60% with terminal being slightly higher. This means one of two things: either A.) The FAA is about to place a ton of CTI hires directly into facilities who do not have the basic skills to be successful in this career or B.) They are admitting that the Academy is not an effective tool at weeding out hires who are less likely to succeed in OJT.

Either way you look at it, this is pretty a pretty fucked up “solution” to the staffing crisis.

 

[AB19]

Look at the people that run around with multiple accounts on here screaming raze nau and tell me we don’t need the mmpi

Make current controllers take the MMPI and the staffing would be cut by 25% or more

 

[DankVectorz]

B.) They are admitting that the Academy is not an effective tool at weeding out hires who are less likely to succeed in OJT.

It’s because all CTI does is spend 2-4 years teaching you how to pass the Academy when all you need is the Academy to pass it. Just reinforces that the skill set for this job is something you can do or you can’t.

 

[Foppery&Whim]

Make current controllers take the MMPI and the staffing would be cut by 25% or more

Make all controllers take the BIO-Q and 90% would fail and terminated.

 

[Dues For Booze]

Make all controllers take the BIO-Q and 90% would fail and terminated.

But the answer sheet and point values were released in a lawsuit discovery! Free Study Material!

 

[AB19]

Make all controllers take the BIO-Q and 90% would fail and terminated.

I already passed mine🥴

 

[32andBelow]

I already passed mine🥴

I failed 3 times 🫡

 

[AB19]

I failed 3 times 🫡

I always knew you were racist

 

[TushingPin]

Look at the people that run around with multiple accounts on here screaming raze nau and tell me we don’t need the mmpi

Don't say that. People get really offended!

 

[Redacted]

It’s because all CTI does is spend 2-4 years teaching you how to pass the Academy when all you need is the Academy to pass it. Just reinforces that the skill set for this job is something you can do or you can’t.

Do you think the academy is a good metric of success at an actual facility?

 

[DankVectorz]

Do you think the academy is a good metric of success at an actual facility?

Well, something like 40% of academy grads washout so no?

CTI should be like a certificate course offered at the community college and just mirrors the Academy so the FAA can outsource the academy backlog OR it needs to be standardized and go a lot more in depth than just teaching the Academy curriculum if it’s going to stay as a degree program. A CTI grad should be able to walk in day 1 and figure out a 6 7 10 with ambiguous element without assistance at the least.

 

[BDUB]

Well, something like 40% of academy grads washout so no?

CTI should be like a certificate course offered at the community college and just mirrors the Academy so the FAA can outsource the academy backlog OR it needs to be standardized and go a lot more in depth than just teaching the Academy curriculum if it’s going to stay as a degree program.

Just make the CTI schools feed in to the nearest contract facility and boom you’ve created pipelines throughout the NAS of controllers that have CTO’s. Then those controllers eventually move on to the faa after having a year experience and everyone wins. Did I just solve the entire hiring process in 5 minutes?