OTS success stories

[tylerowens]

Anyone willing to share their off-the-street to CPC (or somewhere in-between) story?

Where were you before you decided to try for a career with the FAA? Did you have any prior knowledge of ATC? How much? Did you jump from another career? Leave your family at home while taking off for the academy?

I'm of the OTS variety and currently working through the long process to a academy date. I have a decent career, family, home and no ATC knowledge whatsoever. The idea of jumping off my current route is a scary one and I'm not much of a risk taker. I'd love to hear some success stories from people in similar situations to get my pumped up.

Or, hell, failure stories are great too.

 

[GulfBravoPapa]

Literally thousands of off the street applicants make it. You think of a story, it has probably happened. Both positive and negative. People can't make this decision for you. You need to decide yourself if you are will to risk your current job and your current situation for this job. At one point you thought so, because you applied.

 

[Thedarkone]

Anyone willing to share their off-the-street to CPC (or somewhere in-between) story?

Where were you before you decided to try for a career with the FAA? Did you have any prior knowledge of ATC? How much? Did you jump from another career? Leave your family at home while taking off for the academy?

I'm of the OTS variety and currently working through the long process to a academy date. I have a decent career, family, home and no ATC knowledge whatsoever. The idea of jumping off my current route is a scary one and I'm not much of a risk taker. I'd love to hear some success stories from people in similar situations to get my pumped up.

Or, hell, failure stories are great too.

I was OTS, had a bachelors in sociology and a private pilot license. I was a GL-7 with the department of justice and had absolutely no idea what ATC was aside from the tower I talked to once on my solo cross country lol. My buddy from college was a corporate pilot and told me to go for it. I applied in 2015 got a class date in feb of 2016. When I went down to OKC I kept my head down and ears open, studied a lot and worried even more haha. I left my 1 and 3 year old at home with the wife and got through the academy. I selected a level 6 up down off the list and certified this past dec. This was the best decision I feel ive ever made. I wish you luck at the academy and whatever facility you end up at!

 

[HenryTheAce]

I was flight instructing and sitting right seat in a king air/hawker. Some buddies at the flight school told me to apply to the FAA and that they were having the first OTS application in years (OTS 2014 bid). I didn’t even want to be an ATC’er but a buddy and I got caught at the flight school late so I rocked through the application process. They wanted me to do the ATSAT in Chicago, I only went to rage over the weekend with my cousin. Next thing I know they’re calling me for OKC. After bouncing back and forth about it I decided to go, I can always back to flying, my certs don’t expire, was the main driving factor, to at least try it. After multiple times bouncing back and forth over if I made the right decision for the past 2.5yrs I finally got CPC at a level 11 center. It’s a fun job, definitely glad I took the plunge and went out on a limb. My advice is if you have the opportunity do it, it doesn’t come often for a lot of people and you won’t be sitting there wondering what if. If you don’t make it it’s not the end of the world. Like skynyrd’s Mom says in simple man, “troubles will come, and they will pass” - note - currently jamming to this song as I write this

 

[Terry]

no college degree, no knowledge of air traffic control prior to starting the academy. I drove down to OKC knowing what an airport, an airplane and a control tower were, and that was pretty much it. In for 8 years making well north of 100k a year. No complaints.

 

[Southern]

I have a friend who was OTS. A family member of his was an ATC but this guy couldn’t tell you the first thing about anything FAA or ATC related, he applied in 2015 the last bid they used the ATSAT, got in to OKC no problem. While he was up there his wife gave birth to their first born and had to miss the birth.

This guy worked harder, studied harder, probably cried harder than he ever had before and passed the academy, he’s now on his way to CPC and he’s actually the reason I applied for this job in the July bid.

 

[Mike Kilo]

I applied in 07 without a clue what the job was. I have no college and no aviation experience. I didn’t even know what terminal vs enroute was. Prior to the FAA I framed houses, so it wasn’t a hard decision to take a shot at ATC. I can always go back to being a laborer lol. Best gamble I ever took. I had to fly myself for the west coast to Hartford CT for the ATSAT with no idea what the test entailed. Somehow passed with flying colors and ended up at a small up down. Perfect place for a new guy to learn the job. Love the career and most of the people in it. Good luck!

 

[DL0509]

When i applied as OTS i knew ATC were the dudes in the tower at the airport, i have always been interested and even considered going the CTI route. As a high school senior i knew that getting a CTI degree was way too expensive so i went for a CJ degree and ended up working for DAL for 7 years. I gave up that career making 80k+ a year left the wife and daughter behind and went to OKC for tower class. If I had gotten a TOL for enroute i wouldnt have left my previous job as the washout rates were too high at the time, and i didnt want to be in a dark souless room all day.

 

[BrocolliRob]

Off the street. Applied in August 2016 and finished the academy mid December 2017. Currently at a level 5 up/down.

I was an investment analyst with a masters in business administration. Stumbled across ATC and life outside of a cube seemed like a pretty good option. I knew I wouldn’t be making a ton of money right off the bat but the pension was enough of a selling point to take the risk.

So far I’m really happy with my decision. Left my 1 year old and fiancée back home while I was at the academy, that part was rough but we’re all back together and enjoying life in a new city.

Good luck, work hard and keep your ears open and you’ll be fine. For what it’s worth, all the OTS guys in my class made it through.

 

[GMX]

I went to college for architecture and graphic design for about 3 years but never graduated. I worked for the TSA (a soul draining job) and met a controller who liked to hang out in the terminal.

Around 2005 he told me there would be big OTS hiring in a few years (due to PATCO strike people retiring) and I should apply. I was like, "Yeah, right." but I always remembered one thing he said: he pointed at a janitorial services guy emptying the trash and said, "There's a part of your brain that can do this job or not. That guy emptying the trash could be better at ATC than I'll ever be, but we'll never know". I almost gave up on my application halfway through, but his words were key to my completion.

True to his word, in 2007 there was an OTS bid specific to my state. I applied and was invited to take the ATSAP in my own hometown. I scored high enough and was told they thought I'd be good at ATC. I was asked to rank all the facilities in my state in order of preference. I had no idea what levels were, what the pay scale was, what the White Book was, or the difference between Terminal, TRACON, or Center. All I knew was that my hometown was my #1 pick (lvl 8 up/down). My #2 pick based purely on geographic distance from my home was only a lvl 4 tower!

In 2008 I flew to LA for a PEPC (pre-employment processing center) where I had an interview, medical, MMPI, background check, etc. all in one day, in one facility. I was given a TOL for my hometown airport and I'm so blessed to have gotten it. I got my FOL and started at the Academy 2 months later. It was the hardest thing I ever had to learn, but I made it and started training at my facility. I took a little longer than average to fully certify but I did well and am a valuable OJTI at my facility. I'm regularly called on to help get developmentals through the program. I've explored being an instructor at the academy; teaching comes natural to me.

Fast forward 10 years and my facility has been downgraded 2 levels, consolidation is on the horizon, and I'm debating whether to move to the consolidated facility, stay at the tower (likely downgraded to a lvl 4), or take a FLM job sat a higher level. I'll be 40 this year so I have a while to go. We'll see what happens but I am proud to have been included in this journey thus far.

I'm eagerly anticipating the next OTS bid. I have friends with kids that can apply and realize what an awesome opportunity is for them. If they have that part of the brain that my friend told me about in 2005, then they might do well in ATC too and extend the profession for another generation!

 

[corn4ahead]

I went to college for architecture and graphic design for about 3 years but never graduated. I worked for the TSA (a soul draining job) and met a controller who liked to hang out in the terminal.

Around 2005 he told me there would be big OTS hiring in a few years (due to PATCO strike people retiring) and I should apply. I was like, "Yeah, right." but I always remembered one thing he said: he pointed at a janitorial services guy emptying the trash and said, "There's a part of your brain that can do this job or not. That guy emptying the trash could be better at ATC than I'll ever be, but we'll never know". I almost gave up on my application halfway through, but his words were key to my completion.

True to his word, in 2007 there was an OTS bid specific to my state. I applied and was invited to take the ATSAP in my own hometown. I scored high enough and was told they thought I'd be good at ATC. I was asked to rank all the facilities in my state in order of preference. I had no idea what levels were, what the pay scale was, what the White Book was, or the difference between Terminal, TRACON, or Center. All I knew was that my hometown was my #1 pick (lvl 8 up/down). My #2 pick based purely on geographic distance from my home was only a lvl 4 tower!

In 2008 I flew to LA for a PEPC (pre-employment processing center) where I had an interview, medical, MMPI, background check, etc. all in one day, in one facility. I was given a TOL for my hometown airport and I'm so blessed to have gotten it. I got my FOL and started at the Academy 2 months later. It was the hardest thing I ever had to learn, but I made it and started training at my facility. I took a little longer than average to fully certify but I did well and am a valuable OJTI at my facility. I'm regularly called on to help get developmentals through the program. I've explored being an instructor at the academy; teaching comes natural to me.

Fast forward 10 years and my facility has been downgraded 2 levels, consolidation is on the horizon, and I'm debating whether to move to the consolidated facility, stay at the tower (likely downgraded to a lvl 4), or take a FLM job sat a higher level. I'll be 40 this year so I have a while to go. We'll see what happens but I am proud to have been included in this journey thus far.

I'm eagerly anticipating the next OTS bid. I have friends with kids that can apply and realize what an awesome opportunity is for them. If they have that part of the brain that my friend told me about in 2005, then they might do well in ATC too and extend the profession for another generation!

Great story! You must be from Michigan. Lol

 

[cjcregg]

I'm currently at the Academy (terminal), and our class is PA-ing next week. I majored in political science at a liberal arts college and worked a corporate job I hated for a few years, applied for ATC on a whim because I wanted something different and I liked the idea of working for the federal government (I know). Had very little aviation knowledge. I didn't have a lot to lose since I don't have a family or spouse yet, but I would say absolutely take it if the opportunity comes. I was really unsure if it was for me, but deciding to make a change at all is really the hardest step. It's such a unique job, I think it's absolutely worth it. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Muckstic]

I'm currently at the Academy (terminal), and our class is PA-ing next week. I majored in political science at a liberal arts college and worked a corporate job I hated for a few years, applied for ATC on a whim because I wanted something different and I liked the idea of working for the federal government (I know). Had very little aviation knowledge. I didn't have a lot to lose since I don't have a family or spouse yet, but I would say absolutely take it if the opportunity comes. I was really unsure if it was for me, but deciding to make a change at all is really the hardest step. It's such a unique job, I think it's absolutely worth it. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Good luck next week! You are awesome!