Air Traffic Control A School

shannoneliz · 06-23-2013, 12:27 PM

As long as you can memorize stuff for a test (and forget it right after), you'll be fine for the academic portion of AC school. You don't have to understand it, not yet. All of the tests in block one are multiple choice. People will try to make the school sound impossible, it's not - I saw some real dummies make it through. I remember a succession of people walking into our class the first week trying to scare us. Yeah, there are some people who honestly can't cut it, but I think a lot of people just give up.

You'll get yelled at a lot in block 2 while they try to teach you tower and you'll feel so stupid for not being able to get local, but honestly no one expects you to learn to be local controller in 2 weeks. You'll understand it enough to pass the test and then you'll move on. Block 3 is really chill for the most part. I wouldn't worry too much about that.

Look, any job can be stressful. When you actually get to the fleet as an AC you'll have months to learn a position and even when you get qualified you'll have a supervisor watching you, ready to interfere if there's a safety of flight issue. They're also there to help relieve the pressure if you get slammed and they'll stick someone else on in the case you get overwhelmed. There are qualified people at my command who really aren't very strong controllers and the sup will basically just stand behind them the entire time they're on.

You really don't know if you'll be a good controller yet though (and you definitely won't know in A school, most of the stuff you learn there you won't even use) . Stop worrying so much!

06-23-2013, 12:27 PM	#6
shannoneliz Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: San Diego Posts: 78 Rep Power: 0	As long as you can memorize stuff for a test (and forget it right after), you'll be fine for the academic portion of AC school. You don't have to understand it, not yet. All of the tests in block one are multiple choice. People will try to make the school sound impossible, it's not - I saw some real dummies make it through. I remember a succession of people walking into our class the first week trying to scare us. Yeah, there are some people who honestly can't cut it, but I think a lot of people just give up. You'll get yelled at a lot in block 2 while they try to teach you tower and you'll feel so stupid for not being able to get local, but honestly no one expects you to learn to be local controller in 2 weeks. You'll understand it enough to pass the test and then you'll move on. Block 3 is really chill for the most part. I wouldn't worry too much about that. Look, any job can be stressful. When you actually get to the fleet as an AC you'll have months to learn a position and even when you get qualified you'll have a supervisor watching you, ready to interfere if there's a safety of flight issue. They're also there to help relieve the pressure if you get slammed and they'll stick someone else on in the case you get overwhelmed. There are qualified people at my command who really aren't very strong controllers and the sup will basically just stand behind them the entire time they're on. You really don't know if you'll be a good controller yet though (and you definitely won't know in A school, most of the stuff you learn there you won't even use) . Stop worrying so much!