Admission requirements

MCTC's Air Traffic Control Training Program will prepare you in skills related to the aviation industry and to meet minimum standards for eligibility to enter the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control career field.

You will start by learning basic aviation terms and how weather conditions are applied and interpreted in the aviation environment. Additional coursework will teach you to use the necessary rules and procedures to direct the safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic in the different air traffic facilities in the National Airspace System, including terminal and en route center environment.

You will study valuable human factors related to the career field and learn individual and group problem-solving techniques during complex air traffic control exercises. These will enable you to make sound decisions no matter what the situation.

You will receive extensive hands-on training to operate the computer and radar system in use today by the National Airspace System.

MCTC's one-year program is an FAA approved Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) program specifically designed to offer students foundational air traffic control training and general aviation education. The Air Traffic Control program begins in the Summer session. Applicants that complete the admission requirements and apply to the program on or before the February 1^st application deadline are admitted to the program on a first come, first qualified basis. See Admission Requirements for further details and the ATC program application.

To become employed by the FAA, graduates of this program must meet the following FAA requirements (subject to change):    

• Be a United States citizen

• Be employed by the FAA prior to their 31st birthday

• Under the authority of public Law 92-297, a maximum age limit has been established for positions in the Terminal and Air Route Center specializations. Applicants who have reached their 31st birthday are ineligible for entry into positions in this specialization. No age waivers are granted.   And because FAA employment, if offered, does not always quickly follow completion of our program, it is recommended that individuals projected to be older than 28 years 6 months when they begin the ATC degree program consult with the ATC program faculty about this time/age requirement.

• Receive a satisfactory score on the FAA AT-SAT pre-employment examination

• Obtain a College recommendation

• Pass a Security background screening

Individuals must pass a rigid security/background investigation. The following are types of issues, which are reviewed as part of the background/security check:

• General or dishonorable military discharge
• Statutory debarment issue
• Government loyalty issues
• Evidence of dishonesty in an application or examination process (e.g., falsification of application)
• Drug-related offenses
• Felony offenses
• Firearms or explosives offenses
• Alcohol-related incidents
• Willful disregard of financial obligations
• Derogatory employment terminations
• Patterns and/or combinations of incidents which lead to questions about your behavior and intent

NOTE: If you have been arrested, charged or convicted of any criminal offense, you should investigate the impact that the arrest, charge or conviction may have on your chances of employment in the Air Traffic Control program or on your ability to obtain federal, state, and other higher education financial aid.

• Meet FAA ATCS medical standards—The medical examination is a rigid medical exam, which includes:
• Vision Standards - Applicants for ATCS employment in an en route center or a terminal must have distant and near vision of 20/20 or better in each eye separately, without correction, or have lenses that correct distant and near vision to 20/20, each eye separately. Applicants for a flight service station specialist position must have distant and near vision of 20/20 or better in at least one eye, without correction, or have lenses that correct distant and near vision to 20/20, in at least one eye.
• Color Vision Standards - Applicants must have normal color vision.
• Hearing Standards - Applicants must have no hearing loss in either ear of more than 25 db at 500, 1000 and 2000 Hz, and no more than a 20 db loss in the better ear by audiometer, using ANSI (1969) standards.
• Cardiovascular Standards - Applicants must have no medical history of any form of heart disease. A history of high blood pressure requiring medication will require special review.
• Neurological Standards - Applicants must have no medical history or clinical diagnosis of a convulsive disorder, or a disturbance of consciousness, without satisfactory medical explanation of the cause, and must not be under any treatment, including preventive, for any condition of the nervous system.
• Psychiatric Standard - Any medical history or clinical diagnosis of a psychosis, or other severe mental disorders, is disqualifying.
• Diabetes - A medical history or diagnosis of diabetes mellitus will require special review.
• Substance Abuse/Dependency - A history of substance abuse/ dependency, including alcohol, narcotic, non-narcotic drugs, and other substances will be extensively investigated.
• Psychological Exam - Individuals must take and pass a psychological exam.
• General Medical - All other medical conditions will be evaluated on an individual basis. All applicants' medical histories and current examinations will be carefully reviewed. This includes past medical records and, if applicable, a review of military medical records.