CTO-P, full CTO, or forget it - looking for advice from people who’ve done it
Hey everyone, looking for some honest advice on the ATC path.
Some background: I’m 32, recently washed out of the FAA Academy on the last day of en route. The FAA pointed me toward the CTO-P program during offboarding as an alternative path.
A few questions:
Has anyone actually had success getting hired at an FCT after completing CTO-P? What was that experience like?
Is the 1-year CTO program worth the extra cost over CTO-P?
At 32 with the age cutoff at 35 (experienced bid), is the FCT → FAA pipeline realistic or is that timeline too tight?
Worst case if the FAA doesn’t work out, does tower/FCT experience open any doors internationally or is it only en route/FAA work that does?
Appreciate any insight, trying to make an informed decision before committing to anything.