VALDOSTA — Wet weather didn’t keep people away from Valdosta Technical College on Thursday.
The college, in partnership with the Valdosta Airport Authority and Advanced Air Traffic Control, officially opened the air traffic controller program with a ribbon cutting and simulator demonstrations.
Classes started March 25.
Though the program only has one student so far, Al Nagy, instructor and director of training and simulation, is confident more students will be drawn to the field in the coming months.
The year-long program prepares students for life as an air traffic controller.
The Adacel simulator gives students an opportunity to manage flight patterns of actual airports across the United States, Nagy said.
Though flight patterns and airports are real, the activity is a simulation for the students.
Daphne Corrado, manager of U.S. business development for Adacel, said a simulation of the Valdosta Airport Authority is currently being developed for the program.
Once students have excelled at the simulator they will be taken out to the Valdosta Airport Authority where real-life training begins, Nagy said.
Student Amber Willis is excited about the program and the one-on-one interaction she gets with the instructors.
“They are great instructors and I have gotten so much help being the first student,” Willis said.
Though born in Adel, Willis moved from Orlando, Fla., to enroll in the program.
Students can enroll in the program at the beginning of each month, excluding the last two months of the year, said Michael Hill, Advanced ATC director of business development, said.
The partnership between the technical college, airport authority and Advanced ATC is integral to the success of the program, he said.
The program costs $50,000, a fee that must be paid up front and is non-refundable. The only financial aid currently available for the program is a loan from a bank.
Air traffic controllers are responsible for managing the safe and efficient flow of air traffic. They navigate airways, helping pilots maintain safe separation between planes, find their way through fog and rough weather, and land safely at busy airports across the world.
Air traffic controllers coordinate flights to prevent accidents and minimize delays in takeoffs and landings. Air traffic controllers can be found in three basic specialties — air traffic control towers, en route centers and flight service stations.
Employment opportunities can be found with the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Defense and private contract towers.
Students interested in entering the program must have a high school diploma or GED and obtain an FAA Class II ATC Medical Certificate.
More information about the program can be found by visiting www.advancedatc.com or www.valdostatech.edu.
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