FAA-AM-83-6 

THREE STUDIES OF BIOGRAPHICAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCCESS 

IN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SPECIALIST SCREENING/TRAINING AT THE FAA ACADEMY 

Allan D. VanDeventer, Deborah K. Taylor, 

William E. Collins, and James o. Boone 

Civil Aeromedical Institute 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73125 

APRIL 1983 

Document is available to the public through the 

National Technical Information Service 

Springfield, Virginia 22161 

Prepared for 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Aviation Administration 

Office of Aviation Medicine 

Washington, D.c. 20591 
NOTICE 

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the 

Department of Transportation in the interest of information 

exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability 

for its contents or use thereof. 
1. Repo't N o. 2. Government Accessron No . 

F AA-AM-83- 6 

4. T itle and Subtitle 

THREE STUDIES OF BIOGRAPHICAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED 

WITH SUCCESS IN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SPECIALIST 

SCREENI:t-r;/TRAINING AT THE FAA ACADEMY 

Technical l<eport Documentation Page 

3. Recipient's Catalog No . 

5. Repon Dote 

APRIL 1983 

6. Perfo~m ng Orgonr za tion Code 

r;----:--;--;-;------------------------------;j 8. --------~----~ Perform i ng Organization Report No. 

7 · Autho,, s: Allan D. VanDeventer, Deborah K. Taylor, i 

William E. Collins, and James 0. Boone 1 

9. Performrng Orgonr zotion Nome an d Address 

FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute 

P.O. Box 25082 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73125 

11 . Contract or Grant No. 

13 . Type of Repo't and Pe ,od Cove,ed 

----------------~ I 12. Sponso,ing Agency Nome and Add,ess 

I 

I 

I 

! 

I 

Office of Aviation Medicine 

Federal Aviation 

800 Independence 

Washington, D.C. 

15 . Supplementmy Notes 

Administration 

Avenue, S.W. 

20591 

14 Spons o,in g Agency Cod e 

Work was performed under tasks AM-C-80/81/82-PSY-66 and AM-C-81/82-PSY-74. 

I 16. Abstract 

I 7he current Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS) selection procedure requires 

that all epplicants pass the Cffice of Personnel Management (OPM) air traffic 

control aptitude test. In addition to the t~st scores, applicants may also receive 

points for certain types of aviation-related prior experience or substitute 

college-level education in lieu of general experience requirements. The Civil 

Aeromedical Institute (CA¥I) has had a long-strmding involvement in efforts to 

update and improve PTCS selection procedures. As part of this continuing task, all 

incoming ATCS students are given an opportunity to voluntarjly take a battery of 

researct tests upon arrival at the FAA Academy for basic training. Included in 

this battery is a Biographical Questionnaire (P~) designed to elicit responses 

about background experiences, including high school education and activities, 

college education, military experience, and pre-FAA ATC experience. After a new 

pass/fail training program was implemented at the Pcademy in 1976, biographical 

data on trainees were examined to determine the relationship between biographical 

variables and Ac?derny success rates. .A new set of 21 questions was added to the BQ 

in ¥ay 19RC, and responses to the reviseo BO were analyzed to determine the 

underlying fector structure of the questionnaire and the relationship of those 

factors to success or failure at the Academy. Further research examined the 

relationship between various types of military experience and performance at the 

Academy. 

17 . Key Wo,ds 

Air Traffic Control Specialist 

Training 

Biographical Factors 

Selection 

18. Distribution Statement 

Document is available to the public 

through the National Technical Information 

Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161 

1 19 . Secu,i ty Clossif. (of th is 'epo,t) 20. Secu,ity Classif. (o f this page ) 21. Nc, oi Pages I 22. P r1ce 

_j_ ____ 1_6 _______ LII _____________ ~ I 

I Unclassified Unclassified ----------------'--------·---;---·------

=orm DOT F 1700.7 \8-72) Reproduction of comp letet page outhon z e d 
Table of Contents 

Biographical Profiles of Successful and Unsuccessful 

Air Traffic Control Specialist Trainees by 

Allan D. VanDeventer --------------------------------------

Some Biographical Factors Associated with Success of Air 

Traffic Control Specialist Trainees at the FAA Academy 

During 1980 by Deborah K. Taylor, Allan D. VanDeventer, 

William E. Collins, and James 0. Boone---------------------

Military Air Traffic Control Experience and Performance in 

FAA Academy Air Traffic Control Training 

by Allan D. VanDeventer------------------------------------

i i 

Page 

1 

6 

12 
BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILES OF SUCCESSFUL AND UNSUCCESSFUL 

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SPECIALIST TRAINEES 

Allan D. VanDeventer 

Introduction. 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) instituted a new centralized 

pass/fail air traffic control (ATC) training program at the FAA Academy in 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on January 13, 1976. This training is mandatory 

for all air traffic control specialist (ATCS) trainees and starts 

approximately 1 week after their acceptance into the ATCS developmental 

program. The purposes of the program are (i) to provide the trainee with 

the knowledge necessary to progress in later field phases of training and 

(ii) to screen the trainees such that only those demonstrating aptitude for 

ATCS work are passed on to the field phase of training. The pass/fail 

determination is made on the basis of a composite of measures of academic 

knowledge, assessed performance on simulated nonradar ATC problems, and 

scores on an objective Controller Skills Test. 

Historically, eligibility for ATCS training has been based in part on 

an applicant's preemployment experience, educational background, and 

aptitude test measurement. The majority of those with pre-FAA ATC 

experience have had that experience in the military. Cobb (1), after an 

analysis of biographical data from ATCS trainees who entered training in 

1969, concluded that pre-FAA ATC experience was significantly related to 

success in training at the FAA Academy. He also concluded that educational 

level showed no relationship to training success (2). Since that time, a 

new pass/fail training program has been implemented, and changes may 

possibly have occurred in the characteristics of applicants (biographical 

data) as they relate to success. The purpose of this study was to examine 

biographical data on trainees entering the Academy between June 1977 and 

June 1979 to determine relationships with success or failure at the end of 

Academy training. This information permits a comparison with the results of 

the previous study on 1969 trainees. 

Method. 

Subjects. Of the 3,016 trainees who entered Academy training between 

June 1977 and June 1979 and were administered the short version of the 

biographical questionnaire, complete responses to all of the items analyzed 

were obtained from 2,371 trainees. Subjects thus comprised 1,291 En Route 

and 1,080 Terminal trainees. 

Questionnaire. During the first week at the Academy, students are 

given experimental tests and questionnaires for research purposes. Between 

June 1977 and June 1979, students in the En Route and Terminal options were 

administered a short biographical questionnaire. 

1 
The biographical questionnaire used in the study consisted of 60 items 

taken in part from Owens' Biographical Questionnaire (3) covering high 

school education, education beyond high school, and prior experience. 

Experience items were combined into two summary items. Some items which 

were not at least ordinally scaled were rescaled or dropped from the 

analysis, resulting in 21 items for analysis. The success criterion was the 

student's pass/fail status at the end of Academy training. 

Groups. A priori considerations, preliminary analyses, and previous 

resear~h prompted an analysis of the data across three groups. Some 

trainees are selected in a noncompetitive manner and are placed in a special 

pretraining program prior to entry into the Academy (called the 

Predevelopmental Program) in an effort to increase the numbers of 

disadvantaged and minority people entering the ATCS work force. Since this 

group probably constitutes a sample from a population different from those 

selected competitively, the group was treated separately. Of the remaining 

trainees, two groups tend to stand out: (i) those with previous ATC 

experience and (ii) those without such prior experience. Since previous 

research (1) has shown this kind of experience to be significantly related 

to Academy and field success, the three groups were first compared relative 

to Academy success and then the remaining biographical items were examined 

separately by group. 

Table I shows the number entering and percent passing for each group. 

The difference between the Experience group and the No Experience group in 

proportions passing was significant (x2=8.99, df=1, E < .005). 

Results. 

TABLE I. RELATIVE SUCCESS OF ATCS TRAINEES 

Group 

Experience 

No Experience 

Predevelopmental 

Number 

1,257 

951 

163 

Percent Passing 

75.3 

69.6 

73.6 

Experience Group. A factor analysis with orthogonal varimax rotation 

on the 20 biographical items (the experience item was not included) yielded 

12 factors. Pass/fail status loaded heavily on one factor only (variance 

accounted for= 5.19%) and no other variables loaded significantly with the 

success factor. The only other variable that loaded more than 0.200 was 

high school grades in mathematics or arithmetic (factor loading= 0.3102). 

Of those reporting A or B grade average in high school math, 78.3% passed, 

while 71.2% of those reporting a grade of Cor lower passed. While this 

difference was significant (x2=8.36, df=1, E < .005), the correlation 

between math/arithmetic grades and success was very low (r:0.082). 

2 
No Experience Group. A factor analysis on the scores of this group was 

performed in the same manner as for the Experience group. The first factor 

(variance accounted for = 8.46%) loaded heavily on pass/fail status (factor 

loading = 0.7915), on high school grades in math/arithmetic (loading = 

0.501), and on overall high school average (loading = 0.434). High grades 

. on each of the variables were associated with a higher probability of 

passing the Academy program (see Table II). Passing proportions were 

significantly different both for math/arithmetic grades (x2=23.18, df=1, E < 

.001) and for high school average x2=18.64, df=1, E < .001). The multiple 

regression of the two items with pass/fail yielded R = 0.175 (Beta Weights: 

Math= 0.117, H.S. Avg. = 0.088). 

TABLE II. VARIABLES ASSOCIATED WITH SUCCESS 

FOR THE NO EXPERIENCE GROUP 

Percent 

Passing 

75.3 

67.2 

64.0 

53.8 

N 

579 

125 

89 

158 

H.S. Grades 

Math H.S. Avg. 

High* 

High 

Low 

Low 

High 

Low 

High 

Low 

*High = 'A' or 'B' grades; Low = grades of 'C' or below 

Predevelopmental Group. Again, the factor analysis yielded one factor 

(variance accounted for = 6.23%) on which pass/fail loaded heavily (loading 

= 0.846) with little loading on other factors. Only one other variable, 

pre-FAA ATC experience, loaded to any other appreciable degree on this 

factor (factor loading = 0.544). Of the 85 predevelopmental trainees with 

pre-FAA ATC experience, 82.4% passed, while only 64.1% of the 78 

nonexperienced predevelopmental trainees passed the Academy program. The 

difference in proportions was significant (x2=6.97, df=1, E < .01). While 

analysis of the two groups (experienced and nonexperienced) of 

predevelopmental trainees was based on samples too small for generalization, 

the experienced predevelopmental group appeared to exhibit the same 

correlations as the No Experience group (see above). Nonexperienced 

predevelopmental trainees did not show such relationships. 

Discussion. 

The results of this study are consistent with the previous research (1) 

based on a 1969 sample of ATCS trainees. In that study, 46% of 1,684 En 

Route and Terminal option trainees under 30 years of age had pre-FAA ATC 

experience. Their Academy attrition rate was significantly lower than that 

of trainees without any ATC experience. Pre-FAA ATC experience is reported 

by 53% of the current sample. This experience is not only related to 

3 
success for competitively entering trainees, but also for those entering 

through the predevelopmental program. Thus, the present study confirms 

that, approximately 10 years later, pre-FAA ATC experience is still a 

significant factor in success in Academy ATCS training. Present results are 

also consistent with previous research (2) that concluded that level of 

education (i.e., high school vs. college) does not relate to Academy 

success. With respect to the latter, in this study, level of education 

failed to load on the factor with pass/fail status for either the 

Experience, No Experience, or Predevelopmental groups. The derived Beta 

Weights in the multiple regressions to predict success in the respective 

groups were only -0.032, 0.034, and 0.059 for level of education. 

Other interesting findings were that high school achievement overall 

and in math/arithmetic in particular appear to be related to pass/fail 

probabilities, especially for persons entering competitively with no prior 

ATC experience. The math grade finding is somewhat surprising in light of 

the fact that one component of the ATCS Aptitude Screening Battery is a test 

of Arithmetic Reasoning, and a restriction in variance among Academy 

trainees would be expected. A possible explanation could be that the 

aptitude test and the high school grades in math/arithmetic are measures of 

somewhat different abilities. 

4 
References. 

1. Cobb, B. B., and P. L. Nelson. 1974. Aircraft-pilot and other 

preemployment experience as factors in the selection of air traffic 

controller trainees. FAA Office of Aviation Medicine Report No. AM-74-8. 

Washington, D.C. 

2. Cobb, B. B., c. L. Young, and B. L. Rizzuti. 1976. Education as a 

factor in the selection of air traffic controller trainees. FAA Office of 

Aviation Medicine Report No. AM-76-6. Washington, D.C. 

3. Owens, W. A., and L. F. Schoenfeldt. 1979. Toward a classification of 

persons. Journal of Applied Psychology, 64: 569-607. 

5 
SOME BIOGRAPHICAL FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCCESS OF 

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SPECIALIST TRAINEES AT THE FAA ACADEMY DURING 1980 

Introduction. 

Deborah K. Taylor 

Allan D. VanDeventer 

William E. Collins 

James 0. Boone 

The current Air Traffic Control Specialist (ATCS) selection procedure 

requires that all applicants take the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 

Air Traffic Control Aptitude Test. In addition to the test scores, 

applicants may also receive points for certain types of aviation-related 

prior experience or substitute college-level education in lieu of required 

general work experience. The Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) has had a 

long-standing involvement in efforts to update and improve ATCS selection 

procedures. As part of this continuing task, all incoming ATCS students are 

given an opportunity to voluntarily take a battery of research tests upon 

arrival at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Academy for basic 

training. Included in this battery are tests measuring controller aptitudes 

and knowledge; various psychological tests measuring achievement needs, 

motivation, interests, and perceptions; and a Biographical Questionnaire 

(BQ) designed to elicit responses about background experiences, including 

high school education and activities, college education, military 

experience, and pre-FAA ATC experience. These tests are designed to 

identify the factors that may predict success or failure in ATCS training. 

Previous research (1) analyzing biographical data from incoming ATCS 

students recruited in 1969, concluded that pre-FAA ATC experience was 

significantly related to success at the Academy. In other studies, Cobb 

also concluded that neither educational level (2) nor sex (3) was related to 

Academy pass/fail rates. A new pass/fail training program was implemented 

at the Academy in 1976, leading VanDeventer (4) to examine biographical data 

on trainees who . entered the Academy from June 1977 to June 1979 to determine 

if any changes had occurred in the relationship between biographical 

variables and Academy success rates. His results were consistent with 

previous research. In addition, he found that (self-reported) overall high 

school grades in general and high school math grades in particular were also 

somewhat related to Academy pass/fail rates. 

A new set of 21 questions was added to the Biographical Questionnaire 

in May 1980, including inquiries about marital status, the number of times 

the ATC Aptitude Test was taken, types of previous FAA experience, reasons 

for wanting to become an ATCS, and attitudes about air traffic control as a 

career. In the present study, responses to the revised BQ were analyzed to 

determine the underlying factor structure of the Biographical Questionnaire 

and the relationship of these factors to success or failure at the Academy. 

6 
Method. 

The present sample comprised 567 incoming ATCS students (286 Terminal 

and 281 En Route) who began training between June and December 1980. A 

battery of experimental tests, including the revised Biographical 

Questionnaire was administered to students upon their arrival at the FAA 

Academy. The BQ consisted of 81 items which inquired about areas such as 

types of previous experience, high school and college education, degree of 

interest in aviation, number of times the ATC Aptitude Test was taken, 

reason for wanting to become an ATCS, and approach to ATCS career. 

Relationships of pass/fail rates with demographic variables (such as 

age, sex, etc.) and responses on the BQ were initially analyzed using 

chi-square tests. Subsequently, a series of multivariate analyses were 

performed. Due to multicollinearity among some of the independent 

variables, certain items were removed on an a priori basis before performing 

multivariate analyses (these items were overlapping, detailed descriptions 

of prior experience and were combined into one summary item). After 

removing these highly duplicative variables, the remaining items were 

regressed on the criterion variable, pass/fail status, using forward 

(stepwise) inclusion. In order to determine the underlying orthogonal 

patterns of relationships in the data, a factor analysis with varimax 

rotation was performed, yielding 19 factors. Factor scores for each subject 

on these 19 factors were then entered into a multiple regression with 

pass/fail as the dependent variable. 

Results. 

Chi-square tests yielded 13 items, which were significantly related to 

pass/fail rates at the Academy. Aspects associated with passing included: 

younger age, pre-FAA ATC experience, nonminority status, higher grades in 

high school math and biology, higher overall high school grades, more amount 

of time spent around airports, a tendency to help friends with problems, how 

interest in ATC work began, the fewer number of times the ATC Aptitude Test 

was taken, the greater self-assessed chances of staying in FAA ATC work less 

than 3 or more than 5 years, and better self-prediction of future 

performance compared to all other ATCS's. 

The biographical items were then regressed on pass/fail status, 

yielding five variables (see Table I) which were significant in accounting 

for variance in the criterion variable (R=.385). Table I also includes 

success rates for respondents on these variables. 

7 
TABLE I. REGRESSION OF BIOGRAPHICAL VARIABLES ON 

ACADEMY PASS/FAIL STATUS 

R=.385 

VARIABLES CATEGORIES % PASSING BETA 

-------------------------------------------------- Overall H.S. A 83.1 -0.261 

Grade B 69.4 

r c 55.7 

Pre-FAA ATC Yes 72.3 -0.2146 

Experience No 54. 

Repetitions of r 1 73. 1 -0.1351 

ATC Aptitude Test 2 57.5 

3 42.9 

Age 22 or less 85.7 -0.1662 

23 thru 27 68.1 

28 or more 57.1 

Of all ATCS' s Top 10 % 73.6 -0.0789 

where do you feel Upper half 62.6 

you'll perform Average 44.0 

Regression Constant = 5.7603 

*Categories with N less than 10 were not listed. 

In order to identify the orthogonal factor structure of the 

questionnaire relative to Academy success, a factor analysis with varimax 

rotation was performed on the BQ items and pass/fail status. This analysis 

produced 19 orthogonal factors. Factor scores for each subject were then 

regressed on pass/fail status. Six factors made significant contributions 

in the prediction of the criterion variable. The resulting multiple R of 

.592 was inflated beyond the actual R of .385 (obtained in the previous 

multiple regression) due to the inclusion of pass/fail status in the factor 

scores (see Table II). 

Discussion. 

Results of this study indicate that several biographical variables are 

related to performance in FAA Academy training. Findings from previous 

research on earlier Academy inputs (1,2,3) were validated with the present 

sample of ATCS students. Pre-FAA ATC experience was shown to be 

significantly related to Academy success. Seventy-two percent of students 

with experience passed Academy training, while only 55% of those with no 

experience were successful. VanDeventer's findings (4) that overall high 

school grades and math grades were associated with pass/fail status were 

also confirmed. As in previous investigations, sex and educational level 

were not significant. A series of CAM! reports on the effects of age on 

, 

8 
training and job performance led to Congressional legislation in 1972 

permitting the FAA to set an upper age limit of 30 for entry into ATCS 

training. Even with this restriction, the present sample shows that age is 

still related to Academy pass/fail rates. As shown in Table I, the 

percentage of students passing Academy training decreases with increasing 

age. 

Table II. REGRESSION OF FACTOR SCORES ON ACADEMY 

PASS/FAIL STATUS 

FACTORS 

13 

DESCRIPTION 

Pass/fail status, and the 

number of times the ATC 

aptitude test was taken 

BETA 

-0.5057 

7 Subjective estimates of the -0.1223 

likelihood of remaining in 

FAA ATC work, and self-ratings 

of future performance 

9 Age -0.1123 

18 Number of books around the 0.1343 

home while growing up, and 

participation in scientific 

5 

14 

experiments in high school 

Types and length of FAA 

experience before entry 

into the Academy 

How initial interest in 

ATC work began 

R=.592* 

Regression Constant = 3.5339 

0.1113 

-0.0878 

*Multiple R is inflated beyond actual R due to 

inclusion of pass/fail in the factor scores 

In addition to age, prior ATC experience, and high school grades, two 

new items on the revised BQ were related to Academy success--the number of 

times the ATC Aptitude Test was taken, and a self-evaluation of future 

performance in relation to all ATCS's. As shown in Table I, success rates 

declined as the number of test repetitions increased. Self-ratings of 

expected performance are also closely related to Academy success rates. 

Four of the six factors relating to pass/fail rates comprised items 

that were significant in the previous chi-square and regression analyses; 

however, Factors 5 and 18 contain previously unrelated items. Factor 5 is 

9 
composed of three items relating to previous FAA experience (including prior 

ATC training, length of time in the ATC option, and length of time as an FAA 

employee). Factor 18 includes two questions which may be related to overall 

academic achievement--the number of books around the home while growing up, 

and participation in scientific experiments in high school. A possible 

explanation for significance on these factors may be that while the 

individual items were not significantly related to Academy success, 

combinations of these items produced factors that were. 

Results of this study indicate that several biographical variables are 

related to successful performance in FAA ATC Academy training. Actions such 

as limiting the number of times the ATC Aptitude Test may be taken could 

possibly lead to reductions in Academy failure rates. Concentrating 

recruitment efforts on persons who evidence high levels of academic 

achievement in high school, especially in the areas of math and science, may 

also improve success rates. Attitudes of potential applicants regarding the 

likelihood of remaining in FAA ATC work and self-evaluation of future 

performance also appear to be related. Questionnaires assessing these 

attitudes could be used during recruitment to evaluate potential job 

candidates. 

In addition to new aptitude assessment techniques to select ATCS 

students, some improvements in future Academy training success rates may 

result from concentrating trainee recruitment efforts on individuals whose 

biographical profiles are most similar to those of successful ATCS students. 

Such an approach might have significant cost benefits since the cost per 

student for Academy training is approximately $14,000 (based on 1981 

estimates). If, for example, the percentage of students passing had 

increased by 5% during the 6-month period evaluated in this report, a 

savings of approximately $392,000 would have resulted. 

10 
References 

1. Cobb, B. B., and P. L. Nelson , 1974. Aircraft-pilot and other 

preemployment experience as factors in the selection of air traffic 

controller trainees. FAA Office of Aviation Medicine Report No. AM-74-8. 

Washington D.C. 

2. 

3. 

Cobb, B. 

factor in 

Aviation 

B., c. L. Young, and B. L. Rizzuti. 1976. Education as a 

the selection of air traffic controller trainees. FAA Office of 

Medicine Report No. AM-76-6. Washington, D.c. 

Cobb, B. 

of female 

B., J. J. Mathews, and c. D. Lay. 1972. A comparative study 

and male air traffic controller trainees. FAA Office of Av.i.ation 

Medicine Report No. AM-72-22. Washington, D.C. 

4. VanDeventer, A. D. 1980. Biographical profiles of successful and 

unsuccessful air traffic control specialist trainees. Preprints of the 1980 

Aerospace Medical Association Annual Scientific Meeting. Washington, D.C. 

11 
MILITARY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL EXPERIENCE AND 

PERFORMANCE IN FAA ACADEMY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TRAINING 

Allan D. VanDeventer 

Introduction. 

Previous research on the relationship between pre-FAA experience in Air 

Traffic Control (ATC) and performance in FAA Air Traffic Control Specialist 

(ATCS) training has led to the suggestion that, after aptitude screening, 

only Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations experience should be 

considered as a factor in ranking applicants for selection while Visual 

Flight Rules (VFR) operations experience should not be considered (1). 

However, that research was based on ATCS's entering training before 1970. 

Since that time, two conditions have changed which may have had an impact on 

the relationship between military ATC experience and FAA ATCS training 

performance: (i) the FAA has implemented a rigorous nonradar control 

aptitude screening phase that must be passed soon after entry into the FAA, 

and, (ii) the military services have all become voluntary (and therefore 

ex-military controllers who enter the FAA are a changing population with 

characteristics potentially different than those of trainees previously 

studied). The purposes of the present study were (i) to examine the 

relationship between various types of militar.y ATC experience and 

performance at the FAA Academy based on a more recent sample, and (ii) to 

evaluate factors such as military branch and type of facility in which 

experience was gained. 

Method. 

Subjects. A Biographical Questionnaire was administered at the 

beginning of training to ATCS trainees who entered the FAA Academy between 

June 1977 and May 1981. Responses regarding pre-FAA military ATC experience 

were available for 4,254 of those who entered through the usual competitive 

selection process. 

Results. 

In response to questions regarding pre-FAA experience, 2,021 (48%) 

claimed to have air traffic control operations experience and/or ratings 

(those holding ratings did not always have operations experience) in the 

military. Of those who claimed military ATC experience or ratings, 1,015 

(50%) were from the Air Force, 392 (19%) from the Navy, 163 (8%) from the 

Marines, and 422 (21%) from the Army. Five were from the Coast Guard and 24 

were from unknown branches of the military. The success rate of the 2,201 

students with no pre-FAA ATC experience was 61.15%. Table I shows the 

Academy success rates of students with military ATC experience by experience 

type and by military branch. 

12 
TABLE I. ACADEMY SUCCESS RATES OF ATCS STUDENTS 

WITH MILITARY ATC EXPERIENCE 

MILITARY ATC EXPERIENCE 

RATING VFR IFR VFR+IFR ROW 

ONLY EXPER EXPER EXPER TOTAL 

MILITARY BRANCH 

U.S. AIR FORCE 46 170 260 539 1015 

58.70% 64.71% 74.23% 76.62% 73.20% 

U.S. NAVY 13 39 34 306 392 

76.92% 69.23% 70.59% 74.18% 73-47% 

U.S. MARINE CORPS 10 26 14 113 163 

80.00% 73.08% 92.86% 76.99% 77.91% 

U.S. ARMY 26 119 31 246 422 

61.54% 61.34% 58.06% 61.79% 61.37% 

U.S. COAST GUARD 3 0 1 1 5 

33.33% 0.00% 100.00% 100.00% 60.00% 

COLUMN TOTAL 98 354 340 1205 1997 

63.27% 64.69% 73.24% 73.03% 71.11% 

An analysis of variance of type of military ATC experience, military 

branch (the Coast Guard students were omitted due to the small number) and 

ATCS option (en route and terminal), with the Academy nonradar score as the 

dependent measure, yielded no significant interactions while all main 

effects were significant. Since no interactions were present, ATCS option 

and military branch were dropped from further analysis and the significant 

effect of type of ATC experience (F=14.53; df=4,2697; E < .001) was 

examined. Post hoc tests indicated no significant differences between the 

no experience, rating only, and VFR groups; and no significant differences 

between the IFR and the IFR plus VFR experience groups. The nonradar scores 

for the IFR groups were significantly higher than for the non-IFR groups (£ 

< .05). Identical results were obtained for Academy pass rates. While 

pass/fail status correlated 0.12 with IFR experience, it did not correlate 

with VFR experience (0.02). Table II gives the mean Academy nonradar final 

scores and the pass rates for the experience groups. The results indicate 

that those with military IFR experience show approximately 12% higher pass 

rates than those with no military ATC experience. 

13 
TABLE II. MEAN FAA ACADEMY SCORES AND 

PASS RATES BY TYPE OF MILITARY ATC 

EXPERIENCE 

MILITARY ATC MEAN PASS 

EXPERIENCE SCORE RATE 

------------- ------ NONE 72.24 61.15% 

RATING ONLY 71.78 63.27% 

VFR EXPERIENCE 72.52 64.69% 

IFR EXPERIENCE 74.35 73.24% 

VFR+IFR EXPERIENCE 74.40 73.03% 

TOTAL 73.06 71.11% 

Academy success rates by type of facility where military ATC experience 

occurred are presented in Table III. The results generally conform to the 

results obtained above; i.e., experience in IFR facilities such as Radar 

Approach Control (RAPCON), Radar Ground Controlled Approach (RGCA), Radar 

Tower (RTOWER), Radar Air Traffic Control Facility (RATCF) and Air Route 

Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) is related to higher success rates. The 

success rate of those with Nonradar Tower (NRTOWER) experience is higher 

than expected; however, 975 (70%) of those with NRTOWER experience also had 

IFR experience in other facilities. Similarly, 100 (33%) of those with 

Flight S@rvice Station (FSS) experience also had IFR experience in other 

facilities. Radar Ground Controlled Intercept (RGCI), Nonradar Ground 

Controlled Intercept (NRGCI), and Army Radar Approach Control (ARAC) 

experienced students showed no difference in pass rates than students with 

no ATC experience at all. 

TABLE III. MILITARY ATC EXPERIENCE AT 

VARIOUS FACILITIES AND ACADEMY SUCCESS 

RATES 

TYPE OF 

FACILITY 

RAP CON 

RGCA 

RTOWER 

RATCF 

NRTOWER 

ARTCC 

FSS 

RGCI 

NRGCI 

ARAC 

N 

711 

1055 

931 

260 

1392 

166 

301 

134 

90 

61 

14 

PASS 

RATE 

76.93% 

72.51% 

71.97% 

71.92% 

71.91% 

69.88% 

69.44% 

63.43% 

61.11% 

59.02% 
Discussion. 

The results yield the conclusion that the only military ATC experience 

that has validity for predicting Academy success in ATCS training is IFR 

operations experience and that such experience is equally valid for the En 

Route and Terminal options. This is essentially the same conclusion that 

Cobb and Nelson (1) arrived at in their study of pre-1970 Academy entrants 

and the magnitude of the effect is similar. However, the effect of military 

VFR experience on Academy success is even less evident with this current 

group than in their study. 

The FAA implemented a new selection procedure in October 1981 that, in 

addition to utilizing a new aptitude test for establishing qualification, 

uses a test of ATC operations knowledge--the Occupational Knowledge Test--to 

award extra credit for pre-FAA ATC experience. This replaces the older 

procedure of rating the applicant's experience to award extra credit. 

During the FAA's recovery from the August 1981 Professional Air Traffic 

Controllers' union strike, 2 years of pre-FAA IFR-ATC experience is being 

used in addition to the new qualification procedures to qualify a limited 

number of applicants for hire directly into field training, beginning 

January 1982. These findings support limiting such a procedure to those 

with IFR experience and not considering those with VFR experience. In an 

emergency, such as the strike recovery effort, direct field hire of those 

with IFR-ATC experience may be justified; however, given that about 27% of 

those trainees would have attrited during Academy training, field attrition 

rates are likely to be higher for that group than for Academy graduates (2). 

15 
References 

1. Cobb, B. B., and P. L. Nelson. 1974. Aircraft-pilot and other 

preemployment experience as factors in the selection of air traffic 

controller trainees. FAA Office of Aviation Medicine Report No. AM-74-8. 

Washington, D.C. 

2. VanDeventer, A. D., 1981. Field training performance of FAA Academy air 

traffic control graduates. Presented at the Aerospace Medical Association 

Annual Scientific Meeting, San Antonio, Texas, May 1981. 

16