The relationship of predevelopmental "150" training with noncompetitively selected air traffic control trainees to FAA Academy success

The selection of air traffic control specialists: I. History and review of contributions by the Civil Aeromedical Institute

“…Analyses pertaining to subgroups, each composed of one to four former incoming classes of the Academy's Terminal, En Route, or FSS training courses, yielded significant inverse relationships between the Academy elimination rates and post-Academy attrition rates of the trainees (see jFigure 4). Such findings were remarkably consistent for personnel who entered each type of training during either of the two time periods.…”

“…examination, the results of which may constitute grounds for ineligibility. 4 In August of 1958, a program for rapid expansion of the National Airspace System was initiated and a revised set of trainee-selection standards was adopted. In many respects, the new selection program was highly similar to that of the preceding 56 months.…”

The Evolution of the ATC Selection and Training Process

“…The result of the ATC screening process of the 1960's was a controller workforce made up of a large majority of white males who were former military ATCSs or pilots. (Cobb & Nelson, 1974) The FAA recognized the lack of ATC controller diversity and attempted to diversify the controller workforce in 1968 by implementing the Predevelopmental " 150" program (Boone, 1978). Most women and minorities did not have previous ATC or aviation experience because of socioeconomic considerations.…”

“…Most women and minorities did not have previous ATC or aviation experience because of socioeconomic considerations. (Boone, 1978;Mathews, Colllins, & Cobb, 1974;Cobb, Mathews, & Lay, 1972) Without previous ATC or aviation experience an applicant's ranking would be lower than other applicants with ATCIaviation experience. Because of this belief that previous aviation experience was key to successful completion of ATC training, a 1-year program was developed to give women and minorities aviation experience (Cobb & Nelson, 1974).…”

“…The program was also successful at increasing the percentage of women and minorities in the controller workforce. (Boone, 1978) However, a study done by Mathew, Collins, & found the controller workforce in the early 1970's to still be 97% male.…”