FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute

Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-84/6

Title and Subtitle: Studies of poststrike air traffic control specialist trainees: I. Age, biographic factors, and selection test performance related to Academy training success

Report Date: June 1984

Authors: VanDeventer AD, Collins WE, Manning CA, Taylor DK, Baxter NE

Abstract: The August 1981 strike of air traffic control specialists (ATCS's) and their subsequent firing led to the air traffic strike recovery program, which included the unprecedented hiring and basic training of over 8,000 ATCS applicants in a 2-year period. A new selection procedure was also implemented which included a job-related aptitude test (Multiplex Controller Aptitude Test) and a test to determine the level of prior knowledge of ATCS procedures (ATC Occupational Knowledge Test) for assigning extra rating points in the selection rating process.

This report presents three studies that provide comparisons of prestrike and poststrike characteristics of ATCS trainees. Results indicate that:

1. Academy pass rates for the poststrike selection procedure were higher for all rating ranges; the overall pass rate for those selected from the new procedure was 63 percent vs. 56 percent from the old procedure.
2. There was a linear relationship between age at entry and pass/fail status at the end of initial screening; overall pass rates were higher for those within 'aviation experience' categories than for those in a 'no experience' group, but a similar decline in performance with age was evident.
3. Since the strike, the biographic composition of the population applying for positions as ATCS's has changed; e.g., two-thirds of the poststrike applicants have no prior experience in aviation.

Key Words: Air traffic control specialist, Training, Biographic factors, Selection, Age

No. of Pages: 21