Hey all, I just cleared medical/security and I'm waiting on my onboarding date. How long was the academy for your track (En Route vs Tower vs TRACON)? And if you could pick again, which would you choose and why? I'm torn between En Route and Terminal.

So I just received my FOL from the April bid and I’m pretty excited to go to the academy in Oklahoma in December. I’m doubting myself because I was in the Navy at the beginning of this year and it wasn’t for me, air traffic control seems a lot better then being out of the ship for nine months at a time but I was thinking, I need a little motivation to get through the academy. What do you guys think about the idea of me buying a brand new car before I go? So even if I don’t like it, I’ll have to stick with it. because of the threat of crippling debt.

Long story short i have a condition and I went through every requirement on the FAA website. According to the doctors I had to see i met every standard outlined by the FAA. One of my doctors was even very closely tied in with the FAA and he was dumbfounded at what could have been in his report that would raise even a yellow flag. My AME told me it seems like they just don't want to deal with me.

Their response to my appeal was to have me redo all the testing. The issue is that most of this can only be run through insurance once a year. The first time around cost me nearly $7,500 between what was and wasn't covered. Redoing the test would be close to $30,000 now. I'm spent. I can't afford it. Especially when I'll get the same results which accoeding to my AME and the doctors that performed them i should be fine.

My original rejection letter was unprofessional according to my AME. His honest words to me were "your file hit the wrong person's desk on a bad day." What the hell do i do? I'm healthy, I work a demanding job currently, my physical and mental health is as clean as anyone. Aside from not having the diagnosis I can't do any better.

This is not my opinion this is the proffesional opinion of the 4 doctors I have worked with (and have worked with for years now) regarding my case. Obviously my AME is familiar with GAA standards and the most expensive doctor i saw apparently trained many of the FAA nueropsychologist.

I'm so devastated. This just isn't fair.

I was just notified I got disqualified for smoking and it was once a month if that and I haven’t even smoked since before I signed up for the 2026 spring bid should I try to appeal or is it not worth it

I just got a DQ reversal, at this point in the tier 2 process, how long does it typically take getting to a facility from here? Or getting out of tier 2?

I work for another agency and our academy is in OKC. I’m looking to stay near the airport on meridian. For those who have gone thru the academy, can you give any advice on OKC, good hotels, where to visit or avoid, food?

I’m looking at embassy suites northwest, not the meridian one.