Sun, Jan 01, 2012
Division Of L-3 Accused Of False Placement Promises
Not so long ago, the National Air Traffic Controllers
Association (NATCA) was hounding the FAA over its failure to
attract an adequate number of recruits to replace retiring air
traffic controllers. The union hyperbole reached the point of
calling news conferences to declare a "staffing emergency," and the
FAA opened consideration to controller candidates without college
degrees.
Thirteen plaintiffs have now filed suit against the Link
Simulation & Training Air Traffic Control Academy, based in
Dennison, TX, claiming they were charged $41,000 each for training
which promised the first 100 graduates would be hired by the FAA as
controllers. At one time, given the publicity surrounding the
controller shortage, that may have been a plausible claim.
The Dallas Business Journal reports the lawsuit specifically
charges, "To date, not a single student has received a job offer as
promised. In fact, plaintiffs have learned that the FAA never made
the agreement represented by the defendants. Furthermore,
plaintiffs have learned that their training received at the Academy
is insufficient, by itself, to even qualify them to work in a FAA
air traffic control tower."
The academy's official website now promises only that the school
"provides you the quickest route to attain your FAA Control Tower
Operator certificate. Graduates have the opportunity to attain
their Control Tower Operator certificate in less than one year.
Annual starting salary for an FAA air traffic controller is
approximately $40,000. While the Link Simulation & Training Air
Traffic Control Academy cannot guarantee employment, the air
traffic control field represents one of the best paying careers not
requiring a four year degree."
The academy is a division of L-3 Communications, which the paper
says could not be reached for comment. The lawsuit has been filed
in federal court in Dallas. Fort Worth personal injury specialists
Greg Jackson and Jim Zadeh are reportedly representing the
defendants.
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