I didn't receive any reply at all after submitting my SF86 last week. Still have to submit my fingerprints and schedule both med appts. Just curious, were you one that just got a TOL in end of Feb or back in December??
Hiring Bid Air Traffic Control Specialist - Trainee: FAA-ATO-18-ALLSRCE-57792
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jballen004 Tubadude2
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Feb. Got it in the wave on the 25th
DL0509
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I like to see my mistakes out the window vs on a screen.... Personally I will be a tower flower for the rest of my career, sitting in front of a screen in a dark room just doesn't appeal to me. Of course if I can't get picked up at a 10+ tower only I'd consider going over to a TRACON.
Down af
OKbusyB
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As someone who has been through the enroute portion, I couldn’t be happier about how things ended up. I can’t speak on the tower side of things, but I really enjoy the aspect of having your own sector of airspace under your control. You’re basically an overseer with multiple plans and responsibilities all happening at once, ever changing.
I’d say 99% of the instructors genuinely want you to do well and will give you the knowledge to do so. They were just as excited and down hearing the news about those who passed and failed. For those who end up getting enroute, my messages are always open if you have questions or concerns.
I’d say 99% of the instructors genuinely want you to do well and will give you the knowledge to do so. They were just as excited and down hearing the news about those who passed and failed. For those who end up getting enroute, my messages are always open if you have questions or concerns.
ClearanceClarence
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At what point do we actually find out whether we’re assigned enroute or terminal? Isn’t this the first bid where they didn’t assign you one or the other at the TOL stage? I’m assuming when we get the call for a date, they just tell us then? It’d be amazing if they asked for a preference, though I’m not counting on it. Really hoping to get Memphis or Atlanta Center.
DL0509
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Towers are the same the airspace is just smaller, mine for example is 4 miles from the runway intersection up to 1700ft. In that small area we handle helicopter ops, traffic pattern, practice approaches, air carrier ops, and GA ops at the same time. I wouldn't trade it for enroute though. I do encourage all you guys and gals to take a tour of a level 7 or below tower or a center to see what you could possibly be doing.
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- ZLA Los Angeles Center
Which facility are you in if I may ask?
I really am hoping for a center also. From everything that I've seen enroute is the way that I want to go, and I bet that we probably have a little more say to it then other past bids at least
F5awp
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Why do you think we'll get more say?
I was able to tour a level 7 after my MMPI. It seemed like a decent amount of work, nothing insane but definitely requires a lot of focus. Several CA alarms with student pilots turning the wrong way after take off. They said those were the most annoying and it KEPT happening ?
I spoke to HR about that. They said when medical gives the O.K. and clearance/etc, Is good, they'll send an final offer with the date and facility type. I told her I wanted center, since that's where all my experience is at. She said they need more in center, so that would be easier to do, and that she would put me in center. She warned me that doing so could possible mean giving me a later start date than terminal or vice versa... Not sure if she actually will, or if she was just trying to get me off the line.
So if you want center, that'll probably be easier to do. But if you want tower, and they don't give it to you, of course I would ask them anyway. Just depends on your rep. If you're CTI, and tell them your school emphasized in terminal (even if it's bullshit), that could help. Also if you have ghost pilot experience in terminal, that may sway them. I've heard of people using both of those excuses.
Some bids they're flexible and a accommodating, and some bids they won't even consider it.
I’m CTI and I had a terminal sim lab but not en route lab. Hopefully that helps me then ?
Seeing all the discussion about terminal vs en route and not really knowing a whole lot about either, is there anywhere that has a good explanation of the similarities and differences? I see pay is mentioned often, how much of a pay discrepancy is there between the two, typically??
jballen004 Tubadude2
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This doesn’t totally answer your question, but if you go to the references tab on this site, each facility has its own page with a tab for pay scale. That at least gives you an idea on the pay difference.
denver0739
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Basically enroute centers have all the developmental pay increases where as terminal facilities that you start at typically have only d3 to cpc.
Terminal is more actual “tower based” whereas enroute is all radar. Some terminal locations have up/downs which means they have some radar too as opposed to only terminal.
Just do some digging, and you’ll find tons of stuff. If you want, PM me and I’ll clue you in in more detail about what I’ve learned of the differences through my research.
Terminal is more actual “tower based” whereas enroute is all radar. Some terminal locations have up/downs which means they have some radar too as opposed to only terminal.
Just do some digging, and you’ll find tons of stuff. If you want, PM me and I’ll clue you in in more detail about what I’ve learned of the differences through my research.
DL0509
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As far as differences between the two options I couldn't explain that as I've never worked at a center. I just know that as a tower controller the portion of the .65 we use is way smaller than what center or tracing controller uses.
Select a locality in the attachment. The CPC line is what you can expect after certification. Level 4-7 for terminal out of the Academy, and level 8-12 for centers (I may be wrong about the centers).
GulfBravoPapa
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Terminal: level 7 or below tower or up-down facility. You may or may not get radar experience.
If you're at a standalone tower you will work clearance delivery, ground control, and local. Arrivals, departures, pattern traffic. Depending upon airport maybe helicopters or other small aircraft. Very little airspace owned, little to no vectoring.
Up-down facility: a combined tower and tracon will afford you radar training. You will work the same tower positions listed above but your facility will also have a radar approach which actually owns real airspace. You'll have to go back to OKC to attend RTF at some point and thus training will be longer than a standalone. Likely your radar will be an arrival and a departure position, potential combined, potentially combined in the tower cab. Learn to use an ABCDE keyboard.
Enroute: level 10+ facilities, typically higher failure rate at the Academy but higher pay. Much longer training process once at the facility. Depending upon the center you may or may not work non-radar. High altitude enroute (think about how many times a day you can ask how the ride is) where you will sequence into whatever the majority of airport in the area is. A lot more automation tools are available to center controllers including a QWERY keyboard. Many sectors also own to the ground and may occasionally run approaches into uncontrolled airports. Centers are significantly larger facilities and can have upwards of 300 employees... This means you'll also have more amenities at work such as a kitchen, gym, quiet room, etc.
If you're at a standalone tower you will work clearance delivery, ground control, and local. Arrivals, departures, pattern traffic. Depending upon airport maybe helicopters or other small aircraft. Very little airspace owned, little to no vectoring.
Up-down facility: a combined tower and tracon will afford you radar training. You will work the same tower positions listed above but your facility will also have a radar approach which actually owns real airspace. You'll have to go back to OKC to attend RTF at some point and thus training will be longer than a standalone. Likely your radar will be an arrival and a departure position, potential combined, potentially combined in the tower cab. Learn to use an ABCDE keyboard.
Enroute: level 10+ facilities, typically higher failure rate at the Academy but higher pay. Much longer training process once at the facility. Depending upon the center you may or may not work non-radar. High altitude enroute (think about how many times a day you can ask how the ride is) where you will sequence into whatever the majority of airport in the area is. A lot more automation tools are available to center controllers including a QWERY keyboard. Many sectors also own to the ground and may occasionally run approaches into uncontrolled airports. Centers are significantly larger facilities and can have upwards of 300 employees... This means you'll also have more amenities at work such as a kitchen, gym, quiet room, etc.
