Hiring Bid Air Traffic Control Specialist - Trainee: FAA-ATO-18-ALLSRCE-57792

So I have a question and a concern. My medical and MPI are scheduled to both be completed within the first 10 days of april. Ive already sent in my security portion of the CIL, which was received early February. Everything will be done with 32 days to spare before I hit the 90 days rule. I keep reading its taking you guys a while to get your MPI results back and even good amount of time for your flight surgeon to look at your medical appointment results. I know it says on the CIL to have all steps completed within 90 days of receiving, but does that also mean results in hands of HR by that deadline? I know its a unique question, thanks everyone for any advice!
 
So I have a question and a concern. My medical and MPI are scheduled to both be completed within the first 10 days of april. Ive already sent in my security portion of the CIL, which was received early February. Everything will be done with 32 days to spare before I hit the 90 days rule. I keep reading its taking you guys a while to get your MPI results back and even good amount of time for your flight surgeon to look at your medical appointment results. I know it says on the CIL to have all steps completed within 90 days of receiving, but does that also mean results in hands of HR by that deadline? I know its a unique question, thanks everyone for any advice!
I would assume we have 90 days to get the appointments done cause we really have no control over how quickly the results are sent to HR
 
How does housing work? I understand the main places to choose from are Kim's Place, Anatole, and Isola Bella. I'm leaning towards Anatole. How do I go about securing a room? Through faarooms.com? I read somewhere you need to go through certain channels otherwise you might get overcharged? Any info would be appreciated.

You'll receive more information as you get closer, but you're basically right. At Kim's or IB you just call up and reserve a room, but Anatole has several different leasing companies you can go through. Some are better than others at dealing with issues, but I believe they're all gonna take the full $57 daily rate - you should be able to find feedback on here about which companies are good. If you go to Kim's or IB, you can pay less than the $57 daily that the FAA gives you and pocket some extra cash. I personally picked IB and I would do it again - pocked $12 a day in housing per diem, plus they provide you with 2 hot meals a day meaning that I barely touched the food per diem either. One big plus for Anatole is that it's closer to the Academy - more like 15 minute drive instead of 30 from Kim's or IB.
 
You'll receive more information as you get closer, but you're basically right. At Kim's or IB you just call up and reserve a room, but Anatole has several different leasing companies you can go through. Some are better than others at dealing with issues, but I believe they're all gonna take the full $57 daily rate - you should be able to find feedback on here about which companies are good. If you go to Kim's or IB, you can pay less than the $57 daily that the FAA gives you and pocket some extra cash. I personally picked IB and I would do it again - pocked $12 a day in housing per diem, plus they provide you with 2 hot meals a day meaning that I barely touched the food per diem either. One big plus for Anatole is that it's closer to the Academy - more like 15 minute drive instead of 30 from Kim's or IB.

Gonna be off topic a little here.. but how healthy are the 2 hot meals exactly. I count my macros during the summer to shed the fat after bulking, I'm gonna assume that the food is kind of hit or miss that way.
 
Gonna be off topic a little here.. but how healthy are the 2 hot meals exactly. I count my macros during the summer to shed the fat after bulking, I'm gonna assume that the food is kind of hit or miss that way.
I was wondering the same thing. I'm being very careful with my diet right now for the next few months. I was leaning more towards Kim's anyway but just in case I'd like to have a backup plan
 
It's free with Kim's! Squats all day! I think the other housing options also have some sort of gym access but I'm not entirely sure.

Honestly the free gym access at Kim's has always kind of made me sway that way. I probably will end up choosing Kim's but always good to hear all possibilities
 
I know we get some reimbursements and per diem when we start but is there any recommendation on how much we should have saved before arriving in case of emergencies?
 
So from what I understand from a former CTI classmate who went through the academy last year, he STRONGLY recommends Kim's, and the way it works (at least how it was for him) is WITH the food per diem, Kim makes weekly (I think) Walmart runs with shopping lists from her tenants. And since the houses are 3bed 2bath, she decides who gets the master, and whoever that is doesn't get a garage spot for their car. Not sure if your rate is higher if you have the master or not. Also I think it was mentioned here somewhere before, but if you stay at Kim's with or without a car, TAKE THE SHUTTLE to class every day so you don't get fired for being late if there's a traffic issue. I was gonna rent a car and use it for weekends and grocery runs since I'd rather buy my own food at places other than Walmart and use the extra per diem for that. I also recall reading somewhere that Kim's does have a family housing option, and an option to bring a dog, but I'm not sure if that's under special circumstance only or what.
 
I live in the Pacific Northwest
bruuhhhh I'm in the southwest and I had my med and drug test a week before you idk if the closeness of our regions would have ANY effect on it but maybe that means I'll be hearing reaaallll soon? ?
 
All this talk of housing is apartments. Are there any downsides to staying in a hotel that offers FAA long term rates? I talked with an extended stay hotel that’ll charge exactly that rate and adjust it down to cover taxes etc so I pay nothing. It’s on the shuttle route and I’d have my car for study sessions/weekends. Daily breakfast and dinner three nights a week included plus free laundry.
 
I wouldnt call the meals from isola healthy and it is hit or miss on how good it is. Breakfast is continental and covienent before you get on the shuttle because it picks you up outside. There is also a gym there you can use. Not the nicest place but I was nice to have my own privacy.
 
Are any of those places family friendly?

My wife has done a bunch of digging into these places. Kim’s “offers” family options but they explicitly told her families were frowned upon at the academy. They made it seem very negative.

However, IB’s was very open and accommodating. Gave her tons of info, offered up roll aways and the whole nine yards.

Edit: Kim’s was also over the allowable per diem for family housing. Whereas IB was not.

Not sure about Anatole, but for us it’ll prolly be IB....that is of course, if I get there haha
 
Both Kim’s and IB offer free gym access. The one at Kim’s is nicer, but is offsite and requires a drive, while the one at IB is onsite.

Doing the food pack at Kim’s is incredibly stupid unless you simply cannot afford to get reimbursed by the FAA and need them to pay for your housing directly. Even Kim will tell you that. You’re literally paying nearly $140 extra every week to have her shop for you. Unless your credit score is truly abysmal, just get a cash back credit card and pay her $39 and pocket the extra $18 a day that the FAA will give you.

The food at IB isn’t great or particularly healthy. There’s a decent salad bar st every meal, then beyond that she makes 1 or 2 hot entrees with a handful of sides. Off the top of my head, some of the common dishes are enchiladas, pasta with Alfredo sauce, chicken breast, roasted broccoli, mixed veggies, and always some sort of potato and rice and biscuits. Some meals are better than others, but most meals are pretty good, and the benefit of not having to spend several hours a week cooking and grocery shopping are huge.

I didn’t bring my car out to OKC which made IB a much more appealing option for me. The inside food and gym are convenient, and the shuttle runs direct to the center. There’s also a Walmart in very close walking distance for any groceries I do need, and they offer free courtesy cars for any driving you need to do.

However, really the biggest determining factor should be where others in your class are staying if you can figure that out. Study groups are really important, and you don’t want to be the only one stuck at a different location than anyone else.

Let me know if there are any other questions.
 
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