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

[twn]

If you fly to and from the Academy I believe you get one day to get to your facility. If you drive, the amount of time you are given is dependent upon how far it is from Oklahoma. As someone else mentioned those times are posted on each facility's forum page here.

You are authorized 8 days change of station leave, but it must be approved by the facility. Generally as a brand new person you are useless and it is approved. However if they are holding a training class or something for you there is always the chance that it may not be approved.

And before anyone asks, no the FAA does not pay for your moving expenses.

Everyone should "drive" to their facility from the academy to get the extra travel days. Hint hint

 

[GulfBravoPapa]

Everyone should "drive" to their facility from the academy to get the extra travel days. Hint hint

Except if the FAA paid for your plane ticket they know you aren't driving....

 

[MKK]

Except if the FAA paid for your plane ticket they know you aren't driving....

They don’took at how you got there really. I flew there but my husband brought my car to me a few weeks later cuz I realized how bad it sucked without a car!

 

[randoturbo33]

Everyone should "drive" to their facility from the academy to get the extra travel days. Hint hint

Wouldn't this push back your seniority though? I'd much rather have higher seniority for the next 20 years than get an extra 2 free days paid at the abysmal academy salary.

 

[tunwno]

Anyone here know how long they give you between academy grad and start date at first facility? I assume they give you time for finding a house and moving and all that Jazz? (And yea, I get the “you haven’t even started the academy yet, one step at a time punk” so let’s skip that)

That’s what called travel days and it alls depending on how far you are from the location you’re at to the location you’re going to.

 

[Alpha Mike]

Wouldn't this push back your seniority though? I'd much rather have higher seniority for the next 20 years than get an extra 2 free days paid at the abysmal academy salary.

I showed up at my new facility a week before people from our same class showed up. We all have the same seniority because it is based off of your original hire date, which we all happened to be OTS with no prior experience. Also, your COS is paid at AG, not academy pay.

 

[MJ]

We all have the same seniority because it is based off of your original hire date, which we all happened to be OTS with no prior experience.

No its not. It’s the date you are a bargaining unit member, which is the first day you’re assigned to a facility.

 

[Allen1138]

Hmm. Definitely need some COS time to pack up the family and get them moved to a new location, not to mention finding a place to live. I hope my academy grad date coincides with the end of my current lease ??‍♂️

 

[Alpha Mike]

No its not. It’s the date you are a bargaining unit member, which is the first day you’re assigned to a facility.

Wow! Okay, that’s not what the training manager told us. I’ll take it! Thanks for the clarity.

 

[Allen1138]

Wow so they don’t cover any moving expenses either. That’s fun. Guess I’d better save as much as possible between now and then.

 

[MKK]

Hmm. Definitely need some COS time to pack up the family and get them moved to a new location, not to mention finding a place to live. I hope my academy grad date coincides with the end of my current lease ??‍♂️

Yeah definitely SAVE money. I showed up to the facility right after academy. Lived in a hotel for 10 days. Found a place to live for the fam. Then took time off to go home pack everything up and bring the fam with me.

 

[randoturbo33]

No its not. It’s the date you are a bargaining unit member, which is the first day you’re assigned to a facility.

MJ, can you clarify this for me? Your assigned date is the first date after your academy travel days, meaning someone who flies to their facility will be senior to someone who drives by 1-3 days depending on driving distance - is that correct? But if you took COS leave immediately after the academy, wouldn’t your assigned date remain the same, since you’re technically working for your facility now but just on leave? Or does seniority get delayed in that case until you physically walk in the door?

 

[twn]

Except if the FAA paid for your plane ticket they know you aren't driving....

Your travel arrangements can change during the four months you are at the academy? The faa doesnt care how you get to your facility, as long as you get there

 

[xris831x]

MJ, can you clarify this for me? Your assigned date is the first date after your academy travel days, meaning someone who flies to their facility will be senior to someone who drives by 1-3 days depending on driving distance - is that correct? But if you took COS leave immediately after the academy, wouldn’t your assigned date remain the same, since you’re technically working for your facility now but just on leave? Or does seniority get delayed in that case until you physically walk in the door?

Your assigned facility date is the day after placement day. That is the reason travel days and COS days are paid at AG pay, not academy pay. This is also the date that plays into seniority. If two people from the same class go to the same facility but one takes COS and the other doesn't, that shouldn't be a factor in determining seniority. NATCA Constitution Article XV Section 1 describes tie breaker situations for this scenario. I couldn't copy and paste the exact verbiage, since I'm on my phone.

PS. Whomever those two people are at KKM's facility are seem to be getting boned, unless that facility uses COS usage as the lottery.....which definitely isn't a "chance" event.

 

[MKK]

Your assigned facility date is the day after placement day. That is the reason travel days and COS days are paid at AG pay, not academy pay. This is also the date that plays into seniority. If two people from the same class go to
PS. Whomever those two people are at KKM's facility are seem to be getting boned, unless that facility uses COS usage as the lottery.....which definitely isn't a "chance" event.

Yep luckily it wasn’t me. Felt bad for the other two. I’m sure If they would have known they would have showed up sooner !

 

[BillyBob]

Anybody have a timeline for the next step for medical, CIL etc.?

 

[badtowel67]

Anyone here know how long they give you between academy grad and start date at first facility? I assume they give you time for finding a house and moving and all that Jazz? (And yea, I get the “you haven’t even started the academy yet, one step at a time punk” so let’s skip that)

Please dont buy a house until you certify... I've seen that go badly too many times.

 

[boots]

Anybody have a timeline for the next step for medical, CIL etc.?

Some time in 2019.

 

[Allen1138]

Please dont buy a house until you certify... I've seen that go badly too many times.

No, not trying to buy a house immediately, but I’d need to find a rental suitable for my family fairly quickly. My wife’s definition of suitable and my definition of suitable are not the same and she isn’t just gonna let me go off to be an ATC somewhere for a few months and leave her in okc where we are living now.

 

[MJ]

Can you tell when TOL's started going out?