Resource ERR Generator 2023.02.17

[southwest416]

Hello everyone!

I've written a quick open-source python program to automatically generate ERR packages for up to 5 facilities at a time. This program automatically generates a cover letter, 3330-42, and 3330-43-1 for each facility, and eliminates the process of searching for a facility's regional office info, location, pay band, etc, for each individual facility you apply to. Now, all you have to do is select the facility ID and all the information automatically populates in the generated package. Detailed instructions for use can be found on the GitHub page or in the INSTRUCTIONS.txt file found in the downloaded folder. The most up to date version can be found on the GitHub Releases site or in the PointSixtyFive Resources page.

This software also will prompt you to attach a resume, performance plan, and a signed 3330-43-1 that will be appended to each generated package, making it a one stop shop for your ERR paperwork!

If you choose not to attach your resume, performance plan, or signed 3330-43-1, you must still attach them once you print the generated documents. Attach the resume and performance plan; sign the cover letter, 3330-42, and 3330-43-1; and have a supervisor sign 3330-43-1 under "Signature of Rating Official," then fax or email to the appropriate region as indicated on the cover letter. Please find the appropriate region contact info on the FAA KSN website, as this info changes frequently and seemingly without notice.

Facility information is pulled from publicly available sources including FAA OPSNET, 123ATC, PointSixtyFive, r/ATC, etc. I then personally augment this information as necessary to correct for inconsistencies among these sources before it is published in the Excel database. At this time, the database is not synced with any server, so please check back here often to get the most up-to-date version before generating paperwork. Eventually, the goal is to either port this to a web app format, or to get the program to a point where its databases update from a web server automatically before generating packages, to reduce the number of updates and ensure information is as up-to-date as possible.

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel welcome to leave a response in this thread, on the PointSixtyFive Resource page, or open an issue on GitHub! Also, if you are interested in contributing to this project, you are more than welcome to do so, and feel free to reach out if you're interested in collaborating!

 

[GulfBravoPapa]

I swear I read this last week....
Automated, self-filling ERR package

 

[YeeeeYeeee]

The sad thing is that you had to do this instead of the FAA just making it an easy process.

 

[Mike Kilo]

The sad thing is that you had to do this instead of the FAA just making it an easy process.

It is an easy process. Contract says what you need. You can download the forms online. Have a sup sign and fax/email them. You don’t even have to calculate points anymore apparently, though that’s very easy and usually stays at two digits for those OTS hires like me.

 

[southwest416]

I swear I read this last week....
Automated, self-filling ERR package

I’ve had a resource up for this since late January before that was posted. Only made a post to make it easier to find.

Also the difference is that resource requires you to edit the document for each individual facility, and it’s up to you to ensure you have the correct region, facility location, career level, etc. This one automatically finds all that information for you, and will create up to 5 packages at once. I made this program to solve the problem of sending paperwork to the wrong region, because two facilities in the same state can apparently be in two different regions, which I didn’t previously know.

Give it a try, I think it’s fairly simple and works well, but to each their own! No hate to the creator of that one, both are intended to make the process simpler, so use whichever you find easier! Obviously I’m partial to this one since I made it though, lol.

It is an easy process. Contract says what you need. You can download the forms online. Have a sup sign and fax/email them. You don’t even have to calculate points anymore apparently, though that’s very easy and usually stays at two digits for those OTS hires like me.

It’s outdated I think, by now you should be able to do the whole thing online and skip the unnecessary forms, since so much of the information you put on them isn’t used for the process anyway. If it can’t be used, don’t require it. It just feels like extra red tape that can be used to invalidate requests on the basis of “incompleteness”

 

[YeeeeYeeee]

It is an easy process. Contract says what you need. You can download the forms online. Have a sup sign and fax/email them. You don’t even have to calculate points anymore apparently, though that’s very easy and usually stays at two digits for those OTS hires like me.

Easy? Filling out multiple pages for each facility you put in for? That’s not easy. All the FAA has to do is make it a seamless process online. HR already knows everything about us and doesn’t need all the shit they ask for.

 

[Phanatical]

I tried this last night. I have a hard copy of the signed -1 so I just opened the copy in the folder and replaced that page with my own. For ease, you could also add a image of your signature to the blank -42 in the folder as well, because then all you have to do is change the facilities you need and it’s all wrapped up and ready to go.

 

[southwest416]

I tried this last night. I have a hard copy of the signed -1 so I just opened the copy in the folder and replaced that page with my own. For ease, you could also add a image of your signature to the blank -42 in the folder as well, because then all you have to do is change the facilities you need and it’s all wrapped up and ready to go.

That’s a good idea, I’ll see if I can add an option to attach an image of your signature and a supervisor signature too for the people who have one scanned in already!

 

[Mike Kilo]

It’s outdated I think, by now you should be able to do the whole thing online and skip the unnecessary forms, since so much of the information you put on them isn’t used for the process anyway. If it can’t be used, don’t require it. It just feels like extra red tape that can be used to invalidate requests on the basis of “incompleteness”

Agree it’s outdated. You should be able to go into cedar. Click what facilities you would like and add a resume to send.

Easy? Filling out multiple pages for each facility you put in for? That’s not easy. All the FAA has to do is make it a seamless process online. HR already knows everything about us and doesn’t need all the shit they ask for.

It really is easy. Change the location, series, and grade and save it as a new pdf. Again I agree it could be a much better system but it’s not hard and nobody is “trying to keep you down”.

 

[Acquired Taste]

That’s a good idea, I’ll see if I can add an option to attach an image of your signature and a supervisor signature too for the people who have one scanned in already!

Yeah I concur. That would make it perfect. Other than that, it worked pretty good. Honestly I don't even care if this is some sort of Russian personal information phishing scheme, it's going to save me so much time that it's worth it.

Only other thing I think would be really useful is if it wasn't limited to 5 facilities at once. I have like 40 ERR's I'm trying to drop. Either way, this is a great resource and I appreciate the time and effort you gave to put this all together. Thank you

 

[Phanatical]

Yeah I concur. That would make it perfect. Other than that, it worked pretty good. Honestly I don't even care if this is some sort of Russian personal information phishing scheme, it's going to save me so much time that it's worth it.

Only other thing I think would be really useful is if it wasn't limited to 5 facilities at once. I have like 40 ERR's I'm trying to drop. Either way, this is a great resource and I appreciate the time and effort you gave to put this all together. Thank you

As long as you have a version of Adobe that allows you to organize pages, just have the sup sign that page (obv do the rest of the stuff too and you sign it) and insert it in place of the blank one. You can also either do a digital signature on the -42 or take a pic of your signature on a piece of paper and use some Photoshop magic to make it a transparent PDF and just insert that image in the signature block. Save the PDF in the ERR Generator folder and then you’re golden.

 

[Acquired Taste]

As long as you have a version of Adobe that allows you to organize pages, just have the sup sign that page (obv do the rest of the stuff too and you sign it) and insert it in place of the blank one. You can also either do a digital signature on the -42 or take a pic of your signature on a piece of paper and you some Photoshop magic to make it a transparent PDF and just insert that image in the signature block. Save the PDF in the ERR Generator folder and then you’re golden.

I'm not super literate with all that stuff but I'll have to play around with it some more. I tried to digitally sign it on the one in the folder and save it to see if it would stay there when it filled it in and it didn't work. I'll see what I can do and report back

Is that version of Adobe extra?

 

[Phanatical]

I'm not super literate with all that stuff but I'll have to play around with it some more. I tried to digitally sign it on the one in the folder and save it to see if it would stay there when it filled it in and it didn't work. I'll see what I can do and report back

Is that version of Adobe extra?

Digital signatures are time stamped so that probably won’t work. The version I have is paid but you might be able to do it here for free. YMMV. Rearrange PDF pages online for free | Adobe Acrobat

 

[Mike Kilo]

There is probably a legality issue copying and using a supervisor signature in that way without express permission. I’ve asked sups before and they were good with me reusing that page when faxing though instead of signing 10 packets etc. And damn, 40 facilities? That’s craziness right there.

 

[Phanatical]

Honestly I don't even care if this is some sort of Russian personal information phishing scheme, it's going to save me so much time that it's worth it.

I have checked and haven't seen any outgoing data from this program. I've blocked it with my firewall just to be sure, but likely no issue to begin with.

 

[Acquired Taste]

There is probably a legality issue copying and using a supervisor signature in that way without express permission. I’ve asked sups before and they were good with me reusing that page when faxing though instead of signing 10 packets etc. And damn, 40 facilities? That’s craziness right there.

Yeah my supe sounded a little hesitant when I first presented the idea but we'll see. And honestly man, I narrowed it down from like 55ish I had before. I'm still young and not tied down and I don't need to be in any specific area. I signed up for this job with the stipulation I would go anywhere and I just wanted to move airplanes. 5 years later and I'm still stuck at the slowest facility in the nas bored out of my mind working an average of less than 2 ops/hour. So yeah, send me anywhere that isn't too shitty and has airplanes.

I have checked and haven't seen any outgoing data from this program. I've blocked it with my firewall just to be sure, but likely no issue to begin with.

Love to hear that

 

[Termine]

The version I have is paid but you might be able to do it here for free. YMMV.

If you download the enterprise Acrobat installer you can sign in with your FAA single-signon credentials, just like signing into webscheduler from home. I was using a newly-installed computer at work and it had me do that, so I got curious if it would work at home and it sure does.

 

[northrnlightz]

My facility MAY get to releasable numbers in the next year or two since NCEPT started, so nobody here knows how any of this works. If I submit an ERR now, does it still stay in the system for 15 months and they readdress every NCEPT meeting?

 

[GulfBravoPapa]

My facility MAY get to releasable numbers in the next year or two since NCEPT started, so nobody here knows how any of this works. If I submit an ERR now, does it still stay in the system for 15 months and they readdress every NCEPT meeting?

Correct

 

[southwest416]

southwest416 updated ERR Generator with a new update entry:

Update 03/14/2022

Updated 03/14/2022.

The following changes were added:

• Added function to attach an image of a signature and a supervisor's signature to generated packages. Now, you may add your signature as a jpg or png by adding an image to the main directory of the ERR Generator under the name "signature.png"/"signature.jpg". Add a supervisors signature, with express permission only, by adding an image to the main directory with the name "supsignature.jpg"/"supsignature.png"

...

Read the rest of this update entry...