Cmsgthokage
Trusted Contributor
- Messages
- 686
Hiring Bid Experienced Bid: FAA-ATO-19-ATCEXP-60073
- Thread starter MJ
- Start date
Expectvectors24
Member
- Messages
- 24
There seems to be a lot of turn downs in here. I hope any pre-madonnas turning down facilities that they ranked don’t get skipped in future selections. Just because you didn’t rank it number 1 doesn’t mean you’re above it. FAA is a different animal and “experienced” guys do struggle in the big leagues.
Cmsgthokage
Trusted Contributor
- Messages
- 686
For myself I don’t view it as being “above” any level of a facility just hella bummed. Mostly because a friend of mine with the same experience got a list of standalone TRACONs like U90, S56, R90, Y90, and a few more off of the last years bid and another friend who was on the first round of lists for this bid got The 4-7 up/down lists.
BUT it’s how it is now and it’ll probably benefit me when I eventually want to move out of my first facility. Just gotta deal with it and it’ll be better than being in the AF. Lol
squawkIFR
Trusted Contributor
- Messages
- 334
They are probably just afraid of washing out because they are trash Air Force “controllers”. Am I right? Every Air Force controller that I’ve seen go FAA is now flipping burgers at McDonald’s. I don’t even know why they have “prior experiences” bids.
colefinley
Member
- Messages
- 41
What branch of military? Or contract?
Chris0209
Member
- Messages
- 20
Damn man calling “trash controllers” out haha honestly most of the facilities in the lists I’ve see don’t seem that bad.
squawkIFR
Trusted Contributor
- Messages
- 334
Nah man. If you’re an Air Force controller forget about it. If you’re army then no need to even apply.
RomeoTangoRT
Forum Sage
- Messages
- 503
Oh let’s not forget those of us who have separated and gone on to work at other D-league cooooontract towers which don’t count because they don’t have the big bad FAA stamp of approval on it. Might as well apply off the street to save yourself the embarrassment.
Show up to your first facility with a bag over your head. “Hey man, you got any experience?” “No... nahhh me? No absolutely not. Psh, experience? Not at all.”
squawkIFR
Trusted Contributor
- Messages
- 334
You’re in the presence of major league controllers here. You better keep that rhetoric to a minimum if you want to make it to the big leagues. Rookie.
RomeoTangoRT
Forum Sage
- Messages
- 503
colefinley
Member
- Messages
- 41
I'm a prior Army controller ?♂️
- Messages
- 996
Get well soon.
DL0509
Trusted Contributor
- Messages
- 343
Some of y'all seem butthurt that folks are calling you out on your "I've worked at xxx facility so I deserve something better than low level FAA facility" mentality. I don't entirely agree with the statement that military facilities are subpar to FAA facilities. And I definitely don't agree that contract towers are subpar to FAA towers, there are a ton of contract towers that are way more difficult than FAA facilities. Like I said before I personally want y'all to come in succeed and move on to where you really want to be.
It's prima donna, but people might be turning down places because they just can't afford to work there long term. Look at what's happening with transfers right now... Lotta you guys are going to be stuck for a loooong time
SugarFoot1
Trusted Contributor
- Messages
- 475
It will definitely benefit pay wise. You will check out quicker and get CPC pay instead of going to a high level and taking awhile in the D band. If you go to a high level as a CPC then you get half the pay raise just walking in the door. So for the most part your base pay will be 105-115k just for transferring.
A lot are taking people’s comments the wrong way. I have been all 3. Air Force, DOD and FAA. Been at a 7 and been at a 12. FAA is different. Also everyone has their reasons for turning down lists. If you think your experience warrants going high TRACON levels then wait it out bid after bid. If you can’t accept some level 6 in Cali then don’t do it. Simple as that. Nobody is trying to shit on you and your exp or act like the FAA is superior to others, it’s just different. Take it how you want. Maybe when you sit down at a scope and everything is combined and no handoff and your asshole tightens up real nicely you will remember us saying it’s different
You been to Campbell?
Expectvectors24
Member
- Messages
- 24
I could understand why many don’t like what I said. We’ve had several AF guys, some certify a little faster than academy people, some certify beyond the average time. But none of them certify quick like FAA transfers. Sometimes they’re harder to train because they can’t adapt or they have an entitled attitude. The entitlement that I see in training (while not doing stellar) and the entitlement I see on here being above facilites is what I’m coming after. I haven’t seen any rockstars that are above the facilities on that list in my experience.
TheFullMonty
Member
- Messages
- 113
I’m currently at a cozy DOD job, but I’m quite bored here and will prolly take anything as long as it isn’t cold as balls or have crazy high living expenses.. I will actually take a pay cut initially to wherever I go but it’ll be worth it in the long run IMO.
SugarFoot1
Trusted Contributor
- Messages
- 475
Oh it will def be a pay cut. That ATC premium will be missed
squawkIFR
Trusted Contributor
- Messages
- 334
What rank would you equate level 5 pay to?
mAiTaInVFRaToRbElOw
Active Member
- Messages
- 103
If your feelings were hurt about the major league analogy, how are you a controller? All we do is give each other sh*t and act like every facility’s traffic is Chicago, NY, ATL, etc. Let’s take the analogy further and add minor league’s top three classes. There, now everyone gets to play pro ball.
I get why some may be disappointed with a list of 4-7s when prior bids would have produce lists of 8-12s. My first time around I had three 12s and two 11s: C90, N90, A80, PCT, and HCF. I’m certain my AF experience of 140k ops per year didn’t equate to that. It doesn’t hurt to get your foot in the door and establish your seniority date before the next guy. There’s no right or wrong choice though, your life.
I get why some may be disappointed with a list of 4-7s when prior bids would have produce lists of 8-12s. My first time around I had three 12s and two 11s: C90, N90, A80, PCT, and HCF. I’m certain my AF experience of 140k ops per year didn’t equate to that. It doesn’t hurt to get your foot in the door and establish your seniority date before the next guy. There’s no right or wrong choice though, your life.
