Hiring Bid FAA-ATO-23-ATCEXP-82723 (Prior Experience)

[GulfCharlie]

About the CTO schools or about getting out, getting your CTO, and getting back into the FAA or going DOD? I'm happy to search, just want to make sure I'm searching for the right thing.

Advanced ATC in GA, going FAA, then going to DoD.

 

[ThrowAwayAcct]

Advanced ATC in GA, going FAA, then going to DoD.

Thank you, I've called and talked to their staff, waiting to see about this one in Florida, as well as that's a pretty big jump to make with a family to look out for as well. But I do appreciate you taking the time to mention them.

 

[ajmezz]

Which is why, if you look back at my original question, I asked about going to the CTO school in Georgia, or there is one that is supposed to be opening up in Florida this year, getting my CTO that way, and going contract until I can get back into the agency or going the DOD route once I have my CTO.

I just looked back at it and it doesn’t say anything about going to a cto school. Just “getting a cto,” so, daddy chill. If you want to spend the time and money, by all means go ahead if you feel it’ll better your chances.

 

[GulfCharlie]

Thank you, I've called and talked to their staff, waiting to see about this one in Florida, as well as that's a pretty big jump to make with a family to look out for as well. But I do appreciate you taking the time to mention them.

I'll offer you one last bit of advice, you need to certify at your current facility. Talk to your FacRep (unless you burned that bridge) and fight for training. Be in the books, 4 years in you should know your freqs, LOA's/SOP's, airport layout, preferred taxi routes, and all the call signs. Plug in, monitor what you can and show that you are interested. You are taking a bigger chance leaving than staying to fight for training. Remind management of the training "mandate not a mandate," talk to your FLM's and advocate for yourself in a non-aggressive or blaming others way. Tower certifications in the military do not hold a candle to civilian ones. Stay for credit to train (boots ) and do what needs to be done to fully certify.

 

[PxM0712]

About the CTO schools or about getting out, getting your CTO, and getting back into the FAA or going DOD? I'm happy to search, just want to make sure I'm searching for the right thing.

You may run into problems leaving during training and trying to come back. Many people have said they were placed at their previous location or were not allowed to come back.

 

[NotKC]

Isn't there a time requirement as well when applying to fct's? Ie held a cto within so many years?

 

[PxM0712]

Isn't there a time requirement as well when applying to fct's? Ie held a cto within so many years?

Midwest/serco only require 6 months with a CTO. RVA requires 1 year, I have heard many people go to FCTs with a several year break between working traffic.

 

[onGuard]

Thank you, I've called and talked to their staff, waiting to see about this one in Florida, as well as that's a pretty big jump to make with a family to look out for as well. But I do appreciate you taking the time to mention them.

if you want more info on advancedatc dm me.

 

[GulfCharlie]

if you want more info on advancedatc dm me.

Paul still pop in from time to time?

 

[RomeoTangoRT]

The craziest part about some contract facilities is the fact that I could bring buddies here who were controllers but weren’t fortunate enough to get their CTO but are genuinely really good controllers and they could certify in two weeks and it would save them years of issues going to the academy and shit.

Also had a coworker who went to advancedatc fwiw. Worst part imo is they don’t accept the GI bill yet but it’s my understanding they’re working towards that.

 

[onGuard]

Paul still pop in from time to time?

Didnt work with Paul, mostly Dan. Sent me to work down at his facility in Houston a couple years ago

The craziest part about some contract facilities is the fact that I could bring buddies here who were controllers but weren’t fortunate enough to get their CTO but are genuinely really good controllers and they could certify in two weeks and it would save them years of issues going to the academy and shit.

Also had a coworker who went to advancedatc fwiw. Worst part imo is they don’t accept the GI bill yet but it’s my understanding they’re working towards that.

Worst part is the money their "academy grads" get paid.

 

[RomeoTangoRT]

Also I know for a fact RVA will bypass the 1 year cto rule. They’re desperate for controllers at a lot of facilities.

Worst part is the money their "academy grads" get paid.

That should be tied to a payback program or something similar to how some flight schools work.

Certify
Pro-time
Instructor course
Instructor

Take a pay cut to pay back credit for the school and a prorated figure or something. But why would they do that when people don’t ask for it ?

 

[PhishFinder]

Would love it if I could, and I know the contract towers require faster quals. The reason I cannot certify in 4 years is because no training is available (I get Covid was in there, but still). I'm sorry but when it takes 7 months to get 40 hours on ONE POSITION... I'd be looking at CPC'ing around my 10-15 year mark at this rate, and that is a long time to be living at the SoCal poverty line. And I held previous tower quals in the military, just never got trained on local, so never got a chance at a CTO, otherwise this wouldn't be an issue.

Trust me I get it. Traffic or no traffic it comes down to they just don’t care. In the FAA our side of the team would shorten breaks and run a schedule to train. In contract, hell you can train on all positions with just one certified body; but usually have two.
Anyways, apply to other jobs within the FAA or DOD if you qualify. Do flight training on your weekends- if you can use GI bill it obviously helps. If you like it you can jump ship and fly instead. Worst case, you will get a better understanding of the job.
But don’t quit ATC to go to ATC school to get an ATC job you already have that isn’t working out.

 

[DADDYSbabyBIRD]

What facility are you at that gives 40 hours in 7 months? There has to be more to that story.

 

[SharDiNae]

Paul still pop in from time to time?

He did when i was there, was fun to run sims with him

 

[GolfKilo]

Applicants, who are maintaining 52 consecutive weeks of ATC experience, after receipt of an air traffic certification or ATC facility rating, must be age 35 or below, on or before the closing date of the vacancy.

Right from the job announcement. So if you are 35 when it closed out you will be fine as long as you correctly applied and attached the appropriate documentation.

Thanks for the reply. I never certified and got my CPC status, so I didn't know if that applied to me or not.

 

[boots]

Make sure you pick a contract tower that will get natca in 5 years that you pay 0 dues on then leapfrog a bunch of your coworkers in seniority.

 

[PxM0712]

Make sure you pick a contract tower that will get natca in 5 years that you pay 0 dues on then leapfrog a bunch of your coworkers in seniority.

contract Natca towers do pay dues

 

[boots]

contract Natca towers do pay dues

Oh, they go back and collect dues from the years you were there?

 

[PxM0712]

Oh, they go back and collect dues from the years you were there?

At least for Midwest towers now if you switch to NATCA then they take a portion out of every check. I believe its something around $45 or so a pay period.