TushingPin
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Hello all, as promised I wanted to show everyone, or at least tell everyone the process of what has gone on with me.
A little background, I am a prior experience controller picked up on a prior experience bid. I was one of the "lucky" ones who got a great list, a few 12's a few 11's and the remainder 8 and below. I ranked and received F11 (Central Florida TRACON) level 11 TRACON only. For those wondering my experience is this: 6 years at an ANG base in central Pennsylvania. Up down certified, and watch sup both facilities.
I started at F11 late August 2018, spent about a month and a half doing ELMS, and waiting for another guy to come to start in the lab. Went through the lab, if you're familiar with central Florida, the lows are crazy busy pretty much all year round (they do slow down during the summer) and the highs get complex during the summer. We went through the labs all the way, no problems and hit the floor late November (?). Got flight data and the government shutdown occurred. Was stuck working flight data for about a month with no training started. Finally got into position sometime near mid-January (?). Anywho began my training in the lows and absolutely got my rear end kicked. Few months of training went by, and I felt everything was going fine. Still needed some work, but still had alot of time left.
I got orders for the military to attend a school that I didnt have an option to get out of. I didnt think it was too big of a deal as I figured I would have my first position by then, and would be in seasoning by then. (This was some time around March when I got notified for school) The school was scheduled from the end of May through June. This is when things started going south. No big deal on my training meeting, but the sup did assign me SET (Skill Enhancement Training) and played it off as "Everyone goes through this, nothing is really too wrong just have some skills we need to improve on, and best to do that in the lab". Red flag #1, if youre getting SET, its already past the "Youre doing fin" stage. Again, being new to the FAA, I had no idea, but was just listening to the sup. SET went well, went back to the floor, stuff was still happening. 10 days later they terminated my training and sent me to a TRB at 120/160 hours. By the time the TRB met, convened and gave an answer I had gone to Military school, came back and was told that my training would be continued and I would ONLY be allotted the hours that were remaining, no extension.
*******IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE WITHDRAWAL VS TERMINATION PROCESS READ HERE**************
Began my training, it went pretty well but moral of the story, I was going to run out of hours before I or my trainer felt comfortable putting me up for cert. Totally warranted totally fair. This is where I was faced with a decision, withdraw or drag out the training and let it terminate. TERMINATE TERMINATE TERMINATE if it is your first facility, and you have no positions...... Withdrawing is relevant and useful if you're at a higher level and have some scopes or positions under your belt. When going to the NEST the terminations have first dibs at facilities, then the withdrawals get their choices AFTER all the Terminations get their picks. Either way, truthfully letting them terminate you is better than withdrawing, still go through the same NEST panel, and with termination youre just higher on the list to pick.
**************NEST PROCESS BEGINS HERE*************************
So, I withdrew. I withdrew pretty quickly after the panel that met previous to mine (mid-august) this is important because the way the NEST determines facilities (priority i suppose) is by Terminations > By oldest, to newest - Withdrawals > Oldest, to newest. The beginning of October was when the NEST panel met for me. I heard from my NATCA rep about a week after the panel met that the FAA was going to retain me and not terminate me, which was pretty cool. November 1st I had the meeting with the ATM and my Natca rep, to find out the FAA was going to send me to FSS in Alaska, either Juneau or Kenai. Not exactly what I was expecting, but I assumed something was wrong. Prior military with experience and ratings+ a year of training + outside of probation, how was I getting offered FSS and not even a tower only somewhere? I started running this up the chain, reaching out to my RVP. For anyone going through the process you have 5 days from the day the ATM shows you the list to respond, moreso this list isnt a job offer or guarantee. They can still fill up on spots and youre left with nil. Running this through the RVP he asked the questions to the NEST guy they have and this was the response I received, by the time the panel got to me, they recommended a level 4 or 5 facilities. When running the PPT, there were no facilities that fit the description, leaving me to FSS.
Now not to get into detail or sob more, I dont really believe it was done right. From what I have read and heard the NEST % to projected or whatever that far right column is. When I ran the PPT from the NCEPT (The week prior to the NEST meeting) it showed me 55 facilities less than 100% projected. I was told they staffed up to 100% but possibly not because if that was the case then I should have been offered some sort of facility.
Morale of the story: If you're new to the FAA and it doesnt smell right, you're probably 5 steps behind and its glaringly wrong to everyone but you. Terminate over Withdraw. Always ask the questions, always do your research, and dont just trust peoples word.
If anyone has more specific questions about the process LMK. Hopefully Alaska has internet /s/
A little background, I am a prior experience controller picked up on a prior experience bid. I was one of the "lucky" ones who got a great list, a few 12's a few 11's and the remainder 8 and below. I ranked and received F11 (Central Florida TRACON) level 11 TRACON only. For those wondering my experience is this: 6 years at an ANG base in central Pennsylvania. Up down certified, and watch sup both facilities.
I started at F11 late August 2018, spent about a month and a half doing ELMS, and waiting for another guy to come to start in the lab. Went through the lab, if you're familiar with central Florida, the lows are crazy busy pretty much all year round (they do slow down during the summer) and the highs get complex during the summer. We went through the labs all the way, no problems and hit the floor late November (?). Got flight data and the government shutdown occurred. Was stuck working flight data for about a month with no training started. Finally got into position sometime near mid-January (?). Anywho began my training in the lows and absolutely got my rear end kicked. Few months of training went by, and I felt everything was going fine. Still needed some work, but still had alot of time left.
I got orders for the military to attend a school that I didnt have an option to get out of. I didnt think it was too big of a deal as I figured I would have my first position by then, and would be in seasoning by then. (This was some time around March when I got notified for school) The school was scheduled from the end of May through June. This is when things started going south. No big deal on my training meeting, but the sup did assign me SET (Skill Enhancement Training) and played it off as "Everyone goes through this, nothing is really too wrong just have some skills we need to improve on, and best to do that in the lab". Red flag #1, if youre getting SET, its already past the "Youre doing fin" stage. Again, being new to the FAA, I had no idea, but was just listening to the sup. SET went well, went back to the floor, stuff was still happening. 10 days later they terminated my training and sent me to a TRB at 120/160 hours. By the time the TRB met, convened and gave an answer I had gone to Military school, came back and was told that my training would be continued and I would ONLY be allotted the hours that were remaining, no extension.
*******IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE WITHDRAWAL VS TERMINATION PROCESS READ HERE**************
Began my training, it went pretty well but moral of the story, I was going to run out of hours before I or my trainer felt comfortable putting me up for cert. Totally warranted totally fair. This is where I was faced with a decision, withdraw or drag out the training and let it terminate. TERMINATE TERMINATE TERMINATE if it is your first facility, and you have no positions...... Withdrawing is relevant and useful if you're at a higher level and have some scopes or positions under your belt. When going to the NEST the terminations have first dibs at facilities, then the withdrawals get their choices AFTER all the Terminations get their picks. Either way, truthfully letting them terminate you is better than withdrawing, still go through the same NEST panel, and with termination youre just higher on the list to pick.
**************NEST PROCESS BEGINS HERE*************************
So, I withdrew. I withdrew pretty quickly after the panel that met previous to mine (mid-august) this is important because the way the NEST determines facilities (priority i suppose) is by Terminations > By oldest, to newest - Withdrawals > Oldest, to newest. The beginning of October was when the NEST panel met for me. I heard from my NATCA rep about a week after the panel met that the FAA was going to retain me and not terminate me, which was pretty cool. November 1st I had the meeting with the ATM and my Natca rep, to find out the FAA was going to send me to FSS in Alaska, either Juneau or Kenai. Not exactly what I was expecting, but I assumed something was wrong. Prior military with experience and ratings+ a year of training + outside of probation, how was I getting offered FSS and not even a tower only somewhere? I started running this up the chain, reaching out to my RVP. For anyone going through the process you have 5 days from the day the ATM shows you the list to respond, moreso this list isnt a job offer or guarantee. They can still fill up on spots and youre left with nil. Running this through the RVP he asked the questions to the NEST guy they have and this was the response I received, by the time the panel got to me, they recommended a level 4 or 5 facilities. When running the PPT, there were no facilities that fit the description, leaving me to FSS.
Now not to get into detail or sob more, I dont really believe it was done right. From what I have read and heard the NEST % to projected or whatever that far right column is. When I ran the PPT from the NCEPT (The week prior to the NEST meeting) it showed me 55 facilities less than 100% projected. I was told they staffed up to 100% but possibly not because if that was the case then I should have been offered some sort of facility.
Morale of the story: If you're new to the FAA and it doesnt smell right, you're probably 5 steps behind and its glaringly wrong to everyone but you. Terminate over Withdraw. Always ask the questions, always do your research, and dont just trust peoples word.
If anyone has more specific questions about the process LMK. Hopefully Alaska has internet /s/
