Opinions on these Facilities?
- Thread starter N144CA
- Start date
If you’re not going to stay then definitely go to ZID and get the easy 12 pay before they’re a 10
HenryTheAce
Forum Sage
- Messages
- 588
Go to the place with the best outlook on staffing if you want to bounce. Out of those places I’d pick ZID. Then play the NCEPT game and bounce as soon as you certify. Worked for me! Pro-tip though... don’t tell anyone you want to leave and sell it hard like you love the place. Half of training is having people like you lol
If your end goal is ZSE, go to a West Coast facility, certify, apply for a Guam bid, go to ZUA for 2 or 3 years, and when the bid is up go back to ZSE. I'm not sure how it works now, but if I recall correctly, when your ZUA time is up, they'll send you to your facility of choice (I've also heard back to your original region). I know one person who's done it, and it seems ZSE has a steady stream of controllers who's most recent facility was ZUA.
This, most definitely this!
Mike Kilo
Legendary Member
- Messages
- 2,832
I don’t think it is very difficult to get to ZSE though. I’ve known a few who made the cut without center experience or visiting. Certainly not enough to do a 3 year stint in Guam unless you really want to try it out.
This is good advice but today's staffing outlook for an enroute facility is kind irrelevant to what it will be in 2 years when you certify.
Phillytroll69
Forum Sage
- Messages
- 1,257
- Facility
- JNU Juneau Tower
Now a question for you-you really fly N144CA
Just be aware that ZDV is a level 10, not a 12 like ZID or ZFW. I was at ZID for 17 years and really enjoyed it there. I would be surprised if it dropped below a level 12 because of the complexity of the traffic but STL and CVG airports are not as busy as they used to be so I am not sure how close Indy would be to dropping below a 12. Also, the cost of living at ZDV is very high. Be sure to check home prices before you decide.
haha nope, just a call sign I remember seeing on Scenarios ?
I think I would enjoy ZID honestly so loving it wont be hard(I just like most people would eventually want to get back to family).
I've seen mixed answers on putting in "ERR"? is that the NCEPT game?
Should I wait to certify and play the NCEPT game or can I put paperwork whenever I want and just stay quiet or will ATMs disclose that info that I'm already putting in for a transfer?
Mike Kilo
Legendary Member
- Messages
- 2,832
You can ERR as a trainee but they are near impossible to have go through. People will talk. Management to union and all over, so don’t think it will be a secret. Management has to sign the ERR paperwork anyway. NCEPT is the panel that meets to make the controller movements and it uses the ERR. Wait to certify. Tell everyone family is there and you love it. Then bid out when done.
ZID hasn’t worked 12 traffic in a decade and doesn’t have to volume feed any major hub. Once ABACUS rolls out all the Enroute FPLs will get reshuffled and if you start at ZID now and go anywhere later you’ll make much more money down the line. Get the 12 base line ASAP and basically everywhere else has a higher locality so you’ll get a raise to leave even if you go to a 10.
HenryTheAce
Forum Sage
- Messages
- 588
Yeah I’m a Midwest dweller myself plus a few people where I’m at have transferred from ZID and they all said it was a solid place.
Mike Kilo was spot on with his answer. Darn near impossible to get an ERR approved with NCEPT as a trainee (I’ve never heard of one) plus it’ll get out. 100% people will find out and it’s just all around not good and can’t help ya. Play the game. Check out. Then if you want to, put in an err whenever you want. Don’t give any reason for them to not like you and wash out. I’ve seen it quite a few times where it hasn’t helped people’s cases, it shouldn’t matter (doesn’t to me personally) but people get weird about that shit
CaptainObvious
Legendary Member
- Messages
- 2,130
Abacus has been on rollout for years. Wake me up if it ever gets implemented. They’re too worried about stifling movement with the national release policy or whatever you want to call it.
Considering that when you look at the numbers pre covid ZDV did under 100k less ops than ZID I think it’s safe that ZID would drop from being a 12
wand_waver
Active Member
- Messages
- 193
not related but this 100%
ABACUS rolls out in 2023 and there’s almost no reason to believe it actually happens.
Just my 2 cents but try to avoid going to a dumpster fire facility like ZOA or ZMA. Go somewhere that has mostly positive feedback like ZID (easy 12) or a bang for your buck facility like ZTL. I’ve heard great things about both of those places.
Also, you never know how things are gonna change down the road. I went to my dream facility right out the gate and ended up transferring somewhere else.
thatnewATCguy
Member
- Messages
- 38
Doesn’t the pay only differ by like 3k between ZDV and ZID?
32andBelow
Legendary Member
- Messages
- 9,240
why not salt lake?
Yah but your in the Level 12 band and you’ll go to like the top of the 10 band and then get all the extra locality. And you’ll make more than people that have worked like 10 years longer than you.
ZDV makes more than most 10s and quite a few 11s but if you have to go somewhere first that you’re not going to stay at you go to the 12 and then do the locality adjustment later in your career.
