Reinstatement facility level change

[Acquired Taste]

Has anyone here had success leaving a very slow tower or up/down and reinstating right into a 12? I'm at the most boring black hole that exists and getting desperate enough to look into contract options like LAL. (p.s. if anyone has any info on LAL, I'm interested in that as well.) My dream is to get reinstated at a high level tracon but I feel like I'd have to be an idiot to walk away from the security, benefits, and retirement contributions to go contract for a year. On the other hand, a year would fly by, I'd get good traffic xp, I'd keep my natca seniority, no state taxes, and could hopefully reinstate right to the bottom of the level 12 CPC band somewhere in a year and make up for all that lost retirement and then some. If you have similar experience as me and haven't gotten back straight to a 12, what level did you get selected for?

 

[Super Salt]

Has anyone here had success leaving a very slow tower or up/down and reinstating right into a 12? I'm at the most boring black hole that exists and getting desperate enough to look into contract options like LAL. (p.s. if anyone has any info on LAL, I'm interested in that as well.) My dream is to get reinstated at a high level tracon but I feel like I'd have to be an idiot to walk away from the security, benefits, and retirement contributions to go contract for a year. On the other hand, a year would fly by, I'd get good traffic xp, I'd keep my natca seniority, no state taxes, and could hopefully reinstate right to the bottom of the level 12 CPC band somewhere in a year and make up for all that lost retirement and then some. If you have similar experience as me and haven't gotten back straight to a 12, what level did you get selected for?

Lakeland ain’t no joke when it comes to traffic. They’re busier than many of the FAA VFR towers in Florida.

The FacRep there is responsive if you reach out, but you’re up against strong competition if/when any positions open up. Same goes for ISM as well.

 

[Acquired Taste]

Lakeland ain’t no joke when it comes to traffic. They’re busier than many of the FAA VFR towers in Florida.

The FacRep there is responsive if you reach out, but you’re up against strong competition if/when any positions open up. Same goes for ISM as well.

Yeah I listened to the tower for at least like 3 hours to day and they're popping. Great mix of traffic too with a ton of flight school C172s, NOAA based out of there, Amazon expanding and flying 767's in there, and SunCountry flying 737's. It absolutely blows my mind that a place like that doing 350-400 ops a day is contracted out while my facility is FAA working 20-30 ops a day probably getting paid more and vastly better benefits. We're a level 5 by default but we should be a level 1 if they ever moved the band that low.

 

[Cheese6432]

Has anyone here had success leaving a very slow tower or up/down and reinstating right into a 12? I'm at the most boring black hole that exists and getting desperate enough to look into contract options like LAL. (p.s. if anyone has any info on LAL, I'm interested in that as well.) My dream is to get reinstated at a high level tracon but I feel like I'd have to be an idiot to walk away from the security, benefits, and retirement contributions to go contract for a year. On the other hand, a year would fly by, I'd get good traffic xp, I'd keep my natca seniority, no state taxes, and could hopefully reinstate right to the bottom of the level 12 CPC band somewhere in a year and make up for all that lost retirement and then some. If you have similar experience as me and haven't gotten back straight to a 12, what level did you get selected for?

Why not try and go DoD. Probably a long shot, but you’ll get a pay raise (if you’re going from like a level 4-8 ), and it’s a transfer within OPM, so all of your leave/benefits/FERS and everything else transfers and continues

 

[ajmezz]

Has anyone here had success leaving a very slow tower or up/down and reinstating right into a 12? I'm at the most boring black hole that exists and getting desperate enough to look into contract options like LAL. (p.s. if anyone has any info on LAL, I'm interested in that as well.) My dream is to get reinstated at a high level tracon but I feel like I'd have to be an idiot to walk away from the security, benefits, and retirement contributions to go contract for a year. On the other hand, a year would fly by, I'd get good traffic xp, I'd keep my natca seniority, no state taxes, and could hopefully reinstate right to the bottom of the level 12 CPC band somewhere in a year and make up for all that lost retirement and then some. If you have similar experience as me and haven't gotten back straight to a 12, what level did you get selected for?

I know someone who went from a level 6 up/down to a 10 tracon without any issues. It’s possible, just have to network with the right people.

 

[Super Salt]

Yeah I listened to the tower for at least like 3 hours to day and they're popping. Great mix of traffic too with a ton of flight school C172s, NOAA based out of there, Amazon expanding and flying 767's in there, and SunCountry flying 737's. It absolutely blows my mind that a place like that doing 350-400 ops a day is contracted out while my facility is FAA working 20-30 ops a day probably getting paid more and vastly better benefits. We're a level 5 by default but we should be a level 1 if they ever moved the band that low.

I’d recommend sending your application in through RVA, reach out to the FacRep, and cross your fingers.

 

[Acquired Taste]

Why not try and go DoD. Probably a long shot, but you’ll get a pay raise (if you’re going from like a level 4-8 ), and it’s a transfer within OPM, so all of your leave/benefits/FERS and everything else transfers and continues

Believe me, I would if I could. I've applied to at least a dozen bids in the last year with no luck. Contract is kind of a last resort. Only benefits of contract is keeping natca seniority

 

[Lemonhead]

Guy left couple months before I got here and got picked up at ZDV. Skipped 5 levels.