1-1-1. No front-page posts relating to the US hiring process

I remember hearing at some national NATCA event a few years back about how the watch schedule in Canada is designed. I don’t remember much, but if I recall, it seemed like it allowed for a long weekend every other week. Any of the Canadian controllers here able to explain?

I was wondering which towers for ATC (VFRs) are opened 24/7 and which one are closed at night time? Thank you!

Still fairly new to being a federal employee, I’m in the national guard currently on orders for the entirety of May. I plan on taking military leave on Memorial Day, will this give me the double pay I would’ve received if I worked that day?

I tried finding an answer through OPM but was having trouble.

Thanks!

The last wrong answers only thread was hilarious. What's your best advice for those in academic or OTJ training.

Bonus points for responses that effectively utilize astrology.

Are brain focus supplements permitted in the FAA?

Heard someone say “special teams, special plays” in a Sketch voice today. Most of us got a good laugh out of it. (Tower facility under Washington center)

What should I do to ensure I’ll be completely set when I get out into the civilian world and try to get a position with the FAA or DoD?

This is for ATC training in the United States at OKC.

I received a medical DQ letter last week (I have been in the application process since May 2023 and I have completed everything - Best Qualified on ATSA, completed all CIL instructions, etc).

Has anyone gone through the appeal process? What does it entail? Has anyone received medical clearance after “Special Consideration”?

I was DQ’d due to my substance history (alcohol), despite my numerous narrative statements stating I do not drink alcohol anymore/have not drank for 17 of the last 24 months, I will be abstinent for 12 consecutive months this June, etc, AND I passed all of my preliminary medical qualifications/drug test/medical opinion from the doctor when we had our full body check up with the EKG and everything.

This DQ came from a flight surgeon’s decision.

I’ve declared my intent to appeal (following the instructions I was sent in the letter), but no one has responded to me or sent me further instructions on what to do, despite them saying “we will be happy to assist you through the process.”

I’m genuinely very upset because I simply do not drink alcohol anymore, I will be sober for an entire year in June, I’m completely willing to have total abstinence from any substances during my employment in safety sensitive duties, I scored Best Qualified on the ATSA, I submitted and completed all of my documents and everything very punctually, and then only to be met with a DQ… it’s just very disheartening.

Thank you for your time and reading this, any help or advice would be appreciated.

After finishing school, will they sent you back to where you from for training or you don't have many options? Thanks.

As a enlisted Air traffic controller I've been seeing alot of talk about people going into the military and leaving without the certifications as to transition to FAA. I want to maximize my time in the army and get the most training possible as I want to transition right after my 5 years. This is where I ask does my Airfield matter? Do we all get the same certifications regardless? Or should I aim for the biggest Airfield on my Dream sheet for when I am stationed? I do have alot of questions but this is a confusing field given my age but one I'm ready to learn.

Hey All. I just received my start dates for Enroute and just as the title suggests I’d like to know if bringing a car is worthwhile from your experiences.

Thanks for your input!

Edit: should have clarified, this is in regard to the OKC Academy.

Edit: You all are awesome! Thanks for all the input. I will prep my car for a cross country road trip!

What kind of time off do y’all get? what does you compensation package look like?

Not asking for google warriors, I want it straight from a French patriot!

Hallo 🙋🏼‍♀️ ihr Lieben .. der Tower von Straßburg ist der Hammer 🔨🤩

Trying to fill out paperwork to hardship from one center to another.

Does anyone have completed examples of the forms? These instructions are clear as mud, what does credit time in months mean? Never done ERR paperwork before, and would appreciate any help anyone can provide. Thanks!

Howdy,

I’ve temporarily lost my medical and working A45 time. For the other work they had for me, I was told to create a refresher training PowerPoint. I’d really like to put a video in the slides, so it’s not just a bunch of text, I’ve spent the last hour searching YouTube but can’t find a save or playback of a controller reorienting a lost pilot. Does anyone have any suggestions where I can find a video when the controller helps a lost pilot?

VFR in VMC if possible.

Thanks!

I barely get paid to monitor people in position that seem like they are actively trying to make me lose my ratings. I can’t even rememberr the last time I actually worked position without monitoring someone. PSA I know it’s a must to keep the facility going but damn is it annoying

Not sure how retirement works in this regard. Say you do your 20 years good time, then just quit. Can you take your retirement at 50, still? Could you go work for another agency for 5 years until you're at 25 years total, and retire out of that?

If so, how does the SS Supplement factor (or does it at all)?

Thanks for any and all info.

Your fellow overworked controller.

Been wondering this for a while. Recent runway incursion at JFK brought it back up. Why do we just put stop lights at runway intersections? Could have another at takeoff point. When tower clears a takeoff, press a button, and the lights change. When tower clears a crossing, press a button and the lights change again.

Seems like a really easy layer of safety to add?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=8NU7pvSBC34&si=Kdtk5RWRuo6AeWHG

Seriously, I count at least 12 aircraft on the ground and another 6 in the air. How does this controller know/remember where every plane is and what they're doing? What do controllers use to quickly and correctly identify planes on the ground / air?

I’m applying and hopefully get En Route. But I’m worried about the vision test for medical. I’m blind on my left eye since birth so I’ve only ever used my right eye.

Does anyone know if there are waivers for it? Or am I SOL.

Official response from NATCA President. Guessing the time is right is never!

So I am trying to become an ATC in my home country (not the US), and this is the 3rd time I am applying for it. I have always been discarded in the last round, which consistes of personal interviews.

I reached out to an HR psychologist to help me out with this and maybe point out what I am doing wrong in said interviews. She told me that my biggest problem might be that I don't have a passion for aviation. Obviously she told me to "distort the truth" on this next interview, and state that I am very passionate for aviation.

I don't feel very good about it in general, so my question is, does it really matter that you have a passion for aviation to get into this proffession?

I personally find aviation in general somehow interesting, but it's not like I am obsessed with it or have any hobbie that is related to it.

Would love to hear your take on this.

Hi, I placed my application and am hoping to be selected for the test and hopefully go on to train in OKC. I guess my question is is this year taking in more people? I heard that more funding was approved to help hire more and reduce under staffing. I also work in a airplane maintenance hangar so I have a SIDA badge. I was wondering if there’s any way I can call someone at my local tower, and possibly meet a manager/supervisor, maybe even tour the facility? I know a tour inside is probably unlikely even being badged but it’s worth a try.

So this was a discussion that came up at work today and thought it was interesting. The idea is: finding a long term way to utilize people who aren’t able to fully certify at their facility. For example, if someone has all of their D sides or a few R sides (in a center) or the tower or radar (in an up down) and they wash out, instead of just sending them to the NEST, offer them a full-time permanent position to work the positions they were able to get. Obviously this isn’t ideal, but with the current state of affairs, wouldn’t it be better to keep someone around who can help in some way, rather than losing that person (and all the time put into training them) completely?

It benefits the trainee as they don’t need to roll the dice with the NEST and pack up and move. It benefits the facility as you have someone who can be worked into the rotation, even if on a limited basis, and can alleviate some of the staffing pressures. The downside for the trainee is they never reach CPC pay (D2 or D3 becomes their permanent pay) and the downside for the facility is you sometimes have to play musical chairs in order for that person to benefit the operation.

Thoughts?

Let’s say I have two opposite direction aircraft. Aircraft A is at 110 and aircraft B is at 100. I issue aircraft B its destination weather, which makes his mode C report 102. Before the targets merge, I verify that aircraft B is level at 100 and the enemy he aircraft know his altitude is reporting 200 feet high. I then call traffic, yada, yada, yada. Because the altitude is reporting 102, the conflict alert goes off.

Am I safe since I verified the mode C again, or would this be considered a deal?

Been reading about staffing issues here and am wondering what exactly is a staffing trigger and what is the criteria to implement one? I read a few comments from the other post about OKC and how to deal with staffing shortfalls that said the facilities don’t like to implement triggers as then the FAA has to look into it and the GM or ATM? has to answer questions about it.

Airspace wise how do you deal with it? Combine sectors? Or close them off entirely and have TMU issue reroutes? For context I saw a trigger implementation for ZNY Area B and the routings on a map made everyone avoid ZNY entirely if flying along the east coast just off the shoreline.

Had a friend ask me for thoughts about getting into the aviation industry, specifically ATC and asked if I knew the history of the rotational schedules that seem to be prevalent in the industry.

Many other industries use a more fixed shift type schedule scheme with the more desired shifts going to employees who tenure into them or in some cases earn them based on performance metrics. The "newbies" (and those that don't perform well) generally get the less desirable shifts like evenings/overnights.

Please help us understand the history of the rotational schedules in the aviation industry?