FAA Hiring Process Revamped

[ChasenSFO]

The BQ this time was actually really straight forward and made sense. Most of the answers seemed to follow a pattern, I think I figured out more or less what they were looking for. I'll be happy to share what I think after the app closes.

Even some check boxes for gigs like airline CS/Ramp and working in a ramp tower. Hope it helps.

 

[smack300]

The BQ this time was actually really straight forward and made sense. Most of the answers seemed to follow a pattern, I think I figured out more or less what they were looking for. I'll be happy to share what I think after the app closes.

Even some check boxes for gigs like airline CS/Ramp and working in a ramp tower. Hope it helps.

Yea it was much better this time. It was nice to say that I have worked on the ramp before and have my PPL. Last time, they didn't care. Good luck to all those who applied.

 

[nabbyfan]

The BQ this time was actually really straight forward and made sense. Most of the answers seemed to follow a pattern, I think I figured out more or less what they were looking for. I'll be happy to share what I think after the app closes.

Even some check boxes for gigs like airline CS/Ramp and working in a ramp tower. Hope it helps.

Thats awesome, a few of my friends from CTI that didn't make it the first time felt way better about this one also, a little more aviation background heavy and a little less about if you played on the tennis team in high school.

Im done with my first week at the Center, such an awesome work enviroment. But for now its just maps on maps on maps. I now understand why everybody said that the Academy map/course doesn't really prepare you at all for the real thing but is just a screen.

Good luck....hope it works out! Hopefully they pick more people that can make it through the Academy without quitting or failing basics.

 

[Bernoulli Fan]

Hopefully they pick more people that can make it through the Academy without quitting or failing basics.

Surely you jest!

 

[nabbyfan]

Surely you jest!

I wish I was kidding! I knew a few people that failed basics and quite a few more that just quit because they didn't like getting strung along for so long on where they would be placed or they didn't like the work.

It was just so frustrating because I know people that would have killed for that seat at the academy, and it was given to someone who didn't care and didn't take it seriously.

 

[Bernoulli Fan]

I wish I was kidding! I knew a few people that failed basics and quite a few more that just quit because they didn't like getting strung along for so long on where they would be placed or they didn't like the work.

It was just so frustrating because I know people that would have killed for that seat at the academy, and it was given to someone who didn't care and didn't take it seriously.

I can understand the not knowing where you're going to work problem, although that should be known to them before starting the academy. It's bizarre to me that the FAA decided that was the best way to assign people facilities. Certainly not an employee-friendly way.

 

[nabbyfan]

I can understand the not knowing where you're going to work problem, although that should be known to them before starting the academy. It's bizarre to me that the FAA decided that was the best way to assign people facilities. Certainly not an employee-friendly way.

It was really rough. They come in the first day of Basics and say "hey, you're in this service region. This are the possible facilites you could be assigned after graduation. We will come to you 10 Class days before final evals with a list of facilities you will be offered". Cue 4 Months of at times daily speculation over where we would end up.

Then they came in 3 DAYS before we had our evals, and said "Here is your list. Except this list is worthless because if anybody fails, their spot will be taken off the list. So really you don't have any idea where you will end up until your entire region is done with evals".
Evals are done, hooray! I passed! Next day, show up and sign the paperwork for my center while a manager from HR is laughing about how awesome the center that is 15 minutes from my house is and how amazing that area is, and how great a career I could have there. But, its not on the list that they are offering. Its really a horrible process for the students that go through it...I picked on a Wednesday and was asked to report to work in a facility in a city I had never been to, where I had no housing, on that Friday. Theres still people living in hotels paying upwards of 4k to have a place to stay until theres vacant apartments in the safe side of town.

Definitely happy I passed, and happy with where I ended up, but man. The whole process of getting a location was just so stressful and not fun. At the end, I didn't even have a choice because with the limited amount of people that passed in my region, we only had one choice. Its just frustrating knowing that in 2 weeks, some kid that has no interest in going to the center that is 15 minutes from my house will be forced to go there, while I was willingly volunteering to go. Oh well! I guess I ended up where Im at for a reason!! Back to Map Study

 

[genot]

It was really rough. They come in the first day of Basics and say "hey, you're in this service region. This are the possible facilites you could be assigned after graduation. We will come to you 10 Class days before final evals with a list of facilities you will be offered". Cue 4 Months of at times daily speculation over where we would end up.

Then they came in 3 DAYS before we had our evals, and said "Here is your list. Except this list is worthless because if anybody fails, their spot will be taken off the list. So really you don't have any idea where you will end up until your entire region is done with evals".
Evals are done, hooray! I passed! Next day, show up and sign the paperwork for my center while a manager from HR is laughing about how awesome the center that is 15 minutes from my house is and how amazing that area is, and how great a career I could have there. But, its not on the list that they are offering. Its really a horrible process for the students that go through it...I picked on a Wednesday and was asked to report to work in a facility in a city I had never been to, where I had no housing, on that Friday. Theres still people living in hotels paying upwards of 4k to have a place to stay until theres vacant apartments in the safe side of town.

Definitely happy I passed, and happy with where I ended up, but man. The whole process of getting a location was just so stressful and not fun. At the end, I didn't even have a choice because with the limited amount of people that passed in my region, we only had one choice. Its just frustrating knowing that in 2 weeks, some kid that has no interest in going to the center that is 15 minutes from my house will be forced to go there, while I was willingly volunteering to go. Oh well! I guess I ended up where Im at for a reason!! Back to Map Study

Yeah that is not cool at all. Congrats on passing though! I remember being on the academy bus behind two guys. One guy asks the other where he's from and where he's going. Turns out one was from Hawaii going to Alaska and the other was the opposite. I was lucky enough to have time to scout out places to live before they hired this way. Not that it's much consolation , but the apartment complex I chose forgot about me and was closed that Saturday. Right on cue a downpour erupted and half of what I owned was destroyed sitting uncovered in the bed of my truck overnight in a ratty hotel. For what its worth, in the long run it was all worth it.

 

[RetiredATLATC]

Certainly not an employee-friendly way.

Now THAT'S funny

 

[motormadness24]

@nabbyfan Did you know pretty early on if you were terminal or enroute? Or how does that all work?

 

[nabbyfan]

@nabbyfan Did you know pretty early on if you were terminal or enroute? Or how does that all work?

When I got my TOL it said Enroute on it. I know a few people who got Terminal but were later changed to Enroute because of the higher than anticipated washout rate at the academy.

 

[ChasenSFO]

When I got my TOL it said Enroute on it. I know a few people who got Terminal but were later changed to Enroute because of the higher than anticipated washout rate at the academy.

So no chance to put in a request for local? Bummer.

By the way, how does transferring work? Most everyone I talked to at ZOA said it's very understaffed and "easy" to get into once you are able to transfer from within the FAA. However, I was told the other day about a guy who was stuck in the Midwest for 7 years trying to get into the Bay Area before he recently got a transfer to ZOA. Could this be due to short staffing at his own former facility, or is it a complex process?

I understand that if I get a TOL, I'm going wherever I end up. But I would like a realistic chance to have opportunity to transfer to ZOA/NorCal/a Bay Area Tower once eligible without being stuck 4-5 years or more elsewhere.

 

[nabbyfan]

So no chance to put in a request for local? Bummer.

By the way, how does transferring work? Most everyone I talked to at ZOA said it's very understaffed and "easy" to get into once you are able to transfer from within the FAA. However, I was told the other day about a guy who was stuck in the Midwest for 7 years trying to get into the Bay Area before he recently got a transfer to ZOA. Could this be due to short staffing at his own former facility, or is it a complex process?

I understand that if I get a TOL, I'm going wherever I end up. But I would like a realistic chance to have opportunity to transfer to ZOA/NorCal/a Bay Area Tower once eligible without being stuck 4-5 years or more elsewhere.

When i took my Psych test at a smaller facility, they apparently called and asked if there was anyway to get me switched from Enroute to Terminal and were told no. The assignment is apparently random, which IMO is a little unfair because terminal classes lose about 3/18, while enroute classes are routinely losing 9-12/18. So that being a random assignment is a little tough luck.

And the FAA really doesn't care where you want to go. What I've been told is they may even do away with regions and just offer a list of 18 facilities nationwide in order of facility need upon graduation. I semi pleaded with the guy to just send me to ZOA and they said no its not on the list. And now in a few weeks some kid not from the area is going to get sent there against his will and have to try and find a place he can afford so that he can checkout and immediately put in a transfer in 2 years, while I do the same. Just kind of not even worth thinking about for me at this point because its a frustrating waste of everybody's time and money.

Transferring isn't too hard from what Ive heard. Im not even going to touch transfer paperwork or ask anybody until i CPC, because i don't think it would look good to have one foot out the door while they are trying to train me at a level 12 center. Most hard to staff facilities will give a 2 Year release date...so it can be hard to find a place willing to accept your transfer since they could have someone in 6 months from a different facility...why wait until 2017 when I'm available. But somebody thats actually checked out in the agency and has moved around can answer better than me hopefully. But from what I understand, if you have your heart set like I do on getting back to the Bay, you'll be able to. Especially if you want to go to ZOA.

 

[ChasenSFO]

When i took my Psych test at a smaller facility, they apparently called and asked if there was anyway to get me switched from Enroute to Terminal and were told no. The assignment is apparently random, which IMO is a little unfair because terminal classes lose about 3/18, while enroute classes are routinely losing 9-12/18. So that being a random assignment is a little tough luck.

And the FAA really doesn't care where you want to go. What I've been told is they may even do away with regions and just offer a list of 18 facilities nationwide in order of facility need upon graduation. I semi pleaded with the guy to just send me to ZOA and they said no its not on the list. And now in a few weeks some kid not from the area is going to get sent there against his will and have to try and find a place he can afford so that he can checkout and immediately put in a transfer in 2 years, while I do the same. Just kind of not even worth thinking about for me at this point because its a frustrating waste of everybody's time and money.

Transferring isn't too hard from what Ive heard. Im not even going to touch transfer paperwork or ask anybody until i CPC, because i don't think it would look good to have one foot out the door while they are trying to train me at a level 12 center. Most hard to staff facilities will give a 2 Year release date...so it can be hard to find a place willing to accept your transfer since they could have someone in 6 months from a different facility...why wait until 2017 when I'm available. But somebody thats actually checked out in the agency and has moved around can answer better than me hopefully. But from what I understand, if you have your heart set like I do on getting back to the Bay, you'll be able to. Especially if you want to go to ZOA.

On the topic, what about switching positions? Say I end up enroute at ZAB or something but I want to transfer to SFO Tower, is that harder to do/less likely to be approved than switching from enroute to enroute(or same job to same job)?

 

[RetiredATLATC]

On the topic, what about switching positions? Say I end up enroute at ZAB or something but I want to transfer to SFO Tower, is that harder to do/less likely to be approved than switching from enroute to enroute(or same job to same job)?

It's not unheard of, but a facility would be more apt to take another tower controller, even one from a lower level facility, before they would take a Center controller. That said, we have Center and tower people here at A80 right now in training that have never worked terminal. They're not doing well, but they're here.

 

[nabbyfan]

On the topic, what about switching positions? Say I end up enroute at ZAB or something but I want to transfer to SFO Tower, is that harder to do/less likely to be approved than switching from enroute to enroute(or same job to same job)?

The center Im at is sending a few people to the big tower in the region and we're also picking up a few people from there. Its definitely not unheard of. Theres room to move around and everybody says if theres a specific region or facility you have in mind, you can get there, it just might take time. Time as in years haha.

Side note, I've heard about 19000 people applied for the bid and twice as many passed the BQ as last time. Results supposedly coming tomorrow or sometime next week but who knows. But interesting that they got ~10k less applications than last year.

 

[jayd1038]

I believe the decisions on who passed the Bio Q and is moving on and who did not are out today. Check your USjobs.

Best of luck to those eagerly awaiting.

 

[flyeagle111]

Confirmed by HR: If you still have a green check, you passed the Bioq. Red (!)s are updated.

I somehow managed to pass this time through...

 

[crticalaoa]

Failed here. Thank god.

 

[jayd1038]

I have to say, the Bio Q is an utter joke.It amazes me how people who have CTO's, and years of ATC in the military or DOD are being deemed unqualified bc they don't meet some BS test. Not a knock on those who do pass on, but it's just a shame.