Several Questions

C

Chris Barnes

Well-Known Member
I have several questions about the process. I've been throughly reading a lot of the posts on this forum and THINK I have a fairly clear understanding of the process. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I'd like to list it and post some questions... Here goes! Also, my personal preference in locations is West Virginia, specifically CRW. But I haven't put that on paper anywhere.

1. Apply online
2. Receive notification to take AT-SAT (Air Traffic-Selection & Training)
3. Take AT-SAT
4. Wait for results
5. Wait
6. Wait for PEPC (Pre-Employment Processing Center) invite
7. Attend PEPC & ??
8. Attend academy in O.K.

Question 1 - When do you select your geographic location? The summary when you apply on one of the PUBNAT announcements says to "Select throughout the U.S. You may choose your geographic location later"

Question 2 - If you are invited to a PEPC for in interview do they normally offer you a job?

Question 3 - When you call (or they call) to arrange an interview at the PEPC do they offer you, over the phone, a geographic location so you can either turn it down or accept it before even going?

Question 4 - What is the difference between a PEPC and a local interview. Why would I consider one over the other. Does a local interview happen at my local facility?

Question 5 - What the hell is OTS, FOL, FEBOTS? I've figured out all the other acronyms but can't figure these one out! :panic:

Question 6 - Does a facility manager have any pull to help you get to a certain facility?

I think that might cover it. Sheesh! This is confusing. Thanks for anyone's help!

Chris
 
utahaviator

utahaviator

New Member
Chris Barnes said:
I have several questions about the process. I've been throughly reading a lot of the posts on this forum and THINK I have a fairly clear understanding of the process. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I'd like to list it and post some questions... Here goes! Also, my personal preference in locations is West Virginia, specifically CRW. But I haven't put that on paper anywhere.

1. Apply online
2. Receive notification to take AT-SAT (Air Traffic-Selection & Training)
3. Take AT-SAT
4. Wait for results
5. Wait
5a. Geographic Preference e-mail and selection.
6. Wait for PEPC (Pre-Employment Processing Center) invite
6a. Accept invite then wait for official date and time to attend.
7. Attend PEPC & ??
7a. Wait some more...
8. Attend academy in O.K.

Question 1 - When do you select your geographic location? The summary when you apply on one of the PUBNAT announcements says to "Select throughout the U.S. You may choose your geographic location later"

Question 2 - If you are invited to a PEPC for in interview do they normally offer you a job? You will/ or will not receive a TOL (Tentative Offer Letter) while you are still at the PEPC after you interview.

Question 3 - When you call (or they call) to arrange an interview at the PEPC do they offer you, over the phone, a geographic location so you can either turn it down or accept it before even going? No calls. Done via e-mail. You receive your official location at the interview when they hand you your TOL.

Question 4 - What is the difference between a PEPC and a local interview. Why would I consider one over the other. Does a local interview happen at my local facility? PEPC's do ALL of the testing in one day. Interview, background investigation, drug screening, physical, and psych exam.

Question 5 - What the hell is OTS, FOL, FEBOTS? I've figured out all the other acronyms but can't figure these one out! :panic: OTS (Off the street), FOL (Final Offer Letter), FEBOTS (February Off the Street - applicants)

Question 6 - Does a facility manager have any pull to help you get to a certain facility? Sure as hell doesn't hurt!

I think that might cover it. Sheesh! This is confusing. Thanks for anyone's help!

Chris
Click to expand...
 
C

chichi

New Member
Someone correct me or add, but this is the information I can give you...

Question 1 - When do you select your geographic location? The summary when you apply on one of the PUBNAT announcements says to "Select throughout the U.S. You may choose your geographic location later"
Click to expand...
You will select sometime after your AT-SAT but before the referral lists.

Question 2 - If you are invited to a PEPC for in interview do they normally offer you a job?
Click to expand...
Unless something goes wrong with medical, interview, etc, then yes, you're basically in once you're invited.

Question 3 - When you call (or they call) to arrange an interview at the PEPC do they offer you, over the phone, a geographic location so you can either turn it down or accept it before even going?
Click to expand...
Those who were invited to PEPCs were informed via email as to which state they're being offered, but no specific facilities... you find that out at the PEPC.

Question 4 - What is the difference between a PEPC and a local interview. Why would I consider one over the other. Does a local interview happen at my local facility?
Click to expand...
At a PEPC you get everything done in one day - interview, medical, drug test, paperwork, etc... if you go the non-PEPC route, the process is dragged out over a couple months. Most people recommend just going to the PEPC if you're invited, otherwise it's more waiting for you.

Question 5 - What the hell is OTS, FOL, FEBOTS? I've figured out all the other acronyms but can't figure these one out! :panic:
Click to expand...
OTS - Off The Street
FOL - Final Offer Letter (TOL - Tentative Offer Letter)
FEBOTS - the February applicants... February OTS

Question 6 - Does a facility manager have any pull to help you get to a certain facility?
Click to expand...
It seems they do...
 
BoomerSooner77

BoomerSooner77

New Member
Let's me try to take a stab at this.

1. Apply online
2. Receive notification to take AT-SAT (Air Traffic-Selection & Training)
3. Take AT-SAT
4. Wait for results
5. Wait
6. Receive notification to select states & choose enroute or tower or both.
7. Receive notification that you've been selected for a specific enroute facility or a state for tower.
8. Wait for PEPC (Pre-Employment Processing Center) invite.
9. Reply back with preferred PEPC locations / dates.
10. Receive PEPC confirmation of date and paperwork you'll need to fill out.
11. Attend PEPC & receive Tentative Offer Letter & Academy date.
12. Attend academy in O.K.

#1- See '6' above.
#2- Yes, a tentative offer letter pending results of your background.
#3- For enroute you receive your location in an email when you're selected in panels. Tower, you get a state (not facility) notification, not sure when Tower folks get their facility details.
#4- PEPC is everything all in one day. Other route, you do your interview, wait, do medical, wait, do psych, wait, do drug test, wait, etc etc. The "Other" route takes longer to complete.
#5- OTS=Off the street (no prior experience no CTI training). FOL=Final offer letter. FEBOTS= February Off The Street applicants.
#6- My understanding is a big YES.

**I was as accurate as I know... don't quote me... haha :)
 
C

Chris Barnes

Well-Known Member
:yup: Oh well.

Well, my preference is CRW-Tower/Tracon. I talked to the facility manager over the phone after I received my AT-SAT date, real nice guy, who said he would meet with me after I take the AT-SAT. I know for a fact that the facility is understaffed which I am hoping to use to my advantage to get in there. My wife is fully against moving anywhere so it's there or I'm stuck at my current job. :banghead:

My observation is that a lot of the guys/gals on here are going to enroute facilities. Is there really not as much preference for local control jobs?

Chris
 
C

chichi

New Member
Chris Barnes said:
:yup: Oh well.

Well, my preference is CRW-Tower/Tracon. I talked to the facility manager over the phone after I received my AT-SAT date, real nice guy, who said he would meet with me after I take the AT-SAT. I know for a fact that the facility is understaffed which I am hoping to use to my advantage to get in there. My wife is fully against moving anywhere so it's there or I'm stuck at my current job. :banghead:

My observation is that a lot of the guys/gals on here are going to enroute facilities. Is there really not as much preference for local control jobs?

Chris
Click to expand...

When I choose my preferences, I'll be choosing terminal. There do seem to be a lot of enroutes on this forum though... not sure why.
 
Johnsc81

Johnsc81

New Member
Chris Barnes said:
:yup: Oh well.

Well, my preference is CRW-Tower/Tracon. I talked to the facility manager over the phone after I received my AT-SAT date, real nice guy, who said he would meet with me after I take the AT-SAT. I know for a fact that the facility is understaffed which I am hoping to use to my advantage to get in there. My wife is fully against moving anywhere so it's there or I'm stuck at my current job. :banghead:

My observation is that a lot of the guys/gals on here are going to enroute facilities. Is there really not as much preference for local control jobs?

Chris
Click to expand...
You defnately want to get in good with the facility manager. They have a HUGE influence on if you get hired or not. If they know your name and know what group you are in, they can call up the regional manager and tell him to pull your application thru. So as long as you pass the ATSAT (preferrably get a "Well-Qualified" score of 85-100), that can be the determining factor between getting hired and not even getting noticed in the sea of all the other applicants.
From personal experience, if the facility manager really likes you, he can even have your application selected out of cycle..... meaning that for me, I already know, and knew, that I was hired, before any of the mass PEPC invites got sent out thru the e-mails this last time.
 
FREZ_ATC

FREZ_ATC

New Member
CRW-Tower/Tracon is def. looking for people. I recieved a PEPC invite for this location...

Best of luck!
 
C

Chris Barnes

Well-Known Member
Johnsc81 said:
You defnately want to get in good with the facility manager. They have a HUGE influence on if you get hired or not. If they know your name and know what group you are in, they can call up the regional manager and tell him to pull your application thru. So as long as you pass the ATSAT (preferrably get a "Well-Qualified" score of 85-100), that can be the determining factor between getting hired and not even getting noticed in the sea of all the other applicants.
From personal experience, if the facility manager really likes you, he can even have your application selected out of cycle..... meaning that for me, I already know, and knew, that I was hired, before any of the mass PEPC invites got sent out thru the e-mails this last time.
Click to expand...
Very interesting and good information. I called the facility manager just after I got the invite to take the AT-SAT. He seemed to know a little about the process. I am going to meet with him AFTER I take the AT-SAT and get a score. Then I'll ask him if I can start making semi-regular visits on the weekends to ask questions and observe.

I figure that if I am proactive about a possible job he will see that and want someone like that to work for him.

BTW, the facility manager at CRW is also a controller there. It that common? I guess I thought most managers weren't ever controllers before. (Judging by all the talk about management being clueless)Could he be an interim manager?
 
venividibitchy

venividibitchy

New Member
Johnsc81 said:
You defnately want to get in good with the facility manager. They have a HUGE influence on if you get hired or not. If they know your name and know what group you are in, they can call up the regional manager and tell him to pull your application thru. So as long as you pass the ATSAT (preferrably get a "Well-Qualified" score of 85-100), that can be the determining factor between getting hired and not even getting noticed in the sea of all the other applicants.
From personal experience, if the facility manager really likes you, he can even have your application selected out of cycle..... meaning that for me, I already know, and knew, that I was hired, before any of the mass PEPC invites got sent out thru the e-mails this last time.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the information. How did you meet/know of the facility manager, to even attempt this? A tour? Have connections?
 
C

Chris Barnes

Well-Known Member
I went to the NATCA website for that location and got their telephone number. It was old and outdated but the number still worked. I simply called and asked to speak to the manager. He was caught off guard when I called so be easy. Prior to that I just e-mailed the webmaster, who is usually one of the controllers, and explained to him what I was doing and asked for the facility manager's name. It took almost a week to get the necessary information but after I had a name I just called.

Go here, it's AOPA's airport directory. http://flighttraining.aopa.org/members/flight_bag/pdfs/atc.pdf

See if the number for the place you want to go is on it. If not, PM me and i'll research it for you.
 
Johnsc81

Johnsc81

New Member
venividibitchy said:
Thank you for the information. How did you meet/know of the facility manager, to even attempt this? A tour? Have connections?
Click to expand...
My sister Goes to Church with a couple of his controllers for one, and I went on a tour of the Facility when I was at home the last time and had him give me the Tour. Just asked a lot of Questions, he asked me some. It was overall a good experience.
 
venividibitchy

venividibitchy

New Member
Chris Barnes said:
I went to the NATCA website for that location and got their telephone number. It was old and outdated but the number still worked. I simply called and asked to speak to the manager. He was caught off guard when I called so be easy. Prior to that I just e-mailed the webmaster, who is usually one of the controllers, and explained to him what I was doing and asked for the facility manager's name. It took almost a week to get the necessary information but after I had a name I just called.

Go here, it's AOPA's airport directory. http://flighttraining.aopa.org/members/flight_bag/pdfs/atc.pdf

See if the number for the place you want to go is on it. If not, PM me and i'll research it for you.
Click to expand...
The numbers are there for both LAS and VGT (my two hopefuls), but which webmaster did you e-mail for the manager's name? The webmaster of the NATCA site, the AOPA site, or other?
 
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