So here is what im doing

[Narayan]

On my geo prefs I put down puerto rico and south texas, mainly because i dont think people are applying there. I also put in the comments id go to guam, the virgin islands, or anywhere else they would have me. Is anyone else trying this approach?

 

[Rosstafari]

On my geo prefs I put down puerto rico and south texas, mainly because i dont think people are applying there. I also put in the comments id go to guam, the virgin islands, or anywhere else they would have me. Is anyone else trying this approach?

I've been considering it with my wife, but here's the flip side to that: you need to be comfortable living there, possibly for a long time. The same reason that putting those areas down could increase your chances of getting in is the same reason that will keep you there for a longer period of time than you may like -- understaffed facilities are going to be slow to let people transfer out. I don't know if it's a one-in, one-out policy, but according to what some of the experienced controllers here say, you'll have a much tougher time (especially as a new controller) moving elsewhere anytime in the near future.

So, that's something to consider. For some people, that's not an issue. For me, I'm trying to figure out what could be our "safe" options that we wouldn't mind being stuck at for a while.

ATLTRACON, Lawn Gnome, want to chime in on this?

 

[PhilipArnold]

On my geo prefs I put down puerto rico and south texas, mainly because i dont think people are applying there. I also put in the comments id go to guam, the virgin islands, or anywhere else they would have me. Is anyone else trying this approach?

I did the same exact thing, Texas as first choice and Puerto Rico as second. In the comment box I put the counties of Texas that had major airports and also wrote "Willing to work whatever is first available." We'll see if it works or not but you're the only other person I've seen who's listed PR on the GeoPref...

 

[ATC Hopeful]

I was also told by a facility manager, that no matter where you start, understaffed or overstaffed, you can plan on spending at least five years there. i imagine it would be longer for some of the areas mentioned above. The reason he says this, is because you spend any where from a year and a half to three(maybe longer) to check out at that particular facility with that particular airspace. So there is no way, they are going to let anyone check out somewhere, and then up an leave to start training at another facility. That would be a huge waste of time and money for the FAA.

 

[Narayan]

well i just came back from living in south africa a year so i can live anywhere. Plus and i hope there not watching this, but i would go crazy in puerto rico, cheap rum, cheap cigs, cheap girls (very nice, how much?). Plus i could hit up all of the caribbean pretty easy. And south texas like near corpus and padre, i mean thats awesome down there, ive never seen hotter bar chicks than when me and my buddy used to go sailing down near port aransas (corpus area). Oh and in guam you get those japanese girls on holiday, virgin islands gets holiday girls too. I guess i just dont want alaska, i mean ill take anything they can give me, but guam, puerto rico, and the virgin islands, well im just gonna rock out with my you know what out.

 

[mekia]

well i just came back from living in south africa a year so i can live anywhere. Plus and i hope there not watching this, but i would go crazy in puerto rico, cheap rum, cheap cigs, cheap girls (very nice, how much?). Plus i could hit up all of the caribbean pretty easy. And south texas like near corpus and padre, i mean thats awesome down there, ive never seen hotter bar chicks than when me and my buddy used to go sailing down near port aransas (corpus area). Oh and in guam you get those japanese girls on holiday, virgin islands gets holiday girls too. I guess i just dont want alaska, i mean ill take anything they can give me, but guam, puerto rico, and the virgin islands, well im just gonna rock out with my you know what out.

You are hilarious:laff:!
If you don't mind me asking, why where you in South Africa?

You would have been fun to have around last week at the Dallas M&G.

I plan to do the same thing - Texas and anywhere else. #2 just depends on how I feel when I get the email...toss up between Virgin Islands, Guam and PR. I applied to the Alaska only announcement also, so I won't list that one.

 

[Narayan]

I was an ivory hunter, but i moved home so i could work in the dog pound and kill puppies for a living its much more rewarding. No just kidding i was going to school at the university of pretoria.

 

[mekia]

I was an ivory hunter, but i moved home so i could work in the dog pound and kill puppies for a living its much more rewarding. No just kidding i was going to school at the university of pretoria.

:rotfl::rotfl:
Cool. I think I like you, post more often.

 

[Kmaceri]

I also put the virgin islands and puerto rico, but no for the purpose of everything is cheap, although it is very nice. If i do go to puerto rico, hopefully i can get by without spanish.

 

[Tony Montero]

Not speaking spanish is nothing to worry about for you guys putting down PR. You can definintly get by in PR without knowing spanish for a while, but you'll pick it up if you try. I lived there for 4 years and got by the first year or two without it. English is taught in most schools from the elementary grades on up, so you can be almost anywhere (non-rural) and there is usually somebody around who's got a good handle on english. You can espeically get by if you end up renting/staying near a touristy area. Which both PR facilities are convieniently by

 

[Delta Romeo]

I would be cautious listing PR and the VI if you have kids. You will have to send them to private schools-the public schools are not a viable option. In the VI (St Thomas is the only remaining FAA ATC Facility - its an ATC-5) there's a limited amount of FAA subsidized housing....its (the cost of living there) not as cheap as you think guys. No FAA housing in PR. Its a great adventure if youre without kids and/or single.....but I would highly recommened this as a NO choice if you have kids.
Worked at STX (st Croix) 2 seperate tenures during my career and loved it. But its not for everyone.

 

[aperfectool]

go to work at any airline as a ramp guy. you'll learn spanish real quick.

 

[Kmaceri]

I'm only 18 so I don't plan on having kids anytime soon unless too much of that cheap rum in PR with some hot latina

 

[scongdon]

If nothing else, I feel a little better about not being happily married with children now

At least as a bachelor, I'm mobile!