Piker
New Member
I get the sense a lot of OTS apps want to walk into NYC TRACON and start making the big $$$. I hate dumping cold water on this, but the FAA has over 2500 qualified applicants just from the first half of this year. Not to mention the thousands of controllers the FAA currently has.
As an OTS applicant myself, I'm still fuzzy on the staffing picture. The FAA has more lower level facilities than higher level ones. What is the general process for staffing these lower level facilities?
Does the FAA choose which controllers work at these places? Or are they hired in an application process like any other job? Or both?
And no, I don't think lower level controllers are some untouchable caste. An ATC controller is still responsible for people's saftey, whether at Columbus Metro ATCT or Cleveland ARTCC. This isn't about money. I'm new to all this and I'm just trying to get a better sense of the process.
I initially thought that as their training progressed, D-side controllers were placed into these lower level positions. But I've read PMs and threads that say trainees who can't cut it at a high level facility are simply fired. Is this true?
Incidentally, to determine a facility's level, click on the link below. The column that says "ATC Level July 2007" lists the level for each facility.
http://faaimposedpayrules.natca.net/localityratesrev13.xls
As an OTS applicant myself, I'm still fuzzy on the staffing picture. The FAA has more lower level facilities than higher level ones. What is the general process for staffing these lower level facilities?
Does the FAA choose which controllers work at these places? Or are they hired in an application process like any other job? Or both?
And no, I don't think lower level controllers are some untouchable caste. An ATC controller is still responsible for people's saftey, whether at Columbus Metro ATCT or Cleveland ARTCC. This isn't about money. I'm new to all this and I'm just trying to get a better sense of the process.
I initially thought that as their training progressed, D-side controllers were placed into these lower level positions. But I've read PMs and threads that say trainees who can't cut it at a high level facility are simply fired. Is this true?
Incidentally, to determine a facility's level, click on the link below. The column that says "ATC Level July 2007" lists the level for each facility.
http://faaimposedpayrules.natca.net/localityratesrev13.xls