FAA ATC hiring freeze

[skygirl997]

hey all, just wondering if anyone knows anything what-so-ever about the current FAA ATC hiring freeze? I took the aptitude test spring of 2003....passed it, and put in my wish list of regions i would like to work in... and i haven't heard anything since. I have heard they (the FAA) will get their new funding at the end of the fiscal year 2004 (OCT), and hopefully we should get some news from there. i am starting to think they'll never call.....anyone in the same boat????

 

[ATCER]

No one knows for sure when the freeze will be lifted... lots of rumors. The FAA just hired 8 new people to my facility (ZNY) and they are all reporting this Monday, the 23rd. They are going to Oceanic to help with staffing while Oceanic tranistions to ATOP. The only reason they were hired was Natca was about to pull out of ATOP unless some bodies came in to help. The FAA already invested hundreds of millions of $$$ towards ATOP so they really were backed against the wall with training starting mid September.

Were you a CTI student ??? What regions did you apply to ??? With the new ATO there will be no more regions as we know them, I'm not sure how that plays into hiring. Don't expect much till after the elections, in the FY 05' FAA budget request they did not ask for any $$$ for hiring, just like last year. One of the senators from OKC added 20 million in funding for hiring but added some language about all training was to be done in OKC (where the academy is) ... I'm not sure of the details. The new people we are getting are all MARC students.

 

[skygirl997]

hi there,
thanks for the quick reply....i cannot believe the FAA asked for 0 $$$ for hiring in FY 2005. i've heard from many people in the ATC industry that something needs to happen soon with the hiring or else there will be some huge problems. i am a CTI grad, and i applied to the southeastern region as my 1st choice, 2nd was eastern, 3rd was southwestern. i am really starting to think about other options at this point...it is tough when nobody over there seems to have any insight on this matter. the thing that is making me mad is how they (the FAA) are stringing me along everytime i call by saying it's only going to be another 2 months, or 3 months, and so on. also, i took my aptitude test may '04...from my understanding it is only good for 2 years. i think i am going to give it til the end of this year, and move on to something else.

 

[Vector4fun]

the thing that is making me mad is how they (the FAA) are stringing me along every time i call by saying it's only going to be another 2 months, or 3 months, and so on.

Skygirl,



I hate to sound discouraging, but if you're interested in working for the FAA, you need to get real used to that treatment. In my career, (24 yrs.) I've known about 3 managers who actually knew what was going on, and would tell the truth about it. This outfit is full of rumor mongers, and folks who think or act as if they know much more than they really do. Compounding the problem right now is Mr. Chew trying to "flatten" the agency by removing about three layers of bureaucracy. In simple terms, there are a lot of folks worrying about where their office will be next year, if they still have one, and who they’ll be working for. They don’t have controller staffing on their top ten list of things to worry about right now…..



I was in almost exactly your same predicament 25 yrs ago. Have faith. Be persistent but polite. Bug someone at least monthly to let them know you still want a job. Heck, there’s people already in this agency been waiting seven years for a transfer…..

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

well, skygirl, the bad news is this. No hiring anytime soon from what I have heard. But like Vectors4fun said, you never get the full honest truth from managers and so on in this Biz.

Even more bad news is the fact that I don't believe the FAA is gonna budge on the 2 year rule which states after ATSAT and OPM, if you haven't heard anything your paper work gets thrown out the door. That is the case with a few of my friends from CTI school. I was lucky and got hired in the 2nd to last class to goto the academy.

Not like its worth a switch up now, but you should have considered applying to understaffed regions. I know Southern is probably down but they are the most sought out and probably the most difficult to get into. That may slow things down for you as well. Maybe not anymore due to the amount of people retiring but Im basing off prior years and word of mouth.

Good luck, hope you get in. Its a great proffession. Just lots of BS to deal with as well.

 

[ATCER]

skygirl... Vector made a great point... you're treated just as bad if not worse on the inside. It starts from day one... I had totally forgotten about the FAA and was working in the private sector... I came home and there was a message for me from the FAA. I thought I must have done something flying ??? I call back and they offered me a job... I had to report to OKC in 5 days ! Take it or leave it... !!! When I reported I found out I had been given more notice then most people...

Everything inside the FAA has ground to a hault... along with hiring. Transfers, promotions, etc. are all on hold. We have numerous vacancies that have needed to be filled for over a year now and nothing is happening.

Don't forget... it's an election year, the Gov't does not like to do things during an election. The FAA Administrator (Blakey) has testified before congress that we are overstaffed... this is all part of a #'s game that is too long to get into here.

As for rumors I have heard them all... there seems to be new ones every day I go to work... I'm going to look through my address book, I think I still have a contact for the FAA CTI rep in OKC... if I find it I will PM it to you.

In the meantime check out this article... the highlighted portion shows that congress added $$$ for hiring that was not requested by the FAA... this still has to be passed. My $$$ estimate in my earlier post was off, it's 9 million, not 20, for hiring. I have to find the other article that detailed the language about hiring and training through OKC.

Aviation Daily: House Approves $14 Billion For FAA Operations

Monday, July 26, 2004



House appropriators last week reported out an $89.9 billion Fiscal Year 2005 transportation treasury funding bill that includes $14 billion for FAA -- $7.2 billion for FAA operations, of which $6 billion would come from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund and $1.7 from the general fund.

The bill increases operations funding by $238 million.

FAA spending covers air traffic control organization, aviation regulation and certification, research and acquisition, commercial space transportation, human resources and other operational activities. It gives $86 million to the contract tower program but does not reflect an estimate on new contracts for FY 2005. It assumes an air traffic control staffing level of 15,333 by yearend, just short of FAA's estimate of 15,350. It includes $9 million above the Administration request to hire and train new controllers.

The report recommends $916.9 million for aviation regulation and certification, $224 million for research and acquisition and $69.8 million for human resources, $8.8 million below the budget estimate. It also includes $3.5 billion for the Airport Improvement Program and $102 million for Essential Air Service. -DM

 

[skygirl997]

Well, I'm not sure what to think anymore...I knew the FAA would be a bureacratic mess of red tape and general confusion, but I had no idea that they were restructuring to such a major extent and EVERYTHING was on hold. I feel bad for complaining now.

I realize my region choice may slow things down a bit, but my husband is a commercial pilot based in Wash.DC and a cross-country commute would be...difficult.

Now for my numerous questions I hope you guys can help with:

I heard that the Alaska region is able to continue to hire due to a loophole in the system...is this true?

I come from an aviation family (Dad flies for USAir, Mom crew schedules for Corporate Airlines, my husband is a pilot for Independence Air and I have previous airline experience with Corporate Airlines, United, and Independence Air) will this disqualify me in anyway for "conflict of interest"?

I heard the FAA stopped administring the ATSAT. If my test results expire, will I be given an opportunity to retake the exam or will I be summarily passed over?

Is there any way to get the Tower Operator License without going through the FAA?

If all else fails...do you guys know of any good dispatch schools? I'm not giving up on the FAA yet, just looking closer at my other options.

Thanks in advance for you info and help,
skygirl997

 

[Vector4fun]

I heard that the Alaska region is able to continue to hire due to a loophole in the system...is this true?

Dunno, haven't heard that one.


I come from an aviation family (Dad flies for USAir, Mom crew schedules for Corporate Airlines, my husband is a pilot for Independence Air and I have previous airline experience with Corporate Airlines, United, and Independence Air) will this disqualify me in anyway for "conflict of interest"?

My family flies or flew for DAL, AAL, and TWA. Didn't matter in my case. But you're not supposed to own any Stock in any aviation businesses. You might be accused of giving Independence Air priority handling to pad your quarterly returns....


I heard the FAA stopped administring the ATSAT. If my test results expire, will I be given an opportunity to retake the exam or will I be summarily passed over?

Sorry, I'm a fossil, don't even know what the ATSAT is or was. I took an old fashioned Civil Service Exam.

Is there any way to get the Tower Operator License without going through the FAA?

Sure, go to work at a Contract tower. You might also check to see if there are any DOD towers in your area that are hiring. Sorry, I don't have any current contacts for the above though. Well, that's not true, I know some guys in El Paso, TX. Don't figure that does you a lot of good, but I'll pass on the info if you want it.