Fun aviation jobs not in the cockpit

[PUflight]

Hate to bring this old topic up again, but one question didn't really seem to get answered. I know you pick a region that you would like to work in, Great Lakes for me, but as far as getting assigned a facility do you have much say in that? I ask that because I will be finishing up the CTI program at Purdue in May and my girlfriend will still be here at Purdue. So I'm wondering if it's gonna be at all possible to be placed here in LAF. I know that they do train several controllers here since I still do flight instruct. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Swass]

Check this out:
www.stuckmic.com
The forum there is packed with good info.

 

[fLYbUDDY]

but as far as getting assigned a facility do you have much say in that?

From what I have heard is it depends. Some people are given choices and others are assigned. The way it was explained to me was the hiring people have a list of let’s say 10 names with 10 different facilities (assuming the same type--like all center or all terminal.) The first person he/she calls for the job will be given ten choices. The next person will be given 9 choices and so on.... It is all based on luck of the draw. Something to consider, if you don’t get exactly where you want to go, is when you go to OKC if you find someone that was assigned where you want to go (once again assuming the same type--center or terminal) you can switch with them right there as long as they are willing. Maybe if you don't get where you want, when you get to OKC post some signs up that you are looking for a trade for wherever it is you want to end up. Just advertise as much as possible. And one last thing, I would definitely make a note of it on your dream sheet and let the HR people know EXACTALLY where you want to go and why. I heard they will usually try their best to work with you, but sometimes (if you want a job) you got to take what is available, wherever that might be. If worse comes to worse you could always transfer eventually. Good luck with ATC stuff!

 

[NookyBooky]

good non aviation jobs

Not to change the subject from ATC, but I wanna be the guy who drug tests the baggage handlers.

Why? Because every time I go to Hawaii I spend hours carefully packing my board bags with several layers of bubble wrap, cardboard, T-shirts, even 1/8" plywood to prevent the inevitable from happening. But still those maniacs find away to scratch, ding, dent, and crack every board in the bag. If ruining surfboards was an art, those guys would be Picasso, Michealangelo, Rembrant, and Raphael all rolled into one.

 

[fLYbUDDY]

Because every time I go to Hawaii I spend hours carefully packing my board bags with several layers of bubble wrap, cardboard, T-shirts, even 1/8" plywood to prevent the inevitable from happening. But still those maniacs find away to scratch, ding, dent, and crack every board in the bag. If ruining surfboards was an art, those guys would be Picasso, Michealangelo, Rembrant, and Raphael all rolled into one.

Do you use a good board bag? I have never had a problem with getting the boards messed up on trip. I usually have a “triple-board” boardbag and put two boards in there, wrapped up in the bubble wrap and I take the fins off. Then I sandwich all my cloths in between the boards. If it still seems flimsy I stuff some towels in to give it a little more cushioning. Like I said, I never had any problems doing it this way. I guess they could still find a way to ding the boards though. It sucks you always get screwed. I hate when one of my boards gets dinged, it is never the same after that....ya know

 

[NookyBooky]

Do you use a good board bag? I have never had a problem with getting the boards messed up on trip. I usually have a “triple-board” boardbag and put two boards in there, wrapped up in the bubble wrap and I take the fins off. Then I sandwich all my cloths in between the boards. If it still seems flimsy I stuff some towels in to give it a little more cushioning. Like I said, I never had any problems doing it this way. I guess they could still find a way to ding the boards though. It sucks you always get screwed. I hate when one of my boards gets dinged, it is never the same after that....ya know

Last time I went I had a DaKine bag that was supposed to hold 4 or 5 boards. I put my boards in their individual day-trip bags and then in the bigger bag and that worked out pretty well-I think all that happened that time was a pressure mark on one board and a cracked nose on another. Next time I go I will definately get a hard case because its worth it.

I think part of the problem was I never used to use fin systems on my bigger boards because they are not as sturdy in the kind of waves that I was going to hawaii to surf. I think that was 90% of the problem. The last few times I've gone I really didn't have any catostrophic problems with them ruining boards because I was able to take the fins out. I think Dings and scratches are more or less inevitable, but they are things I can fix, fins on the other hand are a different story.