Some random pictures taken at academy

I took some pictures while here. I forgot that I had them. Some are my Kim's Place house, some are from the academy.

Da living room.

Da couch.

 Da kitchen.

Da poker table.

 A bedroom...obviously.

 my bedroom.  a mess the first day.

 walk in closet in my room.

 da bafroom.

 the map, laminated to allow for multiple practices.

 The beer pong table...top

One of the first problems.

Post problem hieroglyphics

When you get bored...Strip Holder House!!

Stafford Building

Possibly the most boring hallway in the world.

Non Radar Binder.

First real Problem

My bay headers, with cheat codes so to speak.

The Second Day (7)

The second day we went to CAMI Civil Aeronautic Medical Institute to see a presentation on what they do and take a test.


The CAMI is the FAA's medical research division that well, does research.  They also have a clinic for employees so that when you get the OK Crud, you can show up there with da sniffles and they give you FREE DRUGS!! HOORAY!  Well, OTC drugs but free medical visits none-the-less. 


Here you will take parts of the AT-SAT again, the scenario and personal questions.  Do your best, however its not graded and the results are used for research etc.  After this, you go back to your class and go through the general this is whats going to happen schpeel.  






For the most part, the instructors I have met are Raytheon and are pretty cool and down to Earth.  The FAA instructors, from what I have heard are by the book and uptight but rightly so as they are FAA.  Today they will hand you your binder full of lesson plans, handouts, and tests.  The lessons they teach are verbatim out of your lesson plan and they go page by page.  If you are worried about what to study, heed my words,  DONT BE.  They spoon feed the information to you so that any/everyone can understand.  Don't fret about knowing anything when you get here, they will teach you the FAA way.


The Non-Radar map.
Your first task here will be to memorize the map.  the blank map they give you for the test, has the icons for vor's and borders and thats it.  You provide all the text.  I found the easiest way to study and memorize the map was to take a blank one, bring it to office depot or another store and have them laminate it.  Find some wet erase markers so that you can draw the map over and over and just wash off the map.  Saves paper and reduces waste.  Everyday, I would draw the map at least 3 times.  If I messed up I would stop, erase it all and start over.  Thats how I learn/memorize.  You are probably different.


The following days you will be in academic mode going through 30 some lessons before you really start to work on problems.  To save my sanity and your time, I am not going to go through everyday at the academy.  The previous sentence sums up 3 weeks.  


Block test.
This test is a practice test of sorts to let you know where you stand in regards to knowledge of the academics.  It is not graded, but don't suck on it.  


CKT (Controller Knowledge Test)
You will have two of these, one for non-radar, one for radar.  These are cumulative and they do count.  They are 4% of your grade.  They should be easy points.


Grades
Just like college, the en-route school is graded on a cumulative grade composed of evals and tests.  Get a 70% or higher average, congrats you passed.  Get a 69.9999% congrats, McDonalds is hiring.


Non-Radar
There are 27 problems in non radar and you run 3 a day normally, and you run them twice, once as a pilot and once as controller.  Each day you work with a new person and new instructor.  The problems start off easy and require little thought.  There are problems that introduce new situations that seem to kick everyone's butt.  I think it is 11, 18, and 24.  I think.  I know 11 kicked all our butts.  You had to ask a pilot for altitude leaving so that a GWO departure could go over JAN climbing.  If you didn't get the altitude, you somehow busted like 4 people.  Non-Radar is crazy like that.  On my final evals I had 97, 99 UNTIL i didn't do one thing and that one thing dropped me to 79, 69.  Yeah, it hurt.  If you want my advice...GET CONTROL for anyone on v278 going to GWO and landing 11 minutes at least before they are estimating SQS.
*If you have no idea what I'm talking about, no worries mate, you will.  Spoon Fed, remember that*


After your Non-Radar evals, you go immediately into being shamed on by your instructor for doing poorly, if you did poorly.  They do it jokingly/seriously.  It was definitely a wakeup call to us all that we need to get our heads in the game.  Our instructor motivates us by saying, "Don't Suck".  We all laugh at it.


After the shaming, you dive head first into an empty pool/ radar.  For my UND blokes, it is NOTHING like 465.  NOTHING.
For my non-UND blokes, the way the Academy teaches Radar is, you are the radar assistant.  They do not teach you how to be a radar controller as it will be several years before you ever sit in front of a scope.  They feel they would be more productive to teach us how to be effective assistants seeing as how we will be D-Sides for the majority of our training.  The most difficult task I foresee is the computer input shortcuts and data entry.  ERAM is what the academy uses, yet very few facilities use ERAM.  Most en-route use URETS which is a precursor to ERAM.  Same basic idea, just more advanced.  I'll spare you the details as you will find out about it once you get here.


This brings us up the present.


Aircraft Characteristics Test.
This test is about plane performance numbers.  What goes faster, C172 or a C130?  What climbs faster BE40 or B738? Those type of questions.  En-route couldn't care less what they look like.  They are all green blips.


Next Time on The Story:  I have no idea.  Ill come up with a title later.
BTW thanks for reading!

Your First Day! (6)

Welcome to Yukon, OK!


Now that you are settled in, get some sleep because tomorrow is an early day.


Be prepared to get up at about 5am to do the three S's, S**t Shower and Shave.  Eat a good breakfast.  Dress nice (to separate yourself from OTS bums) and get ready to get your picture taken.  Look nice and refreshed because that picture will be with you for the next several years.


Once to arrive to the academy you will be at the West gate.  Be in the left lane and turn left BEFORE you get to the security guards.  Park in the parking lot and walk into the student service building for your first day packet, parking pass, and temp ID badge.  The temp id badge is a brilliant shade of florescent yellow so that everyone will know that you...are a noob.


Once you get your badge they will tell you where your first classroom is on campus.  Ours was in the Stafford building and we have remained there since day 1.  Sometimes they will assign a temp classroom until one opens up at Stafford.


Rule of the Academy in regards to driving: Follow the speed limit.  All it takes is one violation to revoke your parking pass.  And with the possibility of being fired for any small infraction, the last thing you want to do is speed ON CAMPUS.  DERRR should be common sense, but as I am sure you know, common sense died a few years ago.


With yellow badge in hand, you get to your class and they should have name tags on a seat for you.  Find your seat, get to know the person next to you and other classmates.  Our class had 12, but I think they are increasing the size to 18.


With your heart pounding, butterflies fluttering, and anxiety at all time high, be prepared to be bored to death by Federal Bureaucrat Paperwork.  While the insurance is to an extent fun to look through especially if you have never had medical before, the overall 8 hours of people coming in and talking blah blah blah gets old.


In regards to the online paperwork they ask you to fill out, as I said before in a previous post, fill out what you can, however, if it asks for a wet signature, you cannot e-file it and you must fill it out that first day.  No worries, you will have ample time to make a decision in regards to insurance and TSP contributions (*Note-Choose 5%, its the max you can have with the FAA matching.  Any higher and you are just losing money that you could have now*) and other things of that nature.


Lunch time!!  The cafe in middle of campus has a good selection of food and healthy food for a somewhat decent price.


330pm!!! Time to go home and get ready for tomorrow!

The Road to OKC (5)

Its a bumpy one.


~The end.














JUST KIDDING!


No not really, its so bumpy that it destroyed my shocks and I had to replace them the first day I could.  Not cool Oklahoma.


So now that you have your letter saying that you should report to the Academy you pack your bags and your car and begin the road trip.  Like all road trips, try to do everything to minimize your risk.  For example, I changed my oil, air filter, double checked my tires for wear and proper inflation etc.  I left a few days early to make sure that I got here with plenty time to unpack, relax, and explore the best route to and from the academy.  I wanted to make sure that I knew the route so that on Monday I could get there easily and most importantly, ON TIME.


This entry is really short.  Why?  Cause its a roadtrip.  Who cares. 


Another selfless promotion for Kim's Place:  Give her a call an hour out or call her to let her know about what time you get in.  I got to Yukon, OK about 9pm and she was there to show me my new home for 3 months.  Thanks Kim!


Next time on The Story: Your First Day!

ToL to FoL Part 3 (4)

Congratulations on your new medical clearance!  That means you are one more step closer to securing the ever evasive FAA employment.  This will be a short update as this next step is simple and well, for me at least was a quick turn around.


Once you are medically cleared you are told absolutely nothing about the time frame from clearance to hire.  So go find something to do because as some people have found out, it can be a really long time.  The Firm Offer Letter, or FoL, is the FAA saying congrats, you are hired and will begin to receive a paycheck once you get to the academy.  While it is a very small paycheck, it is still a government paycheck, take it for what its worth.  <--- My attempt at political satire, I know, I failed.


For me, my FoL came unexpectedly sooner than I had ever imagined.  Keep in touch with your HR rep as so to keep interest up and keep a heads up on if there is any information they may need from you about anything.  They are really not obligated to call you to get more info, so if you solicit info they may need, HEY, kudos.  One of my phone calls to my HR rep yielded a place in the hiring line at Memphis Center.  Well she told me that I was number 16 on a list of about 40 and that Memphis was only taking 12 for the entire next fiscal year.
***Side Note***
The FAA operates on fiscal years, if you don't know what that means, LTG or learn to Google.  The Fiscal Year for the FAA is over in October.  Well because the fiscal year for 2011 was almost over at the time I got that information I was disappointed that I would have to stay a truck driver until possibly November 2012 which began the 2013 FY.  So when I get a surprise e-mail on a Tuesday morning saying I have a class date on October 3rd 2011, you would understand when I say I pooped my pants.


Ok now that I have a new pair of knickers, if the ball wasn't rolling fast enough for you, it is now moving at a significant forward velocity, for example, 2.98 x 10^8 m/s.  <----My attempt at nerd satire: Success.  You have been hired by the FAA and they want you down in OKC, Oklahoma City, ASAP-24.  <---My attempt to confuse my acronym deficient mom: Success.  (Means they need you there yesterday, ASAP - 24hours.  Get it? HA!
ANYHOO, hopefully you are not like me and just got hired for a new job and about to quit the old one and have to try explain to the old one that you have to leave without a two week notice and explain to the new one why they just spent time and money training you only to leave. I just said SEEYA! and left without a care in the world.  


Here is my promotion for Kim's Place Okc:  Go there.  No question.  Last 3 classes 100% pass rate for those who stay here.  Kim's Place is a great place to study with like minded individuals who need help just as much as you.  


Now that the housing question is answered, how is the drive down?




NEXT on The Story: Journey to the Crappiest Roads in America (Yes worse than ND)

ToL to FoL Part 2 (3)

*note* for ease of reading the titles now include a (#).  Follow in order* ** And now in Old People Font Size since my ma is reading this.  ;-D


ToL to FoL Part 2


We left off last time talking about the ATSAT and a few pointers.  Keep in mind that these pointers worked for ME and ME alone.  They MAY help you but ultimately it is a test that puts YOU to the test.  ATC is wonderful in that following a basic set of rules there are so many variations to accomplish the same goal.


So your ATSAT is done and you are thinking, "Wow I should probably start looking for another job."  Don't fret!  Its an 8 hour test and it is designed to beat your brain to mush.  Go home sleep on it and in a few days check the AVIATOR website and be prepared to be amazed.  I certainly was.
I'll let you in on my test day feelings.  I crashed 8 planes in the scenario but had a 98% efficiency rating and kicked the math and other sections butt.  I got WQ or Well Qualified.  I thought because i crashed I failed.  So you see?  No worries mate.


Now go finish your college career with vigor and study and make sure to put as much effort into your ATC classes as possible.  These are your bread and butter.  Know these and you will do fine.


Fast forward a few years.  CONGRATS!  You graduated college!  No small feat by any means.  Took me 10 years to do it and when I walked across that stage, I was told I had a HUGE smile.  And I deserved it.


Now what you ask.  ATC is one of those things that if you don't use it you will lose it.  If your program has a position to help teach students in ATC, DO IT.  Not only will it keep you fresh with the info, but you will be surprised on how much you LEARN!  You learn so much more when teaching because you can't tell the student something that you don't know.  They are relying on you to provide the information.  And if you do not provide the right information, you will find out about it.  *GUILTY*

When you graduate you will be given a CTI code to apply to the FAA CTI application on AVIATOR.  To expedite you application, you can pre-fill in your basic information, work experience, etc.  The only thing you can fill in when you apply is the geo-pref (what two states you want to goto). 


After graduation and filling out the application you might as well not worry about hearing from the FAA for awhile.  I was ancy and was always trying to find out what was going on.  There is a point where you can be TOO annoying.  Every once in awhile the FAA will hold a hiring panel which is based solely on how many facilities are hiring.  This number is not known and changes from week to week.  So don't ask, because no one knows.  

One thing you can do while waiting for the FAA is visit facilities.  Go to the ones you definitely want to work at and NETWORK.  This is extremely important.  In case no one told you yet, ATC and aviation in general is a VERY small network.  Everyone may not know everyone, but they will know someone that knows someone.  So be nice, professional, and NOT a know it all because frankly as a CTI graduate you don't know jack about the real world workings of ATC.  Keep that in mind.  No veteran controller wants to be corrected by a 0 time noob.  In addition to the facilities you know, take time to visit some that you may not think you like.  You might be surprised.  Not everyone likes to work at big airports.  ATC isn't about money, its about having fun at your challenging job.  Granted the money is nice, but if it ain't fun whats the point?


~Panels~
So the magic day has come there is an FAA panel taking place.  You feverishly check AVIATOR to see if your status changed.  Guess what, there is a very good chance it will say another applicant has been chosen.  If it says you are being considered, CONGRATS, just means you are in a smaller large pile.  The hiring process hierarchy goes something to this effect:  FAA-relocates (Transfers), Veteran Reinstatement Act (VRA), CTI (you), Off The Street (OTS).  With 30 some CTI schools there are plenty of fish in that pond.  Add in several VRA's and Transfers, you are really low on the totem.  NO FEAR my friend :-D  I went through 2 panels before I was actually selected.
*On a side note doing your geo-prefs*
Put a little thought into what you select.  Think of where the major CTI schools are and how many of those students are applying for the surrounding area.  Think of where the good weather places are, transfers are going to go there.  Think of states with centers, if you don't want a center, don't choose those states.  In all honesty, if you want terminal or tower, pick a place that you can get in and out after you are CPC and that others may think are "desirable".  This may help you get placed.
*End Side Note*
Now this isn't confirmed or anything but if you are selected your AVIATOR app will say you are being considered when the other state says another has been chosen.  Find someone with the state that says you are still being considered and if their status changes to another has been chosen yet yours stays considered, we think that may be a good indicator.  If you don't follow that, yeah neither do we.


So now what?  You will get a phone call probably 2,3,4 weeks after panels saying you have been selected.  Thats awesome!  Now the ball starts rolling.  You will be assigned a HR Rep and it is important that if you are on a web forum such as StuckMic or the like that you DO NOT reveal whom your HR REP is.  With that said the hr rep will email you with a ton of forms that need to be confirmed and filled out and returned before your ToL can be processed.  If you are like me and reaching that age of 31 you will make these forms and tasks priority and spend some cash to send them overnight.  Once you are given a ToL your age freezes as long as the ToL is valid.  Once  your ToL is yours, you begin the hiring process.  


The Interview.
The interview can be a very nerve racking experience.  Be prepared to answer any/all questions on the list of questions that can be found on StuckMic or google.  Most of all be prepared to answer, "So tell me about yourself."  From what I have read about that question, most of the interviewers say they don't care about your life story and that turns them off when interviewee's give them a 15 min borefest.  They want to know about how you got into ATC, how you trained, why you like atc, etc.  Short but to the point.  They will ask you about teamwork and give examples of when it worked and failed and how those situations panned out.  Don't lie, don't pad the truth, and be HONEST.  This interview is for your dream career so why jeopardize it by bullshit?


The Medical
The ATC medical is similar and different from a pilot medical at the same time.  The only real difference is that the decision is not made by the DME there in the office.  It is sent to the FAA in OKC and reviewed by the doctors there.  SO what does that mean?  It means that the decision to grant you a medical is based on paper and not actual physical examination by the doctor performing it.
*Side Note*
When starting your ATC career, goto the doctor and get a 2nd class pilot medical and blood test.  The medical will show that you are generally healthy and should get you through.  The blood test shows you what if anything is really wrong.  Some people found out things too late and cannot be ATC because of things they didn't know about.  Depending on what is wrong, you can appeal and be retested or show that you can still perform atc duties with no special help etc.
*End Side Note*


FBI Background Check.
The FBI BC for short, for en-route at least, was about 22 solid pages long going back 10 years.  This check includes EVERY, I mean EVERY last address you ever lived at no matter how long or short in the past 10 years.  (Dorms included)  You have your basic job history, residence, family members, credit history, foreign travel, etc.  Be thorough and spend money to get the best background checks you can to fill out the FBI BC form.  Now I had no problems because I was honest and listed everything I could possibly think of and didn't lie or pad the truth.  If you have 30 days delinquency on a credit card DO NOT omit it. Is it major?  No.  But if the FBI BC pulls up something negative that you didn't put down and don't fess up to it...kiss atc buh bye.


Psycho Test.
The psyc test is a 484 something question test that asks you the most odd questions. For example:  Do you listen to the voices in your head?  Well if you answer true you admit to that you have voices and you listen to them.  If you choose false, you admit you hear voices but don't listen to them.  But I guess everyone has voices.  Its only crazy if you have a conversation with them.  Go through the test as fast as possible to have the most honest answers and results.  If you think about the question you start answering the way you think the FAA wants you to answer.  Well I dived into the guts of the test and found out that it will notice that you are answering to make yourself more positive.  Which is a no no.
As with a lot of this pre-employment stuff, BE FREAKIN HONEST!!!


When this is all said and done and you medically cleared guess what?


HURRY UP AND WAIT.




Next on The En-Route Story:
ToL to FoL Part 3

ToL to FoL Part 1 (2)

Ever hear the saying, "Hurry up and wait"?  Well that describes this process to the T. 


During your college career in ATC you will register for CTI (Collegiate Training Initiative) and register for the AT-SAT (Air Traffic Selection Aptitude Test).  I started UND in August 2008 and did this registration that Fall semester.  A note for the new people, if your instructor says it needs to be filled out by this date, DO IT!!  Several people have not filled out the CTI registration on time or even at all, and guess what?  If you don't fill it out, you are not a CTI student and cannot apply to the FAA as a CTI student which means you just wasted 4 years and a decent amount of money. 


With your CTI & ATSAT registration complete, ON TIME, you can continue your college career.  Usually twice a year the FAA holds the AT-SAT test.  The people that proctor it try to hold it in Grand Forks or a city closest to the majority of the test takers.  I took the AT-SAT in March of 2009. 


AT-SAT
People get all worried about this test like its the only test that measures whether or not you will succeed in ATC.  Well its not.  So stop worrying.  There is really no studying for this test.  The test consists of several sections that measure your aptitude for skills that controllers use.  These sections include math, gauge reading, analogies, scan test, scenario test, and personality test.  These sections are all pretty much self explanatory.  The only advice I can give for the scenario test is set the departures at 3 or 4 and arrivals keep them at 1 or 2.  Once you take the test you will understand what I mean by those numbers.  Another key to the scenario is to keep all the planes "Speed FAST" unless they are landing and then you want to change the speed to slow at the last second before they land.  Keep the planes going as directly to their destination as possible.  If you crash one or two no worries.  Recover and continue to work and keep your efficiency high.


For the personality section make sure that you choose, "Definitely no or Definitely yes".  This shows that you are sure of yourself and know what you want.


*on a side note, don't stop writing and go eat dinner because you totally forget what you were writing about.*



Next Time:
ToL to FoL Part 2