What is training at a Center like?

Rosstafari Daaaang. /X

This is a post from SM user DairyCreamer answering a question about what it's like to work at ZAB, Albuquerque Center. It's a good all-around idea of what it's like to train at a Center. If you find the following helpful, be sure to drop him a line to say thanks.

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The center is a center. If you've been to one, you've essentially seen them all, from an equipment standpoint anyway. The airspace and traffic of course differs from one place to the next. It's hard to describe a center without going in to great detail (which I don't have the strength to do right now) or seeing it first hand. Hence the invite to come see ZAB (or I can find out how to see the center nearest you if you'd like).

Training is similar to other centers. We do a combined D/R-School. When you get here you basically don't see the floor formally (visits are allowed) for 6-9 months while you're upstairs drawing maps, taking CBIs and classes, and running through the labs. I actually went through the old program (D-School, D-Sides, R-School, R-Sides), and was one of the last to complete training via that method before ZAB switched to combined D/R classes.

How long? Let's see... for me, OKC 7/28/06 to 11/16/06. ZAB 11/20/06, A-Side early Jan (no raise thanks to IWRs), spent about 5 months on the A-Side, D-School was on the order of 4 months as I recall (exact dates escape me right now). That puts us around September I think. I got my first 4 D-Sides (D1) in 12/07. Circle D (D2) a little over a month later in 01/08. Did that for a little while, then off to R-School for a couple of months. My first day on the floor as an R-Side trainee was 4/1/08. First 4 R's (D3) in 6/08. Got CPC on 7/17/08.

So, for me, personally, all told was less than 2 years from first day in OKC to CPC. I've been told I was one of the fastest ever to check out at ZAB with no prior experience. I know I was the first from my OKC class that came to ZAB to check out. Not trying to toot my horn, honest, just trying to give perspective. Average checkout I believe is 3 years from OKC from what I've been told. I am ever-greatful to my trainers and supes for helping me grind out the hours and keeping me on track.

2 of my 3 OKC mates that came to my area checked out since then in my area. I think one was mid December, then another early this year I believe. The 3rd is still working on R-Sides. The others... let's see, 2 washed from non-radar (which is now pass-pass here, for better or worse), one quit because of the FAA's BS (she was a legitimately good controller), one checked out, and the other 3 are struggling from what I understand. So, for our OKC class that came to ZAB, that's 4 CPCs, 3 Devs, 2 washes, and 1 quit. From the sound of things, I would expect one of those devs to become a wash from ZAB, though they'll probably get assigned to a low-level facility due to some success on the floor.

I was told when I came in that average CPC rate for ZAB was 50% of those that walk in the door, and that number is pretty consistent among all centers. Everyone seems to agree that OKC is an absolute joke and a waste of time in terms of determining if you're cut out for the job. Only the very worst seem to fail OKC, which means most people are going to get washed out at the facility now, unlike what it used to be. No good stats have been established yet on a national scale since it really hasn't been all that long since the first batches of off-the-street hires have gotten to their facility.

Staffing... well, depends on the area. My specialty is in fairly good shape relative to some of the other areas in our building. We're hurting like every other facility though, and up until mid-May I was working 6-day weeks almost every week (Full Disclosure: I am on the 'yes' list for OT... essentially volunteering for it if it's needed. True mandatory is rare in my specialty, not sure about the others). OT kind of dried up as of late, but semi-artificially I think due to the way annual leave bid slots were handled for this year. ZAB will probably need a few more years to really be on the other side of the staffing valley. In contrast though, we are just starting to get better when a lot of other facilities in the nation are starting their real downward spiral now. The reasoning has to do with a variety of factors that I won't expound on here.

I love ZAB. In general, it seems a bit more chill than a lot of stories I hear from other facilities. Our Labor/Management relationship has been better than most under the White Book, and as such, life hasn't been quite so cruel here as you may have gotten the impression about from other facilities. Not saying we haven't taken knocks, and the pay is a joke everywhere right now, but that's not in our control.

The traffic can be complex as hell. We deal with a huge number of military operations, and half our airspace is designated as SUA which can go hot just about whenever. We have IR routes out the wazoo, fairly sizeable areas of non-radar, and sectors that have traffic climbing/descending in eachothers faces all day long. Unlike the busiest centers which seem to have lots of one-way sectors, most of our traffic is opposite direction and/or crossing. I think we have 2 one-ways in the building. Dealing with Mexico can be interesting sometimes too, if you're on the Southern Tier like I am.

We're a wide-open center in the sense that we dont have TRACONs covering 90% of our low airspace like out east. We have 6 TRACONs and 4 or 5 RAPCONs (I might be off on the RAPCON count). I believe there are only 2 VFR towers in the center airspace too (PRC and SAF). Otherwise, it's one-in-one out, non-radar goodness from the center. I like that kind of stuff, personally. One of our specialties, though, deals almost entirely with high altitude traffic, with only a single low sector... albeit a sector that can go flat down the pooper in short order though thanks to infinite military and oil tycoons flying around in the Panhandle of TX. To give a sense of scale for the area our center covers... our Sector 63 which covers West Texas basically from ELP to CNM to FST and along the Rio Grande back to ELP is laterally as large as ZNY's entire area over the US Mainland. There's 38 (give or take) other sectors in the building beyond that. Skyvector.com can help with that though for the overall boundary.

blakeh Trusted Member SLN

Id def like to say thanks again! Great info! Helps alot. Especially for those of us who cant decide between tower or center.

Thanks again dairy!!

belot64f Junior Member Endicott, NY

i missed the part where you choose.....GO CENTER, lol

ROMA Junior Member Queens, NY

Since the only enroute is a center and enroute is a choice... it's simple logic...if A,then B... If not A, then not B

Singingastro Trusted Member Houston, TX

wow this is very helpful!!!! thanks for taking care of my state's panhandle...lol. and i can't wait to see what kind of interesting things your talking about when i start dealing with mexico.