Spineless

papag Junior Member

I was a active member of the former Stuckmic and am disappointed at the new forum. I like the format, I like the layout, I like the organization, I dont like the fact it has become the recruitment tool of the FAA. Im sure you are all nice people and in need of a job you have pursued but this is bone deep. We have worked hard and long to both get what we got and reverse the travesty that has ensued. Your enthusiasm is commendable but you must stand together to force change and improve this enviornment we are faced with. Quit worrying about the minutia off class dates etc. and focus on the big picture..........I wish you all long and rewarding careers but we must stand strong at a critical time to effect change.

Adam Unregistered

papag,

I am sorry you feel that way about the new Stuck Mic. We offer everything the old Stuck Mic used to offer, which is forums, private messaging, and a chat room. We have expanded in many areas and are trying to provide people that are interested in air traffic control, or just aviation in general, with the best information possible on the net. We are actively pursuing options with NATCA and other aviation organizations so our users have every bit of information possible. We have posted tons of information about NATCA and PATCO, pay issues, anything we can get our hands on. We have an entire article section dedicated to the air traffic control unions. There are I believe around 50 articles that touch those issues. We also want to provide all the information for the FAA as that is their future employer. If our users can't find the information here, they will go somewhere else in search of it.

I'm curious what you mean by "the recruitment tool for the FAA." People are going to continue to take this job one way or another...even without Stuck Mic's help...the FAA will fill those positions. What you and others can do as members of Stuck Mic is inform our users of the different aspects of the FAA. That way they are informed as much as possible and are prepared for their future as an air traffic controller; however, I don't think we can prevent not being a decent air traffic control recruitment tool.

Yes, we controllers need to stand strong and together. I believe one of the best ways to do that is through a community like Stuck Mic.

If there is any area that you would like to see us improve, feel free to let us know. We are constantly looking for new ways to improve our site and reach out to as many people as possible.

Thank you for taking a few moments to voice your concerns and hopefully you will be just as active on here as you were on the old SM.

SOCOM Junior Member

how is it recruitment ? i didn't come here until after i had taken my PEPC and wanted more information on the Academy...

Ammolite Unregistered

Because all of the senior members are not constantly spewing off about "washout rates", how OTS controllers are incompetent, and how the FAA has gone down the gutter.

Roddy_Piper Resident Knucklehead Vegas baby

That's none of the senior members business. Train them up and instruct, but don't belittle before they even step into the facility. How can someone that hasn't even put a headset on already have a bunch of Box 1's and ready to be washed?

You know that a lot of the retirement eligible controllers in the FAA are OTS people themselves. Thanks to Reagan and the 81 PATCO fiasco, OTS hiring was born. Now they are some of the most senior controllers at most of the facilities. VRA and CTI still makes up a majority (or close to it) of the controller ranks. How bad would manning be, if all the OTS hires from 81 and the 90's, were told to take a hike. I know my particular area at ZOA would be left with about half it's CPC's.

Solidarity papag. Regardless of hiring source. Even with 8 years USAF ATC, 3 years FCT ATC, and 2 years FAA ATC...i still feel i don't have the right to decide who should be allowed to train to be controllers. I further don't feel it my place to discourage OTS candidates from applying for a controller job because it lessens the chance of returning to the green book. Those are vaguely related to each other.

Ammolite Unregistered

I agree with you one-hundred-percent, but you know how they are on J C. That's what I was alluding to; I didn't intend to suggest that kind of an outlook. I find it incredibly destructive.

ChromeCowgirl37 Junior Member Lancaster, CA

Some of us OTS candidates have been immersed in ATC our entire lives and have a far better understanding of how the FAA, NATCA and ATC in general operate than a lot of people who went to the approved colleges. My dad is an OM at Los Angeles center, my mother was a controller, by biological father just retired. At 7 yrs old I was hanging out on the mid with my dad getting to talk to planes. I never wanted to be a controller. I wanted to be outdoors all day long. The stress scared me. Until recently. A lot of new paths have opened up for me in the last year, ATC being one of them. I want this job now as much or more than anyone here, and I guarantee you I am well prepared because I know what to expect from the controller side, the TMU side and the management side. I know how beneficial the union can be and I know how it can screw people over. Like the new RETROACTIVE seniority bit, with people bidding on management positions losing seniority, whether they accept the position or not. There are now several controllers who have worked for the FAA for 20 yrs or more who now have less seniority than their children who have only been working there for 5 yrs or less. Doesn't seem fair does it? But I digress, that is not the point. . . being an OTS candidate does not make you any less capable or any less motivated to be a controller. It just means we have to pay that much more attention to ensure that we are fully prepared.

papag Junior Member

Personally Ill take OTS anyday!! So you wont here me bashing their abilities. I dont know how my original message was an attack on OTS or CTIs. Working side by side with many new to the field has showed me little more than a shoulder shrug when it comes to important issues. New people do not need to take the charge in front but simply support those of us that are head-on charging forward to improve your future. Support NATCA...........

Adam Unregistered

This site does more for NATCA than probably 95% of NATCAs members, we are even in contact with its' high ranking officials on ways to get their word out more; however, we are not going to be bias one way or the other concerning FAA/NATCA issues. If the FAA approached us with an idea, we would certainly be open to that as well. We are here to provide information and let our users make their own decision. In the days of the old Stuck Mic, if you had a negative thing to say about NATCA you were crucified.

There are both pros and cons in every situation and everyone is free to formulate their own opinion based on the information they are provided.

I would encourage any member of NATCA to become active on this site and educate the younger generation of controllers things concerning NATCA. Stuck Mic is a great tool for that purpose.

ChromeCowgirl37 Junior Member Lancaster, CA

Yes it is. Like I said, I am well aware of how beneficial NATCA can be. I was just mentioning that I have been fortunate enough to be exposed to many facets of ATC. I wasn't trying to be negative about NATCA, I was just indicating that there are many areas of this all to be familiar with.