VRA to FAA Transition Tips

SoonerSoldier Newcomer

Ok, so I'm an 9 year Army vet. I have 3 GCA facility ratings. I have 5 point vet status. Been deployed to Bosnia and Iraq. I've applied for just about every VRA job on the website BUT I'm not sure I qualify because I don't "52 consecutive" weeks of "qualifying" ATC experience.

I've submitted about 7 apps in the past month. I was wondering if anybody knew if I should even expect a response from FAA?

Roddy_Piper Resident Knucklehead Vegas baby

welcome to the site.

i'm not sure GCA is qualifying experience. that must be why your running into problems. otherwise you would be hired in a second.

Radium Epic Member SoCal Tracon

What an AMAZING POST...
This should be

STICKY'd

Some posts kinda go off topic but whatever. I WISH this was posted for me 6 months ago, lol... cause I heard from so many different atcers (faa and dod and whatever) about 10 different stories on when to apply... so I waited till my DoS.

This info about the Unemployment Insurance (UI) is great too. They will need a copy of your dd-214, but its quality $. For instance, as an e-4 my base pay in 08 was 1920, my "base pay" from UI is 1600... lol almost 1700 now with obama's new stimulus crap.

Its fairly insane to be making 200$ less by not working. Time to find odd jobs that pay cash ^_^

ATCnowFAA Newcomer

Hello every one i am new to the site and have some questions. I have 5 years active duty TRACON/Radar sup controller in the USN. Applied to FAA and have gotten a request for an interview to start a hiring process. Now saying all goes well and they offer me a job. How long can i expect to wait to get picked up and go to the academy? Oh yea and I start Terminal leave mid May 09.

geardown Junior Member GA

I would say anywhere from 3 months to a year. If you have CTO and get a contract offer, take it. And dont forget about unemployment.

ATCnowFAA Newcomer

Well I have a TRACON qual, so i am going Radar. And the FAA already contacted me for an interview. I was just wondering how long it takes once all the hiring process is done to get an academy date, and how long of a wait that is usually.

atcguruaf Rico Suave AZ

I'd have to say that's more dependent upon you. Personally, I knocked out all my crap in about a day or two, so the only thing I was waiting on was my security clearance/background check. But, even with all that, it was very quick, I'd say less than a month for me...about 2-3 weeks. I was also able to fumble around with my academy date. For example, I was offered 10JUL, but September worked better so they were able to change my date. I don't know if they still do that, but it never hurts to ask.

ATCnowFAA Newcomer

cool thanks for the info. The sooner to my terminal the better. I want to get in the qual'd and work.

Wponcho Junior Member Orlando

I started applying way in advance, (like 6 months prior to terminal, just for the heck of it). I started terminal on Jan 2nd and that was the VRA announcement that I was technically first eligible for. I was sent my TOL on Feb 6th. I was eligible/applied/pickup on my first try. I was pretty lucky, however...

Because the facility that I was picked up for has "met it's hiring quota for the FY09," I can't even get an academy date until FY10 (Oct 2009). I was told today that the class dates for FY2010 will come out sometime in Sep, so I can expect a class date after that. That is all good, except the fact that I have to find something to keep my family going until then.

From my experience, just be patient. Also I was offered a facility that I wasn't really expecting and of course I accepted. Then immediately after I requested a transfer. It was first denied and then 3 weeks later it was accepted. Like I said, be patient. While I'm here, are any of you active reserve flyers? Just wondering...if enough responses, then I'll start a new thread. Hope this helps.

RaginKajun Newcomer Atlanta, Ga

Hello all. Sailor soon to be retired, just wondering if I should put my shipboard qualifications on my app with the FAA. I've been told they don't really care about that because of the type of controlling experience.