Does anyone have info they are willing to share about Austin? Like the tower and radar setup, difficulty, and ambience? I'd like to get hired there, just want to hear from someone already there!
Thanks,
Taryn
Thanks,
Taryn
Austin-Bergstrom - AUS
- Thread starter tarynlp
- Start date
I've visited Austin, since I live nearby in Round Rock. It's an up-down facility, across the tarmac from the Terminal. Class C airspace, don't remember what the rating is. AirNav says they do 570 ops a day, which sounds about right, with about half of that being commercial and the other half GA. There are a few flight schools based there, lots of tech people flying in on small jets. There's a national guard station there, but I've never noticed much military traffic.
The airport is only ten years old and has to be one of the nicer mid-sized ones out there. They do a lot of cool things, like having live music and a lot of local restaurants (as opposed to the usual chains).
I didn't talk to a ton of controllers, but the ATM showed me around and he was a nice guy. Also met an ops manager in the TRACON who was a friendly enough guy. They had a few developmentals when I visited, and I think they might've just picked up a couple more. The airspace covers some the Hill Country, reaches north to ZFW (with maybe a little ZHU in between), south to San Antonio TRACON, east till you get to some ZHU before hitting Houston TRACON. Those are rough estimates; I fly out of Georgetown, which is about 25 nm north of there. I think it'd be a good place to start at; enough to keep you busy without overwhelming a new person.
Hmm, what else. Living in Austin's all right. There's this kind of forced "Keep Austin Weird" mentality sometimes, and the whole Live Music Capital thing is kind of overrated, but it's a nice enough place. Good outdoor activities, cost of living is reasonable. UT sports are good to have. As with most places, you won't want to live right by the airport, as the neighborhoods aren't too good. Unless you're willing to live downtown, expect a 20 minute drive to work, more with traffic. Austin traffic, especially on I-35, is legendary for being bad.
Hope that helps some. They were good about letting me schedule a visit, so if you're anywhere nearby, give them a call and let them know you're interested in working there. I'm sure they'll accommodate you.
The airport is only ten years old and has to be one of the nicer mid-sized ones out there. They do a lot of cool things, like having live music and a lot of local restaurants (as opposed to the usual chains).
I didn't talk to a ton of controllers, but the ATM showed me around and he was a nice guy. Also met an ops manager in the TRACON who was a friendly enough guy. They had a few developmentals when I visited, and I think they might've just picked up a couple more. The airspace covers some the Hill Country, reaches north to ZFW (with maybe a little ZHU in between), south to San Antonio TRACON, east till you get to some ZHU before hitting Houston TRACON. Those are rough estimates; I fly out of Georgetown, which is about 25 nm north of there. I think it'd be a good place to start at; enough to keep you busy without overwhelming a new person.
Hmm, what else. Living in Austin's all right. There's this kind of forced "Keep Austin Weird" mentality sometimes, and the whole Live Music Capital thing is kind of overrated, but it's a nice enough place. Good outdoor activities, cost of living is reasonable. UT sports are good to have. As with most places, you won't want to live right by the airport, as the neighborhoods aren't too good. Unless you're willing to live downtown, expect a 20 minute drive to work, more with traffic. Austin traffic, especially on I-35, is legendary for being bad.
Hope that helps some. They were good about letting me schedule a visit, so if you're anywhere nearby, give them a call and let them know you're interested in working there. I'm sure they'll accommodate you.
Thanks so much for the info! The airspace and whatnot I had looked up in pubs already but thanks for everything else!
Hey, I see this is an old thread but hopefully you guys could help me. I will explain my situation in a quick reply so I can delete the old thread I posted in the wrong forum lol..
I've served seven years in the military, obtained three CTO cards throughout my enlistment and I've controlled continuously from 2007 until present. Late May I was accepted to UT Austin, which isn't too far from the airport, and because of that I was hoping that I could look into employment opportunities there. (I understand it may be a busy schedule I'm piecing together but I've operated like this for years so I'm accustomed.
) I am also twenty-four so retention should not be an issue, but with numbers like that, how likely is it that I would, in essence, get to "choose" my own facility? It doesn't look that likely from what other people are doing, but could I use my qualifications, experience, time in service and age as leveraging pieces to get in the ABIA door? I think I found the ATM there (Mr. Jim Smith?) and I am considering writing him directly, but I just wanted the SM opinion first. Any help's really appreciated.
I've served seven years in the military, obtained three CTO cards throughout my enlistment and I've controlled continuously from 2007 until present. Late May I was accepted to UT Austin, which isn't too far from the airport, and because of that I was hoping that I could look into employment opportunities there. (I understand it may be a busy schedule I'm piecing together but I've operated like this for years so I'm accustomed.
) I am also twenty-four so retention should not be an issue, but with numbers like that, how likely is it that I would, in essence, get to "choose" my own facility? It doesn't look that likely from what other people are doing, but could I use my qualifications, experience, time in service and age as leveraging pieces to get in the ABIA door? I think I found the ATM there (Mr. Jim Smith?) and I am considering writing him directly, but I just wanted the SM opinion first. Any help's really appreciated.
Hey taryn were you fortunate enough to get employed over there? And where did you find those pubs? I'm also looking at working over there, it's a nice area IMO..
You cannot choose where you want to go. New hires get placed at the facilities with need, and over the last year+ it's basically a take-it-or-leave-it offer. I don't know what the ABIA door is, but you go through the hiring process like everyone else. Any qualifications/vet pref is considered in application process.Hey, I see this is an old thread but hopefully you guys could help me. I will explain my situation in a quick reply so I can delete the old thread I posted in the wrong forum lol..
I've served seven years in the military, obtained three CTO cards throughout my enlistment and I've controlled continuously from 2007 until present. Late May I was accepted to UT Austin, which isn't too far from the airport, and because of that I was hoping that I could look into employment opportunities there. (I understand it may be a busy schedule I'm piecing together but I've operated like this for years so I'm accustomed.
I don't know who Jim Smith is, but he's not the ATM.
Your chances are slim. There is no leverage to be had at any point and time, there are people waiting years to get any opportunity they can, the FAA doesn't need you, regardless of how many CTO's you have or where you are located. There are plenty of people who will quit their jobs, pack their schit and be on the road to the Academy inside of two weeks if given the chance, thats the typical applicant. The thought of an applicant having leverage is comical.
I know with the hiring process being "take it or leave it" I can't expect to walk right in to AUS on this next cycle but I'm currently stationed in Diego Garcia with an EAOS of JUL2014. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for it or even SAT. Does anyone have any insight into the current manning/need for manning situation at AUS or can someone offer me a good contact for that facility? I will continue to poke around the internet but with the bandwitdh and speed restrictions on internet around here that gets pretty expensive pretty fast.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Aus just picked up like 10 people on 2 bids last year to replace some retirees last and this year. Most (if not all were from higher level facilities). Not sure what their needs are in the next year or two.
People with single-digit post counts keep spewing garbage all over the place. The FAA needs controllers. Whether or not you get hired is a matter of whether they have the resources to run the academy and pay trainees. They haven't for about a year.
slim to none for austin, zero for san antonio, they arent taking new hires there. aus may be the same, but i dont know for sure either way. mrs moreno is who you would need to contact to tour aus.
aus picked up 14 or 16 people on bids late last year. my facility is going to be near emergency staffing levels by the end of the year, with no new folks in the pipeline in the immediate future. hope you like west texas
A little bitter aren't we? Allow me to be the first to laugh, at you. :rotf: I'm going to keep looking for work, you can continue trying to bring people down over the internet if you'd like, you :troll:
I sent a pm your way, but if it's quicker here, could I hit you up for her contact info if you still have it? I'd like to tour the facility out there, and I should be on the ground in Austin within ten weeks.
Anyone have info on AUS or can answer some questions? Looking to ERR there and would like some info on staffing etc.
Was hoping for a private message do you work there? Just looking for info on current staffing levels and what the facility is like.
The facility datasheet FAA employees have access to shows them as being close to understaffed with many people released and eligible to retire, but those aren't always up to date within the last couple months.
