New guy

[NCANG_ATC]

Hello everyone, I'm new here. I've been reading the posts for awhile and I've already gotten a lot of good advice. Hopefully I can return the favor to some of you.
I've been in the Air National Guard for 7 years and I cross-trained into ATC last January. I am currently in Northern Michigan working on my first certification.
I've been applying like mad to the FAA since July. I have about 40 applications submitted covering all the south-eastern states. My process has been a little bit different than I have seen:
Applied 11/07
Refered 12/05/07
Interview 2/7/08
waiting...
I have not taken the AT-SAT yet, but I am on the test list. Anyone else out there like this?
Also, at the interview I was told the position was for Potomac TRACON. I know it is level 12 and in Warrenton, VA. Does anyone know anything about this facility? Average time to cert, washout rate, the surrounding area, etc?
Thanks! If anyone has questions about the Air National Guard or the interview, please feel free to ask!

[JT ATC]

I'm in the MO ANG, and I cross trained last December. I'm about to get certified here. I'm waiting on the interview for Indy Center. Given your time frame, I should have my interview in the next month or so. Why do you have to take the AT-SAT? None of the other guys around here that got picked up had to. Did you apply under VRA announcements?

[NCANG_ATC]

OK that explains it. I did apply for a few non-VRA announcements. Are you at St. Joe? I know 1 or 2 guys from my unit in NC went there. Our 14k is still not up and certified...
Quick update. I got a call from the ATM I interviewed with. He said that he submitted my interview packet and he highly recommended me to be hired. Obviously that is good, but how much weight does his recommendation have?

[PilotChip]

From some things i hear, after the interview the package would go to HQ and then disseminated throughout the regions depending on certain variables; staffing, location of tentative employee etc... part of it i think is the personal reference so if you made a good impression it could hold some weight. Administrators do talk.

by the way --> I'm interested in joining the ANC near SoCal, to fly helicopters as a reservist. If you have any good info for me throw it my way, many thanks!

[ATLTRACON]

PCT area VERY expensive to live. Expect checkout time to be about 2-4 years baring delays due to staffing.

It is very difficult for ANY controller, civilian or VRA, to go to a LV12 facility and checkout. The chips are stacked against you and the FAA knows it. But, they can show that they have sent "controllers" to these places. At A80, Atlanta TRACON where I work, it would not be a stretch to say that maybe 1 in 10 will check out.

CJ @ A80

[obguwan]

Originally Posted by ATLTRACON

PCT area VERY expensive to live. Expect checkout time to be about 2-4 years baring delays due to staffing.

It is very difficult for ANY controller, civilian or VRA, to go to a LV12 facility and checkout. The chips are stacked against you and the FAA knows it. But, they can show that they have sent "controllers" to these places. At A80, Atlanta TRACON where I work, it would not be a stretch to say that maybe 1 in 10 will check out.

CJ @ A80

What is it so about Atlanta? Why is it so hard to check out there?

[ATLTRACON]

Originally Posted by obguwan

What is it so about Atlanta? Why is it so hard to check out there?

As for the TRACON, it has some of the busiest satellite airspace, as well as the most complex, in the world. Plus it is THE approach control for the busiest airport in the world. Never a slow or dull moment.

For the Tower, simply put it is THE busiest airport in the world.

TRACON does about 3500 ops a day, even on a slow day. Throw in special events, military and two major corporate airports within 10 NM of ATL and it can get quite hairy.

CJ @ A80