Frequently Asked Questions & Answers
9/2/2009
You've got questions? We've got the answers. Learn more about housing in Oklahoma City, Per Diem, information on health & GI benefits, and much more.
1. I have taken the AT-SAT test. Now what happens?
Approximately three months after you take the test you will be e-mailed a form to select your regional choices. Some people are offered the choice of center or terminal and what states you would prefer to go to. After you select your preferences, two to three months later you will be asked to go to the local testing facility (PEPC) for your physical, interview, and psychological exam. Upon completion of these tests you will be given a tentative offer to a facility. Once the FAA has evaluated the results from your physical and psychological evaluation they will send you a firm offer with a date to report to the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City for training.
2. Can you explain the pay and Per Diem at the FAA Academy in OKC?
The pay at the academy is $17,540 per year. This breaks down to a rate of approximately $10.00 per hour after locality is included. This does not include Per Diem. Per Diem is additional funds, provided by the FAA, specifically for food and housing. The FAA currently has two different ways of paying Per Diem. The first is simple. The FAA will pay you $80.00 per day. The second program is the FAA will pay you a flat $30.00 for food only and then they will pay your apartment complex up to $50.00 per day to cover housing. If you take the second option and your housing only cost $30 per day then you will not be given the $20 dollar difference.
3. What is administrative leave for moving and how do I take advantage of it?
The FAA can grant you up to 64 hours of administrative leave to accommodate the moving process from Oklahoma City to your facility. This leave can be used for personal needs pertaining to your move, such as relocating family members, changing your driver’s license, receiving household goods, establishing utilities, etc. The FAA may approve up to 64 hours but most likely will approve a minimum of 16 hours. This leave can be used up to two years after your reporting date. (See HRPM LWS 8.8 Excused Absence; paragraph 3(C) (4)). For example, if you took annual leave to get from the academy to your assigned facility you can then have that leave converted to excused/administrative leave as well. In order to take advantage of this leave, you must make your request in writing to the facility manager or training manager. When you make your request it is best to cite specific reasons for requesting the leave. For example, “I have to drive from the Academy to Boston.” Or, “I have to be at home while they set-up my electricity.”
4. How can I get a tour of a facility?
Facility tours are at management’s discretion. However, most facilities are open to tours as long as you have received prior approval. The best way to get approval is to contact your Reloaded Rep, who can then put you in touch with your facility. They can set it up with the facility manager, and will most likely personally show you around the facility.
5. Where can I find out what the pay is at a certain facility?
The pay structure for the FAA Air Traffic is comprised of three separate parts. There is the Base Pay, Locality Pay (or cost of living adjustment), and Facility Level. When you add the three parts together you will get what you will be paid at your new facility. For example, if you are CPC/FPL at a level 11 facility and the locality adjustment is 10%, your pay will be approximately $83,000 ($75,500 plus $7,500 locality).
The pay system can become confusing during training. This is because your Base Pay moves up depending on what level of training you have completed until you reach CPC or FPL. Please ask the NATCA FacRep or Reloaded Rep at your facility for more information on pay levels during training.
6. When does my probation period begin and end?
Probation begins the day you start at the Academy in OKC. It ends exactly one year later.
(Note, this probation period applies to all employees of the federal government. If you have previously worked for the federal government for at least one year [i.e. with the DOD, US Postal Service, or any other government agency], then you have already completed your one year probationary period. )
During your first year with the FAA, it is most important to focus on your training and focus on getting through your probationary period. If a problem should arise, it is best to let NATCA and your FacRep fight the battle for you. This is one of the many benefits of being a NATCA member and it ensures that you will not jeopardize your employment with the FAA during that first year.
7. I have a date to report to Oklahoma City. Where should I live in OKC?
This ties in directly to the question on Per Diem. The FAA provides $80.00 per day for food and housing. Most apartments in OKC run from $25.00 to $50.00 per day. There are many options for housing while you are a student at the Academy. From large apartment complexes to private homes – there are places to suit students with a variety of needs.
Some of the more popular options for students are the apartment complexes in OKC that are used to dealing with the FAA & Academy students. Many even offer a month to month lease. Another popular option is to rent a room in a private home. These can be found on Web sites such as
www.craigslist.com and also on-line in ATC forums. Something to keep in mind when you are selecting where to live is whether or not you are bringing or renting a car. While some complexes have a shuttle service to and from the Academy, others do not, and it is important to know this prior to arriving in OKC. Take a look at the
FAA’s list of apartments in OKC or check back soon for housing recommendations from current and former Academy students.
8. Where can I get information about health benefits? Can you provide me with any recommendations for local doctors and hospitals?
The easiest way to learn about what health benefits are available to you is to go to
http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/ . This site will explain the various health plan options as well as the costs associated with them. If you would like more information about what health plans are available at your new facility or for physician and hospital recommendations, please contact your local NATCA Reloaded Rep or your FacRep. They will be able to give you additional details and their opinions of local healthcare options.
9. How do I apply for GI benefits?
When new employees go to the Academy, they already know which facility they have been assigned to. Those interested in GI benefits should contact their facility as soon as possible and advise the facility that they would like to access their GI Bill benefits. The facility Certifying Official can fill out the enrollment forms (22-1999 & 22-8864) and submit them electronically to the VA. They then generate the employee's training agreement and fax this to the FAA Academy to obtain the employee's signature. This should complete the enrollment process while the student is still at the Academy.
Please visit the VA site for information on these forms and others.
For employees whose managers tell them that they can't access the Certifying Official Training, the location is as follows. The manager can access this through the FAA intranet on the FAA Academy Web site. It is located on the FAA ATN Broadcast site-(Note, you must be on an official FAA computer to access the site)
If the manager continues to have trouble accessing the video training they can check with their Regional Certifying Official.
The next step is for the newly trained "Certifying Officials" to fill out VA Form 22-8794 (Designation of Certifying Officials). This form is signed by the facility manager and submitted to Austin Lewis with a copy going to their Regional VA Certifying Coordinator.
They (facility manager or certifying official) then contact their Regional Certifying Coordinator to get the Facility Certification Code. This code is required to be submitted on each individual’s paperwork in order for it to be processed by the VA.
You may contact your NATCA RVP directly to receive assistance if your facility can't sign you up while at the FAA Academy or can't obtain your certification code. The RVP will be able to assist you.
DISCLAIMER
The advice and opinions expressed in this format does not reflect the official position of NATCA or the Federal Aviation Administration. No guarantee is given by NATCA that the information provided is correct, complete and/or up-to-date. NATCA is not responsible for and expressly disclaims all liability and damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to or reliance on any information contained within this format.
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