The dreaded "B-scale"

Well, the inevitable has happened. The contract talks between the FAA and NATCA have reached impasse, and the FAA's last best offer has been sent to Congress. If Congress doesn't act within 60 days, the FAA's last offer is enacted automatically. Of course Congress may act in favor of NATCA within the next 60 days, but that's still yet to be seen.

One of the main points of interest for CTIs like myself is the FAA's proposed pay scale (called the "B" scale). The FAA wants to impose a drastic pay cut on anyone who is not a CPC (certified professional controller). And by drastic, I mean a 30-40% pay reduction. If Congress doesn't shoot down the FAA's offer within the next 60 day period, we'll see it happen.

According to an unofficial (but reliable) source on an ATC message board I frequent, Jacksonville Center's (ATC-11) proposed pay scale under the new plan is as follows:

AG (Academy Grad) $31,100
A side $36,335
D side $41,570
R side $57,275
CPC $66,000 to $94,900 (after 30 years on job)

Now, that may seem like fairly decent money. But, let's just remember for a second that current CPC pay at Jacksonville is $110,000-$140,000/year. And considering controllers hold the lives of thousands of people in their hands every shift, I believe wholeheartedly that they earn every penny of that. But, now the FAA wants to cut that pay down to $66,000/year starting. Seriously, I know restaurant servers that make that much, and I'm not kidding.

Remember the next time you fly on an airliner, flying safe and sound to your destination, that there is a person watching your plane track across the sky, keeping your plane from swapping paint with any other plane. That person behind the mic used to be respected and fairly compensated for their highly responsible job, but are now being forced to accept pay that simply "lines up with the rest of the FAA workforce." Don't worry that the majority of the FAA workforce doesn't keep airplanes from smashing into each other. They don't.

Seriously, I won't lie. If this B-scale contract is imposed, I'm very seriously going to consider not taking a controller position with the FAA. We'll see what happens. We'll know within 60 days.

In the meantime, anyone reading this should visit www.fairfaa.com and voice your opinion to your congressmen. Email, call, whatever. Get your congressman/congresswoman to act in favor of NATCA. They're now the last line of defense for fair controller compensation.

ATSAT Fun

Word on the street is that I'm not going to be able to take the ATSAT this spring. One of my classmates called the FAA to check to see if his name was registered with them to take it this month (it's April already?), and they didn't find it. Guess whose name was right below his on the list? Yep, yours truly.

We'll see how it goes, but Mt. SAC students that signed up last semester are taking it in about two weeks. I highly doubt that the FAA is going to rush out appointment letters to the rest of us. Ugh.

Back in early February when the FAA told Mt. SAC to come up with a roster of students graduating before June 30th in order to sign up for the ATSAT, they gave no deadline. However, it seems as though it would have been in the students' best interest to get that list out to them quickly. Our fearless department chair sat on that list for a solid month, putting it off week to week, before sending it out. Just great.

Etwas Übung

No lengthy updates tonight. It's almost 5am, and the sun rises in about an hour. Damn me for working nights so much. Ah well, at least tomorrow is my Saturday, even if I do have school.

I just had to gloat about an approach I shot in FS2002 to get my head back into instrument flying. I would like to preface this by saying that I do believe that even flight simulator "games" like MS Flight Simulator are great for practicing instrument procedures. Don't believe me? I'm a CFII. Whatever you say is wrong. ;)

Okay, in all seriousness, here's the approach I flew. It's the NDB-A into Falcon Field (KFFZ) in Phoenix, AZ. I haven't flown instruments in almost a year and a half, so I was pleased. Here's what it should look like:



Here's what I flew in the simulator, with a teardrop entry into the hold at AVENT:



I think this is all coming back easier than I thought it would. I'm psyched!