in search of J.C. Kamienski

"Jill Kamienski" wrote in message
om...
Hi Sydney.
I check in here maybe once every 2-3 months these days, but that's
about it.

I graduated from the initial ATC training last December. From January
through March I worked as a "remote pilot" at Denver Center through a
contractor, which basically means I worked the simulators training
developmental ATCers acting as a "pilot".
In March I was officially picked up by the FAA at Denver Center.
I've been on the floor since April, basically just ripping flight
progress strips.
Initially I had a date to start non-radar and radar associate training
around August 2004 or so, but now I'm hearing rumors they might get me
in between January and March 2004, so I'm hoping that works out.
Ripping strips isn't the most exciting job in the world

Hey Jill. Yeek! Been there at ZDV since April and not into D-school yet?
What's up out there? Too many developmentals?

Just curious, how many sectors in your Area of Specialization, and how many
controllers assigned to the Area?

Regards,

Chip, ZTL

Chip,
First it was just waiting on other trainees, but now we're putting
URET in, so they say they don't have the staffing and equipment to
continue D-side training while doing URET training.

My area has 8 sectors, but two sets are usually combined together
except during "ski country" when things get crazy-busy.
I work in the area that handles the mountain airports, like Aspen,
Eagle, Telluride, Montrose, Grand Junction, Steamboat Springs, etc.

I'm not sure on the number of controllers, but I know we're considered
short staffed (any surprise there?). We just had to transfer in two
controllers from other areas to try to even things out. Initially
they were going to force two people who had previously been in our
area to come back, but they finally decided to take volunteers instead
(to everyone's relief).

We're also overloaded with trainees in the area. Right now we have 7
people that will be bidding R-side trainee lines (either radar
developmentals now, or people nearly done with their D-sides) and 4
that will be bidding D-side trainee lines.
I'm the only one left in the area that's A-side only, so I should be
next to train, whenever "next" comes up.
My side of the week is pretty good about getting training done, but
the other side keeps the devs on the positions they're already checked
out on and does very little training.

Hopefully the rumors will end up true and I'll get some training early
next year, rather than waiting until next fall when URET is complete.

Later,
Jill


"Chip Jones" wrote:
Hey Jill. Yeek! Been there at ZDV since April and not into D-school yet?
What's up out there? Too many developmentals?

Just curious, how many sectors in your Area of Specialization, and how many
controllers assigned to the Area?

Regards,

Chip, ZTL

"Jill Kamienski" wrote in message
om...
Chip,
First it was just waiting on other trainees, but now we're putting
URET in, so they say they don't have the staffing and equipment to
continue D-side training while doing URET training.

LOL, URET eh? Wow! We were supposed to put URET in a couple of years ago
here at ZTL. We didn't have enough controllers to both train on URET and
also run the day to day operation so we had to take a pass. It looks like
we may end up being the last ARTCC in the NAS to get URET, but they're gonna
have to send us some staffing or we'll *never* get it up and running.


My area has 8 sectors, but two sets are usually combined together
except during "ski country" when things get crazy-busy.
I work in the area that handles the mountain airports, like Aspen,
Eagle, Telluride, Montrose, Grand Junction, Steamboat Springs, etc.

8 sectors, cool. I can't wait to hear your opinion about URET and non-radar
operations. Love your strips, they are your friends. URET is merely
another scam in a parade of FAA contractor scams, IMO. "Conflict Probe!"
Just what the chic enroute controller needs (NOT!!!). Pass the pork,
please.


I'm not sure on the number of controllers, but I know we're considered
short staffed (any surprise there?). We just had to transfer in two
controllers from other areas to try to even things out. Initially
they were going to force two people who had previously been in our
area to come back, but they finally decided to take volunteers instead
(to everyone's relief).

We're also overloaded with trainees in the area. Right now we have 7
people that will be bidding R-side trainee lines (either radar
developmentals now, or people nearly done with their D-sides) and 4
that will be bidding D-side trainee lines.
I'm the only one left in the area that's A-side only, so I should be
next to train, whenever "next" comes up.
My side of the week is pretty good about getting training done, but
the other side keeps the devs on the positions they're already checked
out on and does very little training.


Well, you went to the right facility and Region. In my area we have a grand
total of 1
R-side developmental and five D-side developmentals, one of whom is a PATCO
re-hire who is not likely to ever get certified. He's 65 or so. Another is
an ex-USAF retired E-8 controller on the Phoenix-20 program who was probably
great at terminal op's and on the battlefield but thus far is over his head
here in Atlanta-land. However, I guess four out of six hopefuls is better
than nothing.

At least out there at ZDV you will probably get checked out in normal time
once you get started. Here, no matter what side of the week you train on,
dev's are constantly getting pulled out of training to provide watch
coverage. I've got D-side guys who have been at it for over a year and
still have half the sectors left to conquer. It's a real catch 22. We
don't have enough staffing to consistently train people, and we don't have
enough staffing because we can't get people trained. Sin loi!

Good luck out there!

Chip, ZTL

I can't wait to hear your opinion about URET and non-radar operations.

It sounds like at least initially we're going to keep strips in the
non-radar sectors. I guess eventually they'll go URET, but it will
take longer to implement.


The other fun thing about URET coming here is that they're saying
because the training department is "ahead of schedule", then my
training is not being delayed, therefore no back-pay. Whatever.


At least out there at ZDV you will probably get checked out in normal time
once you get started.

We'll see. It depends how much time they spend training. Training
pretty much stops during our "ski country" which is basically
December-March. It doesn't sound as bad as ZTL, but my area tends to
be slower to check people out than even all the other areas at ZDV,
and it's not due to devs using more hours, they still use the same,
but it's due to taking longer to get those hours (at least that's what
I've been told, including a threat to take me out of my area, which I
hope is a dead issue because I love my area).


We
don't have enough staffing to consistently train people, and we don't have
enough staffing because we can't get people trained.

Yep, sounds like here.
Fortunately we have one sup that is really into training, and whenever
he has the desk he finds a way to get training done, no matter what
manipulating he has to do. He can't do much else but he can get
training accomplished. That's why his side of the week does better
than the other.


Later,
Jill

Uh....some translations for us infidels, please? URET? D-side?

Aspen, Eagle, etc I understand (I live here) but the rest?

Help!

Blanche wrote in message ...
Uh....some translations for us infidels, please? URET? D-side?

Aspen, Eagle, etc I understand (I live here) but the rest?

Help!


Blanche,
URET=User Request Evaluation Tool.
Basically it's a conflict resolution type tool that's being added to
the sectors to try to warn controllers of problems way ahead of time.
It also eliminates the flight progress strips, as all the information
will be contained on the computer.
There are many varying opinions about its usefulness. I don't know
enough myself (hey, I'm only a developmental who hasn't even started
training) to form an opinion yet.


D-side=the controller at a sector who coordinates with the controllers
of surrounding sectors, marks flight progress strips, makes a lot of
the computer entries, issues clearances through flight service, and so
forth, but will never talk to airplanes. Sometimes the radar
controller (R-side) will handle everything themself, but when things
are busier a D-side is put on the sector to help with those tasks.


Jill
JK @ ZDV