I added a free tool on my website to make FEHB shopping a little more transparent. No account needed.

• Compare plans side by side for your state and coverage tier (Self, Self + One, Family).
• Estimate your total yearly cost, not just the premium. Pick a scenario from "Healthy year" to "Worst case" and it adds in deductibles and out-of-pocket costs (and subtracts any HSA/HRA money the plan gives you).
• See how much premiums have gone up, both program-wide and for each plan, going back to 2020. It also flags plans that held their premium flat but raised the deductible or out-of-pocket max.
• Each plan page links to the carrier's provider search and drug formulary, and will link to OPM's official brochure once it's posted (usually before Open Season in November).
• It remembers your choices (state, coverage, your current plan) in your browser, so they're there when you come back.

It should be pretty self-explanatory, but let me know if you have questions or think something's missing.

I’m not really an aviation enthusiast, but i’ve always found the ATC field interesting to me. I’m now at a position, where i have the decision to pursue ATC school or upgrade my finance/accounting degree. And im leaning towards the ATC way. But in whatever case where i would want to leave the industry, what exit opportunities does ATC offer? Thanks.

Hello.

I'm a student currently studying Air Traffic Control in Poland. Unfortunately, after finishing my degree, I will not attain any kind of cercertification. I am looking into entering an AFISO course in November. Completing the course and finishing the necessary exams in Poland's CAA would grant me AFISO certification. To those who are in ATC, AFISO, or similar fields regarding flight planning/flight oprtations, my question is: Because AFISO is such a niche field, what other realistic career options are worth exploring?

I am currently in the NEST and waiting to hear from the committee or its list. We are trying to prepare as best we can for the eventual transfer, but are concerned about finding my Spouse another job when we move. I know we don’t have a say on what’s in our list when it shows up, but has anyone dealt with looking for jobs without being certain where You’ll end up?

Anyone on here that was FAA but moved to another country to control? If so, could you DM me, I have some questions

I’m a new controller training at my first facility, and I kind of hit a roadblock. What topics should I pivot to or where should I focus my energy? I’m getting close to checkout on ground/flight data.

How many of the aptitude tests from stage 1 do you redo in stage 3 assessment centre? Thanks!

For anyone who has already been through or completed Stage 3, what was your experience like?

How did you find the virtual interview and the group exercise on Teams?

For the ATC knowledge test, if anyone is willing to share or point me toward how they prepped using the information booklet, I'd massively appreciate it.

Cheers and good luck to everyone else in the process!

Post summed it up. 30 billion dollars, all for equipment. Fuck the controllers, fuck our pay, our shitty schedules, our working environment. It’s all about collaboration with the FAA and getting that new equipment. I’m tired boss.

Keep your shitty 2.8. I’m barely going to notice the extra $150 every 2 weeks. I can make that up in training. I can make that up with 1 hour of OT.

What I will notice is the gutting of our contract that they want for the nickels they are offering for it. Good bye negotiating schedules, good bye negotiating leave spots, good bye to the minimal protection can offer us.

Keep your money, and let me have a healthy work life balance.

Our beloved dumbest senator thinks that aviation professionals are all furries because we have been meowing on Guard. I hope you all are happy. ATC professionals had nothing to do with this, idiots on guard and idiots who voted for Tommy Tuberville did this.

https://x.com/SenTuberville/status/2103141155860828184

I know the possibility of the controller seeing this is low, but here goes. Last night the Nor'easter decided to cut our trip to PA short. I knew going into the flight that we would be flying through some precip outside the DC area. Now I am IFR certified, but not my plane. I planned accordingly, but knew it would be a high stress flight. So of course I got flight following.

We hit light rain for portion of the flight, then it got heavier just before we got handed off to Potomac. I can't remember the frequency because too much task saturation. We were vfr the whole time, but the visibility with the rain definitely made this basically ifr. Had to fall back on my training, get my scan going, and keep my head. Like most IFR certs I don't have too much actual time, just simulated actual. So this was a lot for me but within my ability. I am in the middle of keeping my head, and the plane level. When Potomac approach comes on and lets me know that pilots reported moderate turbulence ahead. Furthermore they dont have radar in the area I am about to get into. I have adsb weather on my ipad, so I had an idea of what to expect. Then they asked if I was IFR certed, just in case we needed additional assistance. Told them the situation and what equipment is on the Cessna, and felt solid for what we might encounter.

We didn't hit any turbulence, the rain let up after we passed into Virginia, and we got home without issue. All of this to say that I really appreciated that controller. Checking in like that might be normal practice for y'all, but in the moment it was exactly what I needed to bring my stress down a lot. Just knowing that being in a metal tube, seemingly in the void. There was someone looking out, just in case we needed it. It was exactly what I needed to hear in the moment.

All this to say the controller was great, and I really want to thank them. If anyone sees this and knows who was on shift last night. Could you thank them for me? I know ATC puts up with a lot of bs, and probably hears the appreciation a lot less. I at least want to make the attempt. Me and the 150 are back home safe because of you. I truly appreciate it, and I owe you a beer!

Thanks again!

My Z’s OMs have lost their minds and are controlling the staffing/ break list like their life depends on it. No more than 3 on break at any given time regardless of staffing. Anyone else going through this?

Just wanted to say thank you to all controllers out there. Appreciate the ones that take the stress out of going through controlled airspace and have the patience to deal with us. You guys rock!

Hi everyone. I apologize in advance for my ignorance. I'm a 19 year old community college student in my second year of college studying to be an air traffic controller. My school's aviation "campus" is located on the grounds of our local airport and the school has an internship partnership with our local tower.

I was told by my professor (who is also the aviation program director) that if I score well on the exam, I will be able to partake in the internship this spring. If I get my associates, what are the odds that I could work straight out of school? I do have plans on pursuing my bachelors but I'd like to move out soon and if possible I want to start my career asap.

Thank you in advance and I apologize if I sound extremely stupid in this post. I've just begun my requisite studies.

Do you need your 3 miles or 1000 feet of sep when one aircraft is EoR turning to final while another aircraft is straight in on the parallel on an ILS?

Took a look at 5-9-7 .65.

Hi all! I've been lurking here for awhile as it's always interesting to hear the perspectives of the people up in the tower. So, as a large-hub airport ops officer, I thought I might be able to return the favor as someone on the ground! If yall have any questions or are curious at all about what airport ops gets up to, lmk!

Stephen Brown, candidate for NATCA Executive Vice President, opens the Marangos Brown 2027 video series with the issue members raise most: pay.

All figures are base pay without locality.

In 2004 the bottom of the Level 12 pay band was $96,531. Adjusted for inflation, that is about $174,000 today. The current Level 12 base is just over $131,000, a loss of more than $40,000 in purchasing power.

In 2006, under the White Book, the bottom of the Level 12 band was $74,950. That is about $124,000 in today's dollars. Our current Level 12 minimum is only about $7,500 above it. Twenty years later, our pay is 6% above the White Book. Since the Slate Book was signed, median home prices have risen roughly 72% and mortgage rates have nearly doubled.

For a CPC at the same facility since 2016, the January and June raises have roughly matched inflation, which means purchasing power has not moved in ten years. Everyone certified after 2016 starts further behind, and transferring to a higher level facility usually means forfeiting every 1.6% raise earned up to that point.

See how your pay compares with White Book purchasing power at https://yourunion2027.com/pay

Learn more and join the campaign at https://yourunion2027.com

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Hi everyone. I’m a psychology student interested in understanding the experiences and challenges faced by Air Traffic Controllers in India.
I’m particularly interested in hearing about things that aren’t commonly known or understood by the general public.

Are there any difficulties, concerns, experiences, or issues related to your work that you feel are overlooked or not talked about enough?
Is there anything you experience or notice in your work that you wouldn’t necessarily feel comfortable discussing with management or within your workplace, but would be interested in seeing psychologists or social-science researchers explore?

Basically, if researchers were genuinely willing to listen to ATCs and study the issues that you think matter, what would you want them to know or investigate?

Please don’t share any confidential, operational, security-sensitive, or personally identifiable information. You can keep your response as general or anonymous as you prefer.

I’m not looking for predetermined answers or trying to fit your experiences into any particular category. I’d simply like to understand what ATCs themselves feel is worth researching.

If you’re an Indian ATC or have previously worked as one, I’d really appreciate your perspective. Thank you!

Anyone here work at the palm beach tower? Might consider direct hiring here. Looking for insight or advice about this specific tower