The same week that my airline announced that there would be furloughs, I was devastated. My little job, though little-paying, was my world, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. But, a pilot friend of mine emailed me a link to a public announcement from the FAA. They were hiring controllers off the street. I thought, "Well, why not?"
I applied, expecting nothing to come out of it. But then, I got an email from Robinson Aviation, giving me instructions on arranging a test date for the AT-SAT test. 13 October was the day I chose to take the test (I tried for 12 October, since it would allow me to use a pass from my old airline to fly somewhere...I was going to head to the Northeast...no-go, unfortunately. 12 October was Columbus Day).
Early in the morning, I drove to the Ft. Lauderdale Airport Hilton hotel. Test time was 0800. I chose to get there earlier than that. With the alarm set at 0400, I got up, showered, shaved, and put on a dress shirt, black tie, black slacks, oxfords, and my trusty US Airways wings tie pin. I hopped in my dad's car (he allowed me to borrow it, since it has a navigation system...south of FLL, I'm lost), popped my La Union album, "Mil Siluetas" (European Spanish rock), stopped at a 7-Eleven to get breakfast (coffee, and a sausage/egg biscuit), and hit the road. Along the way, I got off the freeway just getting past Pompano Beach, driving by Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport, and doing a "slow pass" at my school, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, in homage to the many ways it has helped me get in so deep into aviation (having a heavy-hitting name like Embry-Riddle behind you helps a lot). I got back on the freeway heading south to Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, getting to the hotel. This entire process took over an hour...paced driving, after being nourished physically, to reduce stress. The coffee was to wake me up (at 0400, most of the time, a cadaver is more wired than I am that time of day).
I got to the hotel, and the test proctors were already there. I went to see if I could get in yet, but no...not yet. I was the first one there.
I waited in the hotel lobby, seeing airline flight crews from Delta and Southwest leave. I also saw a few of the applicants coming in...at least those obviously dressed, serious for the undertaking we were going to partake in.
One by one, the applicants were arriving. Everyone was about my age, maybe plus or minus 3 years of age. One was a student at Miami-Dade College who was taking their ATC degree program. He was taking the AT-SAT while still in school...he was trying to increase the chances of going to the academy by skipping school altogether and going straight to the academy with a good score. Another applicant is a flight attendant with JetBlue Airways. Her boyfriend used to be a pilot for my airline, who is also in the same boat as I am: furloughed.
I did a very "Maverick"-esque maneuver. Down the hall from the testing room is the restroom. I went to the restroom, freshened up a little, dousing water on my face, keeping awake. I came back out, after adjusting my tie and hair a little, and "gauged" my competition. Looking at each and every one as I walked by, I thought, which one of these applicants would be heading with me to the academy...
One by one, we were invited in to check in for the test. After that was done, we all went in again to officially take the battery.
The AT-SAT test is an aptitude test from the FAA that gauges your mental ability with what the FAA considers is ideal for an air traffic controller.
We started the test, after a brief introduction and Q&A session with the test proctors from Robinson Aviation in Oklahoma City. Both proctors were controllers, now retired, from the local area. One was a quiet, bearded gentleman in his late-60s, I'd say, who was an en-route controller...a constant evaluator and a gauge of performance to all of us. It looked as if he was doing the same thing I was when he saw us all for the first time: gauging who was the best. The other proctor was a lot more outgoing, and made the test a really positive experience. Before the test, he told us what we needed to know, and we started the test.
Part One: Dials.
The Dials test is meant to check how we can read instruments. Although none of the instruments looked like the actual aviation instruments they represented, they served their purpose.
Part Two: Applied Math.
This was the second-hardest part of the test. I wasn't good at math in school, so I came to this point with a little apprehension. I felt uneasy, especially since I couldn't wear my Chase-Durer watch (it has a flight computer bezel, which would have helped plenty). No scratch paper, no pencil, no nothing. Just your brain, and whatever you could MacGyver in your test terminal. This wasn't fun.
Part Three: Scan Test
The objective was to enter the airfraft identifier tags in your radar screen that fell outside of a certain value. Sounds simple. It's just a matter of scanning the screen, and entering what you see.
Part Four: Angles.
An angle is presented, and your job was to guess what the angle was. Or, a numerical value was presented, and you had to pick from a set of angles which was the right one. This was the easiest portion.
Part Five: Letter Factory.
This was an enjoyable portion. A "factory" where letters are made, are packed and shipped. This was pretty self explanatory.
Part Six: Air Traffic Scenarios.
This was the real nailbiter. This one was the most stressful part. You have a piece of airspace to work and your job is to make planes designated to land and one of two airports, to land; and make planes designated to leave your airspace, to leave. Sounds simple. But, when you have airplanes filling your radar screen like fireflies, and having to monitor each one...you have your work cut out for you. I had a crash (a midair) and a few airspace violations.
Part Seven: Analogies.
This part was strange. If this is to this, then that is to blank. Simple concept, I know. But, letter structure was a part of it, as well as rhyme. And shapes were really hard to understand. But, that was okay.
Part Eight: Experience Questionnaire.
This part was the FAA playing 100 questions.
All in all, I felt that I had a good experience with the test. And believe me, it shows, because today, I found out my score! I got 93.8 as my score. To be considered well qualified, I needed to have scored an 85 or higher (to pass, I needed a 70). I feel so good!!!
Now, onto Aircraft Experience. It's the successor to Jet Preview, and this year, it was held at Banyan in FXE. I had my first brush with the love of my life there (and no, not the object of my poetry in
golf.november.poetry, no sir). I'm talking about the Daher-Socata TBM 850!!! Fast, single-engine turboprop that is a thing of technological beauty. Sexy lines, a muscular stance, and a strong pedigree in its design (a joint venture between Aerospatiale and Mooney, the "M", in TBM).
That was the highlight of the event. And, I was also invited to attend the Light Sport Aircraft Convention in Sebring, Florida next year, as well as the VNA Airshow in Stuart, Florida, next month! I'm happy! I'm really happy!
Blue Skies and Tailwinds to all.
