Should I decide to go the tower route, the move is to spend three years as a CPC first to guarantee my high 3? And I would save pay to the top of their band? Would you go there as a regular controller or bid a supervisor job?
Should I decide to go another center, what’s the easiest way out? I foresee staffing levels being so low for years to come that a regular transfer won’t be possible. Is it smart to bid a TMU or supervisor job just to get out of Indy?
Once they allow tours again, I’m going to check out TYS. The tower is right next to our flight facility. It would really make my life easier to have my two jobs so close together. That commute a few times a month is a bitch right now.
Ah yeah, forgot about your guard duties. That is almost a no brainer then.
In regards to TMU I have two buddies from R school who did it and both were begging to go back to the floor within a few months because they were so bored and not challenged at TMU.
Being a supe just depends. Anytime I get CIC for the shift it reaffirms I don’t want to be a supe. I hate watching someone else work a busy sector while I sit and stare at a computer. At up/down facilities I think the supes work a lot more than they do at centers. Also you’d be going to a lower level facility as a supe so maybe you’d be more respected compared to when a controller from a level 5 becomes a supervisor at a level 12.
The save pay stuff you said is correct I think. After that you’d just be at the top of their pay band. New ZID CPC pay to top of TYS pay band I bet is not anymore than a 10-20K difference. Say you transferred to TYS right after you checked out, I almost bet you’d be making more there in 20 years then you would your first 3 years at ZID so high three might not be affected.
The transfer process does seem a bit slow at times. I have no idea what ZID’s numbers look like. I know ZME is well below so it’d be easier to get here than a ZTL probably. You can always try to find someone to swap with. Someone at TYS or CHA might jump at the chance to get to a level 12.
With going as TMU/Supe to get out it really depends on what’s important to you. Better location a priority over maybe having a less exciting job? Do you see yourself as an OM someday? I would say if you transfer somewhere as TMU and don’t like it, you probably can at some point return to being a controller at that new facility you’re at. If you become a supe and have 2nd thoughts and want to return to controlling, you’re going to lose all of your seniority to do so.