Originally Posted by
schone
So at the end of your term in Oak city you don't get to choose whether or not you go to an airport or a center?
The faa choses for you?
How is the determination made?
In 1988, no, I didn't get to chose. I think now that they are assigned a specific facility before being hired.
As I stated above, the determination was based on our academy scores as to what facility type (enroute center, terminal, or flight service) you would be assigned. You could haggle a little bit within the region that you were hired into, which is why I could have gotten ZLA or ZOA.
Also, the academy is no longer a screening process, but training. Almost nobody washes out at the academy, therefore folks who would have been kicked to the street 20 years ago are now just sent on their agreed upon facility.
Historically, if you washed out at the academy, you were fired. If you washed out at a center, you were sent to a tower. If you wash out of a tower, you were sent to Flight Service. And if you washed out of FSS; probably the end of the road.
If you go to an airport, does everyone start at flight data/clnc delivery on their journey to become departure/approach controllers?
Most towers do not have a combined approach control (so-called "up/downs"), so I'll say that in general, no. You will start at clearance / flight data / ground control first, however.