+GrinchWSLG 24 Posted December 18, 2009 Well after about 3 months of training and studying this afternoon I had my 1.5 hour certification ride on Ground Control/Flight Data/Clearance Delivery. Passed with flying colors of course Now I'll have a month or so to enjoy working without someone else plugged in and getting to fix my own muck ups before starting Local training, probably one of the hardest positions in the facility. BTW, getting checked out on a position means all those holidays you were getting off of work magically go away. At least I'll get the pay bonuses for working Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Years. Anyway, here's a crappy cell phone pic from the night tour Ops gave me the other night. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TX3RN0BILL 3 Posted December 18, 2009 Gratz!!! Sux about the holiday things though... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DWCAce 19 Posted December 19, 2009 Congrats! Trust me, I know how fun airports are during winter. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+GrinchWSLG 24 Posted December 20, 2009 Thanks for the congrats guys. Congrats! Trust me, I know how fun airports are during winter. Haha, yeah I had one snow day already in training. Most exhausted I've ever been after a day of work, but our snow removal team is a top notch group of guys. Here's a pic of their roost Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+GrinchWSLG 24 Posted April 30, 2010 *bang head on desk* Uuuugh. What a long freaking day. I had two go arounds, TWO. Thankfully one was pilot initiated. Unfortunately the second one was controller initiated. I had a plan, would have worked great, but some pilots just don't get the concept of immediately. Unfortunately when you've got a guy in position on the runway, you're only out is a go around. Learned a thing or two, and got a nice reminder on which carriers to trust and which to not. In other news, I'm being sent back to Oklahoma City for radar training from May 25 - June 25. Not entirely excited about it, but a break will be appreciated. I probably won't be checked out on local by then though, so I'll have to come back and pick up the pieces where I left off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FastCargo 412 Posted April 30, 2010 Congrats bud! Oh, and please tell me you weren't working the tower the early morning of April 28th... FC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ruggbutt 45 Posted April 30, 2010 Congrats on the cert!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+GrinchWSLG 24 Posted April 30, 2010 Congrats bud! Oh, and please tell me you weren't working the tower the early morning of April 28th... FC No sir, I had overtime that night though. Did the ground trainee give ya trouble? You weren't the Fedex Airbus that got all lined up and cozy for Fairchild AFB the other day were you? Had to nicely remind them where Spokane International is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FastCargo 412 Posted April 30, 2010 Nope, we knew where we were...:). However, the person up in the tower did not know what the runway had in terms of visual GP guidance. Mind you, not what the status was of said guidance...but if the runway had any sort of guidance at all installed. Seems like that is something someone should know who is running the traffic pattern... FC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+GrinchWSLG 24 Posted May 1, 2010 Hmm. Well the Runway 3 VASI's are gone for now, for obvious reasons. The 21 PAPI's should be working. 7 VASI and 25 PAPI should be working too. So I don't know what the issue was, didn't hear about it. We're a bit stretched thin this week...well, we're always stretched thin, but we're really feeling it this week. When they've got ME in on overtime...that's not so good. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+GrinchWSLG 24 Posted June 14, 2010 Hoooooly crap. Through week 3 of Terminal Radar Training in Oklahoma City. We started simulations this last week. This program makes tower training look like a day at the beach. Every new simulation has only one goal in mind, screw you over in new and fascinating ways. The last problems we ran on Friday just about destroyed us. Every time you thought you had a handle on the situation, BAM, VFR flight following call up to distract you. Got a guy you need to turn on to the localiser? Too bad, here calls McCallister Radio with a release. Center needs a point out to get a guy lower? You approved it? Here comes a guy at an altitude in conflict, good luck with that kid. Then they keep shoving more and more planes down your throat, and this isn't even the "high traffic" scenarios yet. Problem 9 will have 17 VFR flight following call ups alone, in a 50 minute period. Add to that arrivals and departures at Academy Airport, which North radar is responsible for sequencing, Jeske AFB departures and arrivals, which South radar is responsible for calling in bound, IFR releases off the 3 uncontrolled fields, and IFR arrivals to said fields, one of which has a very small airspace shelf which is designed to make you bust airspace should you have thoughts of diverting your attention elsewhere, say, to Academy's final where you have a 172 following a B767 with an MD80 eating up the Skyhawk's butt. My brain is jelly. I can't sleep without having ATC dreams. I wake up talking to planes. 2 more weeks of this...I can make it... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
