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Post by TCU 2U2 on Jul 25, 2013 11:00:52 GMT -5
NWS may not be responsible for observing certifications / exams / cwo inspections, starting FY14. Lack of funding (sequester?) may be the root cause. If so, will follow in part with the FAA/NATCA MOU of April 2013, ... see attachment [SECTION 7]. Is this be beginning of "dummy down" the exam and get all ATC certified? attch 7 - MOU_FAA_NATCA.pdf (357.95 KB) |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2013 14:29:45 GMT -5
1. Our ASR-9 wx radar has been INOP for about a week now. The FAA has sent 3 replacements and none have worked. The problem is that they used to "hot test" the ASR-9 at OKC before shipping. The sequester has made that practice impossible.
2. The FAA has never paid the NWS for observer/LAWRS certification. I guess the NWS is sick of that.
3. The FAA has never paid the NWS for site inspections for CWO or LAWRS sites. Not that it would be much, other than travel.
My guess is that the NWS is looking for money wherever it can find some. The FAA seems hellbent on ending the CWO program allegedly because of the sequester, but we all know they have been trying for years. Our local NATCA representative was on a call with some NATCA honcho from DC and he asked him specifically about the CWO program (because he is a nice guy and did me a favor) and the honcho said CWO and Contract TWR are safe in terms of priorities but can offer no guarantee they will survive depending on the budget. So I guess we can be happy that the efforts of so many to highlight the CWO issue has made a difference. Will it be enough? No idea, but the budget issue scares the hell out of me.
Do I think this is some plot to make the test easier for controllers? No.
The positive would be that we would lose one agency that knows far less than I do about surface obs and end the ridiculous charade of them inspecting me. The negative is that it would be taken over by and agency that knows even less. Of course maybe they wouldn't come every year, so that would be a plus because it would be one less day I have to deal with ignorant people pretending they have some idea of what I do.
I have plenty more to say about my anger and resentment of how I am treated and disrespected as part of the CWO program, but I will save that for another day. I will say that the controllers here respect me and treat me great. I am grateful for that.
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Post by skywatcher on Jul 26, 2013 6:27:54 GMT -5
We all must keep in mind, too, beginning October 1st the sequester starts all over if no buget is met by September 30th. No contract is safe for contractors - if they say good bye this time, there is nothing we can do. With so much back stabbing going on who knows who will just say no more funding - the U.S. is broke. We all know where the waste is going - these politicians pay back doners first. Next year is mid term election season, that may buy us some time.
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Post by kukblue1 on Aug 5, 2013 7:53:04 GMT -5
So are we out of jobs by Oct 1st. You would think they would have to give us some notice right? So no budget they would give us 3 months?
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Post by kcfan on Aug 6, 2013 10:08:02 GMT -5
So are we out of jobs by Oct 1st. You would think they would have to give us some notice right? So no budget they would give us 3 months? Kukblue1, everything I am hearing points toward the contracts moving forward into the next fiscal year. I've also heard the CWO program is in the FY14 budget. It also wouldn't make sense that the FAA is still working protest stuff if they were going to shut down in less than 60 days. I think we are good to go for "at least" the first option year. |
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Post by hlsto2 on Aug 6, 2013 10:48:36 GMT -5
if the FAA uses their CBI instructional to certify controllers...no one will fail. even tho we were all certified by the NWS at COS and had our ceertificates...the FAA required us to also take the CBI. Us full timers got OT for it  The "test" we took was basicly showing you how to navigate the ASOS menu. NO actual observing lessons. This is why you see slop such as "freq lgt all qds iccc sw" coming from the towers and AFSS assigned observing duties. |
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Post by kcfan on Jun 11, 2015 11:50:02 GMT -5
Can anyone confirm whether the FAA has officially taken over certification of observers or is the NWS still responsible. Thank you. Been out of pocket for quite some time and am curious. Thank you.
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Post by coldlover on Jun 11, 2015 12:08:37 GMT -5
At least at my site-- the FAA has taken over certification of observers. Had an observer pass the test spring/summer of 2013 that was then done through the NWS. Had a more recent observer go through the process to be certified and it was all done through the FAA. Still no certificates from the FAA however, something they said that would be issued by the end of 2014.
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Post by kcfan on Jun 11, 2015 12:52:05 GMT -5
At least at my site-- the FAA has taken over certification of observers. Had an observer pass the test spring/summer of 2013 that was then done through the NWS. Had a more recent observer go through the process to be certified and it was all done through the FAA. Still no certificates from the FAA however, something they said that would be issued by the end of 2014. Thank you, Coldlover. |
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The "test" we took was basicly showing you how to navigate the ASOS menu. NO actual observing lessons. This is why you see slop such as "freq lgt all qds iccc sw" coming from the towers and AFSS assigned observing duties. 