Visiting a ATC Tower

[kbird]

Hey this is my first post :D I was wondering if anyone could help me. Im thinking about pusueing a career in ATC and im having trouble of finding who to write to, to ask if i can visit a ATC tower to get an experience of what a day in ATC is really like . Does anyone know who/where i can contact?

Thanx!

K.Bird :ok:

[ATCO1987]

Hello,
Well, first of all, whats your local airport? My local is Bristol, Im awaiting a message from the ATC Manager to say when its convinient and I can visit. I advise contacting the Manager of your nearest ATC Unit.
Dan.

[kbird]

my nearest airport is birmingham or manchester. do u think it is best to write to both asking and then seeing if i get a reply or by making a phone call. i mite be lucky someone on here reads and then invites me to visit, but i dunno.

Kris.:ok:

[ATCO1987]

Rightey-o. I think you'll have trouble getting into Manchester. Try by all means, Brum is your best bet, I have a travel agent friend in Brum, and hes visited the ATC tower at Brum airport, I'll see If I can get any contacts off of him for you.
Dan.

[fly bhoy]

Kbird

I think your best bet would be to just phone up the tower (if you can't get the tower phone number, and you probably won't be able to, phone the general enquiries number for the airport and ask them to transfer you to the tower) explain the situation and they SHOULD be happy to let you come in at some time.

Don't really know for definite about Manchester or Birmingham, but it worked for me at both Cardiff and Bristol (which is my local as well ATCO1987!!) and they should be pretty accomodating as long as you can be flexible with your times and don't want to visit during any peak times!!

FB

[gingernut]

Several years ago (20!), the recruitment process involved a tour of the ATC units, but I'm not sure if this still happens.

Local flying clubs sometimes have organised tours also.

[simon niceguy]

A few years back we had a vist from the local Girl Guides at Prestwick Tower. We showed them the VCR and APP, they even got to see a plane land which in those days was rare. After they had gone, we realised that the Tower binoculars had too. Bless them.

Simon.

[ATCO1987]

Hello,
Well, When pestering the ATC Manager at Bristol didn't appear to be working I phoned the tower directly and they said write to the manager lol. So I continued to pester him by E-mail and he said he will try to organise a visit when its convinient for them. So Phoning directly to the tower dont always work lol. Ive visited Bristol ATCU before, twice, but I want a more detailed visit!
Hope for the best I spose.
Dan.

[Playpen]

i would say try to visit manchester tower -people there could have more influence on the way things might go for you - if you appear interested.
Dont know how to go about it - maybe write to headquartersNATS or MAnchesterNATS Recruitment dept.

please don't say (as I once heard) why do you have a Crime Control Television (meaning CCTV) in the ops room.....

good luck