ATC IssuesA place where pilots may enter the 'lions den' that is Air Traffic Control in complete safety and find out the answers to all those obscure topics which you always wanted to know the answer to but were afraid to ask.
The cube exercise is used to judge a candidates spacial awareness. The candidate is given a cube net and then some possible cubes that it would produce. Only one is correct so the candidate must mentally create the cube (different patterns on each side etc) and then manipulate in order to decide on the best answer. Imagine the cube is an aeroplane, the page is airspace and that there are lots of cubes. The controller needs to be able to imagine their position and heading in relation to each other as a 3D diagram in their mind.
I am sure you mean 'Spatial Awareness'.
Yes, I know what a 'cube test' looks like. However, controlling air traffic is probably very similar to driving on a busy motorway at high, (albeit, legal) speeds. i.e., the continuous solving of speed, time and distance problems in a rapidly changing, dynamic environment.
I am not aware of the requirement to undertake a 'cube test' prior to the acquisition of a UK driving licence.
P.S EzyChic, - Well Done!
It does indeed involve those things, but if all you see is a 2 dimensional screen of numbers and (maybe) names moving, you could have two approaching each other and redirect, when in fact you have an easily sufficient vertical clearance. This is where the ability to visualise the 3-d model comes in handy. It may not be as obvious to us mere mortals, but I do imagine that the ATCOs who designed these tests were not just doing them to cause pain and anguish (much). The job is so much more than a computer game... how many times do you play pong and think about the vertical aspect? How about javanoid (breakout)... what would happen if there was a back/forward (z axis) to contend with? Try the games on the NATS website for an example, the landing of the planes is good for your analogy, but combine it with the higher levels of the shape tracking exercise and see what happens.
aewaite,
Sadly, I have never played 'Pong' (with or without the vertical aspect), and i do believe that the individuals who developed these tests were not ATCOs .
Fair enough the tests maybe not, although I would hope at least that some senior ATCOs at least had a look at them to assess their suitability, and then made a choice of what tests to include.
I'm not going to bother getting into a flaming war with you over this nonsense, regardless how hard you try . Alas, I shall remove myself and return to my MATS pt 1 and keep hoping for the callback to stage 3!
Your question have been answered many times in this thread... 40 questions for both checking sections, 40 for the cubes and diagramming, 20 for the motivation paper.
See the main NATS Interview Process thread for most details on the tests.
[Think the main thread should be made into a sticky.]
Basically, the diagramming is checking your ability to not only follow an instruction, but rather a series of instructions, some of which may counter previous instructions you have given [Thus testing you can keep a picture of the entire thread of instructions].
Think of it this way.
Your merrily watching an aircraft going due south. Another is on a reciprocal heading, coming straight towards it, at the same level.
Your first thought is to climb [for examples sake] one aircraft. Mentally, this option becomes position 1 in your plan. However, looking at traffic further down the line, you realise you cannot climb either, so you cancel your previous instruction, and choose something else. Fine, but then a third aircraft appears that completely throws your plan out the window [it wasnt a good plan to start with]. You have to remember what you did do, why, and what you now need to do taking in the new information, which may cancel or alter your previous instructions.
Ok - maybe not the best example, but hopefully it helps explain why the diagramming is there, and what type of thing may be being looked for.
I am not aware of the requirement to undertake a 'cube test' prior to the acquisition of a UK driving licence.
The difference is Zooker is that it doesnt cost over half a million quid to learn to drive, so its a 'give it a try' type of environment, can you imagine how much money would be wasted if every single applicant went through to training after a face to face 'standard' interview.
Is it worth having a 'read this first' highlight so that people don't just start their own threads? Might pre-emptively decrease mod workload in merging threads, etc.
Well... I sat my stage 2 on Monday, and was particularly worried about the computer tests. Had my email today congatulating me on getting through to stage 3!
Many thanks to everyone on here for their advice etc for stage 2, and I shall no doubt be calling on you again!
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. Alas, I shall remove myself and return to my MATS pt 1 and keep hoping for the callback to stage 3!
]. You have to remember what you did do, why, and what you now need to do taking in the new information, which may cancel or alter your previous instructions.
Linear Mode
