Originally Posted by
ManUtd1999
Hi all,
I'm thinking about finally biting the bullet and applying for ATC and have a couple of questions...
1) Are there any up-to-date estimates of the average length of time from submitting an application to (hopefully) passing Stage 3? And after that how long do people normally wait before starting a course?
2) Is there any flexibiity to move between units once validated? I understand NATS can place you wherever and don't really have a problem with that but moving to (insert less than desirable base here) for 3-5 years then possibly transferring is a different proposition to moving there full stop forever.
3) What's the age range of trainee's like? I'm led to believe that it's anything from 18-35+ with an average around mid-20s but I don't know if that's accurate?
1) Depends on a few factors including how quick you are to book on to the different assessment days when you receive an email invite. But roughly the time from submitting an application to starting a course is likely to be anywhere from 4 months - 1 year at the moment.
2) You can be sent to any aerodrome/area unit in the country. You might be asked what your preferences are but no guarantees. However people do occasionally move around after being posted (less so with area units). Definitely a bit of a gamble!
3) A real spread of ages so don't worry about this, most courses will have a range between 18-35, however most tend to be Mid 20s.