Validation time is more affected by complexity and traffic levels at the unit, and waiting time (at TC, LACC etc) to start training. If you go area, you spend the first few months out of the college doing ATSA duties, waiting for a sim-based course that's specific to the sector you're being assigned to train on first, then only after passing that do you go on to live training, so when you use the R/T for real you'll already be pretty experienced with the sector procedures and agreements.
At Heathrow Tower you spend up to two weeks or so with our Training Section on an induction course, then about six weeks live training that doesn't count towards your validation (effectively what used to be known as OJT), then three weeks doing ATSA duties, then back to Training for another week of visits, and 'top-up' induction, then back to a watch to begin unit validation training. Seven months to a year after that you'll be valid.
Foghorn,
Be careful, have you thought what you'd do if you got posted to Aberdeen after a year?
Or even Stansted after six months?
Last edited by Gonzo; 1st Dec 2004 at 11:46.