Hi everybody!
Well…seeing as reading what other people posted regarding their “first stage interview” at NATS helped me so much, I thought I would write about my experience in case it helpes guide anybody through their first stage test!
This is how the day evolved:
I arrived at the Hilton Hotel (London Bridge) ’30 minutes prior to the 13.30 beginning of examination dressed in a Suite and ****, no tie… which to be honest, doest NOT make you feel unconfortable, and NOR does it make you “not perform” as well as you would do in tracksuit trousers. Most lads were wearing a suit in fact.
Registration upon arrival, and straight into the examination room, no messing about! We were informed that our day would be structured in two. Firstly taking the “psychometric tests”, followed by a 15minute brake, watch an informative NATS DVD and ask a proffessional ATCO any sort of related questions and finally the motivation paper examination with the “personal questionnaire”.
-For this intial psychometrics test we were handed a multiple choice answer sheet and question booklet. The rules are explained to us as if we were 5 years old, so nothing can go wrong!
First up was the “Basic Checking”, which had nothing to do with being BASIC! Answer as many of the 40 tags in the question in 5 minutes. Starting off with the simple (4 digit) or (4 letters) down to some COMPLEX combinations of up to 8 or even 10 (had no time to count!). I think I got through 30 or so… as I tried to establish a safe speed/accuracy ratio, which I hope worked for me.
Second up, was the “Spacial Reasoning test” ie. CUBES! With a new blank question sheet and booklet.
We were given 3 cubes, with 20 questions per cube, each question had 5 options to select from, the fifth – E if none of the cubes apply. Answer as many as you can in 20 minutes.
The first cube was like the ones supplied to us by NATS example, simple and straightforward, but the second and third cube were quite hard. Not all options per cube were shown from the same face! Which means every possible cube per question had to be checked. I don’t even remember reaching the third cube which had been cut out in a different (odd) way.
And then the final “Diagramming” test, ie…figures and commands.
Not only were there way too many for any human being to resolve, but instead of having 4 commands, there were 7 simple commands, and 3 complex commands (by complex I mean either reversing the final presentation order, or re-ordering the boxes into a different numerical pattern).
Therere were 50 questions; the first 20’odd were straightforward, as of there the combinations start to get mind-boggling. Answer as many as posible in 20 minutes.
- 15 minute break with tea/coffee, and breathe!
We were then sorted in to two groups, one of which went on to taking the motivation paper exam straight away. But I cleverly hid behind the column to get some extra brain power back and went with the second group to watch the DVD and speak to the ATCO. 
-Once we finished watching the DVD and speaking to the Controller, which helped loosen up a little, we went back into the examination room for the “motivation paper” test.
I had read and learnt the paper pretty well I must admit, which I don’t regret what so ever. Thanks to this I managed to fly through 25 (theory questions) of the total 30 questions (hoping they are correct!) :-S The other 5 were basic velocity/space/time calculations. We are also expected to have a vague idea of main city distances by the looks of things. And the most popular routes flown by each type of aircraft (more or less). Answer as many as possible in 18 minutes.
And last but not least, an non-timed personal questionnaire of 30 questions. Select which you are most likely to be out of option A or B… not much to choose from; you’re either clever or an idiot – keep calm or go crazy. A little pointless if you ask me.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, was the NATS first stage examination.
I hope this will help you as much as your comments, hints and tips helped me!
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All I can suggest is take it seriously, and prepare well for it. With psychometrics remember that practice makes perfect![/FONT]
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If you want to know anything else, or some of the velocity/space/time examples, ask me while I still remember them! [/FONT]
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Nick[/FONT]