Q about NATS test day not in the above links

[sarah123]

Hello,

I'm new on here and this is my 1st post.

Ive got a NATS test day coming up soon and I have read the info from the above topic and its links but I have 1 or 2 questions that I would like to ask to put my mins at rest.

1) Is the test day purely that. No interviews etc? As I understand it thats the next stage if you get through the tests.

2) When looking through the links regarding the tests I noticed
they are not updated anymore. Please can someone give me a rough idea as to how much they focus on 1 perticular type of test?
eg - making cubes - are there lots of Q's like this or just 1 set and my worst part -Maths - How much do they target this area? A brief list of what they test would be greatly appreciated if anyone can spare the time.

3) What exactly does this computer test include? and how long does it last?

4) Are there any Technical Q's and what are they like?

5) The Motivation paper. What do they mean by 'written based paper'? Is it like an essay type Q or a set of simple quick fire questions and how does this relate to the learning meterial I have
recieve via email from NATS that gives a list of some a/c? Do you really have to know to the exact number the amount of seats on each plane?

I know I'm asking a lot but I'm getting a little worked up and want to give myself the best chance of passing so nobody is dissapointed in me so I know you will have been asked 1000s of times the same stuff but I would very much appreciate your help guys.

thanks.

[foghorn]

Hi Sarah

It's been 2 years since I took the first round and 1 year since the 2nd round, so unless it's changed:

1) Correct, the closest you get to an interview is a group chat with a serving ATCO, but I think that's more for you to get info from them than for them to interview you.

2) From memory, there's a psychometric test (you can't prepare for these), a general knowledge test (ATC-focused obviously, based upon the materials you are sent), a motivational paper, and the dreaded numeracy/spacial reasoning tests. These are multiple choice questions where you do mental arithmetic (all sorts of additions, subtractions multiplications and divisions), or work out 3d puzzles. Speed and accuracy are of the essence but few people finish them in the time - they're really looking to push you. You can buy books to practice numeracy and spacial reasoning tests - I'd suggest getting hold of some and practising.

3) There are several stages and it's rather difficult to describe fully as it's rather complex. All seem to test how you can handle real-time tasks while absorbing other information. Some involve recognising coloured shapes based on simple rules, while at the same time absorbing written ad hoc communications that modify the rules (these are flashed up on the screen).

The others involve a series of moving numbers that fly across a screen. You have to remove the minimum number of numbers as possible (by pressing buttons) to allow them to pass by each other without colliding, while at the same time multiple-choice numeracy questions are flashed up. You choose which action has priority!

It takes about 45 minutes but seems like longer. Pretty much everyone that I've spoken to thinks that they have failed this test when they come out including all the ones who then got accepted! It is quite difficult to know how to prepare for this one too.

4) In the first round the general knowledge paper includes technical questions. The interview with an ATCO in the second round is also likely to include some verbal technical questions and a bit of aviation numeracy.

5) A few essay-type questions on why you want to be an ATCO that you sit with the general knowledge paper. Quite a small paper really but think through what your motivation is to become an ATCO before you go to the test so you've got something to write. As for aircraft knowledge, have an rough idea of speeds, ranges and cruising altitudes of the main groups of aircraft (light aircraft/turboprops/smaller jets/larger jets). You don't need to go into excrutiating detail.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[ayrprox]

Sarah,

No.1 as the hitchikers guide to the galaxy says "DONT PANIC" ( apologies if before your time)
its a while since i took the tests, but as i remember it the tests are all that happen on the first day then the interviews are on a subsequent day.
When i did them there were i think 3 different papers about 15 to 20 mins each maybe longer. there was the maths one not massively taxing, the cubes one, which I promise, you are not the only one who has or had difficulty doing them. basically they are flat packed boxes which you have to construct mentally. some people say that practising these helps, I still found them quite difficult and did not finish them all in the time alloted. The personality test is about 200 questions asking how you'd react in certain situations and how you would rate yourself in certain categories. All i can say is be truthful because the same question may be asked 2 or 3 times in the test but different ways, i assume so that they get your true response not what you think they want to hear.
the computer tests were quite fun from what i remember and if you know your way around a computer keyboard you will be ok. the ones i remember( it was nearly 10 years ago) involved picking certain numbers out from groups of numbers, numbers moving towards each other on a screen and you had to remove as few of the numbers as possible to allow the numbers to pass each other. then there was the same test but witha multiple choice maths problem at the bottom of the page, to show your multi tasking abilities probably.
The technical questions happen i think in the interview stage, and before then i would strongly suggest that you visit either a tower near you or a centre (preferably both) and gleen as much info as you can on how air traffic works, types of aircraft, the kind of performance you can expect from those aircraft (here's a tip a 747 does not fly at a thousand miles an hour!, sounds stupid but apparanetly has been said) and in any situational question you are given think safety first,and you won't go far wrong.
I've probably made things worse for you not better and my info is possibly way out of date, but as i said at the begining "DONT PANIC" and good luck

[foghorn]

the cubes one, which I promise, you are not the only one who has or had difficulty doing them. basically they are flat packed boxes which you have to construct mentally.

Maybe a trip to Ikea is the best way to prepare for this :confused: :}

[sarah123]

Thankyou both for your comments. Thankyou for going to the trouble in giving me indepth anwers. These maths Q's you get asked, are they simple calculations(if you did them on a calculator)? If that makes sense!

I mean are we talking like 1024+999+101-16 type stuff?

Do they have a lot on fractions and %'s - Not my favourite but will
get a book and learn again.

This computer test sounds on the verge of suicidal yet fun. What sort of maths Q's do they ask here. The reason I'm asking about the maths stuff is you can quite easily go overboard when learning when you don't need to.

Thanks again.:confused: :{

[sla]

the computer tests are part of the interviews, not the initial selection tests, so don't worry about them til after the first tests. If I remember correctly, the few mental arithmetic q's were some addition/subtraction and maybe a few times tables (13 x 15 - that sort of thing).

For the initial tests the maths questions are all ones that we would all get all right given plenty of time, but that you don't have, so brush up on multiplying simple fractions and quick mental arithmetic. A bit of practice here will stand you in good stead. I practised the cubes by making my own models and playing with them lots, and found some questions in puzzle books. I really thought I'd failed on them on the day, but I got through, so don't be disheartened!

Enjoy the opportunity to hear an ATCO and have any questions you want to ask him/her written down so you don't forget. Good luck with it all.

[ADIS5000]

S123,

I did the tests last year. All the links in the top thread of this forum are still relevant.

Your maths example is the sort of level required, but also multiplication & division. Fractions and decimals also. The time constraints placed make these challenging tests as you have to be fast & accurate (can't think why!). Also included are various sums involving 4 decimal place answers that are approximate only. Suggest you make up your own random mental arithmatic problems, 20 or so at a time and practice solving them as fast as possible.

Cubes are v. hard. About 6 different networks with 8 or 9 questions on each. Again time constraints make it even harder

Motivational paper is multi-choice based on the e-mail link given by NATS when they invited you to the test day

Computer tests are all in the second test day.

Regards, ADIS

[smellysnelly2004]

Hello there,

I'm new here too and would like just one little thing cleared up about the first selection day (I'm going on Jan 20th)

The motivational paper - How detailed are the questions i.e. do you get asked the standard seating capacity of a Fokker 50, or is it more general questions about Flight Levels of all 747's etc?

I'm sure this seems very dull to most people but I really want this job!!

Any help is gratefully recieved


Take care

Ryan

[Inverted81]

Hi Sarah & Ryan...
rite 1stly , the motivational paper has NOTHING to do with aviation, its all about YOU! You'll find as your doing it u'll be answering the same question many times worded slightly differetly. The key to this paper is to answer truthfully. don't tick the box you think they want you to answer. Ther have a "profile" of the average ATCO they compare your results too, to see if your the right kinda person. If you are successfull and make it to interview (i'm sure you will be) then this paper is referred to in your persona;l interview, sometimes asking you to justify your answer, so even more reason to answer truthfully! lol

To put your mind at rest, in the cubes part of the test there are 9 sectios i think, each one having 10 q's about one cube. I barely got through the first section and still passed!

The maths part is relatively easy )i'm rubbish at maths) and the numerical sorting, is they say look for 4906 out of a list of say 5.

Basically u'll be fine. Stop using a calculator between now and the tests and u'll be ok..

Have fun guys.... :}

[Sandgrounder]

Sarah and Ryan

I did stage 1 in April '04 and and stage 2 in June '04 so should be quite up to date.

To reiterate, don't worry about the computer tests or interviews yet cos they're stage 2 but you may want to start thinking about visits to operational units already - I waited till after passing stage 1 and only just managed to arrange one in time cos my stage 2 came thru so soon - only 2 months later.

In April '04 stage 1 was as follows:

3 sections: 1. The chat with an ATCO (this is not an interview and will not count for anything - ours didn't even show up and we had to watch a video instead!)

2. A 200 item personality questionnaire and and a 30 item learning styles questionnaire - just be honest. You'll probably be able to pick up on themes within the personality questionnaire - i.e. 10-20 of the questions will be on a similar area such as introverted vs extroverted, and if you're not consistent on a theme it may be brought up in your personnel interview at stage 2. But then you shouldn't be inconsistent if you're being honest, it's the people who try to guess what they're after who tend to be. Maybe I shouldn't say but as I'm from a psychology and human factors background I read about how they developed their selection tests and what traits correlated with the better ATCOs. The one's I can still remember off the top of my head were spatial reasoning and extroversion (fairly intuitive i guess), and modesty (maybe not so obvious) but even knowing this I was still just honest on the personality test.

3. The selection tests themselves:
i). A matching exercise. This is tough cos of the time constraints. They give you 40 strings of numbers which gradually increase in length and five multi-choice alternatives for each, one of which will match. E.g.

4763 a.4259 b.5963 c.4673 d.4763 e.6369

You only have five mins for this and the numbers are about ten figures long by no. 40 so not many people finish. Then they do exactly the same but with letters.

ii)n The maths exercise - as mentioned already, about 25 Qs in 20 mins I think which gradually get harder but I only struggled with Nos 22-25 and even then only cos time was closing in so I wouldn't worry.

iii) The cubes - plenty said above. Like others, I felt I'd done badly on this cos I only had time to do about 25 out of the 40 Qs but I'd concentrate on getting the ones you have time to get through right cos accuracy is important.

iv) A logic exercise which no-one seems to have mentioned yet. Quite hard to describe but consists of 50 Qs. You start with a symbol in a circle which is connected to a varying number (about 2 - 5) of other circles in a horizontal line, by lines. The connecting lines have operators or rule symbols on them telling you to rotate, invert, remove etc the symbols in the circles. Sorry, not very well explained but you may get the gist.

v) The motivational / knowledge paper. 30 mutli-choice Qs based on the info you've been sent, and some general knowledge (e.g. How far is London from Glasgow / Brussels - not included on the info I was sent). I didn't have to do a written essay style paper but don't know if this is still the case.

And that's it. Main thing is not to worry about the time constraints and panic / lose confidence. I'd never not finished an exam in time at school / uni so was v. disconcerting when I didn't finish the cubes or the matching tests in time but everyone's in the same boat - they're meant to be challenging! Also, what you wear at stage one is not important so if you're uncomfy in suit wear something else cos it's a long day. Mind you, only about 3 out of 50 weren't in a suit so if feeling underdressed would bother you.....

Anywya, hope this helps, good luck guys - if you get thru come back and ask about stage 2 and don't forget about arranging visits in plenty of time.

[smellysnelly2004]

Thank you both for taking the time to offfer some well appreciated advice

Take care

Ryan

[VectorLine]

When looking through the links regarding the tests I noticed they are not updated anymore

The tiscali site is not updated

the site has moved to HERE (http://freespace.virgin.net/at.co/home.htm) and is updated (albeit very occasionally). There is some new information to add coming soon(ish)

VL

[somiaivola]

Hi!!!

I have the computer tests in March.

Can someone give me some advice??. Links where I can train these tests???

Many thanks!!!
Kika:O

[VectorLine]

You can't really train for the tests.

They are a series of number, colour and shape sorting exercises. It finishes with some numbers moving accross the screen and you remove as few as possible to solve conflictions (i.e. pretend the numbers are planes and don't let them bash into each other).

You will get opportunity to practice each test before you take it and you do not have to start the test until you are ready.

Advice? - keep practicing until you are sure of what is required.

Good Luck

[somiaivola]

Thanks Vectorline!!!
=)