CATC Course structure

[261A]

What is the current CATC course structure?

[mickrobbo]

subject to change ;)

[261A]

Not very helpful.
:(

[Scuzi]

Before I left it was something like this:

Area

Introductory Course
Area Basic
Area Intermediate
Area Advanced


Aerodrome

Introductory Course
Aerodrome 1 (these may have fancy names like basic and advanced now)
Aerodrome 2


Approach @ TC

Introductory Course
Approach Course


Approach Regional

Introductory Course
Aerodrome 1
Aerodrome 2
Approach Course



I was on 201 Introductory course and went through the old style Area course so the approach/aerodrome details mightn't be correct but it should give you the general jist of things. I wouldn't be surprised if it had changed again though :E

[I'm not joking sir]

Aerodrome is now just the Basic (Introductory) Course and then the Aerodrome Course. No more aerodrome 1 and 2. In and out in just under seven months!

The question's a little vague. Any particular course structure?

[261A]

Scuzi,
Thanks for your reply.

I'm not joking sir,
My question is basicly:
What courses does everyone have to take (everyone as in what do all the trainees start on and then where do they get split etc.)

Cheers

[Scuzi]

Everyone begins with the Introductory course which covers all the general bookwork and I believe the old Radar Skills course has been integrated. After the Intro course, people are sent their different ways.
Things can and do change though. You could be told you're going to a London airport only to find at the end of your aerodrome course you have to stay on to do approach.

[I'm not joking sir]

Everyone does the Basic/Intro course. That covers law, met, nav, aircraft recognition etc. At some point towards the end of those three months you're told what ratings course you'll be doing.

[foghorn]

For Intro/Introductory course read Basic course - this is a combination of the old Intro course and Radar Skills.

The courses currently go like this:

Basic Course
All do this (3 months); it ends in theory exams, summatives (practical assessments) and a mock oral board.

Then you get to fill in your preference of discipline based upon the company's requirements. You might or might not get your preferred choice.

Then you do as follows:

All airports people do 2 weeks / 15 hours flying training.

Aerodrome-only
10 week course with regular summatives, several written exams and an oral board.

TC Approach
Aerodrome familiarisation (1 week); written exam.
12 or 16 week course with one exam, two sets of summatives and an oral board.

Regional Airport
Basically does Aerodrome followed by Approach as above (minus the TC Approach Aerodrome famil. week).

Area
Area Foundation: roughly 3 months with a theory exam, an oral board and one set of summatives
Area Advanced: roughly 3 months with a theory exam, an oral board and one set of summatives.

Finally all disciplines do the 1 week BA Airline Ops Familiarisation course, then posting. Sometimes people have to be brought back from their units to do the BA course as they run quite infrequently and you could have already been posted by the time one comes up.

[261A]

Thanks for your reply Foghorn.

So they all do the Basic course and then it depends which one they do after that and you get told where you will be posted after the first course?

Cheers

[foghorn]

You won't get told where you'll be posted until the very end of your time at college - possibly even in the last few days.

Obviously your choice of discipline narrows things down your a bit e.g. if you're doing TC Approach you're likely to be going to TC, Area folks tend to go to Swanwick or TC, etc.

[I'm not joking sir]

You won't get told where you'll be posted until the very end of your time at college - possibly even in the last few days.

That early?! :)

[Scuzi]

I got my official posting letter 90 minutes before the end of my last day at the college! :\

[mats3]

261A you didn't answer the question. Why do you want to know?

[Dances with Boffins]

I sense a bit of snooping....:hmm:

[mats3]

Dances you do not have time to post on here. You should be working on some project or other.

[flower]

"Regional Airport
Basically does Aerodrome followed by Approach as above "

Then how come at our regional airport they are being posted in with just an aerodrome rating and have not been through any form of approach course ?

[SilentHandover]

Flower,

It's because the poor college staff were sick of the sight of your latest trainee. They wanted you guys to look after him for awhile, before they take him back and make him a proper controller. :D :D :D :D :D :ok: :ok: :ok: :ok:

[I'm not joking sir]

Oi! I resemble those remarks!

Regional Airport Basically does Aerodrome followed by Approach

That's more or less what I'm doing!! :)

[Dances with Boffins]

You make one little post - and all of a sudden yer accused of slacking. I'm off back to me cave....

Oh, some get sent to Regionals with just the aerodrome rating, if the regional in question can't start their Approach OJT within the allowed time. They then validate their Tower ticket and get sent back to Hurn at a later date to become complete and useful members of the community.
Don't blame us. It's a Eurocontrol thang.

[Van Der Hum]

Then how come at our regional airport they are being posted in with just an aerodrome rating and have not been through any form of approach course ?

Because allegedly they a:mad: ed up the postings for that course and were desperate to come up with anything at short notice, (one of them had already finished and still didn't know).

[Dances with Boffins]

I couldn't possibly comment.....:rolleyes:

[Bombay Bad Boy]

I think the current system is a complete load B#LLOXS ! Trainees are arriving at units with too little experience. We've trimmed off so much fat that we are now trimming the meat as well.

15 years ago there was 3 years training. 10 years ago, you did 18 months including OJT, Flying etc etc. How much has the traffic rose in 10 years? and in comparison, how much have has all requirements for licenses been cut by?

Now we are going to cut the salary of trainees from 2006 intakes. That can be done for pilots but we are not the same regime. There are not hundreds of people out there willing to get into financial debt just to be an ATCO! thats because not many people out there know what the trade involves.

So when the failure rates rise and we dont get the calibre of people, who do we blame? Recruitment? the College? the union pay team? take your pick.

Left hand doesn't know who right hand is right now and needs introducing in NATS. I give the current course structure 18months max before its revamped AGAIN after pressure from the units.

BBB
Destination 22 Owner. :mad:

[Gonzo]

BBB, as far as I know it already is being revamped! Or added to, at any rate....:}

[261A]

Bombay Bad Boy,
What are they cutting the trainee salary to?

[132.3]

Rumour at CATC.
£10k, no wap

[250 kts]

I heard £10k + WAP - around £15k/annum all in. And we still don't bond them-unbelievable.

[I'm not joking sir]

Because allegedly they a :mad: ed up the postings for that course and were desperate to come up with anything at short notice, (one of them had already finished and still didn't know).

Indeed. Since we've gone to the units, we've found out that there was the option for more than one of us to have gone to the same unit which is a bit of a shame. Such is life though.

There seems to be a big drive towards the Training 2008 initiative and hopefully that may sort things out but I think matters are a little bit more pressing and should be sorted out sonner rather than in just over two years time. I guess you can't change the whole structure overnight though.

[sr562]

Im glad they will sort out training, but it wont help us who were chopped for not making the grade after not being given sufficient training.

Why dont the units think about taking the trainees straight after intro/basic course. That way training can be done on real airspace, and trainees wont have to validate on fictional airspace which they will never see again after college. Also they will stand a better chance of getting through on merit and ability rather than being chopped or chosen to suit the college course numbers, or any other political agenda.

Just a thought! im not bitter (honest).

INJS - Thought you'd be glad to be rid of the huge tart! Although she didi provide many a humourous moment for us all :D