Worth getting a FISO Liscence?

[Jonny M]

Hi everyone,
I'm relatively new to this game (I had a week of work experience at Swanwick earlier in the year, and have had approx 10hrs flight training), and I was just wandering that, in the grand scheme of things (School then Uni, then Career, hopefully ATCO) is it worth trying to get a FISO liscence before applying to NATS, will this increase my prospects?
While on the subject, lol, does anyone know how i'd go about getting a FISO Liscence and ,roughly, how much it'd cost?
Thanks,
Jonny

[delay undetermined]

Hey Jonny,
sounds like you're going the right route really ... school, uni, career - just avoid too much debt at uni! Student atco pay isn't what it was. The rewards are there though!

I wouldn't bother with the fiso thing, unless you can get someone to pay for it - summer job at a small aerodrome somewhere - I don't think its worth paying for yourself. (This is where I get abuse from someone who probably knows better than I do regarding FISO jobs!)
It will show you are keen, but so will doing some research on the internet on ATC - check the above sticky. FISO will give you some experience and you'll enjoy it too - hopefully! Could be another route into ATC too, its not just NATS that provides ATC inn the UK. Depending on where you live, you could try to get into assisting first, then go for an atc course (thats the way I did it - assistant/fiso, then atc). Thats just how it went for me. Good luck matey .. and you've plenty of years to go ... enjoy uni!!! :)
D.U.

[vintage ATCO]

http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?categoryid=33&pagetype=65&applicationid=11&mode=detail&id=39

This will tell you what is involved in getting a FISO licence, then read CAP410A & B (available on the same site). Personally I wouldn't bother unless you can find an airfield that would be willing to take you on once you got the licence. You will then need to do 40 hours MER before you could validate and during this time they are unlikely to pay you anything.

It will be a few hundred quid and a fair amount of time. Only you can decide if it is worth it. Personally if I were interviewing it would impress me that someone had taken the trouble but then I am not doing the interviewing. ;)

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

If you want a career in ATC do everything/anything which "gets you involved". I started my days as a "trainee controller" - would be an AFISO nowadays - and it sure helped. Once you get into the system you meet all manner of people who might just be of some benefit one day.

Very best of luck with your endeavours..

[Jonny M]

Thanks for the replys guys, appreciated muchly!
I was also wandering if anyone on here would know if I'd be able to come and have a visit to LL/SS/KK/TMA some time?
Thanks again,
Jonny

[niknak]

If you want a career in ATC, go for the cadetship, once you've sorted out your ATCO licence and are validated you can apply for a FISO licence without having to sit the exams.
You can then, if it suits you and them, work at an FISO airfield seeing aeroplanes and working with people you'd never have the privilage of seeing/meeting as part of your normal ATCO job.

[EGKK931]

Out of interests sake, regarding this lads visit question, is Brian Jackson still the Manager of NATS Gatwick? :)