Swanwick Visit

[mikeb19]

I have my third stage coming up on Feb 21st and would like to visit a NATS establishment.

Does anyone have a contact for Swanwick to enable me to arrange a visit?

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Mike

[Kippers]

I'm doing stage three on the 15th and would also like very much to visit a centre before then.

Anyone out there want to kill two birds with one stone?

Good luck MikeB:ok:

[AlphaMidnight]

I'm starting training in June (was supposed to be April, but they've deferred it to June) and if you get through Stage 3, you can speak to your NATS point of contact in order to organise a visit ... you will find your point of contact very valuable! :)

[eyeinthesky]

Phone the NATS Swanwick Switchboard on 01489 572288 and ask to be put through to the Training Section. They arrange visits for applicants. Good luck with the application

[lobby]

I would suggest a phone call to HR, not the training section.

Good luck

[BDiONU]

I would suggest a phone call to HR, not the training section.
Or perhaps even one of the visit coordinators ;) I'm reluctant to publish names and numbers on here but you could email [email protected]

BD

[757hopeful]

I did ring the number and spoke to a few people. From what I'm told, there are no such things as 'professional interest' visits. The only way to arrange such a visit, is if someone who works there was able to arrange it. Is this true or was I being fobbed off :s

[DC10RealMan]

I hope that you have more luck than I did when I worked at Swanwick. A couple of flying club members who were also A320 airline pilots based at LHR asked me if it might be possible to visit Swanwick in their capacity as airline pilots. I was overwhelmed by the lack of enthusiasm by watch management and other departments to their visit. The only way it would be possible for them to visit Swanwick was that I would have to take a days leave and show them around myself. Needless to say their liaision visit never happened.

[757hopeful]

Tis a shame really. Aside from the security aspect, not to mention the health and safety. Both of which I fully understand the reasons. It would appear, that from the thread I was reading. There is a lot of interest from within for people to see exactly the role you guys play in keeping traffic moving. As mentioned before, when I rang I did ask coming from a 'professional interest' perspective (I'm currently training for my ppl and working my way to hopefully a long and good career as a pilot) as opposed to just a 'jolly' but I have also an interest of the other side of things (atc)

if there is interest from controllers etc and people are showing encouragement, seems like a way of answering many questions that pilots may have regarding the job. Or for those who are thinking of persuing a career in atc

the other thread which I now can't find (doh!!) did have a chap stating that he was more than happy to 'get people in' if there was enough call for it

I'm wondering was this on the terms given to you (ie. He would need to take a day off and show them round himself)

I take it there is no other way of findin out then?

[BDiONU]

There is a fairly new instruction at Swanwick (and Prestwick) about visits and the need to go through the visits coordinator at each unit.

BD

[10W]

the need to go through the visits coordinator at each unit

Lucky that ATC staff are flexible and can think out the box ... the co-ordinators don't work weekends or out of office hours so plan your visit then ;)

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

<<I'm currently training for my ppl >>

I think that may be the problem. You are not a pilot - yet - so in the eyes of those you spoke with you may be viewed simply as a member of the public. Don't take that the wrong way, but you can imagine if they let in everybody who said they had an interest..... As suggested, you'd stand more chance trying at the weekends but I think a better bet would be to try and arrange an official visit for pilots at your flying school...

I'm long retired but these comments are based on my experience at Heathrow at West Drayton.

Good luck with your career.

[BDiONU]

Lucky that ATC staff are flexible and can think out the box ... the co-ordinators don't work weekends or out of office hours so plan your visit then ;)
Very true but if you strictly follow the letter of the 'process' then no one except operational staff can get into the Ops room. Not even me and I'm very important ;)

BD

[fisbangwollop]

BDI....Not even me and I'm very important
I guess then 10W is even more important as we let him in our ops room at times!! ;-) :cool::cool:

[BigDaddyBoxMeal]

Or, you could contact one of the NATS "regional" units (the units at airports where NATS provide tower and approach). More likely than not you may reach someone with a brain, capable of functioning without the corporate cr*p, who will be more than happy to arrange you a visit around their facility.

Granted, its not the glory of fortress Swanwick, but it will be interestng and give you an insight to ATC.

[goldfrog]

Very true but if you strictly follow the letter of the 'process' then no one except operational staff can get into the Ops room. Not even me and I'm very important ;)

BD

Ha Ha! :)

[757hopeful]

Not taken the wrong way. I fully understand. I knew it was slim chances lol

As for one of the regional units. Who would I need to speak to at NATS? would it be HR? Of the few people I did speak to, none mentioned a 'visit co-ordinator' at another unit. Do most units have these?

Any help appreciated. I find atc as fascinating as flying itself. It's just not as easy to see he other side as it is to book a trial flight and see flying from the front seat :)

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Where do you fly from? Have you thought of phoning ATC there? Have you asked your instructor if it's possible to visit ATC? Give it a try; they can only say no.

[757hopeful]

I'm training at Rochester, Kent. I have been up to the tower but it is only an AFIS. So no radar screen etc I will ask my instructor if he can shed any light :)

[BDiONU]

Just had a look at the process and you need to write explaining why you want to visit to:
Swanwick Visits
Box 25
NATS Swanwick
Sopwith Way
Southampton
Hampshire
SO31 7AY

Can't get email address to display correctly on here (dunno why) but if you take out the space before and after the @ it's Swanwick.Visits @ nats.co.uk

BD

[BigDaddyBoxMeal]

As for one of the regional units. Who would I need to speak to at NATS? would it be HR? Of the few people I did speak to, none mentioned a 'visit co-ordinator' at another unit. Do most units have these?


Most small units probably won't have a designated co-ordinator. The easiest method is to look in the AIP for the ATC number listed at each airport and give it a call. You could also try giving the airport main number a call and see if the switchboard would put you through.

But the numbers in the AIP are published for public reading so there is no harm in ringing them. Applies to NATS and non-NATS airfields. Not sure if NATS HR would give you contacts or not.

[Big Trevor]

I don't suppose there is anyone reading here from Southampton ATC? I am an Airbus pilot and also help out at my local Air Cadet Squadron. We have visited Swanick but I would like to put that visit in to perspective of the overall operation from airport to airway. Southampton is our closest airport and I would like to take a group of 10 or so cadets up the tower. Do you guys and girls still do tower visits.

PS. loved the visit to Swanick but was disappointed not to get on the shop floor and speak to some controllers. Focused mostly on the RAF side as it was an Air Cadet visit but would like to come back and look at the proper busy civvy side!

Regards,

[757hopeful]

Have been quite busy lately. Am clearly not looking hard enough!! Lol thanks bdion. I will definately write to them. And I will also give the individual units a phone call. All help appreciated. Thanks

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Big Trevor..... get on the horn to Southampton ATC and ask.