How do I get to Europe?

[MenWithHandTools]

Hi all. What is the best way for previously rated controllers to get into Europe? Switzerland, France, Germany etc not just Eurocontrol.

I am an Ozzie Military ATCO with Radar Approach and Tower qualifications with over 8 years of controlling including training and supervising. I am looking for a change to Europe. Do any of the European control agencies take military qualified controllers?

I have good experience of joint military and civil operations.

Native English speaker and have a little French and German skill (I can always improve). Oh yeah, I have an EU passport too!

Any tips are welcome. Cheers.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Try applying to the UK National Air Traffic Services. I don't know the current situation but when I joined many years ago they accepted my overseas service as "current experience", although I did hold a UK licence too. I'm pretty sure you would have to sit the UK licence exams..

Can't even begin to imagine why you'd want to come to this awful place, even if it is 30 degrees today!!

Good luck mate.

[Scooby Don't]

If your ATC licence is an ICAO-recognized one, you could always take a break in the Middle East for a few years and use that to get a civil licence.

NATS doesn't recognize RAF licenses, but they do give credit for some of the experience (or have in the past) in terms of pay-point after conversion. Other ATC providers in the UK may be willing to make an offer of employment subject to completion of a civil licence course, but the likelihood of them paying for the course is slim.

DFS and Skyguide (subject to language issues) may be possibilities too.

In answer to the question posed in the subject line though.....
keep walking and/or swimming downhill until the world appears upside down and you're now going uphill.

[ayrprox]

you're an aussie, have you tried getting some bar work ??? :E

only joking, give nats a try, but if you are over 30, i think it is, they will probably say you're too old. although, there have been court cases challenging that i think

[alfaman]

"if you are over 30, i think it is, they will probably say you're too old" - isn't legal any more, & wasn't applied if you had previous experience of value, anyway.

[MenWithHandTools]

Cheers so far lads. Nice info.

The bar work is a good idea but i prefer sitting on the other side. Of course I may have to bring my own supply of premium Aussie beer.:ok:

The RAAF no longer lets us have ICAO recognised licences despite us controlling all aircraft by the same book as the civvies. Too easy to leave them for someone else.

I am comfortable with the idea of needing to do at least some 'retraining' to get a civil licence but so long as at the end of that my experience is recognised and the pay grade reflects that. The civies over here have recently started to offer the RAAF ATCO's similar packages but Europe is where the better half would rather be.

I have thought about the middle east. As I understand GAL will take ex military. Is it an easy step from there to Europe?