Jobs at... Birmingham?

[rodan]

I've just noticed a slew of ATC jobs at Birmingham on Flight Global: ATCO; SATCO; ATSE; SATSE.

Have NATS lost the Brum contract?

[Andy Mayes]

Interesting.

I'm pretty sure NATS HR usually does the hiring and firing for all their contracts.

What's going on I wonder?

[Cuddles]

Sabre rattling perchance. When's the contract up?

[Barnaby the Bear]

They are advertising for SATCO, ATCO's, ATCA's, Engineers the lot.
The wording suggests they are going to gauge the response, perhaps prior to renegotiations with NATS?

As a result, the airport is currently evaluating its Air Traffic Service provision for the future.

Birmingham Airport would therefore like to invite expressions of interest for the following potential posts within its Airfield Operations Department:

[LXGB]

I wonder what they're paying. Adverts (http://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/meta/careers/vacancies/airport-vacancies/0001.aspx) don't include salary details as often as they used to.

[Standard Noise]

Rumour has it the SATCO post may have been filled.........

[TCAS FAN]

........by an ex CAA Central Region ATS Inspector?

[NDW]

Does anyone know what the ATCA requirements would be for Birmingham? Presumably the same as any other ATCA position?

Cheers

[HoneyBunny]

Tcas fan...you're half correct.The person referred too has been employed by the airport to oversee the process of testing the market as the atc contract is soon up I believe.As well as asking the established providers,the airport are also considering in house atc.(if that option is a few quid cheaper,they'll do it!).

[Spitoon]

The person referred too has been employed by the airport.....Now there's a frightening thought! Just out of interest does anyone want to name the name?

[Charlie23]

The airport love NATS but not the price!! Hell of a risk to the airport if they go it alone but money talks! I think NATS will keep the contract but the price will have to be good. The new tower and runway extension make NATS the best solution imho. !

[chevvron]

I tend to agree; whatever others may claim, NATS produces the best controllers, but they do tend to try to make excessive profits on their airport contracts.

[2 sheds]

NATS produces the best controllers


That is fairly dismissive of the others, n'est-ce pas?

2 s

[HoneyBunny]

I,m not sure,but if NATS have the contract to fit out the new ATC facility,then that may sway it for them.But they may have to do a deal with the airport to get to run it.

[Barnaby the Bear]

whatever others may claim, NATS produces the best controllers - Poppycock :ugh:

Regarding Birmingham leaving NATS, they would either have to employ another ANSP or go it alone, the later not that simple or cheap. :8

[loubylou]

Won't the current staff be TUP'd (sp?) across to the new ANSP?

Louby

[JustaFew]

If another ANSP is selected AND staff elect to continue with their posts, yes.

[slowclimber]

The new tower and runway extension make NATS the best solution imho. !

Why? Would all other qualified UK ATCOs struggle with a new tower AND a runway extension?

It's about time that ATC positions at the busier UK airports became available to those of us who don't already work for NATS. Ab initio trainees get far more of a chance than qualified and experienced non-NATS ATCOs at the moment.

NATS produces the best controllers

So NATS people keep saying, but it's not what I've found...

[TCAS FAN]

Chevvron

From what I last saw NSL (ie airports) is not making a lot of money, hence the periodic rumour of NATS selling off NSL.

As for producing the best controllers, would tend to agree in general but they need to operate as a team, something that I understand Birmingham has recently had serious problems with, resulting in a breakdown of Team Resource Management and NSL interevention to attempt resolution.

[whitelighter]

NSL making money or not certainly depends on which aerodrome you are talking about.

Some contracts make healthy profits. Also NSL handle some of the overseas work

[Geodetic]

The problem any new ANSP will have is that people will not willingly give up a NATS job and many will simply "move on" in the company. Any new ANSP or the airport if they choose an in-house option will have to have a very competitive package. Somebody said earlier "sabre rattling" .. I think they're right !

[TCAS FAN]

Geodetic

With the current state of play in NSL/NERL, and the number of ATCOs involved, doubt that all could be absorbed.

With a TUPE on offer suggest that many would stay.

[JustaFew]

Wonder if they could handle any change in pension scheme.....

[whitelighter]

Doesn't sound like the way to go about securing a contact renewal

[2 sheds]

people will not willingly give up a NATS job and many will simply "move on" in the company. if a suitable offer is made, of course.

2 s

[45 before POL]

Looks like sickness on nights...this has happened to many providers, and not just nats. Finding cover at short notice can be difficult especially with scratcoh restrictions.

[DeanCross]

Anyone got any updates on the Birmingham job front??

[Charlie23]

FINDUS could sell this stuff!!!:)

[Occams Razor]

A bit quiet on this thread, what's the latest info?

[Dan Dare]

lex parsimoniae - there will be BB jobs

[cambioso]

For the benefit of those of you without the advantage of a Philosophy degree............Lex parsimoniae (Ockham's razor) literally means that an explanation for an unknown phenomena should first be attempted in terms of what is already known.

Just thought you might be lying awake worrying about it that's all...............!!

Jez

[Eric T Cartman]

Steady Jez, we'll be getting into the realm of Rumsfeld with his "There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns. That is to say, there are things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns. There are things we don't know we don't know."
Somehow seems to fit ATC manning level proposals rather well...... ;)

Mobz