NATS interview process

[CaptJayJay]

Stage 1

I DEID, - yes you're right.

There was no basic checking paper.

First paper was the "General ATC Motivation", which if you've read and understood the pre-stage documentation, is easy enough.

Then the cubes.
Then the diagramming.

Final paper was a numeracy paper - mostly combined of S/D/T questions, odd one on the compass - but basically all simple arithmetic.

Anyone else attend the S1 in Fareham last Monday 25th, 1230?

Waiting with baited breath for the results to arrive, promised week end :-0

[P Wilson]

Hey guys, want to hear a funny joke?

What do you call a guy who has his stage 1 booked and realises his passport is expired the day before he flys to Scotland from N Ireland?

....me

I've emailed HR to inform them of this and to ask if they'll allow me to reattend once my new passport arrives... what do you think they'll say, folks?

I'm so embarrassed about this, plus I've been working hard for this, and now it's all gone down the pan.

[Jochi85]

I second what Skibz is saying, technically you only need photo ID to fly internally within the UK although the airline might have some other rules. Give them a call, they still might let you fly?

[P Wilson]

Nah, I gave them a call to check but RyanAir policy is to accept passport and no other forms of ID whatsoever.

Any other airline and I'd have been fine to show my drivers license, but it's simply the policy of RyanAir.

Otherwise I could have given them EU health card, credit cards, drivers license, birth certificate, skin graft, whatever, but they only accept passports.

[CaptJayJay]

Air

What about using another airline?

[student88]

Depending on how long it's been expired Ryanair may still accept it as a form of identity. I've known of people travelling to Spain on a passport that is 2 months out of date. (I used to work on check in).

If I was you I'd go to the airport and speak to a check in agent. They'll be able to tell you.

Good luck.

[jmoxx]

Hey CaptJayJay (or anybody else who can help me),

I've got my stage 1 on Friday and I'm struggling taking in the masses of numbers relating to the aircraft types etc and I'm worrying about whether the ATC paper is majorly arranged around the figures? I'm understanding all the other bits fine, am I worrying too much? Do I need to start cramming the figures?

Thanks for your help,

[jking101]

Hi jmoxx

I sat my stage 1 a few weeks ago and as far as I can remember (so don’t quote me on it) about 4 out of 50 questions were about the aircraft facts and figures and I was told the pass mark is 75% for that paper so don’t worry too much although you will need to know the figures for over 50 different aircraft when you start the college

Good luck

[CAVOKAY7]

T250

Hi T250,

You said something about these diamonds being situated somewhere in the middle of the test, so how many are there? Is it 25normal + 25 with diamonds attached? If you could remember that would be great help, thanks a lot & good luck with your results

[T250]

Cavokay7

Hello,

My memory is a bit fuzzy now as its been quite some time since my stage 1 day but from what I can remember I don't think the questions were split half with diamonds and half without, they were more intermittent after the first 10 to 15 questions of the test.

Hope this helps and good luck!

[CaptJayJay]

Hi jmoxx,

I agree with what the others have said.

Without saying too much, as long as you have a general knowledge of aviation, gained from reading and understanding the document they sent you, you'll be fine.

There were 1 or 2 questions also outside the scope of what is in the motivation document, again I guess to test your general understanding of aviation.

I found the paper easy enough. Just worry about the cubes and diagramming!

[LessThanSte]

Hi chaps

Couple of questions on the Stage 1 prep document

1) What actually is NOTA? I tried googling this and there is no real answer, though i think it is essentially an area that all aircraft bound for the Atlantic track system must pass through to enter the track system on the correct path. Is this correct?

2) 'x' million movements a year. I see they have future proofed the document. I assume it is 2 million?

3) re: Mode S, what does the Track Data Block do? Is it a fancy way of saying that this is the config page, that allows them to target individual aircraft? As i understand it theres the vertical stack list and them another window that tells the controller everything about the aircraft. Correct?

4) not within the scope of the document but, why does the trajectory prediction part of IFACTS predict 14 minutes ahead. Why not 15, or 10? My original feeling was that maybe this represented a nice number of seconds but that isnt the case (840). Sure something divisible by 3 or 5 would be sensible, given approach seperations?

5) How are stacks set up around a VOR? Is the VOR positioned at one corner of the rectangular (?) traffic pattern? Is it on one leg of the traffic pattern (so a pilot can fly towards it on one radial and then past it for another 5 miles, then turn left and do a circuit? Or is the VOR in the middle of the rectangle? The latter seems unlikely to me as it means needless maths and checking of numbers to navigate round the stack.

Thats all for now. Ive reduced all the document into note form to make it a bit easier to learn, il attach the document to this forum after for anyone else to use!

If anyones at Swanwick tomorrow afternoon, see you there

Steve

[hatemyjob]

Eye Sight

Could someone please tell me if they have changed the standard for eye sight in the last year.

I applied last week and have just had an email saying that my eye sight wasnt good enough.

Funny thing is ive got to stage 2 for the last 2 years running.

Im furious

[Cpt. I-DEID]

1) What actually is NOTA? I tried googling this and there is no real answer, though i think it is essentially an area that all aircraft bound for the Atlantic track system must pass through to enter the track system on the correct path. Is this correct?

2) 'x' million movements a year. I see they have future proofed the document. I assume it is 2 million?

3) re: Mode S, what does the Track Data Block do? Is it a fancy way of saying that this is the config page, that allows them to target individual aircraft? As i understand it theres the vertical stack list and them another window that tells the controller everything about the aircraft. Correct?

4) not within the scope of the document but, why does the trajectory prediction part of IFACTS predict 14 minutes ahead. Why not 15, or 10? My original feeling was that maybe this represented a nice number of seconds but that isnt the case (840). Sure something divisible by 3 or 5 would be sensible, given approach seperations?

5) How are stacks set up around a VOR? Is the VOR positioned at one corner of the rectangular (?) traffic pattern? Is it on one leg of the traffic pattern (so a pilot can fly towards it on one radial and then past it for another 5 miles, then turn left and do a circuit? Or is the VOR in the middle of the rectangle? The latter seems unlikely to me as it means needless maths and checking of numbers to navigate round the stack.

That's more than a couple

1) NOTA is indeed the area of the North East Atlantic where aircraft coming AND going across North Atlantic Routes (NARs) are procedurally separated before going across the Atlantic, or returning to European airspace.

2) You're probably right

3) I was under the impression that the "Modem S" part of the Mode S system targeted individual aircraft. The TDB contains Mode S data, therefore I guess your assumption was more or less correct; that is to say that the TDB contains info on ALL aircraft in the sector, whereby "Modem S" (typo in the guidelines?) simply highlights info on selected aircraft.

4) No idea. As far as I'm concerned, 14 minutes has been necessitated and that is why it is 14 minutes. Besides, it does state that controllers will have the use of a separation monitor.

5) I believe that's already been answered IE. I'm not 100% sure!

Best of luck at your assessments, and let us know how you get on (as I'm having kittens about mine next week)!

[CaptJayJay]

Think you're looking far too deeply into it for the Stage 1 - the questions are relatively basic.

However, it's all still interesting and no doubt good knowledge if you do get through!

[LessThanSte]

Your probably right CaptJayJay, it is more personal curiosity.

Thanks for the answers. Some thoughts;

1) Good. Tim91, i just checked and the only mention is that NOTA extends from FL55 upwards, and is Class A

2) Yes, the news report i seem to remember seeing said 2.2 million for 2009

3) I too thought 'Modem S' might be a typo. Cpt. I-DEID your understanding sounds better, in that the TDB contains all the info whereas the Mode(m) S window just shows a specific aircraft. Be nice if a real ATCO could confirm this, or i suppose i could always ask.

4) I had a browse and found a post on flightglobal that said IFACTS actually uses an 18 minute prediction, and was also rolled out in 08/09.

5) I now understand exactly how a stack operates, having used the bible (wikipedia!). It was easier even that i imagined!

Thanks for the help (and good luck to you too )

[paperclip810]

Mode S: I don't know what exactly is written in your stuff you get from NATS, but the Modem S is definitely a typo.

Mode S information is only available at certain units at the moment - although a lot of information is obtained by the aircraft, you can choose to only display a set amount of it (TC often display the level that is set, heading and IAS in addition to the 'normal' data displayed in the data block - e.g callsign and level). I'm pretty sure there's a way of getting more information if you want it, but at this time, it's not necessary and you wouldn't want to be wasting your time looking at it when you should be controlling the traffic!

Does that help?

[Cpt. I-DEID]

Re: Mode S

I took the information with a pinch of salt as it was listed under a "Future Developments" heading, which I assumed to mean that it wasn't a fundamental part of controlling yet. In light of what you've written, could you give a very brief overview of the 3 main characteristics of it (or at least NATS tell us there are 3), and how it manifests itself IE. is it simply another radar screen?

I realise all this knowledge in detail isn't needed right now, but it's certainly interesting.

[Reevesy87]

online test

Is it true that the online test you sit before stage one doesnt even count?

[hatemyjob]

Could someone please tell me if they have changed the standard for eye sight in the last year.

I applied last week and have just had an email saying that my eye sight wasnt good enough.

Funny thing is ive got to stage 2 for the last 2 years running.

Im furious

anyone?