NATS interview process

[jimmy10]

Check the post I made a few up, I'm pretty sure now those examples are roughly the same. I am a lot more confident on the maths now after doing the questions.

[shu66y]

Stage 1

Hi, I too have done stage 1 and got the "dear John letter" no big deal it was the experience. However, I studied the booklet, I bought a book about ATC and studied that, I was somewhat annoyed that the there was indeed a "maths " section....okay so loads of people are saying "its not really hard maths" but for people who have been out of education or employed in fields which require a certain level of arithmetic skills to be under pressure to calculate maths t/s/d equations when there was no mention from HR to study this was disappointing. I am not looking for sympathy or anything, I made a mistake by poor preparation but it would have been nice to know that there were a substantial amount of maths questions. I was indeed expecting basic checking!!!.

On another tangent, the whole process by taking the SHL test thing on a computer system that has an operating system using Windows XP in this day and age shows that they have to update the recruitment process.

I will know better for another 12 months time.

all the best to those who get through the various stages this year.

me age ( 38 ) and a dunce

[Pat42]

Keylock,

Check out www.speeddistancetime.info, they are practice examples for the RAF officer selection, but I found them quite helpful in preperation for NATS selection as well.

[Watching The Skies]

SHU66Y,

I felt exactly the same! It was really quite gutting that there was no indication of this at all! And I had did it all once before and the sneeky lil devils changed it all but handed out the same old practice material... but like you said... roll on next round!

[CAVOKAY7]

Hello everybody!

Shu66y

I'm sorry to hear that HR didn't mention details about changes, I hope it's not done on purpose, but it seems that they miss out a lot of info. I've noticed myself that, the info-links given in order to prepare for the tests by SHL are exactly the same as in 2008 when I initially applied for the first time. The only difference is on the motivation paper, which has been updated if not outdated... Anyway, I'm sure that you'll be better prepared next time I've applied for stage 1 at the end of this month, & it's my second attempt, fingers crossed I hope I get through this time as I've been studying hard .
Since the whole process has changed, I'd like to ask about the online tests prior to stage 1 that NATS sends to candidates via e-mail.
Are they relevant to the recent practice tests that anyone can do online by SHL?
To be more specific, I've read several threads refering to a basic checking test & a numeracy test the results of which are not issued to applicants before stage 1. I did some of these free tests online, & I didn't come accross any basic checking test, please correct me if I'm wrong, I only did an abstract test & a verbal & numeracy test. The latter (numeracy), being the hardest, as it contained 39 Q's in 42min, with diagrams, pie-charts & tables, percentage rates & so on!
I found this rather difficult So, can you remember approximately what the NATS online test consists of, does it encounter basic checking & the numeracy test I've described above, or am I just worrying too much about it? Is it also true according to rumors, that the online test is a kind of deal between NATS & SHL, for free trial testing by candidates, regardless the results, which may or may not be taken into consideration along with the rest of the tests at stage 1.
Thank you very much in advance, I'll sign in as soon as I've got more news about my application.

[shu66y]

The good thing from this is that the people in charge of getting us from A to B are professionals and if the aircraft developed a problem with one engine shutting down and it only had enough fuel for flying a total distance of 145 miles, then at least we could wave at those on the ground at the airports we are flying over to reach our fuel limit/distance.

If I were in the left hand chair up front, i'd get the bird down on the first available runway or M1 junction 24 regardless of my fuel state.

older and wiser for next year

[Watching The Skies]

CAVOKAY7

HI there!

The online tests are the same as the ones in 2008 that we did.

1st set is basic checking on up to 8 letters or numbers (only letters or numbers in each sequence not mixed).
2nd set is arithmatic.

The dont do basic checking for the stage one test anymore.

Only diagramming, spatial reasoning, a maths test (with Speed, Distance & Time equations), and the NATS paper which has changed slightly too as there isnt alot of questions on the booklet they give you to read... most of its the SD&T equations again.

Hope this heads up helps you out.

GOOD LUCK

[Watching The Skies]

Shu66y,

I did the same thing and thought... regardless of distance plane can go... get that bird down pronto!!!!! Lol.

But in my case... younger and wiser :P

[CAVOKAY7]

Watching the Skies

Thank's a lot for the info, all the very best to you too. Cheers

[CAVOKAY7]

& something else!

Could anyone please advise, about reasonably priced hotels near the CTC where I can stay overnight before the exams? Hotel name & address would be just fine if one can remember Thanks in advance !

[Pat42]

If I were in the left hand chair up front, i'd get the bird down on the first available runway or M1 junction 24 regardless of my fuel state.

I did the same thing and thought... regardless of distance plane can go... get that bird down pronto!!!!! Lol.

Perhaps not directly relevent to the tests, but might be an interesting topic for conversation... I'm not sure that you would always want to aim for the nearest runway in this situation.

If an aircraft encounters trouble at cruise altitude somewhere over England then its likely to have a lot of options as to where to land. Often the nearest suitable airfield will be the best idea, but not always. Usually in an emergency it will the be the pilot's choice rather than the ATC provider. Sometimes the aircraft might need to burn off fuel as it may be overwieght for landing (a transatlantic passenger flight will take off with a lot more fuel on board than it can safely land with). In other instances, for instance if there were a total loss of power, then a further afield runway might present a more controlled descent profile for a gliding aircraft. Where there is a bit more time to play with and options are available other factors might also come into play such as the availability of appropriate maintenence facilities at various aerodromes - there's little point landing a problematic a/c at an airfield that isn't equipped to fix it if it can safely reach an alternative that is. Finally (and this is where the ATCOs might get a say) it could also be worth thinking about how much of a problem an a/c is going to cause if an emergency landing leads to runway closure - if an a/c can safely make and land at either Heathrow or Stansted then you are probably going to want to send it to Stansted, purely because if the worst case scenario occurs and a runway needs to be closed you are going to cause less disruption (and less of a resultant safety issue to other birds in the sky) by directing the a/c to the less busy runway.

[Giuseppe12]

Interview 1st Stage

Hi guys, recently joined this site! I have my 1st stage interview at the end of march and I am tryin so much to be really prepared. I am reading the NATS guide and making notes, I was thinking about also refreshing my brain with some maths becuase I have been out of practice for so long, with Pie Charts and percentages that's just goin to kill me.
By reading alot post, is there anyone like me who has had no experience in aviation before? I am reading the guide though and finding it all really interesting and i really wana give it a go.

Also what is the first stage like? is it jus tests? is there one on one interview? group tasks?

Thanks in advance

[Scrotchidson]

Hotels

I stayed at the Roundhouse Hotel in Fareham last Thursday before my Stage 3. £40 basically when I booked online and it comes with a bed (which is a plus) a TV with Freeview, bath, toilet, Free Internet and breakfast in the morning. It also has a pub downstairs but I doubt anyone would want to be there before an assessment!

It's about a 12min drive from Swanwick and prob less from CTC

I'd highly recommend the place! (I should get commission for this!)

Scrotch

[Ginnersam]

Hi, im staying at the premier inn at fareham for my test its only1.5 miles away

[Miss_Mia83]

Stage 1 in Prestwick

Hi guys,

Is anyone doing their S1 test in Prestwick at the end of the month? Is 1 month enough to prepare for the tests?? I want this more than anything so I want to be as prepped as possible. I guess you all do though:-)

I just received an invitation for the online selection test before attending the S1. What kind of questions are there? I tried to find out from the website but it wasn't very clear...or I am blind...

Anyway, good luck to all of you out there!!

[shu66y]

Hi there, I did my stage 1 at Prestwick....I don't know how your going to get to the place, up until the last week I was told it was in Freeson Ave. Its not shown on googlemaps, but if you want some advice....if your arriving at prestwick airport i'd get a taxi to the place.....make sure you arrive at least 20 mins prior to the time slot as you will have to get through security gate.

The Online SHL test needs to be done on a PC with Windows XP, IT WILL NOT WORK ON MORE RECENT OPERATING SYSTEMS.

Now, whether the results of the SHL test is a final fall back for NATS to see how you get on with stage 1, I don't know. I found the SHL test a nightmare....you can use a calculator and pencil to work out the answers but be warned you have approx. 20 seconds to answer the question and the questions are somewhere along the lines of:- Example:- 7x34/?+65-3= you have to work out the missing ?.

As for Stage 1 on the day, the booklet you download and read will just tell you the very basics of ATC etc but as with others on here a lot of the questions were time x speed x distance..okay multiple choice answers but you still have to have a good idea. The test with the 3D box shape is okay, what I found was if you are running out of time near the end of that paper just start ringing anything.....for instance 3 out of the remaining 10 is better than nothing.

The Numeracy test was hellish all time x speed x distance questions so really get a grasp on that one before you go.

best thing you can do is just make up your own examples and try and answer them....things like

Example:- An aircraft is flying from point A at 420mph on a heading of 265 deg for 37 mins, it then is told to turn left onto a heading of 213 deg and decrease speed to 330 mph for 13 mins......how far has it travelled to reach the airfield at point B.

the questions about the symbols is okay, you just have to make sure that you do the ones at the beginning fast so you can have more time to concentrate on the latter ones.

The best piece of advice.........enjoy the experience, if you panic about it it will just cause you more anxiety.....I tried, never made it to stage 2 but cest la vie.

Hope this helps

[CAVOKAY7]

Scrotchidson & Ginnersam

Thank you for the hotel info, I believe the fareham premier-inn is the most reasonably priced choice, so Ginnersam, I guess the credit goes to you mate cheers

[jking101]

SHL on vista

I see allot of people saying that the SHL tests only work on windows xp but I have done 2 sets of SHL tests after stage 1 and 2 and have done both on a computer with windows vista? Unless I’m thinking of the wrong questions? 1st set were basically the same as the stage 1 tests and the 2nd set were personality questions? So it might be worth looking at before worrying about running around for an xp computer.

[CaptJayJay]

Would recommend getting a test date well in advance, then booking Travelodge Portsmouth - got my room for £25 a night, bargain.

They've got a bar also if you want breakfast etc.

Another quick note about the speed/distance/time questions. They are all devised so they are relatively easy to work out (you won't be asked distance for an aircraft travelling at 438 mph in 23 minutes, the question would probably be distance for 400 mph for 20 minutes... you get the idea).

[Watching The Skies]

Easy Jet from from Belfast to Glasgow but Glasgow Airport is a good distance away from Prestwick. Would require you getting a bus from the Airport to get on a train from Queen St Station (right next to the bus station) to Prestwick which drops you off at the Airport.

I agree that Ryanair wont accept anything other than a Passport even for Internal.

Easyjet... are supposed to only take Passports or Full Driving Licences HOWEVER I just flew back from Bristol on Sunday and a lady never had any ID on her and they accepted an employee card with her anme and photograph on it. If you have any sort of card with your name and photograph on it that is supplied by someone like a library or learning institution then you should be able to use it (I know they did accept that sort of thing years ago anyway).

I would call up just incase and get someones name who says its ok with a call reference number.

Hope this helps.

P.S. To get from Glasgow Airport to Glasgow City is not that long and nor is the train. Just make sure you have about 1.5hrs- 2hours before test so you can spare time getting lost!!!!