NATS interview process
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I have mine also on 03/12/2010 at Prestwick @ 13:00 hours.
How's everybody feeling about it, I have been studying like crazy, but somethings just aren't going in!!
How's everybody feeling about it, I have been studying like crazy, but somethings just aren't going in!!
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There's probably only so much studying you can do for phase 1 - you can brush up on mental arithmetic and possibly go over some diagramming but the spatial reasoning(shapes) is something that I believe you simply can/cannot do! Personally, I'm focusing on learning the pre-study material and trying to pick out and understand the Key areas. Do you really need to know exactly how many seats there are on a 737-800? Or would it not be more sensible to bracket the aircraft, such as having a ball park figure (150-180) for larger 737s etc. All this information, I believe, would be on a Flight Plan so I can't understand why an ATCO would have to know the exact amount for every a/c variation. Same with speed; the main Boeing and Airbus frames have cruising speeds of 430-500knots and again you can group these depending on size/Number of engines etc, whereas props are 230-250kts.
I'm doing plenty of work, but personally chilling out a bit will give me a better chance.....hopefully!! Good luck all.
I'm doing plenty of work, but personally chilling out a bit will give me a better chance.....hopefully!! Good luck all.
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Do you really need to know exactly how many seats there are on a 737-800?
In my opinion, they ask us to thoroughly study the document in order to test our motivation. If you are motivated, you will learn the data no matter what. If someone is really interested in becoming an ATCO, he or she will surely have to spend many hundreds of hours studying all sorts of subjects, so the Stage 1 ATC paper tests whether you were interested enough in air traffic control
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Dcoliv
I think knowing this would indicate that I would have an "idea"; I am learning the information to a detailed level and am fully aware of the rigorous attention to detail that will be required to be a NATS ATCO, however, knowing that a 737-500 has 171 seats for example, is not going to be as important as having a solid overall understanding and applying logical reasoning to answers. I'd imagine that NATS aren't trying to recruit parrots.
Or would it not be more sensible to bracket the aircraft, such as having a ball park figure (150-180) for larger 737s etc
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Yes, you are absolutely right, I forgot to mention on my earlier post that I agree with you. It is wiser to memorize like that. As already mentioned in this thread, you can also group aircraft by size (large, medium, small) or by route (transatlantic, etc.) in order to make the memorization process easier
EDIT: by the way, a little bit off topic:
I passed the FEAST and SDM tests this September in my country (Portugal), but unfortunately I didn't pass Stage 3 (group exercise + personality questionnaire + more computer tests + interview with a psychologist). They are only recruiting 6 people and there were 70+ candidates in Stage 3, so the odds were slim at best
I'm heading to Whiteley in December to attend Stage 1. Assuming that I pass this stage and that I am invited to attend Stage 2, do any of you think it is possible for me to skip the FEAST and SDM tests if I explain the situation to NATS? This way, I would attend Stage 2 and I would only do the NATS tests. I don't know if anyone here has been in this situation before.
I will gladly repeat the tests in Whiteley if I have to, but I read somewhere that people shouldn't repeat them. If you've passed once, then you shouldn't need to repeat them. So I'm guessing that if I explain the situation to NATS they will ask for my data, unless the FEAST/SDM tests NATS does are different from the ones done in EUROCONTROL and many other countries, but I'm assuming they are the same (I don't know whether this is a fair assumption because FEAST's last exercise is the one with the cubes, and NATS tests that as early as Stage 1, so perhaps they aren't exactly the same).
Thanks in advance.
EDIT: by the way, a little bit off topic:
I passed the FEAST and SDM tests this September in my country (Portugal), but unfortunately I didn't pass Stage 3 (group exercise + personality questionnaire + more computer tests + interview with a psychologist). They are only recruiting 6 people and there were 70+ candidates in Stage 3, so the odds were slim at best
I'm heading to Whiteley in December to attend Stage 1. Assuming that I pass this stage and that I am invited to attend Stage 2, do any of you think it is possible for me to skip the FEAST and SDM tests if I explain the situation to NATS? This way, I would attend Stage 2 and I would only do the NATS tests. I don't know if anyone here has been in this situation before.
I will gladly repeat the tests in Whiteley if I have to, but I read somewhere that people shouldn't repeat them. If you've passed once, then you shouldn't need to repeat them. So I'm guessing that if I explain the situation to NATS they will ask for my data, unless the FEAST/SDM tests NATS does are different from the ones done in EUROCONTROL and many other countries, but I'm assuming they are the same (I don't know whether this is a fair assumption because FEAST's last exercise is the one with the cubes, and NATS tests that as early as Stage 1, so perhaps they aren't exactly the same).
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by dcoliv; 31st Oct 2010 at 14:30.
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Fareham - Stage One Tests 11th November 2010
Hi All,
Im Chris, and im due to be taking the Intitial Selection Tests in Fareham on the 11th November 2010. Anyone else on here due to be there?
Im personally bricking it at the moment, and trying to find out what I can study to give me a good chance of success on this date. My maths is my weakest area by far, so this is personally my main concern! They say speed/time/distance equations is the best thing to focus on?
Has anyone seen any good websites to visit or any advice? Would be cool to catch up with anyone attending on the 11th November also!!
Chris
Im Chris, and im due to be taking the Intitial Selection Tests in Fareham on the 11th November 2010. Anyone else on here due to be there?
Im personally bricking it at the moment, and trying to find out what I can study to give me a good chance of success on this date. My maths is my weakest area by far, so this is personally my main concern! They say speed/time/distance equations is the best thing to focus on?
Has anyone seen any good websites to visit or any advice? Would be cool to catch up with anyone attending on the 11th November also!!
Chris
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Hi Chris,
From what I've read in this thread, Stage 1 (Part 1) is mainly about testing your motivation and your math skills. What everyone suggests regarding the former is to learn very thoroughly the 25 pages NATS sent you because it will be useful in the first paper. Also, if you want to go the extra mile, I recommend reading Air Traffic Control by Graham Duke. It's like 110 pages so you'll read that very quickly and it is very interesting. It presents basic stuff of the UK airspace and also many things concerning airport procedures and control centre operations. It is also easy to read, at least if you're interested in these matters
Regarding the math skills, have you tried the Speed Distance Time Tests for RAF OASC candidates website? They also have a fuel calculation test and an orientation test.
Good luck!
From what I've read in this thread, Stage 1 (Part 1) is mainly about testing your motivation and your math skills. What everyone suggests regarding the former is to learn very thoroughly the 25 pages NATS sent you because it will be useful in the first paper. Also, if you want to go the extra mile, I recommend reading Air Traffic Control by Graham Duke. It's like 110 pages so you'll read that very quickly and it is very interesting. It presents basic stuff of the UK airspace and also many things concerning airport procedures and control centre operations. It is also easy to read, at least if you're interested in these matters
Regarding the math skills, have you tried the Speed Distance Time Tests for RAF OASC candidates website? They also have a fuel calculation test and an orientation test.
Good luck!
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whats the best way to deal with the heading questions? Just visualise a compass or do the maths?
So, for example, if they say you're heading East (090) and you turn right 90 degrees, it should be immediate that you're now facing South (180). 45-degree turns are also common, so I recommend knowing this (clockwise): 360, 45, 90, 135, 180, 225, 270, 315, 360
Cheers!
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Hi All,
Im Chris, and im due to be taking the Intitial Selection Tests in Fareham on the 11th November 2010. Anyone else on here due to be there?
Im personally bricking it at the moment, and trying to find out what I can study to give me a good chance of success on this date. My maths is my weakest area by far, so this is personally my main concern! They say speed/time/distance equations is the best thing to focus on?
Has anyone seen any good websites to visit or any advice? Would be cool to catch up with anyone attending on the 11th November also!!
Chris
Im Chris, and im due to be taking the Intitial Selection Tests in Fareham on the 11th November 2010. Anyone else on here due to be there?
Im personally bricking it at the moment, and trying to find out what I can study to give me a good chance of success on this date. My maths is my weakest area by far, so this is personally my main concern! They say speed/time/distance equations is the best thing to focus on?
Has anyone seen any good websites to visit or any advice? Would be cool to catch up with anyone attending on the 11th November also!!
Chris
I'll be there on the 11th aswell, are you on the morning or afternoon?
I'm on the morning, coming the night before (flying to the UK on wendsday and home again thursday evening) and then I have the morning pass with tests.
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Human Resources
Hi Guys
I am due to sit the Stage One test in Prestwick on the 5/11/2010 but i have been in a accident at the weekend and i am unable to make the test now. And the test date which are online i still wont be able to make as they are in the next two weeks. I have been looking for the number to ring HR but i cant find it on any email correspondence that i have recieved. I sent a email, but i figured a phone call would be better as i am not sure if they would see the email in time.
If anyone has the number for HR could you please give it to me.
Thanks
Philip
I am due to sit the Stage One test in Prestwick on the 5/11/2010 but i have been in a accident at the weekend and i am unable to make the test now. And the test date which are online i still wont be able to make as they are in the next two weeks. I have been looking for the number to ring HR but i cant find it on any email correspondence that i have recieved. I sent a email, but i figured a phone call would be better as i am not sure if they would see the email in time.
If anyone has the number for HR could you please give it to me.
Thanks
Philip
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If anyone has the number for HR could you please give it to me.
I'm sorry about your accident, but I'm sure NATS will understand. I found this on a website:
National Air Traffic Services Limited, Recruitment NATS Corporate and Technical Centre, 4000 Park Way, Whiteley, Hampshire, PO15 7FL, Tel 01489 616090