NATS interview process
Join Date: Apr 2009
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Courses
Aero in Oct was pushed back to Jan. That has now been pushed back to July and will already be full I'm sure, so if you want to do Aero it will probably be Oct next year! And that is if NATS are letting people put their name down for it this far in advance...
Area in Feb is full and I believe May must be full by now as well seeing as a lot of people on the Feb course were pushed back on to it.
So expect a long wait folks!
Area in Feb is full and I believe May must be full by now as well seeing as a lot of people on the Feb course were pushed back on to it.
So expect a long wait folks!
Join Date: Jun 2008
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Does anyone know what the failure rate is like at stage 2 ? Im sure I read somewhere that about 55% of people who pass stage 1 also pass stage 2 ?
As I understand it I think 3% of those who apply get through selection to training and of those, 90% fail at stage 1 and probably half at stage 2 and another half at stage 3.
Join Date: Apr 2009
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Just done the online questionnaire
wow some strange questions there!
I have been invited to stage 2 even before carrying out the questionaire, seems odd if its possible to fail at the questionnaire stage (would have thought they'd make you do the questionnaire and wait for the results before inviting you to stage 2..
Can anyone shed some light on this ? Will I get an email telling me if I passed the personality questionnaire or not separate from the stage 2 day result?
cheers
wow some strange questions there!
I have been invited to stage 2 even before carrying out the questionaire, seems odd if its possible to fail at the questionnaire stage (would have thought they'd make you do the questionnaire and wait for the results before inviting you to stage 2..
Can anyone shed some light on this ? Will I get an email telling me if I passed the personality questionnaire or not separate from the stage 2 day result?
cheers
Join Date: Oct 2009
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Whilst reading through the motivation material for stage 1 I found some information that seems to be contradictory, but maybe i'm just missing something completely.
On page 5 it says: "On January 20th 2005 the first phase of the Northern Oceanic Transition Area (NOTA) was established within the Shanwick Oceanic Control Area to the North of the Shannon FIR/UIR. Shannon Area Control Centre has been delegated to provide air traffic services within the NOTA."
Then later: "As mentioned earlier the first phased of the NOTA was established in early 2005 within this airspace. This area that NATS is responsible for is known as the Shanwick Oceanic Control Area and the responsibility for providing ATC services to aircraft flying in this airspace is that of the Oceanic Control Centre at Prestwick."
So i'm confused. Everything i have read so far says that its at Prestwick where they have responsibility for flights in the NOTA, what is the Shannon Area Control reference all about?
On page 5 it says: "On January 20th 2005 the first phase of the Northern Oceanic Transition Area (NOTA) was established within the Shanwick Oceanic Control Area to the North of the Shannon FIR/UIR. Shannon Area Control Centre has been delegated to provide air traffic services within the NOTA."
Then later: "As mentioned earlier the first phased of the NOTA was established in early 2005 within this airspace. This area that NATS is responsible for is known as the Shanwick Oceanic Control Area and the responsibility for providing ATC services to aircraft flying in this airspace is that of the Oceanic Control Centre at Prestwick."
So i'm confused. Everything i have read so far says that its at Prestwick where they have responsibility for flights in the NOTA, what is the Shannon Area Control reference all about?
Join Date: Jul 2008
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Quite a lot of that booklet is out of date and contradictory. I'm fairly certain that example you used doesn't come up in the motivational paper anyway. Don't worry too much about it for stage 1.
Join Date: Jul 2005
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The FEAST test battery is patented and under copyright law cannot be distributed without the original writer of the program. Obviously NATS and Eurocontrol don't want ANYONE to have a go at this test before sitting it in exam conditions.
The Skytest version of this is to enable you to hone your skills that will be tested by the FEAST test.
You'll be better off (money wise) searching round all the simple 2d games around on the internet, object collision, simple arithmatic, spaital awareness and learning your left and right (for instance if you were looking at someone, your left would be his right etc).
thegolfpimp, although you may feel you're being good in practicing for these tests, you're in fact only going to be kidding yourself.
When you first sit the tests at CTC the first disclaimer you are hit with is something along the lines of:- if you have sat this test before, you can count its significance as a measure of aptitude to be compromised. These tests are DESIGNED to find out who is cut out for the college and who isn't.
I hate to get on my podium again but if you fail the tests, the chances are you haven't got the aptitude. END OF!
The Skytest version of this is to enable you to hone your skills that will be tested by the FEAST test.
You'll be better off (money wise) searching round all the simple 2d games around on the internet, object collision, simple arithmatic, spaital awareness and learning your left and right (for instance if you were looking at someone, your left would be his right etc).
thegolfpimp, although you may feel you're being good in practicing for these tests, you're in fact only going to be kidding yourself.
When you first sit the tests at CTC the first disclaimer you are hit with is something along the lines of:- if you have sat this test before, you can count its significance as a measure of aptitude to be compromised. These tests are DESIGNED to find out who is cut out for the college and who isn't.
I hate to get on my podium again but if you fail the tests, the chances are you haven't got the aptitude. END OF!
Join Date: Jul 2005
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It means because you know whats coming in the tests you are not giving a true reading and as a result of this - you may struggle at the college. I don't wish to offend anyone but anyone having sat the FEAST battery will verify this fact. Its a statement written by Eurocontrol not by me but I am fully behind their ethos..
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Hi guys, I'm new on here, but have my Stage 1 booked for the 18th Dec in Fareham and am so glad i've just found this forum, in time! Everyone seems really supportive and knowledgeable about this whole process!
I just have a couple of questions regarding the motivation test material. The word document has information about 25 or so planes at the end of it, can anyone tell me how much or little of this information you need to know about for the test? Also what format is this test, multiple choice/short answers/short essays? Any help on this from anyone who has already done stage1 would be greatly appreciated!
Apologies if this has been asked too!
Thanks!
I just have a couple of questions regarding the motivation test material. The word document has information about 25 or so planes at the end of it, can anyone tell me how much or little of this information you need to know about for the test? Also what format is this test, multiple choice/short answers/short essays? Any help on this from anyone who has already done stage1 would be greatly appreciated!
Apologies if this has been asked too!
Thanks!
Join Date: Jul 2005
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Amen to thegolfpimp. If they have included it in the material, learn it, after all it is called the motivation paper for a reason ;-) Although there was only 3 or 4 questions on them in my stage 1 paper, still 3 or 4 easy marks if you ask me 
This question does get asked an awful lot, if i were in your shoes try to categorise them all into different classes of aircraft and then at least you'll know what size aircraft you're dealing with in the paper.
Best of luck anyway.
This question does get asked an awful lot, if i were in your shoes try to categorise them all into different classes of aircraft and then at least you'll know what size aircraft you're dealing with in the paper.
Best of luck anyway.
Join Date: Nov 2008
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thegolfpimp,
NATS haven't been using FEAST for very long - it was introduced in spring 2009. There were a few people on the summer courses (Jul/Aug starts) that went through this selection process - everyone else went through the old system - and there's still a mix on the most recent courses.
It probably won't be for another year at least before any problems with the selection process become obvious. I don't know any stats, but I know of 3 people who've just finished the college and were 2nd time applicants - all did very well, so no obvious disadvantage there.
NATS haven't been using FEAST for very long - it was introduced in spring 2009. There were a few people on the summer courses (Jul/Aug starts) that went through this selection process - everyone else went through the old system - and there's still a mix on the most recent courses.
It probably won't be for another year at least before any problems with the selection process become obvious. I don't know any stats, but I know of 3 people who've just finished the college and were 2nd time applicants - all did very well, so no obvious disadvantage there.
Join Date: Oct 2009
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lizplt
I know your trying to be helpful, but saying that you don't think that question comes up in the motivation paper isn't exactly comforting!
Is the motivation paper not different questions for each group of people that sit it? Don't see how there can be any certaintity it won't be asked. And if it is asked.....
On another point, is there any questions at stage 1 that ask you to approximate distances between two locations? For example, London-Dubai. On another website regarding stage 1 prep it says this is something you should look at, not seen it mentioned anywhere else, not sure how up to date the site is either.
Cheers
I know your trying to be helpful, but saying that you don't think that question comes up in the motivation paper isn't exactly comforting!
Is the motivation paper not different questions for each group of people that sit it? Don't see how there can be any certaintity it won't be asked. And if it is asked.....
On another point, is there any questions at stage 1 that ask you to approximate distances between two locations? For example, London-Dubai. On another website regarding stage 1 prep it says this is something you should look at, not seen it mentioned anywhere else, not sure how up to date the site is either.
Cheers
Join Date: Jun 2008
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Rokkala
Its multiple choice and if you've read, learnt and maybe even made notes on the document you'll be fine! There are some questions on distances between major international hubs ie London/New York/Paris/Dubai/ but again, its multiple choice and if you've learnt your stuff you'll be fine.
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T250
I know it's multiple choice, my concern was that in the test document they give two different answers to who has responsibility for control of the NOTA. First it says it is Shanwick Area Control Centre, then later they it is Prestwicks Oceanic Control Centre that has responsibility for the NOTA.
So, worst case scenario you get a question on that and both answers are listed among the multiple choice. I'm pretty confident i won't need to rely on one question like that to pass, but still, just seems bizarre.
Thanks for confirming that about the distances questions.
I know it's multiple choice, my concern was that in the test document they give two different answers to who has responsibility for control of the NOTA. First it says it is Shanwick Area Control Centre, then later they it is Prestwicks Oceanic Control Centre that has responsibility for the NOTA.
So, worst case scenario you get a question on that and both answers are listed among the multiple choice. I'm pretty confident i won't need to rely on one question like that to pass, but still, just seems bizarre.
Thanks for confirming that about the distances questions.
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Stage 3 Tomorrow
Hello all, long time watcher, first time poster
Firstly I want to say thanks to everyone especially PAT42 whose help with what exactly is going on has been great with my prep. I have stage 3 tomorrow and I think I've got as much preperation done as I can so fingers crossed I dont do anything stupid. Is anybody else on here down for tomorrow, if so I'll see you there!
@Rokkala:
Shanwick Area Control Centre is a combination of Shannon in Ireland and Prestick in Scotland. Shannon deals with the HF radio from pilots out of radar range, and Prestwick deals with the ones within radar range (I believe) so you wont get a question asking you to distinguish between the two
Firstly I want to say thanks to everyone especially PAT42 whose help with what exactly is going on has been great with my prep. I have stage 3 tomorrow and I think I've got as much preperation done as I can so fingers crossed I dont do anything stupid. Is anybody else on here down for tomorrow, if so I'll see you there!
@Rokkala:
Shanwick Area Control Centre is a combination of Shannon in Ireland and Prestick in Scotland. Shannon deals with the HF radio from pilots out of radar range, and Prestwick deals with the ones within radar range (I believe) so you wont get a question asking you to distinguish between the two