NATS interview process
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
found this online may help stage 1 applicants
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: hampshire
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Stage 1 stuff
Hi,
Anyone who fancies them can download all the "top trump" style cards about the aircraft spec from NATS stage 1 documents on the following link, They are formatted to add to photos on an ipod touch/iphone or print and cut out as flashcards. Also you will find some psycometric tests and some MP3 files of the NATS data (i listen to it on way to work) from the document of stage 1. Also some info i was given on NAts and the environment (maybe a talking point ???) PLus some other bits, will upload more if i find or do anything helpful
If anyone feels they wish to upload anything of interest, tests etc... then please feel free to do so.
Enjoy
Free File Hosting Made Simple - MediaFire
Anyone who fancies them can download all the "top trump" style cards about the aircraft spec from NATS stage 1 documents on the following link, They are formatted to add to photos on an ipod touch/iphone or print and cut out as flashcards. Also you will find some psycometric tests and some MP3 files of the NATS data (i listen to it on way to work) from the document of stage 1. Also some info i was given on NAts and the environment (maybe a talking point ???) PLus some other bits, will upload more if i find or do anything helpful
If anyone feels they wish to upload anything of interest, tests etc... then please feel free to do so.
Enjoy
Free File Hosting Made Simple - MediaFire
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Dublin
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thanks for the response Jimmy780! 
Had S1 yesterday in Prestwick (1pm session) so fingers crossed it's good news in three weeks time...
Hope it went well for everyone else!
Had S1 yesterday in Prestwick (1pm session) so fingers crossed it's good news in three weeks time...
Hope it went well for everyone else!
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: UK
Age: 36
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Personality questionnaire after stage one
First let me say I have read many pages of this forum and I have found it to be an incredible source of information.
My question is about the personality questionnaire after stage one. To my horror I have discovered many people have passed stage one only to fail the personality questionnaire. This is despite NATS saying that there are no incorrect answers. Well obviously there are wrong answers if you can fail and they are looking for some specific personality traits. Does anyone know what these are? Also surely using an online questionnaire is a bad method to determine personality when NATS conduct a 2 hour plus interview at stage 3 which must give much more conclusive results about ones personality.
Please let me know your thoughts.
My question is about the personality questionnaire after stage one. To my horror I have discovered many people have passed stage one only to fail the personality questionnaire. This is despite NATS saying that there are no incorrect answers. Well obviously there are wrong answers if you can fail and they are looking for some specific personality traits. Does anyone know what these are? Also surely using an online questionnaire is a bad method to determine personality when NATS conduct a 2 hour plus interview at stage 3 which must give much more conclusive results about ones personality.
Please let me know your thoughts.
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: looking out of the window
Posts: 555
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
there are no 'wong' answers...
in fact there arent any 'wrong' personalities. There are just indicators that certain types of individual are not suitable for the job or training. Lets face it, you are who you are and even if you can fudge your base reactions for the test, you are likely to come unstuck later down the line.
It may not be perfect, but NATS have tested tens of thousands of applicants and have a decent set of data that corrolates the information gained at S1,2 and 3 plus those that have been put through to courses togther with later additions to the process such as the personality test after (rather than during) S1.
In my opinion (and it is only that but I have been through the process) one of the worst things you will do is try and second guess what NATS are looking for at any stage of the process. No-one knows the metrics NATS use, but I suspect that with the PQ they are looking for consistancy as much as the 'right' type of person. If you answer against your instinct on question 1, will you remember how you deviated when the same question is asked in a different format around question 30? Be yourself, answer honestly and the consistancy will be there. Try to fudge it and I suspect, although maybe completely wrong, that you are more likely to become unstuck.
There is a ton of info on this thread, some of it useful, some incorrect, and some out of date. Its worth remembering what is stated at the bottom of every single page on this forum:
As these are anonymous forums the origins of the contributions may be opposite to what may be apparent. In fact the press may use it, or the unscrupulous, or sciolists*, to elicit certain reactions
Best of luck with your application, I hope it goes the way you want it too. There is no point questioning if NATS have the right process for deciding on candidates. Flawed or not, its their process and you just need to work with it, not fight against it because you arent going to change a thing.
It may not be perfect, but NATS have tested tens of thousands of applicants and have a decent set of data that corrolates the information gained at S1,2 and 3 plus those that have been put through to courses togther with later additions to the process such as the personality test after (rather than during) S1.
In my opinion (and it is only that but I have been through the process) one of the worst things you will do is try and second guess what NATS are looking for at any stage of the process. No-one knows the metrics NATS use, but I suspect that with the PQ they are looking for consistancy as much as the 'right' type of person. If you answer against your instinct on question 1, will you remember how you deviated when the same question is asked in a different format around question 30? Be yourself, answer honestly and the consistancy will be there. Try to fudge it and I suspect, although maybe completely wrong, that you are more likely to become unstuck.
There is a ton of info on this thread, some of it useful, some incorrect, and some out of date. Its worth remembering what is stated at the bottom of every single page on this forum:
As these are anonymous forums the origins of the contributions may be opposite to what may be apparent. In fact the press may use it, or the unscrupulous, or sciolists*, to elicit certain reactions
Best of luck with your application, I hope it goes the way you want it too. There is no point questioning if NATS have the right process for deciding on candidates. Flawed or not, its their process and you just need to work with it, not fight against it because you arent going to change a thing.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Wirral
Age: 35
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Stage One
I've been reading this thread for a while now and I'm a little bit confused....
I've gathered by now that there are SDT questions but I'm getting from somewhere that there is a numeracy part to the motivation paper and then there is also a separate numeracy test. Is this correct? If so, what are the differences in the questions between the two papers?
I've gathered by now that there are SDT questions but I'm getting from somewhere that there is a numeracy part to the motivation paper and then there is also a separate numeracy test. Is this correct? If so, what are the differences in the questions between the two papers?
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Visual Standards
I've read the ATCO visual standards on the NATS website and wondered if anyone has had corrective eye surgery before applying. It seems that its the 'pre-operative' correction that is considered by med staff - so I guess that correcting your eyes with surgery would be to no avail?
Also, people have mentioned start dates of Aug and Oct in recent posts. Are we talking 2010 or 2011?
Thanks
Also, people have mentioned start dates of Aug and Oct in recent posts. Are we talking 2010 or 2011?
Thanks
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: london
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nat stage 1 interview
Hi guys, I am about to do my stage one interview but I am scared to death regarding to questions asked. Is there any one who just done stage one interview recently(this year) who can tell me exactly nature of questions regarding spatial awareness and diagramming. I would really appreciate any help.
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Solihull
Age: 38
Posts: 162
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Kritzeen: The numeracy questions on the ATC motivation paper are broadly the same as those in the numeracy paper itself, though if anything slightly easier. Its things like 'if your travelling at x knots, how long will it take to travel y nautical miles'. If you can do speed/distance/time calcs you will be fine.
The numeracy paper then adds in a few more questions, requiring you to divide, multiply, add and the likes, fractions were briefly on there if i remember correctly. Personally, i found the atc motivation and numeracy tests very easy and would be surprised if i got more than 1 or 2 questions wrong.
Dankla: Find the example questions on the NATS website, they are exactly like that, only with trickier cube nets and more 'functions' in the diagramming test. You have 20 minutes to do (i think) 40 questions, about 10-15 per net. Each question has 4 cubes, though sometimes none of the cubes will fit. The first net isnt too difficult, the later ones though get quite tricky!
You could probably practice by drawing some cube nets on paper, with a pattern on each face. Dont do the standard cross shaped net, thats easy, but try some of the others on here;
http://www.pleasanton.k12.ca.us/plea...etAnswers1.JPG
then once you have a net drawn out, on another piece of paper draw, as quickly as possible all the various face arrangements (there should be 24 in total). Afterwards, cut out the net, stick it together and check that what youve drawn are correct.
Your biggest problem in both tests though is time but NATS keep saying that number of answers is not that important, but ACCURACY of answers is!
The numeracy paper then adds in a few more questions, requiring you to divide, multiply, add and the likes, fractions were briefly on there if i remember correctly. Personally, i found the atc motivation and numeracy tests very easy and would be surprised if i got more than 1 or 2 questions wrong.
Dankla: Find the example questions on the NATS website, they are exactly like that, only with trickier cube nets and more 'functions' in the diagramming test. You have 20 minutes to do (i think) 40 questions, about 10-15 per net. Each question has 4 cubes, though sometimes none of the cubes will fit. The first net isnt too difficult, the later ones though get quite tricky!
You could probably practice by drawing some cube nets on paper, with a pattern on each face. Dont do the standard cross shaped net, thats easy, but try some of the others on here;
http://www.pleasanton.k12.ca.us/plea...etAnswers1.JPG
then once you have a net drawn out, on another piece of paper draw, as quickly as possible all the various face arrangements (there should be 24 in total). Afterwards, cut out the net, stick it together and check that what youve drawn are correct.
Your biggest problem in both tests though is time but NATS keep saying that number of answers is not that important, but ACCURACY of answers is!
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Worthing
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have my S1 test on thursday 18th March at Fareham at 12:30, a little nervous going into it so i need to brush up on my mental arithmatic.
Can anyone give any examples of how complex the speed/distance/time calculations you have to do are? not done anything like that since 2004 and am a little rusty.
Thanks
Can anyone give any examples of how complex the speed/distance/time calculations you have to do are? not done anything like that since 2004 and am a little rusty.
Thanks
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: UK
Age: 36
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So consistency is my best bet, well I just hope I tick NATS boxes. Thank you whitelighter and all the best to everyone on here who are going through the various stages of the NATS selection process.
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Home
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Tesla40 RE: Personality Questionaire
Hi Tesla,
This has been discussed before, but to go over it briefly:
As NATS say, there are no specific right or wrong answers, you will not fail based upon how you answer any individual question and its not like you get a score which is either a pass or a fail. These tests are a lot more complicated than that!
I know someone who is trained in conducting these kind of personality tests and have had some interesting insight into how they work. Believe it or not, based upon your answers to as little as 50-100 of these kind of questions these tests are actually extremely accurate at profiling what kind of a person you are, even down to your behaviours and habits relating to issues which apparently have no direct connection to any of the questions you may have been asked during the profiling process. I have had numerous of these tests conducted on myself and, on the occassions where I have had access to the results, have always found them to be extremely accurate and have never felt the results failed to be a precise reflection of the kind of person I consider myself to be.
Exactly how NATS use these tests is not known, but presumably through their considerable experience recruiting, training and employing ATCOs for more or less as long as the profession has existed they now have enough data to be able to identify certain personality types which may not necessarily be suitable for the role or may suggest that an individual is significantly unlikely to be successful at training (and thus a waste of everybody's time and money).
As Whitelighter has said, the worst thing to do is try and second guess what NATS might be looking for. Any attempt at dishonesty is often quite clear to the assessors as this undoubtedly also leads to inconsistency and I would imagine this would be as good a basis as any on which to "fail" a candidate. Be honest and be yourself - if your personality is suitable you'll be fine, if it is unsuitable then it is in everybody's best interests (including your own) that this is identified sooner rather than later.
It is worth remembering that no-one has a pre-ordained right to be an ATCO - it is a serious job with serious responsibilities and the simple fact is that some types of people would not be suitable for it, either because they may not be suitably competent or responsible or because they would not be able to cope with the demands of the role. That's not intended to demeen or criticise such people or be all high and mighty - they probably have other strengths in areas where I would consider myself wholely incompetent - its just being realistic.
This has been discussed before, but to go over it briefly:
As NATS say, there are no specific right or wrong answers, you will not fail based upon how you answer any individual question and its not like you get a score which is either a pass or a fail. These tests are a lot more complicated than that!
I know someone who is trained in conducting these kind of personality tests and have had some interesting insight into how they work. Believe it or not, based upon your answers to as little as 50-100 of these kind of questions these tests are actually extremely accurate at profiling what kind of a person you are, even down to your behaviours and habits relating to issues which apparently have no direct connection to any of the questions you may have been asked during the profiling process. I have had numerous of these tests conducted on myself and, on the occassions where I have had access to the results, have always found them to be extremely accurate and have never felt the results failed to be a precise reflection of the kind of person I consider myself to be.
Exactly how NATS use these tests is not known, but presumably through their considerable experience recruiting, training and employing ATCOs for more or less as long as the profession has existed they now have enough data to be able to identify certain personality types which may not necessarily be suitable for the role or may suggest that an individual is significantly unlikely to be successful at training (and thus a waste of everybody's time and money).
As Whitelighter has said, the worst thing to do is try and second guess what NATS might be looking for. Any attempt at dishonesty is often quite clear to the assessors as this undoubtedly also leads to inconsistency and I would imagine this would be as good a basis as any on which to "fail" a candidate. Be honest and be yourself - if your personality is suitable you'll be fine, if it is unsuitable then it is in everybody's best interests (including your own) that this is identified sooner rather than later.
It is worth remembering that no-one has a pre-ordained right to be an ATCO - it is a serious job with serious responsibilities and the simple fact is that some types of people would not be suitable for it, either because they may not be suitably competent or responsible or because they would not be able to cope with the demands of the role. That's not intended to demeen or criticise such people or be all high and mighty - they probably have other strengths in areas where I would consider myself wholely incompetent - its just being realistic.
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Bath
Age: 35
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Strasner
This is just a quick note to say that Ginnersam who is a member of this forum and myself have our stage 1 at Fareham in the same timeslot so I look forward to seeing you there and I wish you the very best of luck.
This is just a quick note to say that Ginnersam who is a member of this forum and myself have our stage 1 at Fareham in the same timeslot so I look forward to seeing you there and I wish you the very best of luck.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Worthing
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
RichardJCF and Ginnersam i will see you both there, keep going revising. I have two packed days of revising ahead of me, hope i get enough in my head before the tests.
i have been doing the speed/distance/time practice tests on this website "Speed Distance Time | OASC: RAF Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre" which i found from a couple of pages ago and ive been getting progressively better and quicker. which is a good sign. i was wondering if the calculations in the S1 tests were any more complex than these?
i have been doing the speed/distance/time practice tests on this website "Speed Distance Time | OASC: RAF Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre" which i found from a couple of pages ago and ive been getting progressively better and quicker. which is a good sign. i was wondering if the calculations in the S1 tests were any more complex than these?
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: London
Posts: 67
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
S1
i was wondering if the calculations in the S1 tests were any more complex than these?
An a/c is flying at 540mph at FL320, and starts descending at 800feet per minute. How many miles will it travel before it reaches FL250?
Aircraft 40 nautical miles away, at 30,000 ft descending at 3000ft per minute and travelling at 240 knots.. can it make it?
Last edited by SKOS; 16th Mar 2010 at 00:22.
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: in the office
Age: 44
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
folks, I've got my S1 looming and frankly having not had to do any mental arithmatic for many years I could with cracking on with some revision sharpish, online access is limited so has anyone come across any books that have been helpful, same goes for things like cubes etc. ta
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Solihull
Age: 38
Posts: 162
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Tallguy, theres a book called Get A Head For The Sky that is highly recommended. Its meant for wannabe pilots but the principles are the same for ATC. Whats more the interview advice is brilliant. Within that there are loads of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division examples, as well as percentages, conversions etc.
Other than that, doing mutliplication tables is never a bad thing.
Re: cubes, see my post from a couple of days ago!
Other than that, doing mutliplication tables is never a bad thing.
Re: cubes, see my post from a couple of days ago!
