NATS new college basic course
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NATS new college basic course
I hear the basic course is being rewritten at long last.
What's the deal with it? I heard it's supposed to be ready for January starters.
At least it can't be as bad as it is at the mo.
What's the deal with it? I heard it's supposed to be ready for January starters.
At least it can't be as bad as it is at the mo.
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Blimey ....rewritten? Hope they got it right this time....Been massaged a few times over the years....be surprised if this is perfect.....but its got to better than what you got at the mo!
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The plan from what I have heard is this:
From January, all basic course do 4 weeks of "common core" theory, during which they also do a series of exercises on the different simulators (area, approach, aerodrome) and are assessed as to which of these disciplines is most likely to suit them.
After the 4 weeks, they split, the area-destined people do a "Basic Area" course, which when they pass they move on to Area Foundation as it is now with a much better background set of skills (3 strips per aircraft, no ATSCOA, etc)..
Those destined for approach or aerodrome then do 7 weeks of aerodrome sims (up until somewhere near cross runways I believe), with assessments, and then X weeks of approach sims (up until but not including the 'R1/R2' assessments, whatever they are I'm not sure). Then there's a series of assessments determining to some degree the next discipline split.
After that those who are doing aerodrome go off and finish the rest of the aerodrome course and disappear with their ADI rating having had quite a bit of approach experience. Those doing approach go and finish approach and disappear with their APC rating having had quite a bit of aerodrome experience. And those doing both, as now, go away having done both, but more of it since they didn't have to do the messy area/approach stuff that the poor basic courses of late have had to suffer through.
Theory is that it makes the aerodrome & approach people more rounded controllers with more experience of their sister discipline and the area people more likely to pass because of their added 7 weeks of pure area experience in basic. Also it all takes the same amount of time!
Sounds like a very good idea to me (having just done basic).
From January, all basic course do 4 weeks of "common core" theory, during which they also do a series of exercises on the different simulators (area, approach, aerodrome) and are assessed as to which of these disciplines is most likely to suit them.
After the 4 weeks, they split, the area-destined people do a "Basic Area" course, which when they pass they move on to Area Foundation as it is now with a much better background set of skills (3 strips per aircraft, no ATSCOA, etc)..
Those destined for approach or aerodrome then do 7 weeks of aerodrome sims (up until somewhere near cross runways I believe), with assessments, and then X weeks of approach sims (up until but not including the 'R1/R2' assessments, whatever they are I'm not sure). Then there's a series of assessments determining to some degree the next discipline split.
After that those who are doing aerodrome go off and finish the rest of the aerodrome course and disappear with their ADI rating having had quite a bit of approach experience. Those doing approach go and finish approach and disappear with their APC rating having had quite a bit of aerodrome experience. And those doing both, as now, go away having done both, but more of it since they didn't have to do the messy area/approach stuff that the poor basic courses of late have had to suffer through.
Theory is that it makes the aerodrome & approach people more rounded controllers with more experience of their sister discipline and the area people more likely to pass because of their added 7 weeks of pure area experience in basic. Also it all takes the same amount of time!
Sounds like a very good idea to me (having just done basic).
Last edited by timelapse; 17th Oct 2007 at 21:12.
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apparently the plan is to stream people pretty much as soon as they get to college, so instead of everyone doing a common basic course, you will now do either an area, approach or aerodrome basic course. think it'll start with a few weeks common theory beforehand though. sounds like a good plan
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Before the current course structure, I believe everybody did aerodrome 1, and then perhaps did aerodrome 2 or moved to approach/area foundation..
In a big way it is a turn-around I suppose.. but I think they're realising that as-is it's not a good idea and it's not getting the results they need.
In a big way it is a turn-around I suppose.. but I think they're realising that as-is it's not a good idea and it's not getting the results they need.
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The basic course re-write with early streaming can only be good.
In it's current format the sim side of it gives you a grounding in how to use the radar which is almost completely useless for the guys/gals who go to aerodrome and those who go to Area discover that a large percentage of the operating techniques you are taught on Basic aren't used.
I don't really know too much about the approach course so can't comment on how relevant the current Basic course is to it.
In it's current format the sim side of it gives you a grounding in how to use the radar which is almost completely useless for the guys/gals who go to aerodrome and those who go to Area discover that a large percentage of the operating techniques you are taught on Basic aren't used.
I don't really know too much about the approach course so can't comment on how relevant the current Basic course is to it.
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I think the july 04 (or there abouts) course were the first to miss out on doing an aerodrome course.
That was about the first real restructure of the course and ever since they have been massaging it to try and get a proper balance.
That was about the first real restructure of the course and ever since they have been massaging it to try and get a proper balance.
