Aptitude

[Foz2]

Hi

A question for all controllers or trainee controllers.

Is an aptitude for the job something you are born with or does it come through practice practice practice? I imagine a combination of the two but would be interested to hear people's views and experiences.

I am currently exploring the possibilities of applying to NATS but am interested to know if you have to be the brightest, quickest thinking, 'top of the class' kind of person or is it something that with a great deal of hard work, drive and practice a more 'middle of the road' kind of chap could succeed at. I there any way i could test my aptitude?

A bit of background - I have a PPL and all ATPL's passed but due to finance and sudden personal reasons had to stop flight training. By the way this is not to say that i view ATC as a second choice career, but just as another option as I desperately want to stay in aviation.

Any advice woud be hugely appreciated.

Thanks

[timelapse]

Just my opinion..

You are not born with the skills to control, but the NATS selection process seems to choose people who are most likely to pick it up quickly and less likely to fall down when it all gets difficult.

I don't think there's a better test of whether you're fit for the job than going through the selection process yourself and seeing what happens. The fact you have the aptitude to fly and learn for the ATPL exams sets you in good stead.

Some people find the training easier than others, but I think that from your post you sound like the sort of guy who would put in 100% effort in order to get through everything and that's a far more attractive quality in my eyes than someone who's always aced every exam and never had a problem picking anything up. I think one of the important things about trainees is attitude to criticism and failure. If you can deal with criticism well, take and act on advice and be strong when things don't go too well you'll do well in the training programme (from my 4 months experience of it anyway)

The college is full of the most bizarre set of backgrounds and completely random levels of academic acheivement so don't think that school/uni performance is really too much of a factor which determines how well you will do.

[bluerider777]

Hi Foz2,

IMHO it is a combination of aptitude and practise (as you have guessed!). The spatial skills can be tested (to some extent) by an ATC simulator game (used to be called TRACON). This will give you something of a feel for radar control anyway!

I have seen both naturally gifted ATCs and moderately gifted hard workers make it fine. I have also seen very intelligent people that are unable to grasp atc at all so I don't think a direct link to intelligence is it.

Hopefully others will comment so you have a variety of responses

I consider ATC to be a way of thinking...

Blue (great question BTW)

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Having spent a considerable part of my life training ATCOs I do believe that some people are born with the peculiar ability to be air traffic controllers. One controller I recall was quite capable of carrying out the Heathrow Approach Radar task within days of starting (you reading this PW???) whilst others never made it despite months and months of trying. Others worked hard for ages and just about achieved the required standard.. and later became very good radar controllers. Same applies to Tower work... some seem to grasp the problem very quickly whilst others fall by the wayside. Education plays no part - I've seen trainees with 2 University Degrees fail dismally whereas those with far less qualifications have sailed through (I achieved a measly 2 GCE O levels).

Unfortunately no system has yet found a way of sorting "able" from "unable" before they commence training.

Me? Well just say I occasionally see those who trained me still screaming in their strait jackets!

[Green on, Go!]

As the previous posters have said it's probably a bit of both, although there is only so much you can learn. I firmly believe most successful controllers have their brains 'wired' the right way. Look at the percentage of left-handed controllers against the percentage of left-handers in the general population.

A guy on my course had an honours degree in advanced mathamatics, an exceptionally intelligent guy. He worked hard and got through. Ultimately, he was a marginal controller at best and did not last long in the job. Some of the most gifted controllers I've seen come from simple backgrounds or are not well educated, however, just seem to have 'the knack'.

As you're probably aware males are typically better at spatial awareness than females (for throwing spears at sabre-tooth tigers and all that) and females are typically better at multi-tasking and multiple inputs (monitoring the kids whilst tending the fire, cooking dinner and keeping the cave clean). It's a draconion analogy, however, it's what the Darwinian theorists would have you believe.

With the above in mind, practice what you are pre-disposed to be weak at. Try dividing your attention by maintaining a conversation whilst watching TV, or read a book whilst watching the news. If you use a calculator, whiz-wheel, nav computer, GPS etc to complete simple arithmatic or speed/time/distance calculations then stop now and practice approximations in your head. When I tested for ATC I was at university doing engineering and had become that reliant on my calculator, that if wanted to know what 32 + 17 equalled, I used my calculator. This was almost my undoing during testing.

There is plenty of information out there on the type of psychometric testing you can expect.

Most guys I've seen that try ATC coming from a flying background, seem to do OK.

Hope that helps.

[Foz2]

Thanks all very much - very interesting and much appreciated.

Would there be any oportunity to visit a unit to see the job first hand or would security issues prevent that? I live in the south east but would be happy to drive wherever the opportunity arose to visit a unit?

Thanks again for all comments.

Foz2

[YRP]

Look at the percentage of left-handed controllers against the percentage of left-handers in the general population.

Okay I'll bite . How does the percentage of left-handed controllers relate to that in the general population?

[Pierre Argh]

Aptitude should be something inherent (i.e born with). No one is born to be a Controller, but you may have the "talent" for it and find it easier to learn and master the necessary skills (like many jobs actually?)

Some aptitude tests can become easier when repeated (familiarisation & learnt mistakes), so testers will often only allow candidates a small number of attempts.

I was told by my training officer he'd rather have a student who was a keen canoeist than a rock climber - His rationale... a canoeist is presented with a hazardous situation where he has to make a snap decision and work his/her way out of the problem; whilst the rock climber in a harzardous situation can take time out, cling/tie themselves onto the rock face whilst working out the safest path to the top. Not very scientific (and for all you ATCO mountaineers sorry, but I used to own a kayak) I'm not sure I completely agree with this a selection criteria, but can see where the idea came from?

[matspart3]

There's also a lot to be said for having an interest, or better still, a passion for aviation. If you're going to spend the next 40 years doing a job, it's far easier if it is something you enjoy.

Your PPL and ATPL level of knowledge are worth a lot more than being able to identify what shape box a flat piece of paper will make! A reasonable level of intelligence, a big chunk of common sense and the ability to be flexible are better attributes than academic qualifications.

NATS have never quite got the selection process right, which is why their failure rate is still so dismal.