Airservices Australia Psychometric Testing
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Since you guys have de-railed this thread, I thought I'd join in.
What is this "lifestyle" that I hear so much about? Whenever I go back, I find that oz is a beautiful place, but I would have trouble describing anyone I know as having a fab lifestyle (especially ATCs). What I see are people enslaved to massive mortgages, ATCs who work a lot, many people whose main social activity is watching TV (often due to financial constraints). It was pointed out to me by a visitor as well; she was very impressed with the country and all it has to offer, but was amazed that few seemed to be taking advantage of that- until I explained housing costs to her. ATCs might not be that short of a quid, but their opportunity to enjoy it is certainly limited. The lifestyle is a myth.
Anyway- get the license, then, at least, you have choices.
What is this "lifestyle" that I hear so much about? Whenever I go back, I find that oz is a beautiful place, but I would have trouble describing anyone I know as having a fab lifestyle (especially ATCs). What I see are people enslaved to massive mortgages, ATCs who work a lot, many people whose main social activity is watching TV (often due to financial constraints). It was pointed out to me by a visitor as well; she was very impressed with the country and all it has to offer, but was amazed that few seemed to be taking advantage of that- until I explained housing costs to her. ATCs might not be that short of a quid, but their opportunity to enjoy it is certainly limited. The lifestyle is a myth.
Anyway- get the license, then, at least, you have choices.
Join Date: Jul 2008
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"$229824 AUD (at today's exchnge rate 81.5 to the US) NET/Year Plus bonus(
) plus medical which sees you about 10 bucks a visit out of pocket for just about anything."
That figure includes about 70k of rental plus other allowances though doesnt it. Plus a couple of other smaller allowances. Not saying it's not a great package, it is, but thats the whole deal isnt it, not just salary.
Looking much better than this time last week too!!
) plus medical which sees you about 10 bucks a visit out of pocket for just about anything."That figure includes about 70k of rental plus other allowances though doesnt it. Plus a couple of other smaller allowances. Not saying it's not a great package, it is, but thats the whole deal isnt it, not just salary.
Looking much better than this time last week too!!
Lump sum payment. Every month, 56908 AED hits you bank account as a GCAA ATC. Do what you want with it. Nothing is use it or lose it like days gone by nor is it less if you don't have kids/wife/ect. Single guy gets the same as married with 3 kids. Send me a messge if you want the realities of where that kind of money goes.
I did reopen this thread for a different reason, and that was to say that Ferris is right (I think that is the first time that phrase has ever been used on Pprune). ATC is rad, get yourself a licence and you have options galore. Stay in OZ or take your pick of the many places that want you elsewhere. Don't let the talk of a disgruntled few steer you away from it as the physical job of ATC was not what drove any of us to other ANSPs. For those OZ ATCs reading this and umming and aaahing about making a sand change, I suggest getting your finger out as you WILL miss the boat soon as the contingent gets too big.
I did reopen this thread for a different reason, and that was to say that Ferris is right (I think that is the first time that phrase has ever been used on Pprune). ATC is rad, get yourself a licence and you have options galore. Stay in OZ or take your pick of the many places that want you elsewhere. Don't let the talk of a disgruntled few steer you away from it as the physical job of ATC was not what drove any of us to other ANSPs. For those OZ ATCs reading this and umming and aaahing about making a sand change, I suggest getting your finger out as you WILL miss the boat soon as the contingent gets too big.
Join Date: Jan 2006
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DP lifestyle wise in the pit no BS in the last 10 days went sailing with a Sth African mate, mountain bike riding with some Pommie friends, played indoor hockey (Innebandy) with some Swedish mates and rode my Ducati on the track in Dubai...life is what you make it...or is it a box of chocolates?
Note for trainees physical activities are good excuse for beer drinking or finding new beer drinking buddies
Note for trainees physical activities are good excuse for beer drinking or finding new beer drinking buddies
Join Date: Jan 2004
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Plaz,
Good to hear from you. How's the surf?
Mate, XXXX???!!! Can't you get something good that's local? What's the point of going overseas if you're going to drink the beer from home?
Funk,
You've got all that sand and no surf. That's just not right!
And to ferris
Tell that to the bloody hundreds of Brissos flooding the Gold and Sunshine coasts every weekend.
Mate, I have got a great lifestyle. In fact I'm going down to spend the next few days at GC and expect to find a nice little bank with about a 2-3ft gentle wave. Mixed in with a little live sport, and a few glasses of those great wines we make here in Oz and a barbie by the pool in the arvo with my mates.
That's just in my day's off.
Cowabunga dude!
Good to hear from you. How's the surf?
Mate, XXXX???!!! Can't you get something good that's local? What's the point of going overseas if you're going to drink the beer from home?
Funk,
You've got all that sand and no surf. That's just not right!
And to ferris
The lifestyle is a myth.
Mate, I have got a great lifestyle. In fact I'm going down to spend the next few days at GC and expect to find a nice little bank with about a 2-3ft gentle wave. Mixed in with a little live sport, and a few glasses of those great wines we make here in Oz and a barbie by the pool in the arvo with my mates.
That's just in my day's off.
Cowabunga dude!
While we continue to hijack this thread like an American 757, let me just add that as for lifestyle, I suggest discussing the realities of that with people that were in the pit after 2006 and work for the GCAA not Serco. Post GFC, Marina completition and with the migration of many (and all of the recent OZ joiners) to Dubai with the plumeting rent prices, you may find that the stories you heard are vastly different to what it is like today. I will concede DP that there is indeed a lack of good surf but days like today, with the wind there is a mal surfable wave right infront of my place. The coolest part is that unlike Greenmount where I used to get a wave, I can walk across the road without being beat up by gangs of bogans. I don't have a board here but get in with the fins and catch a few before work... in the 24 hours between shifts or on my 4 days off (see lifestyle). Why I was even able to catch the Origin, with a few jars at the Barasti (beach bar a $3 cab ride away) this week. 7 OZ dollar pints (see lifestyle). Off to see Le tour in a few weeks as well. Things are looking up as I work pretty much 18 days off a month for the rest of the year to take the leave I got (lifestyle). I had 18 days approved (14 consecutive) in the 18 month leave planner that was last released before I left OZ on Tops (lifestyle?)
And for those keeping score, my pb from the front of the ACC to the lights at the front of my building is 38 minutes. It took me 39 today to my car park as I had to wait one change. Yesterday, I had to go into Abu Dhabi to do some stuff at immigration for my maid (see lifestyle)and it took me 40 minutes to get the 30 odd kays to the ACC from not even close to down town and I was a LONG way from where most of the guys live. Khalifa City/Raha Villas is a different story but see the comments re: lifestyle.
I am gunna check out of this thread now, seriously, probably.......
XXOOXX
And for those keeping score, my pb from the front of the ACC to the lights at the front of my building is 38 minutes. It took me 39 today to my car park as I had to wait one change. Yesterday, I had to go into Abu Dhabi to do some stuff at immigration for my maid (see lifestyle)and it took me 40 minutes to get the 30 odd kays to the ACC from not even close to down town and I was a LONG way from where most of the guys live. Khalifa City/Raha Villas is a different story but see the comments re: lifestyle.
I am gunna check out of this thread now, seriously, probably.......
XXOOXX
Last edited by Plazbot; 28th May 2010 at 19:59.
Join Date: Jun 2009
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Time for an update for those interested, hijacked 757s not withstanding...
Finished our "Authorised Weather Observers" course last week. Quite interesting. I hadn't realised how much detail went into actually recording the observations compared with the resulting, and much simpler, METAR/SPECI.
We got to see a weather ballon get set up, filled (hydrogen no less) and released, and later checked out the resulting data. I get the impression that met guys REALLY enjoy their work. (although there were fewer beards around than we were expecting)
So, after 9 weeks Theory, 10 weeks Blippying, and the week-long Met course, we finally made it into the sims this week.
Whilst blippying you start to think 'How hard could it be?' Clear this guy to land, that guy to take-off, move some vehicles around a bit, pass some traffic information.
Now I know better, and the scary thing is that I know how little I know. (Rumsfield's known unknowns?)
The phrase "sweating bullets" comes to mind.
Time management is the be-all and end-all of the job. And you can only give yourself time to manage what's happening around you if your phraseology, and the mechanics of filling out strips and moving them around are second nature.
If you can save just 2 seconds every minute through not having to think about how you're going to phrase something, then every hour, that's an extra 2 minutes up your sleeve to process what's going on around you. Doesn't sound like much, but when you are getting hammered from all directions, it adds up to a whole lot.
So newbies coming in: PHRASEOLOGY, PHRASEOLOGY, PHRASEOLOGY
It is amazing how real everything becomes after 20 mins in the sim. It doesn't feel like a videogame any more. Your heartrate goes up and the adrenalin kicks in.
The sickening realisation that you've cleared someone to land on one runway, and cleared someone else to take-off on the crossing runway is just horrible. Don't think I'll make that mistake again.
I thought that Theory was a roller-coaster, but it's nothing on this. After a day in the sims, your legs are shaky and you are mentally exhausted. I understand now why you don't do more than two 2-hour sims per day.
It's vital that you have the tenacity to keep at it though, because the lows really suck, but when something clicks and you do something right, the highs are just incredible.
It is a real buzz, and I can't think of anything that even comes close to this whole experience.
Finished our "Authorised Weather Observers" course last week. Quite interesting. I hadn't realised how much detail went into actually recording the observations compared with the resulting, and much simpler, METAR/SPECI.
We got to see a weather ballon get set up, filled (hydrogen no less) and released, and later checked out the resulting data. I get the impression that met guys REALLY enjoy their work. (although there were fewer beards around than we were expecting)
So, after 9 weeks Theory, 10 weeks Blippying, and the week-long Met course, we finally made it into the sims this week.
Whilst blippying you start to think 'How hard could it be?' Clear this guy to land, that guy to take-off, move some vehicles around a bit, pass some traffic information.
Now I know better, and the scary thing is that I know how little I know. (Rumsfield's known unknowns?)
The phrase "sweating bullets" comes to mind.
Time management is the be-all and end-all of the job. And you can only give yourself time to manage what's happening around you if your phraseology, and the mechanics of filling out strips and moving them around are second nature.
If you can save just 2 seconds every minute through not having to think about how you're going to phrase something, then every hour, that's an extra 2 minutes up your sleeve to process what's going on around you. Doesn't sound like much, but when you are getting hammered from all directions, it adds up to a whole lot.
So newbies coming in: PHRASEOLOGY, PHRASEOLOGY, PHRASEOLOGY
It is amazing how real everything becomes after 20 mins in the sim. It doesn't feel like a videogame any more. Your heartrate goes up and the adrenalin kicks in.
The sickening realisation that you've cleared someone to land on one runway, and cleared someone else to take-off on the crossing runway is just horrible. Don't think I'll make that mistake again.
I thought that Theory was a roller-coaster, but it's nothing on this. After a day in the sims, your legs are shaky and you are mentally exhausted. I understand now why you don't do more than two 2-hour sims per day.
It's vital that you have the tenacity to keep at it though, because the lows really suck, but when something clicks and you do something right, the highs are just incredible.
It is a real buzz, and I can't think of anything that even comes close to this whole experience.
Last edited by enemyMiG; 30th May 2010 at 05:27. Reason: a METAR is not an American unit of length
Join Date: May 2010
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Thanks for sharing your experiences enemyMiG, you must be really excited! It gives people like me, who are not allowed to apply because they didn't do English in year 12, something to strive for... Now I have to go out and get a degree (as my only reasonable option!)
Join Date: Jun 2009
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No probs DMCman
Our group are all in their 30's, married with kids, so the odds are there's plenty of time for you to complete Yr12 English and do what you have to to get in.
You never know how life will pan out when you start sticking fingers into various pies.
Good Luck
Our group are all in their 30's, married with kids, so the odds are there's plenty of time for you to complete Yr12 English and do what you have to to get in.
You never know how life will pan out when you start sticking fingers into various pies.
Good Luck
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Couldn't have said it better myself Enemy Mig!
After the first time in the sim, I was beginning to question whether I had what it takes to be a tower controller. Especially after striving for such high standards in the theory phase of the course ( oh how I long for the days of the long contemplation). But with the support of my coursemates and a pep talk from the instructors "If you were born able to do this then we wouldn't have to train you." I got back on the horse and just had a go.
Still early days but it's getting better. Listen to the instructors, they know what they're talking about and they have great tips on how to remember things. Have a plan B! Murphy's Law rules and through no fault of your own things will go astray, be prepared and don't let it get to you.
Looking forward to this week in the sim!
After the first time in the sim, I was beginning to question whether I had what it takes to be a tower controller. Especially after striving for such high standards in the theory phase of the course ( oh how I long for the days of the long contemplation). But with the support of my coursemates and a pep talk from the instructors "If you were born able to do this then we wouldn't have to train you." I got back on the horse and just had a go.
Still early days but it's getting better. Listen to the instructors, they know what they're talking about and they have great tips on how to remember things. Have a plan B! Murphy's Law rules and through no fault of your own things will go astray, be prepared and don't let it get to you.
Looking forward to this week in the sim!
Join Date: May 2010
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Thanks enemyMiG and mikethepomme. I was starting to think that being in my late 20's I would be considered too old! (Considering I have seen some international agencies won't hire over 30 y.o.) Going to go with the degree option just in case the whole plan falls through - personally a bit worried about the whole "only 2 attemps allowed" idea! However, this is something I've wanted to do for a while now and I'm gonna go for it all guns blazing.
DMC, the older you are the harder it will be for you. By the time you finish the degree & start the ATC course you'll likely be 5 years older than today. Doing it ASAP will give you the best chance of getting through.
A PPL is an option instead of the English requirement - cheaper than a tertiary course, quicker to obtain & you can keep working at your current job.
A PPL is an option instead of the English requirement - cheaper than a tertiary course, quicker to obtain & you can keep working at your current job.
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I was 29 when I started my Ab Initio course and there were 2 others older than me by 5 years on the same course. Yes you will find it hard to move to DFS after AsA but the Sandpit hired me and others over the age of 40, the Irish when they were desperate hired guys over 45 years of age.
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Thanks guys... le Pingouin, I don't really want to have to go the trouble of getting a degree, but on the financial side at least I can put it on HECS/HELP. Not so much for a PPL... but interesting point, I could work hard and save $15,000 or so to get it. Would be much quicker than 3-4 years. Believe me, I do want this ASAP!
Funk, thanks for the input and I know I'm going to sound like a total newbie but what is DFS and the Sandpit? I have seen this posted a lot around here. Cheers
Funk, thanks for the input and I know I'm going to sound like a total newbie but what is DFS and the Sandpit? I have seen this posted a lot around here. Cheers
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DFS= Germany.
The Germans were thinking of privatising, and seeing training and training departments are a negative on the books. They wound them down. Lo and behold privatisation didn't happen, and they have been playing catch-up ever since. Hence, lots of jobs over there.
Sandpit = Middle East. Dubai, Abu Dhabi , etc.
ASA management have come up with Service Delivery Environment (SDE), it has been underwhelming and has had a couple of other monikers including the Sandpit Deployment Exercise.
The Germans were thinking of privatising, and seeing training and training departments are a negative on the books. They wound them down. Lo and behold privatisation didn't happen, and they have been playing catch-up ever since. Hence, lots of jobs over there.
Sandpit = Middle East. Dubai, Abu Dhabi , etc.
ASA management have come up with Service Delivery Environment (SDE), it has been underwhelming and has had a couple of other monikers including the Sandpit Deployment Exercise.
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No idea if you would be able to do it, but would just sitting the PPL theory exams through CASA be good enough to meet the PPL requirement?? Might be worth a phone call to ASA to find out, it would be the cheapest, quickest and most relevant way to get the tick in the box
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If the whispers i`m hearing are anywhere near the truth the deployment exercise will continue for some time yet.
Abu Dhabi looking to increase staff by around 50% from 55 to 80-85 in the next 12 months.
DFS still recruiting.
Dubai still taking a few from OZ.
Instructors jobs going everywhere including possibly the good `ol U. S. of A.
No problems. The Academy down south is still churning out product ( apologies to current /future trainees but the current Academy manager considers you 'product'). How did the last course go? 2 out of 12 if the rumour is true.
At this state we should have the numbers up to square by 20??
Abu Dhabi looking to increase staff by around 50% from 55 to 80-85 in the next 12 months.
DFS still recruiting.
Dubai still taking a few from OZ.
Instructors jobs going everywhere including possibly the good `ol U. S. of A.
No problems. The Academy down south is still churning out product ( apologies to current /future trainees but the current Academy manager considers you 'product'). How did the last course go? 2 out of 12 if the rumour is true.
At this state we should have the numbers up to square by 20??