Bristol Vacancy

[x-border]

I hear there's a job going at Bristol. Can somebody give more info on what it's like to work there. Ta.

[SevernTMA]

And any idea about the money????

[flower]

Severn TMA you only just got back , not going again are we

[niknak]

Very well equipped place, lots of money been spent on the place recently, new ATC complex etc.

Very busy from an ATC viewpoint, hours are H24, a complex environment, but most of the ATC staff are relatively human. , and the ATSM seems to run a tight but well run ship.

Money is good, above the average regional airport wage, but take account that the pension scheme is non contributary, so this could equate to between 4 and 7 % of what you presently earn.
I'm pretty sure that at least ** of Filton's atcos will be applying for the post, (one will be automatically disqualified for being too ugly ), obviously they have an advantage over others.

On the downside, Bristol is expensive and a crap city to live in, the surrounding countryside takes a lot of beating, but is very very expensive from a housing viewpoint, if you're moving from a cheaper area, make the most of the relocation package offered.

[Burns the Bread]

- Bristol a busy ATC environment?? Gotta be kidding - The Welsh boyos do most of their work. And their pay is low average. The only thing worth going there for is the Butcombe Bitter........
From what I hear there may be quite a few jobs coming up soon????

[Spitoon]

Burns my old mate, I'm guessing you base your comments on the number of aeroplanes that you see taking off and landing. ATC is a bit more than that.

Bristol is a rather challenging environment for the controllers - not much protected airspace, surrounded by other airports and their traffic, lots of other planes flying through the area and I could go on. If you're not a controller it's something that you simply won't and can't appreciate.

And, by the way, the Welsh boyos (most of whom aren't Welsh) certainly get to talk to some aeroplanes that fly around there but I don't think it's fair to imaging that they do all the work. But maybe it just sounds like it on a spotter's scanner.

[ATCO1987]

Hi All, Im a newbie
This is what bristolairport.com says:
Air Traffic Control Officer

Highly Competitive

Working from our new £3.5 million control tower, the Air Traffic Control Officers handle an average of 70,000 aircraft movements a year plus 22,000 LARS transits using some of the latest ATC systems. The position offers an outstanding working environment in a beautiful part of the West Country. Quality of life is high, with a wide range of rural and city housing, excellent schools and universities and easy access to the rest of the UK by road, rail and air. A UK CAA ATC licence, including an Aerodrome Rating and an Approach Radar rating is essential. Possession of a MET Observer’s certificate and experience of working at an aerodrome within a similar type of airspace is desirable. In return, we offer a highly competitive salary, non-contributory pension scheme, private medical insurance and a generous relocation package. Previous applicants may re-apply but only those holding the above qualifications will be selected for interview. Please send your CV and covering letter to Paul Howlett, Human Resources Manager, Bristol International Airport, Bristol BS48 3DY or email [email protected] Closing date: 3rd June 2003.

Paul Howlett
[email protected]

[Cosmic Wind]

Bristol ATC

It sounds like the typical non NATS regional dilema. Package offered can't tempt anyone without any real experience and usually the self-improver ATCO simply can't hack it. Cardiff may work a fair bit of sky in that part of the world but they do nowhere near the amount of LARS and co-ordination that Bristol does, they simply seem to have a good contact in 'airspace allocation'. Bit of a jump from Filton to Lulsgate in traffic levels, not a good move....

[flower]

cosmic wind ,
you may think you know about Cardiff but your post suggests differently. I would love to know what sort of co-ordination you think we do bearing in mind the number of units we deal with, on top of that we have a large expanse of area in which we operate our LARS service.
Cardiff and Bristol have a good working relationship and I don't think people should be trying to make up inter unit rivalries which in reality don't exist. Bristol have more ATMs at their airfield , we have a large chunk of the airway system . On top of that we have a very busy LARS and are also the approach unit for RAF St Athan.
I prefer working for NATS but if Bristol were in NATS im sure there would be a rush of people wishing to work there from within the company.
Its an expanding airfield with good facilities to work in I would say go for it to anyone looking for an interesting job in ATC.

[Burns the Bread]

Putting 2 and 3 together - Cardiff seem to work a big chunk of Bristol traffic and they also seem to work traffic up and down Amber 25 or whatever its called now. On another post TBI (owners of Cardiff) are complaining that they are paying too much for their ATC services from NATS. Is that because TBI are subsidising the local ATC services in that area? And are the controllers at Cardiff airways controllers as well, therefore more expensive to employ?

[flower]

Contract details and finances are confidential and the likes of us common and garden ATCOs are not privy to them, if we were we certainly wouldn't be posting them here.

The ATCOs at Cardiff are not the more expensive ones either we are ATCO 3s but thats another story

[Gypsy Queen]

Please excuse my ignorance but when they say

non-contributory pension scheme

what exactly do they mean...

niknak you refer to

this could equate to between 4 and 7 % of what you presently earn.

, could you elaborate please??

thank you.

[1261]

We used to have a "non-contributory" pension when I worked for Shell. What this meant in practice was that the scheme was fully funded by the company and you had to make no contributions at all yourself (there was an upper limit on this but it was up in the stratosphere, £75k if I remember correctly). The company position was that the scheme was massively in surplus and it would be good for morale if they were seen not to be ripping anyone off.

NATS take note!

[niknak]

Gypsy Queen.

Most of us who pay into a company pension scheme pay between 4% and 7%, some pay more than that.
At most local government airports, which is what Bristol used to be, the going rate for the local government pension scheme, is 6%.

As 1261 explained, the employees do not presently contribute towards the scheme, so you get the money you would have put into the pension, as your salary. Bristols owners are predominantly investment bankers, and in terms of pension benefits, are giving the airport employees exactly what they give to their own.

Being totally cynical, I could argue that this would make the salary offered very attractive, up to 6% more than comparable airports. If I were to be offered a post on those terms, I'd think very seriously about investing that sum long term, be in a pension, building society or whatever, (anything to stop Mrs Niknak getting her spending paws on it ).

However, should the pension fund stop operating at a surplus, the employees would have to start making fairly hefty contributions for quite a long time to bring it back into line, additionally, it's very unlikely they'd ever get the non - contributary pension scheme back.

Get my drift?

It would be interesting to know if the Bristol Airport pension scheme is a "Final Salary" one.

[LN-ATC]

Will UK CAA ever approve applicants not holding an UK CAA licence? Or isn't UK CAA taking part in the Eurocontrol/EU licence program that is supposed to be in force after 2004?

Norway says good morning

[360BakTrak]

Does anyone know for definite how many vacancies there are? I heard from someone that there were 4 vacancies and then from someone else only 1 !!

[Legs11]

360BT, with one new guy started last month, I believe this ad will recruit one more, with further vacancies arising in the not too distant future.

Hope that helps.

[SOEFOATC]

Starting out.

I have just started out in my ATC career It seems to me there is a beasting period you have to go through befor you are accepted. I also think it is very hard to find your first job. Also it's not what you know, it's who you know a lot of the time.
As to some places being too buisy for certain people, well this is true as you get used to the enviroment you work in. However everyone who has passed and aerodrome coarse must somewhere up in the noggin have the aptitude to "up their game" as it were.
I am currently looking for other jobs around the Uk if any one knows of any please let me know. I only have an aerodrome rating with a validated ticket. ( Yes thats right I am a young pup with not a lot of experiance but everyone has to start somewhere ) Any ideas then please post them.


Ta ta peeps.

[Legs11]

beast me!

Totally off the beaten track SOEFOATC - is that a little chip you've got there? Yes it can be hard to find a job, and some of 'who you know' can be a help....it's a hard tough world. but we all have to learn to cope .

everyone who has passed and aerodrome coarse must somewhere up in the noggin have the aptitude to "up their game"

sorry to disappoint you , but no they don't. We all have our limit. I have personal experience of training several previously valid controllers, at units which were busier than their previous ones - and they have just not been up to it. It's the same as in any other walk of life there are always going to be those who are more able than others.

Looking for jobs you need to accept this and work your way up slowly. Try serco, try the self providers for a chance of self improvement or further training, but don't go in thinking your the bee knees. At least not yet anyway.

[Serco Air Tragic]

Yup you want a beasting try serco, alternately Maccy D's are hiring with competitive pay and benefits. If you can say "clear to land" then im sure you can say "would you like frys with that"