A.T.C help!
 

First things first, a quick hello to you all. I am 21 from chelmsford, near Essex, and a friend has guided me to this site, and so far it seems very very helpful!

So, here goes my first (of no doubt many) questions! I would like some advice on companies / scholarships / people to bribe, lol , to enable me to begin training as a Air Traffic Controller. Please excuse my ignorance if this is in the wrong forum etc, but this is something i have wanted to do ever since i listened to my Grandads radio overlooking the runways at Heathrow!

So i look forward to the replies, and i hope to speak with some of you in the very near future.

Regards
Dan

Hi

It's simple really...

1) www.nats.co.uk
2) Be patient!! :D

Dan, the most common way is to apply to http://www.nats.co.uk/ and go thru the online application process....there are places that do self-funded training but it would be stupidly expensive to do it. Like I said I would suggest applying to NATS and see how far you get with the application process.

[EDIT] - took me too long to reply to this!!! :(

Welcome in to pprune...(if nobody else is gonna do it!)

NATS is the way forward,

but don't forget that there is also EuroControl (in Brussels)

as well as the military service. (RAF, Navy)

However word of caution - as it stands the military qualifications do not 'carry over' into the civilian world so you would still need to do the training at the NATS College.

(I know cause this is what happened to me)

Self sponsorship is expensive (i think the going rate is about £30K+)....stand buy for correction.


Anyway this is the correct place to ask these questions

:ok:

Eurocontrol Upper Area ATC centre is located in Maastricht, NL. Brussels is the HQ and also Flow Centre (CFMU) but these are not for you if you want to talk to the big jets.

Whatever you decide, good luck with it, its a great job well worth doing, not many who do the job regret the day they applied.
:ok:

Also, it is well worth taking the bull by the horns and organising visits to Centres or Towers, and talking directly to people who work there. As well as an informative and interesting (we hope) visit, you might also get contacts within NATS who could advise you further. ( I only say NATS 'cos you're there already, I guess flying to Maastricht for a visit would certainly show a keen interest mind you!!)