Time to lay this to rest...
People will get disgruntled, annoyed and generally pi$$ed off with this thread.
People are making many assumptions about each other (both ways!)
Forget it, now, that things have been decided.
First lesson:
REMAIN "GREY" and stay outta trouble.
The more this goes on guys, the worse it could potentially get

Mr mod: time to close you think?
:cool:

81

<<Heathrow Director : You'd be interested to know what I replied when asked why I wanted a career in ATC. Why do you want to know that Sir?

I get the impression you're trying to pick a fight with me. >>

God God, man, I wouldn't pick a fight with anyone - how bizarre that you should even think such a thing. It just amazes me some of the comments you have made and I find it truly astonishing that someone who appears to know so little about ATC would a) think of applying for the job and b) would have been accepted! That's all.

I wish you well and hope you derive as much satisfaction as I did from 35 years in the job. I retired 2 years ago but would give my right arm to be back working a busy tower or be behind a radar tube again.

Scotsliveit I suggest you try and temper your temper. HD is one of the nicest men I have ever come across in my 34+ years in this job.

Think before jumping !

It's comments like this that are causing disbelief and a little animosity. Took to long and missed his place. WTF?? That's nuts.

I think this is what HD was referring too, and I must say it got my gander up a touch as well.

It would appear then that you haven't done enough preparation for your chosen career. Enough maybe to satisfy the HR mob, but they aren't ATC experts and nor have they covered themselves in glory with the quality of applicants THEY have selected.

Appearances can be deceptive, but to admit that you only have "surface" knowledge going in doesn't bode well. That you didn't jump at the opportunity, any opportunity, to be involved in ATC in any capacity whatsoever raises the question of commitment in many experienced ATCOs eyes.

Just as a quick question. Do most applicants today KNOW the (current) phoenetic alphabet before they start the college? I'm intrigued by what "surface knowledge" they think IS required.

Best rgds (to all)
BEX

Scotsliveit,

Surely if you re-read your original post you cannot be surprised at some of the responses that you have recieved.

" Its obvious that we all wanted area and are severely gutted "

With this one sentence you have instantly dismissed the careers of a thousand ATCO`s and yet you still got people posting and PM`in you pretty honest advice from their own experiences.

What I find hard to understand is how with your admitedly limited knowledge, as we all had, you were able to decide that you could only stomach Area control. I share HD`s amazement at some of what you have posted.

As a matter of interest what is your present occupation?

I would say I have a limited knowledge of ATC, as I believe that saying anything else when I have not yet worked in the industry would be really arrogant.

I have had a number of days of work experience at Luton airport (albeit a few years ago), visits to West Drayton, LACC and Southampton tower & approach. I have read all the books I can get my hands on, re-read them over and over. I have thoroughly studied all information sent to me by NATS and of course I have had the odd plane spotting excursion and listened in over the radio!

I have also started learning airplane types and have read PPL books.

I didn't do/am not doing all this just to get into college - it's fascinating stuff and I'm really thrilled to have the opportunity to train for this really rewarding career. And I do know my phonetic alphabet - that's the easy bit;)

I don't want to get anyone's back up. I'm very, very keen and I want to give myself the best chance of success at this. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Yes I'm not going to get to start til June, but I've waited long enough for this, waiting another 3 months doesn't mean I want it any less.

I will be thinking of the 10/11 starters on March 7th though and no doubt will feel a bit jealous, I'll meet you later though:ok:

sla Nice one. Keep learning the aircraft types and their performance figures, although take some of the manufacturer's figures with a pinch of salt. They will try to tell you that something like the good old SH36 has a ceiling around FL250 or something equally ridiculous. Fair play with a test flight crew and no pax but you will never see one "in the flesh" above FL100 (why not?).

<pedant mode>
An "airplane" is an aerial device that flies around America. In the UK we have "aircraft" and "aeroplanes". Lose 1 mark in your next progress test.
Hey I even managed to bring America into the thread!
</pedant mode>

Phonetic
 

As Sla says we know the Phonetic alphabet.

Never be as arrogant to say I have more than surface knowledge of ATC even after all the studying I've done. Done enthusiatically and not just for college.

Hey but judgement on myself and others has been signed sealed and delivered.

This threads going nowhere now. Finito. The advice of experienced ATCO's in the earlier part of the thread was taken on board gratefully, considered and acted upon.

edited to say: Think I'll be limping home from this computer terminal tonight. Ah well if it doesn't kill you it makes you stronger.

I really hope you don't think you're being hard done by, especially chucking your toys out of the pram like that.

Good luck.

I'm Ok
 

Ach I'm OK, cheers Jerricho.

Very excited.

Good. Now head down, arse up and pass the course, and get your licence.

And I thought you were such a nice young man, Jer!

Good luck Scots :ok:

I only say that cause I hear you and Jets have got their OJTI tickets. :E

Been an OJTI for years, mate!

That's why I'm nearly bald!!! :{

PHEW!
 

Ah jeez my heart is pounding...

Due to not having my phone on me yesterday thanks to the fact I was working in Heathrow, I was unable to call HR and confirm my place on the March course.

And when I phoned them first thing this morning, they told me my place had been given to someone else. (Today is the day we were told to inform them of our decision on, by the way).

Anyway, four hours later and I get another phone call asking if I still want March...

OF COURSE I F***ING DO!!!

So now I am on the March course as originally planned, and ready to to get stuck right into some of the most challenging and rewarding work I could ever imagine doing, area or no area. Hehe I like looking at planes... besides, I visited EGLL tower on the day of my medical a couple of months ago and the buzz was unbelievable... watching GMC in action left me wanting more!

These last couple of days have scared the hell outta me, as I realised just how precarious our situation is as wannabe students. I think we need to get ourselves the security of actually joining NATS as soon as possible... until that happens we're nothing to the company.

And lay off scotsliveit. I'm getting very angry reading some of the replies on this thread. Personally I know that the guy is living and breathing ATC, and just as excited to start this career as the rest of us, and have been stung by the amount of criticism he has received for being brave enough to ask the questions we all had to ask. This came out of the blue, remember.
We all now appreciate the opportunity we have been given here, and that this could work out very well, and besides, we want to become ATCOs no matter what! I even went out and rented Pushing Tin when I first applied for god's sake! If that isn't sacrifice then what is!;)

Believe me, we are all grateful to still be on the March course. Me probably more so because it looked like it had been snatched away from me without me even knowing it.

Smoggie- I know what you mean about not being able to relax until we're there. I've got the exact same feeling now. Keep expecting HR to phone me and tell me there's been a mistake!

Let us prove to all you future colleagues out there just how much we want to be working beside you...

Cheers to all!

In response to Bex's earlier post...
 

Interesting that you should ask about the phonetic alphabet, it brought to mind something that might come in useful for any applicants out there with a few months to spare.

When I decided to apply I started looking around for aviation things to do while I was going through the application (no assumptions on getting in of course, but once I'd made my mind up I would have kept applying until they told me to stop). Having worked at MAN leaving school in a very non-aviation capacity as a hotel receptionist, I'd met a couple of people who suggested I try my hand at dispatch for a while. After waiting around for the summer to kick off I got my clipboard and started back at MAN as a dispatcher for one of the handling agents (not mentioning any names but it was the big one).

Okay, so the pay was horrendous, the hours were terribly antisocial and the company itself... not the most organised outfit you could work for. But I enjoyed every minute of my 7 months there and it helped me out a lot.

If you really want to see what goes on at an aerodrome, I'd highly recommend it. One of the other girls on my course worked for another handling agent for a couple of years. It pays off, and the good thing is that it's flexible and temporary so you can leave whenever you want to start at CATC!

If anybody's remotely interested, check out the forum (though there's not much recruitment on it, or PM me and I'll tell you everything I can.

(Maybe we can kick this thread back on to the productive side...?)

SH360
 

Because all the passengers would need oxygen tanks??

Do I get any merit marks????

This is interesting - several people have been told that all the places on the course have gone, only to be phoned a few hours later and told that they have a place.

Either a few people have changed their minds about March after initially saying yes, or the course is getting bigger again :confused:

Gilaine...

Working as a dispatcher.. Now that IS a very, very good idea, and I agree that it would stand any applicant in good stead.

Thanks for sharing that info. Hopefully it will not go unnoticed.

Best rgds
BEX