Andrea,

There is a fixed number of people for each course but this isn't always the same for each course - e.g. April/May seems to be exceptionally large in comparison with other recent start dates. It also depends on how many people failed the course last time and will need a space to re-sit. However, if you pass Stage 3, you will get on a course, but when that will be is another matter...

All people who pass a certain mark on the Stage 1 tests get asked to complete the online personality questionnaire.

i have read through all of the pages and I was wondering if someone could please recommend me a few aptitude books so that i can practise before stage 1 in a few weeks?!? i have looked and I cant seem to find any books...so any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

@ paperclip810 Thank you very much! Very appreciated.. Another question, NATS will let us know via email or via NATS own page?

Thank you

gingerpaul

Yeah I was the one who initiated the conversation with the two guys I spoke to! Hence me asking and knowing where they came from and what industry they're currently in. But it seems most were just really focussed, so I guess I can't blame them - but after the testing I thought people would say 'how you feel it went for you etc?' Instead everyone was out quicker than farting in the wind!!! I did notice the other group were still under test conditions, and I think they came out 20+ minutes after we left.

Im studing Technology and Design ICT and Economics which is sooooo boring because the teacher i get makes u want to go to sleep lol
i am really interested in ATC and i will normally push myself for the subjects i love like technology but i just cant get my head around economics lol ict is a doss but the exam process has changed and its gettin alot harder

I suspect that some parts of the college course will be quite boring too (Air Law anyone?!), but you will have to persevere to get through it... Learning Economics should be good practice! :ouch:

Abz:

Just out of interest... what about the job makes you very interested in ATC?

Least im not the only 1 to fail stage 2 now. (hadn't read anywhere in this thread people failing it) I got some feedback using the message centre on my application form.

See you next year?

@ MAGGIESFARMER

how do you quote on this forum?

Russell,

Sorry to hear you didn't make it past Stage 2. Was the feedback you received useful?

No its not just ATC its just i have been interested in Aviation all my life and because i cant afford to become a piolet then this is the next best thing and hopefully will give me a good salary and experience so that i can go on and become a piolet.

Plus other people make it sound really good and they say its the best decision of their lives and i havent heard 1 negative feedback yet!!!!!!

Many ATCOs do fly part-time, but stating that your career plan is to become an ATCO to earn money and then go and become a pilot may not be the best route to convincing the recruiters that you're worth the investment in your ATCO training!

Abz217, I agree with JonathanB, the chances of you being recruited if NATS think you are going to leave to become a pilot are non-existent. The enormous outlay to recruit and train controllers takes several years to recoup before NATS even begin to make a profit from you.

You probably haven't helped yourself either that any future recruiters reading this site (this is the next best thing) knows enough about you to work out which application is yours.

finally, there no 'e' in pilot.
shugs

Abz217,

I have to agree with JonathanB here - there are a few questions in the course of the application (stage 2 especially) that seem to be asking whether you actually want to be a pilot but for some reason aren't going to be, and have therefore selected ATC as the 'second best'. From this, I'm guessing they don't think too highly of that strategy...

My other half is a commercial pilot and from what I hear, I'm not sure I'd want to go through ATC training and validation, and then go through groundschool and ATPL! Personally, I think the characteristics of ATCOs and pilots sometimes differ, so being good at one might not mean good at the other - I may have just opened a can of worms there...

Have you considered joining the RAF to be a pilot?

I have considered joinin the RAF for the piolet course but i dont want to join the army ever lol

I am very interested in TATC but i think i might got a PPL like part time after i get my TATC licence. I dont think i wil want to become a commercial piolet but just fly as an extra curicular activity if you know what i mean or just for my own enjoyment

Although I've gone about it back to front and already have the ATPL exams and CPL, but I always wanted to do ATC. I've got to the stage with the flying where I want to keep my hobby for fun and be able to do "proper" grass-roots flying (i.e. light aircraft, aerobatics, instructing) on a part-time basis rather than flying the airlines. Many ATCOs do this (but usually become ATCOs first!), so the two are definitely not mutually exclusive! Finishing the ATPLs last year (and getting good results) while working full time at a job in the city has proved to myself that I will be more than capable of studying full time on the TATC course.

So, I failed my stage 2... feedback says:
"You failed in the interview due to the nature of the interview"... Does this mean I passed the computer bits, but failed at the HR structured interview bit?

I have my stage 3 coming up next week and was wondering if the other stages have any bearing on whether you make it or not? To they take into account your performance on the computer tests or is it solely about how you do on the day?