FEAST test EUROCONTROL
 

Hi everyone,
I want to apply to the FEAST test at EUROCONTROL.
I've read some information about the tests but I wonder,
Is there someone here who has passed the tests already?
Have you got any GOOD tips to help me prepare for them?
I've bought some books with psychometric tests and aptitude tests practices, but I wonder, Is it worth it?
Do you know about the best way to prepare for them so that I could pass them.
Thanks for helping.

Chris

There were quite a few posts about it, just do a search if you need it.
The answer for your question is absolutely yes, there're plenty of us here who passed the test and working here in the MUAC.
Personally I think you can't do much to prepare for the tests... Just give it your best shot and you'll see :) Good Luck! :ok:

Hi!

Passed mine a year ago.

- Play lots and lots and lots of tetris
- Learn the compass-rose inside out (free points + extra time for other tests)

:)

Påst-scrimtøm:
Check out BelgoControl as well.

Hi all,

I passed Feast test 1.... unfortunatly didn't passed threw second test.
Made a really stupid mistake in my flightplan and guess my english isn't good enough...

You can't really prepare on the first tests... You have to count fast, listen good, remember details, make choices really fast... etc. It was fun.
Then the second test on that day was easy. You had to manage a flight strip with information coming from planes etc... I really had no problem with that.

When I went back for the second feast test it was a lot harder for me. You had to speak and discuss a lot in a group of apr. 8 people.
Then you had to prepare a flightplan and you had to explain your plan in front of the "jury". Then we've got some communicationtests....

Later that day I got a call I didn't pass. I sucks that you don't get any feedback. I would like to know what went wrong so I can work on it.

Maybe I give it another try but first have to wait for 1,5 year...
The funny part is that my younger brother passed al the tests and participates in the training in Lux. right now. The next funny part is wenn i look out of the window at the office I clearly see Eurocontrol and see the 747's land @ Beek. :)

Succes with your feast tests!
Greetings Erik

So, you're Mr. Skywalker's older brother then?

About the tests:
There is no real way to prepare for them, just make sure that you're relaxed and that you've slept well the night before.
If you're coming from a bit further away, try to arrive the night before. Normally, Eurocontrol will pay you a hotel room for the night and that way you're well rested instead of wired from the trip.

If you're good/lucky in the second phase, you get a call the same day to invite you for an interview the day after, or even a day after that.
If you were lucky, the interviewers (one MUAC supervisor, a Luxemburg instructor and someone from Brussels HQ) will notice and probably not accept you.
If you're good, you'll probably pass on to wait a couple of agonizing weeks before you get the call you passed.
The only thing to do after that is pass the medical examinations, if you're not in good health (mental & physical) you're not getting done.

After that (finally) you get to start in Luxemburg for an 8 month course, and that's were the good part starts. First 4 months of pure theory & exams, after that 4 months of basic radar training (no procedural, thankgod). Life in Luxembourg is easy but expensive, there's no need to study your butt off, but you definitely have to work to get through. Once you pass that as well, you'll get to go to Maastricht and start studying again for a rapid succession of exams (which is more or less where i'm at right now).

I'm returning for stage 2 selection next week, so this thread has been very helpful. A lot less always seems to be said about stage 2 than 1, but I guess that's just proportionate to the amount of people that undertake each.

Is it, like Stage 1, just a case of being 'on the ball' and alert, or should I be doing any specific tasks to prepare? I've shadowed an ATCO in the past, so I understand some of the basics of flight planning etc.

@ DiCampo: Lol DiCampo guess you're right... :) How you know he's my brother?? You met him @ Lux?

@ Didahdit: To make a flightplane you get a lot of information, best alt., best speed, bad weather etc... Later on that day, during your presentation it's important you still remember those thinks. They will test you on it!

You don't need any experience about flightplans to finish phase 2.

Stage two you can't really prepare for. Its a lot more relaxed and a case of be yourself.
I would say though if you pass stage two you will be invited back for an interview in the following two days. So prepare in advance for it. Learn about Eurocontrol and what they offer. Single Sky, FAB's and keep your mental arithmatic speed up!

Well yes, I've been reading the Eurocontrol yearbook, and all my back issues of Flight International that are relevant, absolute godsend in terms of information. Interesting though as early as Stage 1a they said "if you make it to stage 3, do lots of research", it seems a lot of people get to Stage 3 and have no idea of the wider body of Eurocontrol, disturbingly.

Yup, they say to research but some people still don't bother. All that matters is that you do your own research and what you learn you completely understand.

Also, a previous poster said you don't receive any feedback! If you don't ask you don't get. I had no problems at all receiving feedback. I got my feedback from H. Prevoo herself and it was very helpful!

@Erikk: You could try LVNL, only thing is that you would have to relocate!

@ Lottee.s: If I got a change to ask for feedback I would. After phase 2 I went home and got a call phone from Willinscroft. That's it.
I also found this on the EC website:
"7. No correspondence can be entered into as to why a particular candidate was unsuccessful at any stage of the selection process"

Maybe I failed on my knowledge of English (which i think I mainly failed on), but it also could be that I've failed on my personal profile (personal questions). If I've failed on those questions a next atempt to pass true the selection has no use I guess.

@ Surferboy: LVLN could be an option but I really prefer, due private circumstances, to not relocate at this time. Working at Maastricht would be ideal. Only 25km from my hometown. :cool:

Are there any people who did a second atempt to become a ATC? I remember that ms. Prevoo asked before starting with Feast 1 if their were candidates who in the past already did a Feast test. I guess they get an alternate test?

I still have another year before I can try again with Eurocontrol but I did ask when I was getting my feedback about the process for applying a second time.
If your score for Feast is above a certain mark you do not need to take the Feast tests again. You start at stage 2.

I would email Sarah Willinscroft and explain you would like to apply a second time and if you could receive any feedback so you know where you went wrong and could improve yourself for a second attempt.

That's interesting - I imagined they would only have one shot at it, but that's a bit of a relief in case I do cock it up - not that I plan to do so!

I've been doing a lot of reading up, anything and everything I can find about EUROCONTROL, and have worked previously in team environments a fair amount, so I guess I just need to get that across in the next few days. Fun times.

Just my two cents!!!
 

Hey guys/gals,

I just want to let you guys know that well just cuz u don't past the Feast test at Eurocontrol doesn't mean anything on your capabilities to actually become an ATCO. The test is a good judgement if you will be capable of acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to perform well.

However from my experience i took the Feast test 2 years ago for Eurocontrol. Prior to that i had 4 years of military ATCO, controlling multiple types of A/c and civilian cargo. And well i didn't make it past the 1st stage of testing even with experience. And sadly when i requested feedback well i was directed in circles. I was fairly curious what made me a bad candidate...knowing my past experience but i never received any and just gave up.

Now i am a ATCO in Florida working well 6200 square miles of airspace with god forbid no structure what so all due to all the pilot training academies and the beautiful weather to fly in, mixing that with commercial and military activity it can get pretty ugly in the room.

But i just want u guys/gals know that if ATCO is really what u wanna do well you should not give up a goal just because of a test at a certain company. If i gave up well i would not be where i am right now.

And well maybe by getting somewhere else in the future with the chaos currently worldwide of controller shortage maybe in the future you will be able to return to Eurocontrol with experieence under the belt.

All i gotta say is do not give up ok....the jobs is awesome and we need people!!!!

Best of luck,

PN

So it seems that I passed Stage 2, and I had my interview today. However in this, I was told, amongst other things, that they felt I was over-qualified, as I am about to graduate with a degree. Has anyone had a similar experience, and did it affect your chances? Do other institutions think of a degree for an ATCO similarly?

I don't hold out much hope for the result, but we shall see.

Didahdit, don't give up that easily!!!

That's probably exactly what they are trying to find out: how sincerely do you want the job and aren't you going to bail out too soon to find an other job that matches the degree you are about to get!

They tried the same trick on me...
I just got my degree two weeks before the interview, so they asked me why the hell i wanted to change so quickly.
It took me quite some effort to convince them that i really didn't want to go on into accounting, but it seems that eventually it worked.

As Moira said, it's more a motivational test than a real concern they have...

Anyway, assuming that all goes well, we'll probably see each other soon in Luxembourg for the infamous welcome party :cool:

Well of course I stuck with it and argued my corner, clawed whatever ground I could against them, but still I'm not so sure.

The lead interviewer kept saying he felt there was 'something missing', I still have no idea what he meant, but we shall have to see...