Hi Luke,

For the first year, your leave will be arranged for you, taken as a group at certain points in the training programme.

You will get a break between finishing your basic training (wherever that may be) and starting at the institue in Luxembourg, and then again between finishing in Luxembourg and starting at MUAC (a week).

Once you come to MUAC, you will do your "transition phase" which is roughly 3 months, (7 weeks of theory, and 4 weeks of simulator training). After this you will do your CC-OJT phase which is about 4 months, and is your first opportunity to take leave when you like (so about 12-16 months after you first start). Depending on when it is in the year, most trainees take at around 3/4 weeks in this period.

After that its back into the simulator for 3 months, which includes a scheduled weeks break at the half way point. Once you have completed that its into the ops room again for your full OJT until you complete your training, and during this time you can take leave pretty much whenever you like.

When you first start though, you will be given the dates for all of your phases of training, so very quickly you will be able to work out when your scheduled breaks will be for the first few phases.

Also, when you are in the insitute in Luxembourg, you will get various long weekends for public holidays etc, which are a good opportunity for popping home for the weekend.

Finally, as for validated controllers, off the top of my head the leave allowance is 24 days, plus 17 days in lieu of public holidays, plus days that are given based on your age, and days for going home based on the distance between MUAC and the place where you lived when you were recruited. So its around 45 days at the moment, although by the time you actually get to MUAC, this will have been reduced slightly with upcoming changes to rostering, where there will be less leave but also less working days per year.

I hope this helps, any other questions feel free to post away or send a PM.

GJ

GlobalJourney - thanks for your great response, really informative. Really grateful! Can't wait to just get stuck in with it all.

evolv5 - where are you from and when are you taking the medical? Goodluck with it and hope to see you soon

tsorin16 - when did you sit the final phase to be on the May intake? I did the final stage at the very end July. Goodluck with your medical

To be honest, i think if you have an idea what to expect in the FEAST, SDM and Phase 2 tests, you will have an advantage. By idea i mean knowing that there will be a coordinate test for example, and roughly what youll have to do. I was surprised by the amount of people who had no idea there was going to be a cube test in teh FEAST package. Not surprisingly, they didnt pass.

With SDM, just take your time, i didnt find any opposite conflicts but still got through.

The interview is the bit to worry about, where they will root out a lot of people. Happily they do give feedback, though im yet to manage to get hold of the guy who provides it!

In Phase 1, in the questions containing distances, miles or kilometres are used?

Hello,

Is anyone going to the phase 1 testing on 20th this month?

Thx! :)

I received an e-mail asking me if I could make the 20th, I replied saying I could and I'm still awaiting the official invitation, so it's looking unlikely that I will be there. How long do they take do send the official invitation? I've been waiting almost 3 weeks which is absolutely ridiculous. How can they expect me to book flights when I have no idea whether I'm actually going?!

I'm going to attend for the test on 20th! but I'm quite nervous. They said you don't need to be prepared... but looking the post... I will stay at the Tulip Hotel, what about you?.:O
Do you know or someone knows how to obtain an example of the Feast test???

What are my chances?
 

Don't know if its worth asking anyone here on this forum, but its been on my mind recently. I sent all my stuff in to Imke and have received an email that they will be in touch to set a date for phase 1. This is what I'm curious about; what kind of experience do guys going in for ATC experience have? If any? My situation is having had previous schooling in ATC at a college at a school in the states where I also earned a bachelor's degree (I'm currently in the UK). I imagine that the interviewers will take this into account? Also, will I have a chance to mention my previous training to them?

Anyone with info feel free to message me.

mmcg and Esther, are you finally going to be there on wednesday? I'll arrive tomorrow to MST, more or less at 11 am. Hopefully we can meet up and share some knowledge and relax before the tests!

Best luck and see you soon! :)

icarus, i assume you have mentioned this in the application form. If so, you can guarantee that IF you get to the interview they will ask you about this. But getting to the interview is by no means a formality, its something akin to 1 from each phase 1 test group!

Yea, that's what I was thinking. Also, don't know if this was mentioned or not, probably was, but are transport and hotel fees covered by the applicant or by Eurocontrol. Someone here a while back mentioned that EC covers it or atleast a piece of it, possibly depending on the distance traveled, etc.

Cheers,

-
 

hi there,

EC will reimburse the travelling costs if you arrive there from 50km< and will pay your hotel room for 1 or 2 nights. Just bring your filled bank account paper and tickets to the big day, they will collect those before the tests and the breakfast.
The bio orange juice in the EC's canteen is really good, I'd recommend that!

Haha, I like orange juice. Thanks for the quick reply.

Yes Eurocontrol will cover expenses, assuming you dont take the cake. All details are provided in amoungst the details they send you when you confirm you can attend a certain session. And if all else fails, Imke and Sarah are pretty useful resources and will answer most questions!

hey.. any of the guys that attended phase 1 on 18th of october made it through to the second phase?
Portugal or sweden guy?
Hope to see you there on 10th of November!

Hey there! I'll be there on 9th too :) Best luck!

Did the spanish girl on 18th pass to the 2nd phase? Anyone present on the 20th tests ( I know your names but maybe you do not want them here ;p), I was there, PM me.

Very good luck again and hope to see you soon! :)

18th phase 1
 

hi there! i was on the 18th phase 1 testing.i was called to be there also on 9th of november. congrats mate.
Greatings from Portugal :D

Hey all,

I forgot most of the names but I was at fase 1 on the 20th. Anyone else who passed them?

At least I did! I was so happy when I saw the subject of the e-mail, Invitation phase 2.

Invited back at Eurocontrol on 8 November. Someone got any tips? Didn't have much time to read this topic trough, sure gonna do that soon!

Just curios if any of my fellow testers passed!

To everyone that will be there on 8 November, see you then!

Greetz,

Joost

Congrats for passing phase 1 and good luck with phase 2 :ok:

Reading this thread will give you guys a good idea about what to expect at phase 2.
Focus, pay attention, speak a good and clear English and don't stress yourselves too much! ;)

Hey JoosT!

I can see that you found out the proper thread ;D. This is the spanish guy that you met in the bus, and the girl sitting with us also did it! We'll all meet on 8th-9th :)

Good luck! :D

And you too Lupinas!

If any of you wants to chat/ share impressions/ get used to my spanglish accent xDDD feel free to send me a private message and we can use msn, skype or whatever :)

See you soon!