Swanwick LTCC
 

Sorry for a very noobish question but,

To work at LTCC at swanwick would one do Area or Areodrome at College?

area mainly, but if you do aerodrome and then approach you could be posted to TC

Indeed, to be posted to Swanwick (TC) with an aerodrome/approach ticket you will be attempting to validate on either:

Heathrow Approach, Gatwick Approach, Stansted Approach, Luton Approach, City Approach, and I believe theres a London Radar posting doing all the SVFR over the city (correct me if i'm wrong).

Otherwise its the area course.

or advanced coffee preparation at Starbucks college?!

SVFR is a validation all of its own - However it is generally lumped in with another validation....usually Thames Radar (London City), although any approach controller is able to add it on to their ticket (not that many choose to do so!!!!)

I believe the way the college course is set up now the options are either Aerodrome, Approach or Area - before the new course was introduced Aerodrome and Approach were taken together giving the student and the company more flexibility as to a posting.... however for LTCC both Area and Approach will get you the possibility of a posting at Swanwick.....

[pedant mode on]

LTC is the London Terminal Control unit at the Swanwick Centre - LTCC ceased to exist following move from West Drayton. :ok:

[/pedant mode]

[pedant mode on]
We now have Costa not Starbucks :)
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LOL
not been there for a while!
Cheers

As I understand the system for trainees now (just about to start) there are two streams, Area and Aerodrome. Aerodrome students then have the option (or not, dont really know what/who maks the selection) of then completing the Approach course.

So I guess (and this is just what I understand from HR currently) that is you want to work specifically as an approach controler for the London Airports (I think this was your question) then you would be looking at an aerodrome course.

Though I might well be completely wrong

As far as I understand from the current Aerodrome course (also I guess with all courses) students are assigned their unit depending on demand across the company at the end of the course. Once completed/passed you will be told where you are going... either to do the approach course (another 3months at college which could mean TC or any of the non-london airports)... Or sent (with little notice) to any of the london airports.

You will be asked for your preferences, but I believe this will be consulted last and used only if it fits with NATS requirements and your suitability.