Gary,
If you go to a unit with tower and approach radar,then that can be more interesting than single discipline,whether it be Area or Tower.The down side is that these units are seen by Nats as a much lower form of pond life,and dismissed by people at the bigger units.You'll have a much better understanding of all aspects of Airports,but an ordinary car in the carpark..;)

hi guys,

just wondering, when one asks the question "Aerodrome or Area?", where does Approach fit in?

semi

The answer is that it depends ..... Approach is done at the same place as the Tower, except for the London area airports, i.e. City, Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, and Stansted.

i was actually asking more in the general sense rather than from a Nats operations point of view. but thanks pprune.

i always thought there to be either 3 or 5 types of air traffic control:

3:Aerodrome, Approach, Area

5:Ground, Tower, Approach, Low level, High level


it's just that there is a poll on our course 209 forum asking "which would you prefer: Aerdrome or Area?

since i would prefer Approach i wasn't sure as i always thought approach to be a breed of control in itself.

If you are with someone other than NATS, Area is a superfluous question, hence I don't see your point ;)

At least on this thread :)

By far and away, my "funnest" years were at a TWR/APP unit in New Zealand many years ago. They let you loose in a single man/woman TWR at the advanced age of, oh, twenty, and expected you to provide quality ATC to upwards of 150 movements a day on your lonesome. I have so many great war stories/memories ranging from creative uses of bird scaring cartridges and flare pistols to UFO reports from some local farmer to "braking action check" rides in our airport inspection vehicle on frosty mornings. It was non-stop fun and you got to know local pilots well and got lots of rides in all sorts of exotic beasts.

However, as age and bills increase, the logical step is into a centre and you get paid more for taking on the extra responsibility. I'm typing this in the restroom of a Middle Eastern ATC centre but I must say, although the work is still fun and challenging, it doesn't feel as good as my early years in that procedural APP/TWR unit. Sigh!

Semi,
I think that students are going straight to the London Airports without any form of Approach rating (scary:\ ).TC is a Approach/area unit.If you go to any other Nats ''Aerodrome'' you need Approach Radar to be of any use.
It was said on a Discovery Doco that Area contollers were butchers,while Approach radar controllers were surgeons.Not my words:cool:

When we students are at the stage of being asked which is our preference, will be asked to decide between:

Area or Aerodrome

or

Area, Tower or Approach?

In Area at least you will get to see the big picture :cool:
In Tower you could end up selling it:rolleyes:

I don't get it :confused:

Selling what?

Big Issue:ok: :ok: Come to think those guys are on a better deal than Approach and Tower guys at PD.Nae helicopters and nae stress.:ugh:

How much lower is the salary for tower folks?

Nats Edinburgh is about £16K less than Scatcc,and £21K less than Band 5 London units (Top of the scale).All the Nats Scottish airports need Tower and Approach Radar tickets,but get paid way less than the centres,or down south.Fact of life and considering the rocketing traffic levels and house prices,its a load of Kack..:mad: :mad:

So, you are talking about £24k after validation?

OK, I better concentrate on passing the test and interview first though :cool:

Gonzo,
Yeah your right.If you can't beat them join them.Only trouble is it will take me donkey years to escape.Our traffic is way up,but staff levels are critical.By the time the staffing levels are sufficient (2008 was it:D :D ,more like 2018) I'll be too F:mad: ing old.
All we're looking for is fair treatment.But that ain't going to happen:ugh:. You could always come up here,dust off that radar rating,keep you're tower rating and get £21 K less:E .Oil at $75+ a barrel,and this Airport is one of the key ones in the country.Nats thinks it's a grass field at the Arse end of the Universe..Anyway enough thread slip.Been talked about til we're :( in the face

This is a simple question to answer from the college perspective...

If u want aerodrome or approach, you can ask. But your request means very very very little... Be prepared for area. If you get anything else, your a lucky lucky :mad: .

I wanted area, I got area. Some people however wanted to wander to the dark side and go tower/approach... some got lucky, but few

Aerodrome and Approach are separate disciplines, but are often lumped together as 'Airports', since traditionally you did both disciplines and were based on the airport with the radar room either in or close to the tower building.

Since the advent of TC, with the London airports Approach and TMA Area controllers sitting in the same control room off the airport leaving Aerodrome-only controllers on the airports themselves, the definitions have blurred somewhat.

From a purely mercenary approach....

My understanding is that most people get area?
Most people that get area get West Drayton? - which is band 5 (top money)

If you do approach or tower you very from band 1-5?

Therefore if you don’t care very much which you do, isn’t area a good idea for the extra £££?

Cheers,

James.

PS the question marks indicate I don’t know the above but and am asking, before anyone says I am totally wrong! :)