ferratini,

When you applied you were asked: "Have you read the eligibility and medical requirements for becoming an Air Traffic Controller?" Perhaps not...... It says on the eligibility section of the careers website that you 'Must be eligible to work in the UK'. As an EU citizen, I assume you are?

You should find that the careers website is pretty good for answering these sorts of questions - worth a read!

paperclip810,

Of course I read the eligibility and the medical requirements, I just probably didn't explain myself properly.

What I want to know is if it is common for NATS to accept EU citizens for ATCO trainee, not for the tests, but to be chosen for the training itself.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

I started my training with someone from Austria, the course ahead of me had a Spaniard and the one behind us had a Belgian.

As long as your English is good enough to understand what's being said and read then if you get through the selection there shouldn't be a process.

@Newb

I was the same as you. I saw an advert for NATS in the back of a Cosmo mag in 2002 that I'd borrowed from my g/f at the time to read in the bath. I'd never even heard of the company before, never thought about the job and to be honest it was the bit that said "you can earn £70k a year" that got me interested. I applied and now I'm valid and absolutely loving the job.

I came into it off the back of working behind a bar, making pizzas and working in an arcade. I couldn't tell the difference between an Airbus and a Boeing....................................and I still can't :\

So don't worry about not knowing as much as others, you all start pretty much equal at the college and I found the people who flashed their knowledge around didn't all make it anyway

I did my stage 3 in London on 20th Feb and have still not heard back. I realise it could be up to 15 working days but I reckon after this length of time it won't be good news.

How long did it take for any of the current batch of applicants out there to hear back?

AJ7 and The Many Tentacles

Cheers for the advice, gave me a bit of hope! Just going to stick in with the revision of the stuff i've been sent and see where it leads me:ok:

Stage one tests
 

Hey all,

Ive just literally turned 18 and have applied for the stage one tests, im hopeful but having read all the replies on here it seems there is a lot of different aspects to catch you out. Ive got a month, and a month only!!!, to be ready for this test on the 30th March (Manchester) i know its going to be a struggle! So has anyone got some solid tips for this stage????

thanks.

P.S: be great to hear from anyone else that has test on this day/centre :)

Hi Kristov

the length of time before you find out doesn't mean anything. i found out a few weeks back i was through. did my test on the Wed and found out nine days later on the Fri.

Those who were sadly unsuccessful were all told in less than a week. I think this is because if you have been successful, someone at HR needs to take the time to actually phone you (in my case anyway), whereas unsuccessful folk generally just get emailed.
hope that helps, good luck.
shugs

I will also be sitting my stage 1 test on March 30th in Manchester...I'm getting more and more nervous the more i read these replies....but never mind...are you in the am or pm sitting?
im finding it hard to find any practise tests to do other than the ones they send.
Does anyone know where i can find some more?
Thanks alot

To everyone with their stage 1 coming up - Good luck.

I had my stage 2 today. It's really difficult to know how it went. The motivational paper was fine. The interview was slightly strange - having no feedback was a little concerning but I just said what I felt most suited myeslf. The computer test was awful. I can definitely see myself failing it. With a bit of luck however I didn't. All in all - very long day and I'm seriously hoping for some good news after it all. Again, thanks for all the help.

smoking
 

i know it might be an obvious one, but should being a smoker have a negative effect on my application? are there other atc's who smoke out there?

i'm not a heavy smoker, but just wondering if it would have a bad effect on my medical etc.

any advice would be greatly appreciated

As part of the class one medical your lung capacity and peak flow will be measured, so it may have an effect on that, but I certainly know some people who smoke and have class one medicals.

Best read the detailed medical info document on the natscareers site.

Sitting a personality test is part of the normal assessment procedure now. Go along and enjoy your day:)

AM @ manchester

Hey Marco glad to hear you got to sit your Stage 2 :)

Best of luck, my fingers are crossed :P

Andy

The waiting game is on! While I'm hanging about I'd like to organise a tower visit to Gatwick or Heathrow.

I've already got a date for Swanwick - but I'd much prefer an area and tower visit - it would be great if anyone could help me out with some contact details or advice on how to get a visit. PM me or post here.

Thanks very much in advance.

Hi marco888

gd luck with S2 :)

I organised my tower visits through HR in Swanwick, give them a ring and they should be able to give you a contact at Gatwick/Heathrow.

Just been invited to my stage 2! Obviously with it being in fareham I am going to have to stay overnight in a hotel, can anybody reccomend anywhere close to the complex?

Thanks

Ajfaccini,

HR recommends the Premier Inn at Fareham (£64 a night if my memory is right). I stayed there for my S2, but you need to run it past HR first (overnight stays are not normally allowed apparently). A quick call explaining how far away you live (for me, nearly 600 miles) seems to do the trick.

Thanks mate, I noticed the premier inn, think its £62 so yeh sounds like the same one, phoned them earlier on but will do so again.

Thanks.

Kristov,

My friend was also on the Stage 3 on 20th Feb in London and has not heard anything yet either. Let me know when you hear something or i'll let you know if he hears.

I've got my Stage 3 on Monday at CTC. Got 3 days off to finish my prep after today. Hope everything goes well.