Jan 2010 Aerodrome Course.
 

Hi,

Just heard a rumour that the Aerodrome course starting in Jan 2010 has been cancelled! Can anyone shed anymore light on this? I'm really hoping it's it's not true!

Cheers.

No Aero till July 2010
 

I'm rather afraid to say the rumours are true. NATS have cancelled the January and April Aero courses (so that's 222 and 223). Currently 224 is penciled in for July, and I think a few of the people supposed to be on 222 have requested a hold until then.

The reason given, as I understand it, is that the economic climate has meant a drop in flights and that combined with high pass rates on the last few Aero courses has resulted in a glut of controllers.

Bearing in mind its 18 months before you get your validated controller I guess NATS have a tough job trying to predict demand down the line.

Cancelled courses
 

WhiteLighter

Do you know if the area course in February is safe or will that be getting cancelled aswell, I'm booked on this course which is why I'm asking?

Area is safe, but be aware that those of us moving onto it from the Jan course may bump some of the original Feb area guys off and onto a later start

Nov20 Stage 1 @ Prestick(PKY) Anyone??
 

Hey all! New to the forum, just wanted to see if any one else booked for the nov 20 stage one test at prestwick Glasgow. Excited but nervous as time is running out. Also a question for you veterans out there, does anywhere in the whole selection process entail a credit check (yeah like credit score). Because I know for a fact that in the states, if you have a low credit score, well, better find another career! Thanks all-

Morning all!

How glad am I that I just found this thread, I felt pretty prepared for going along on Friday for my S1 tests but I've just put it back 2 weeks. I've been trying some s/d/t questions (because I saw everyone talking about them) and realised I'm pretty rusty since my school days! Everything else I'm reasonably confident about but they've really thrown me.

Anyway I'll have a read through the rest of this thread tomorrow and maybe have some questions..... and get practicing my fractions :eek:

Cheers :)

In reply to the above messages re the next 2 aero courses been cancelled. It is true, due to the reasons stated above. I was due to start Area in Feb but have been bumped back to May to accomodate switching people over from the 2 postponed courses.

Daley
 

When did you find this out Daley, did they call you?

I think I was one of the last into the February course but I've not heard if I'm being moved yet

Welcome to NATS, guys.
They're screwing you over and you haven't even started yet !

Stage 1
 

Got my Stage 1 in Fareham on December 11th @ 1230.

Anyone else?

Currently spending every free minute revising everything!

Anyone give me any indications on how quick you can progress through the 3 stages?

Cheers

Feb Area Course
 

I was originally down for the Feb area course but have been bumped to the May one. Not a happy bunny! :sad:

It buggers my plans up big time, and puts my finances in a mess as my current job contract (I'm temping at the moment) runs out in January. Can't see with the current climate how I would fare trying to find employment for just 3 months...

I pleaded to be left in the February in take but I'm not holding my breath. I was one of the first to be assigned to it though so hopefully that will have some merit...

I passed S3 mid August, how about everyone else who is down for, or has been bumped from Feb Area?

jochi,

My job contract ended in September leaving me 5 weeks before starting on 19th October Aerodrome course which was a nice break. This got cancelled and I was then on the 4th Jan course - an extra 11 weeks to wait. Now that has been cancelled I have chosen to switch to Area meaning another 4 1/2 weeks to wait. A total of just over 20 weeks without work.

I am fortunate that finances aren't too tight, but can't risk waiting for July 2010 Aerodrome - if that even runs! I passed my S3 on 5th June.

Devastated
 

I have been looking forward to starting my area course in Feb for some time now (August 2009) and this news has come as a massive disappointment.

I applied in Jan 2009 for this position so it is frankly giving me a headache the thought of starting in May 2010.

I have not heard anything from HR as yet Jochi85, how did you find out? Did they call you on your mobile or send you an e-mail?

Suffolk N Close if they have not contacted you to inform you then chances are you're still on the Feb course...

HR gave me a call to inform me. Reasons were partly due to the 'economic downturn' and no demand for aero controllers. So a lot of them are being filtered into the area course and as they have been waiting longer they get a higher preference.

Quite annoying seeing as I went straight into Area without a preference for Aero. Don't see what we can do though....am devastated also

ATC Suspense
 

You might be right Jochi85 but being a pessimist I am sure I will be on here by tomorrow a broken man. Still nice to know I am not suffering alone and as they say what does not kill you makes you stronger!!!!

I am sure this will all be amusing when we are all sat in the pub celebrating after passing the course!!!!

Found out today I passed stage 3!!!
Still bouncing off the walls about it! Absolutely can't wait to start the course! Although reading all your previous comments I may have a little bit of time to wait but I can at least finish off my IMC rating and save a bit of money before I go.
So excited!
For everyone who has failed first time don't get too disheartened by it. This was my 2nd time going through the process and the year wait really was worth it.
Can't believe I found out so quickly though! I only did my interview yesterday! Quite a relief though, not sure I could have stood the wait. For S1 & S2 I had to wait nearly the full 15 working days.
Whats the medical like? Is it an actual Class I aviation medical?

Congratulations Liz!
 

Congratulations Liz, I'm really happy for you, have you passed on the good news to Clare yet?

I will see her next Thursday when I go for my stage 3, getting a little nervous now!

Could you post on here or send me a PM about the interview and how the rest of your day went, would really appreciate it.

Thanks very much and who knows, fingers crossed I may see you at the college some time next year!

Adam

Medical
 

lizplt,

Well done on passing selection! The first medical is a company medical, so in addition to checking that you'll be ok for a CAA medical, it's there to check you meet the company's standards too and pass the drug test.

After that, you'll be sent to the CAA at some point either before starting or while at the college - I've got a Class 1 (ATCO) medical, but I think I remember reading that ATCOs now/will soon only need a Class 2 (but don't hold me to that).

Hope that helps.

Courses being cancelled is nothing new, but at least you know you will have a course to go on eventually. It used to be a lot worse, when I was applying in 2002, it took over 2 years just to get through the application stage, passing everything first time. There were guys on my course who had been in the application stage for 3 years. This was due to the fact that headquarters were moving and interviews were getting cancelled. Before I started other candidates struggled to get on courses due to sept 11th. It is no consolation to those who find themselves in a sticky situation now, but theres not much anyone can do. You just need to keep focused. Its well worth the wait.

Well I've already got a Class II and I had a Class I up until July of this year because you need to renew it once a year and there's not much point in my renewing it when I only need a Class II to fly on a private licence. Only got a Class I last year to make sure I could get it. So I'll have to do that again but at least it won't cost as much! Thanks for the quick responce! Really helpful :)

ATCOs now require a European Class 3 Medical. The initial NATS examination is carried out at Swanwick, with the subsequent CAA Medical taking place at Gatwick shortly thereafter.

I'm a bit baffled as to how the link between cancelling Aerodrome courses and the 'economic climate' is achieved. Surely the cancelling of courses is due to the fact that, as has already been mentioned, high success rates have been achieved in recent courses, thus reducing the need for new controllers. This has nothing, whatsoever so do with the financial aspects.

If NATS really are suffering in this 'climate', wouldn't Area courses be cancelled too? Who's to say NATS won't start running Aerodrome courses galore the month a certain percentage of current Aerodrome controllers either retire or fail to validate?

ILS RWY 27L;

You are baffled? You have to appreciate the differences between NERL and NSL

Just a quick one, been reading through the material we are given for stage 1, are all the measurement which state "miles" refering to nautical miles or normal miles? for example the passing of control at 6-12 miles from approach controller to aerodrome and also the ILS transmitting up to 25miles.

Lastly Im having a lot of trouble remembering all the plane details, any advice or tips ? :)

thanks !

cottam approach:

Right. Perhaps there is a link, but I was a little ignorant and none the wiser as to the reasoning behind it. Thanks for posting. What do NERL and NSL have to do with it?

Congrats Lizplt,

Lucky to have heard so quickly, I had my stage 3 last Wednesday and I'm still waiting...:\

Medical Assesment Pre Stage 1
 

Hi Guys,

I've not been around for a while and a scan through the previous pages on this thread don't show me an answer for this.

I have recently applied (for the 2nd attempt) for the trainee ATCO role. I wear glasses, and my prescription is well within their limits. I entered all the details on the online form, however I have got an email back saying my application has been forwarded to NATS Medical Department for assesment.

I apologise, if this has already been asked or discussed previously, but a scan and use of the forums inbuilt search feature returned me no joy.

Does anyone know if this is a usual occurence or if should be concerned, and how long it takes (they say upto 15 days in the email, but I am seriously hoping for sooner).

iannem

My prescription for both eyes is actually outside the limits for power but it was accepted by NATS and i already have my stage 1 booked. So I wouldn't worry too much if your inside the limits. What is your prescription & age?

Hi all.

Congratualtions to Lizplt, happy that you got through :ok:
I was at the stage 2 testing with you at Southampton (was sat next to you on the right, at lunch, when chatting with clare).
Went down to swanick on monday and had look round, thoroughly enjoyed the visit. Being able to sit in and listen and watch what is going on was awesome, can't wait for stage 3 now.
Got my stage 3 next friday, looking foward to it whilst being a little aprehensive. Got any tips/advice please pm me.
Hope to see you in the college.

Mike

Iannem
 

The eye thing is nothing to worry about, I got the same and they got back to me pretty quickly, can't remember exactly how long but definately nothing to worry about :)

A/C Recognition
 

Xinebessa,

Presuming they haven't changed the a/c you have to learn from the 219 course then please see below, may not help you learn them as such but definitely helps testing them :)

Best way to learn the type is to (once you get to the college), keep swapping cards with everyone/library so you learn the shape instead of the liveries. As for the numbers, a lot of them can be grouped into similar speeds/levels.

AC Recognition

hope it helps :ok:

Iannem,

I think I read something on here by someone else who had the same thing. I wouldn't worry about it, I think it's just a matter of the HR guys not being appropriately qualified to look at your prescription and say whether or not it is ok, so they have to forward it on to the medical services for the nod before they can proceded with processing your application. If you've checked it out and know that you are within the published limits I doubt you'll have an issue. I suspect they'll get back to you pretty fast on this one, but even if they do take 15 days its not a big deal - you're going to have to get used to waiting around, even once you've started the selection process it's probably going to take at least 3 months until you know whether you're in or not, and apparently the next available start date at college isn't until next June at the minute (may be later by the time you are through the system).... time to get used to waiting for NATS...

Pat42

I think the only reason I heard so quickly was one of the HR people who interviewed me was going on holiday next week and I know there was another S3 assessment today so they probably didn't have a choice in the matter, they had to do a 24 hour turn around on each! I haven't heard anything from anyone else on my S3 though so I have no idea if they have heard or not. I hope they did ok they were all really nice and two of the girls there were in the same position as me having tried last year and had to wait a whole year before trying again.

Adam28

I did tell Clare, she was one of the first people I told since she's been just so amazing. Also told the really lovely lady at Heathrow Tower who let me visit in an evening because I couldn't get anymore time off work. Everyone's been amazing that I've met. I've been really lucky.

At what point do they tell you whether they plan you to be Area or Aerodrome?? Anyone know?

At the moment, unless you want to wait 12 months then you're going to be Area.

Last Aero course was due to start in October 09, got cancelled and everyone shoved to the Jan 10 course, which has been cancelled and everyone shoved on the April 10 Course, which has been cancelled. So some have transferred onto the Feb Area course and some transferred onto the next available Aero course- and no one knows when that is going to be!

To the above poster who asked how I found out I'd been 'bumped', - yeah it was a phonecall. I too passed in August so it's gonna be getting on for a year's wait to actually start and approximately 18 months since 1st applying!

Pretty disappointed to be honest but I'm currently self-employed so at least I don't have the headache of having to find work for 3 months.

Oh well, roll on May!

Good luck to everyone currently going through the selection process.

hey, i did my stage 1 in prestwick last friday, just wondering how every1 got on? i found the whole thing v intense, happy with what i got done but its hard to know whether i get through. now checking my email every half an hour and driving myself mad. HELP!!!

Just had some long awaited good news... passed stage 3 :):):)!!!!

Anyone else from last Wednesday heard yet?

Pat

Congratulations Pat42, thats brilliant news, very pleased for you.

I have my stage 2 next Friday - getting nervous now...

Congratulations Pat! Just got some good news of my own today and have got through to stage 3! :)

Wel done Pat42! That's awesome! Will probably see you at college then!

Also well done to Menthol! Good luck in your final stage :ok:

Good luck Basilsauce, got my stage 2 on the 26th, anyone else going to that one?