conc1845: did u get ur email today?

Emails
 

Not a sausage! To be honest, wasn't really expecting one today. I know she said we'd hear by today at the latest but the average seems to be about 10+ working days. So that's another 2 weeks of rushing home from work to check my inbox :)

na I didn't either but was hoping!!! stressed out daren't even look at my emails!!!!:0)

Gotta calm down :) Out of your hands now so there's nothing you can do. Granted, "The Waiting Game" sucks but we've gotta play it. Having said that, I was checking my account, like, every 5 minutes last night. You know, just in case :)

We've done our bit for Stage 1 and did the best we could so just gotta wait/sweat it out :ok:

haha that made me smile, I've been doing the same refreshing every 2 mins then closing my eyes and not looking!!!

So then for anyone that's not been up the tower at Heathrow I can highly recommend it! You are so high up the planes look like toys on the ground! Got a fascinating insight into how everything works, saw all the different screens they use to track aircraft and learned about some of the new technologies they are using.

I was listening in to a ground movement controller today and it totally changed my view of them. I though they had the easiest job but it actually seemed harder than anything else. A few things went wrong while I was up there (planes breaking down, pilots turning where they shouldn't etc) and it was good to see how he adapted things. I understood what was going on but the speed at which everything is handled made my mind boggle.

I also learned that more about the shift patterns and how they swap roles every so often to keep their skills fresh (ground one day, take off the next) and met lots of people who support them while they do their thing.

It's a very close knit team and they said if I wanted to join them that I would need to be top of my class to stand a chance.

An absolutley fascinating day, even if I did have to get my security rub down by the 50yr old guy rather than the hot blonde they had!

Roll on stage 3!

Awesome Murphy! Definitely an experience worth having then. Should I make it to Stage 3 I'll be trying to sort out a similar slot but more locally. Granted it wouldn't be on the scale of Heathrow but the principles would be the same.

Since you posted that, I take it you didn't get shot so didn't take any photos :)

All the best with your Stage 3 too!

Sadly no photos. Too busy focusing on what was going on and didn't want to risk it tbh! Also learned that once you have gone through the security checks and are "air side" you cannot smoke anywhere :( this would be very bad for me! If I ever make it to work at heathrow then I suggest you all buy shares in Nicorette!

Well I got past the first half yesterday which was a good thing. It's harsh on those who don't do well in the first half, awful moments for everyone really.

As for the second half, well them cubes are frustrating, didn't finish them all, which does worry me. Managed to finish the last test but those cubes really annoyed me. The first lot aren't so bad it's the second and third pages that got me. The ATC test and Maths test weren't too difficult, much easier than I expected and finished them really quick. Not the most of enjoyable days though, it's fairly tense, but not as tense as the wait will be to get the result of the second half.

Fair do's Murphy23. We were told that the entire NATS site was smoke free and you had to leave the main gate before sparking up. Not a problem for me not smoking. Probably one of the reasons why the whole place is so nice with no tab ends.

Well done on getting through the first half cheapaschips! i didn't get through all of the last test but I'm confident with all my answers so will have to see. Made it to the last page at least though. The cubes (AAARRRGGGHHH!!!). Last one was mental. Answered all the cubes but not confident on all of the last ones. I was very time conscious by that point.

When I did my stage 2 I had to go out past the barriers to smoke...in the rain :( but at heathrow it's over a mile to get out of the airport and then you'd have to go through security all over again!

As for stage 1 I didn't answer a single question on the 3rd cube, time had run out just as I was working it out and I still got through. So there is hope. I think accuracy is more important as long as you answer an unspecified minimum number of questions.

Because this thread is so long can someone point me to where I can get info about what to expect from stage 3?

Murphy23
 

Stage 3 is a short group test to see how well you interact together, fairly enjoyable, breaks the ice really. Afterwards youare taken off 2 at a time for a lengthy structured interview where you will be asked several questions on each of the criteria mentioned in nats PDF. You need to be able to show specific situations from your life to prove that you can do each criteria.
Cheapaschips, Murphy etc... Good luck with the results, don't stress about how you think you did, I hope you will be fine.

Hi guys.

First let me apologize because I will ask questions that have been already asked in this thread. I have read 1/10th of it and I haven't found answers to this questions, and I don't really have time to read the whole thread.

1.I have S1 at Fareham. What is the best way to come from London Luton to Fareham?
2..Where can I spend the night in Fareham? What's the price?
3.About motivational questions? I don't really have a problem with memorizing this material for hours a day, however, I think it is better to work smart and hard. So, is there something I should focus more when memorizing this material? Any other advice?
4.Please someone confirm this. S1 consists of: STD test, cube test, diagramming test, motivational test (is that just about material we have been given to memorize) and personality test?


Thank you

Killua

I intially wrote some stuff for this but seriously are you kidding me?
You can't get yourself there, you want someone to do it for you and you can't be bothered to read the thread and don't even know whats at the assessment centre??????

You seriously can't expect people to go and research the answers to this for you.

I think you misundersand me. The thread is 285 pages long, I really don't have time to read it all.

As for "You can't get yourself there, you want someone to do it for you and you can't be bothered to read the thread and don't even know whats at the assessment centre??????"

I already have an overview how to get there, but I would like someone from UK to tell me the best way. Let's say the selection is in Croatia. I would tell you the best way to come to a certain part where the selection is held. I have never been to UK so I don't know th ebest way to come from Luton to Fareham.

About the housing. I have never been to Fareham so naturally I dont know the best deals that are out there. But maybe there is somone here who knows the best deal.


About this "...to read the thread and don't even know whats at the assessment centre??????"

I know whats at the assesment centre. Why do you think I don't know?

To be fair many international students and workers manage it and you need to show initiative for this position. You need to find this out yourself. To be fair if I went to croatia I'm sure I would be fine same as I was in south africa and turkey etc etc. In the age of the internet where you can type your question in it's not exactly hard.

Don't you think everyone else has read the best part of the 285 pages? Yes we have as we are committed. Thats YOUR job to do your own research not to ask people to do it for you. It's part of motivation.

How would you be able to find housing in Bournemouth if you ever did get through. I think you misunderstand the difficulty of the tests you have to learn EVERYTHING on the ATC stuff and more.

If you got the email from NATS you would know exactly what's on the test. They tell you that.

OK, thank you. It looks we have different ideals. I think it's pretty stupid to go to foregin country and don't ask for help. Maybe I am just stupid for wanting to save nerves, time and money. As for reading forum. Congratulation, you just wasted hours and hours when you could just ask a question you are intrested in.

Anybody?

People will be inclined to help you when you help yourself. You are supposed to read the whole forum I spent hours reading it and found what I needed 12 hours before the test. It's motivation, which is required for the position. If you read 283 theres loads of stuff there.
I'm sure you can type Luton to Fareham into google.

You can't take short cuts or you will come and fail. You get thrown out before you have even completed all the tests if you don't know the ATC back to front and inside out. If you read the email from NATS you would know there is no personality test at S1.......

I KNOW how to come from luton to fareham. From luton take bus to victoria, from victoria take train to fareham. Same way back. I am just asking people what's the best way. Maybe the is better way.

As for reading forums, I have been doing it for the last 6 months. Most of it is repetitive nonsense that repeats itself every serveral pages, and I dont have time for it. You can't tell me there is 285 pages of new and relevant info that you cant pass the selection process. Congratulations, you have been hours on this forum. How is that gonna help you become ATC. It wont. That means that you just spent serveral hours of you life that you cant get back, and it was of no use to you.

Now please, go read some other forum if you dont have anything to contribute.

BTW. i read page 283 and 109.

Excuse me, I just did S1 tests thankyou very much and the whole point of reading the whole forum is it DOES help you become an ATC. If this forum is nonsense you don't have time for:
1. Why are you here
2. Go elsewhere.

ALL the help you need is on this forum so read it.

P283 gives you everything you need to know in conjunction with ATC. I cannot stress how important it is to be able to do all this in your sleep.

PS its not the same as 109 its a collection of posts I found useful as I read through
:ugh:

Banana81: In the time you spent being a d%&k, you could've given a fellow prospective ATCO a helping hand.

To be honest it doesn't sound like you've got the right team work attitude, which is needed to be an ATCO, let alone pass the long, intense and sometimes lonely training. I think you'll find, should you get accepted to the course, that your course mates will become second family while training is ongoing.

Also you'll often find that ATCOs still meet up with their course mates years after going through training, even if they are spread across the country.

killua:

Try National Express United Kingdom // Homepage for transport. It's a long journey from Luton by bus but as I'm not English myself, I don't know if there is a similar site for trains.

When I did my stage 1 test in Fareham I stayed at Jury's Inn in Southampton Hotels in Dublin City Centre, London hotels, Manchester hotels | Jurys Inn

The price was around £60 for a night's stay including breakfast.

I had a car at my disposal, so I'm afraid I cant help you with info about getting to Fareham. Maybe a taxi but I don't know how expensive the 15-20 drive will be.

Best of luck to you.

@banana:How did it help you?

@MorfArsena: Thank you very much. This is the info I have been looking for.

MorfArsenal
Don't you think he should be able to do this himself? Did you choose to ignore the advice that I gave him which is essential? Also you haven't even done S3 yet....

Looking at teamwork and things I think you should learn to not be offensive to other potential ATCO's:rolleyes: . That will not stand you in good stead for getting in and will be spotted at your interview.

The whole point of motivation is you do the work yourself. Admittedly if he said he knew how to get there and wanted to run it past someone it would have sounded better than trashing the forum and saying how do I get there full stop.

Don't judge me till you have awards in Teamwork and a Maths Degree....

Killua:
The forum helped me in that I passed!

Killua
 

Like MorfArsenal, I had my car so just drove straight into Fareham. However, with you coming from abroad you will presumably want to be as close to the actual test centre as possible so if you are stoppig over the night before (recommended) there's a Premier Inn 1.5 miles away (just type in "Fareham"). Easy walking distance. Ran me £68 for the room alone but the prices vary depending on how far in advance you book and time of year. Breakfast is additional but I just took my own. Nice restaurant adjoining for an evening meal though.

As for reading the whole forum, the first 100 pages or so are fairly redundant due to changes in the process and repition however reading it does help. Just as an example, reading this forum alone told me how bearings work with regards to a compass; so it's definitely not wasted hours. Banana81 has reposted a reply with lots of useful links a couple of pages ago. Don't dismiss it just because of, um, previous clashes :). It's easy to find as it's massive :)

Thanks conc, helpful information. As for reading the banana post, I already read that post (and original at page 109).

I also found Premier Inn, however, the price seems too high (thats 1/7th of average Croatian salary, and I am student so..., also, as I have seen, average monthly room rent is 250 punds, so 65 for night seems a bit overboard). If there is cheaper accomodation I wuld like to know

Thanks

It's not copied from 109 its a COLLECTION of posts from around the forum:ugh:

Killua, that's a typical price for hotels in the UK. The UK is expensive when compared with other countries really and that price isn't as bad as you might expect. As has been said, book early in advance and it can be done for cheaper. A quick Google search for cheap hotels near that postcode may also help, but don't go too far away or it's not worth it as the taxi fair from hotel would then be expensive. It's not cheap and the price is something you just have to live with.

Aye, the price is steep but I consider it a means to and end so I'm more than willing to fork out for decent accomodation. Not being from the area, I don't know of hotels and what not. But this is an expensive country my friend. Consider yourself lucky you're not driving. Cost me nearly £100 just to drive down :) Nice weather though so it's all good.

Banana's collective post has basically bumped useful information from a few posts so it's easier to find. Yes, the list of links is from p109 but with extra D/S/T examples so t'is nice.

When's your Stage 1 anyway Killua?

I don't know yet. I was thinking of doing them after university exams (late may), but I am excited about job and selection (I love tests), so maybe I will come in 3 weeks.

I will decide in a few days.

Thanks for answer again.

Oky doky. I wouldn't say I love tests (you're the only person I know that does!) but I certainly feel comfortable in test conditions and did enjoy the Stage 1 process.

All the best to you when you do decide to come over though.

advice for Killua
 

Hey, there is a guest house reasonably close to the test centre in fareham for £42.50 a night if that's better for you? It's called the four winds guesthouse:

Four Winds - index

The Brimar Guesthouse in Southampton has singles from £26 for the super budget option. Located in Totton, which is a 40 minute train journey from Swanwick.

Ally and CJshields, thank you very much for info. I will look into it.

Killua
 

Depending on which session you go for, eg AM or PM i would suggest staying as close to Fareham etc... as possible. I personally wouldn't want a long journey by public transport in this country when i have to be at a certain place by a certain time.
Can you not fly directly into Southampton ??? to make your journey this end easier ???
I personally live in fareham and let me know if you need anything regarding B&B nearer the time, there are a few in the centre of town and a taxi ride will be about £10 and take 15 mins or so to CTC at whiteley.

Conc did u get thru?

Thank you jimmy. No, I can't fly to Southampton, only to Luton. From there bus to Victoria, and then train to Fareham(or Swanwick, it seems closer). But I will manage it. As long as I find a room 5 km from Whiteley I am fine. At least I will be fully woken up when I come to Center :cool:.

Thanks guys for your help.

Well, didn't get to Stage 2. Proper gutted!

iPod touch and iPhone users - stage 1&2
 

Just found via apps on iTunes their version of brain trainer and played a few games. Could be useful for stage 2 involves spatial ability ,memory and reactions it is called brain trainer by lumosity.
Unlucky conc hope you try again next year. Don't be too disheartened it is a long slog to get there.

Prestwick Stage 1 Tests - 30th April
 

Hi There, was just wondering if there was anyone else going to the stage 1 tests @ Prestwick on April 30th? :ok:

Anyway best of luk to everyone who is applying / midway through application process :ok:

Gaz

Cheers Jimmy. Will see where I'm at in a year. Tomorrow the job hunt continues as I need to get out of where I'm at at the moment. Only way is up :)