Maybe I carnt quite remember fully to comment but I no we didn't have scrap paper for the cubes that's definate.

ive got my stage 1 test at Glasgow Prestwick on 30th May. What sort of stuff do they put you through?? Ive never really applied for anything like this before so i am entering in to the unknown!!

Stage 1
 

Hi,

I am having on 25th May my Stage 1 assessement. Does anyone know if they allow scrap paper while doing the numerical s/t/d exercises?

Thanks a lot.

We'll be on the same S1 group. Yes, for diagramming and STD you get paper.

Good luck.

Poggers I suggest downloading the documents from the e-mails they send and from the website, it's all explained there. Searching this thread should get you all the info too.:ok:

Thank you! Good luck to you too! This is very challenging. Will you be there the day before?

Spiros

Stage 3 - 30th April
 

I passed my Stage 3 on 30th April at Swanwick, just the medical to go and I don't think I've got anything to worry about :O

Hope some of the rest of you got through aswell? :ok:

Hi guys

Just found out I passed S1 :) , and now booked S2 for 29th of june. Is anyone else going this day?

@sphil - yes, the day before I will be in Fareham, but probably sleeping from the trip from Croatia :-)

btw. the prices of accomodation are really expensive, in croatia a family can live for a week for the money I will pay just for a night in fareham :\

Stage 1 tests
 

i have recently sat the stage 1 tests at bournmouth collage on the 13/5 can anyone who sat the test on the same day inform me when they recieve their results and if the other lad from manchester as passed message me and we will organize the stage 2 if you want

looking over the previous threads as been very helpfull for info but is a little dated so for people waiting to attend the stage 1 tests this is my experience:

firstly i arrived at the collage in hurn 15 minutes before test was scheduled

you show the security at the gate your id and pointed towards the building

once you have entered the building you will arrive at reception show your id and you will be given an escorted visitors badge and told to sit in the waiting room

15 minutes later and HR arrive and escort u to the examination room

once seated in the room you are taken through the rules and the layout of the afternoon you are given a choice to reschedule if you are not prepared (nobody rescheduled)

test 1 is now handed out the atc paper if you have learned the document provided you will have no problem it is multiple choice and is not as technical as u may think having recieved NATS detailed document

test 2 is a numerical test on speed/distance/time most units used are devisable by 60 and the key is to convert mph to mpm (miles per minute ) and due to being multiple choice the answer you have come up with should be there

15 minute break whilst the papers are marked and at this stage you were told that some people are going home and not proceeding to next stage. i am usually confident but this added alot of pressure especially when my name was read out to leave the room along with 15 or so others to my relief we were going to sit the next stage.

test 3 diagrams / commands not wanting to jinx myself as i have not recieved my results i didnt find this overly difficult the time limit was tight but you could eliminate two answers usually straight away leaving the correct and 1 wrong answer

test 4 last but not least the dreaded cubes the first 20 or so questions were of the same difficulty as the examples provided and the latter part of the test became increasingly difficult you are ver tight on time

for the diagram and cube test you are not issued with scrap paper and cant think how scrap paper could help you there isnt enough time for doodles or sketches.

home time

hope this as been of some help and i guess by previos posts experiences may vary GOOD LUCK!

speed /distance/time tests can be found online at the raf cranwell officers site these are more difficult than the ones in stage 1 so make for good practice :ok:

nats medical
 

hey guys,

what do you think, could a wrong tooth (cavity) cause your failure at the medical examination? I mean, your smile should be perfect and spotless without any tooth-problem or is cavity acceptable?

That last one made me laugh a little :} sorry

Don't think they look at your teeth at all, thats much more of a dentistry thing and it's more a cosmetic than a health issue. Noone is going to see your teeth when your are working apart from co-workers so don't see how that would be an issue.

This document would be good to look at if you have any other questions about the medical.

http://natscareers.co.uk/PDFs/NATS_A...lClearance.pdf

:}

Check your PMs, please.

NATS blippys
 

hi im an ATC trainee in oz from the UK and jus am looking some comparisons with what goes on back there as had to take my offer out here prior to completing tests back home. here we not only train in the sims from an ATC point of view but also blippy on the other side swapping over (which can and does get very confusing at times)! are there employee blippys there, or is it done similarly, or is it all computerized? (only requesting this information out of interest as have heard ATC training can vary immensely from country to country even within the more 'reputable' and 'respected' atc providers)

Hi guys.

I have a test in Fareham in 09:00. I was wondering when does the test end, and how much time do I need to get from NATS center to swanwick rail station (by foot). I have a train in 13:30 so I was wondering will I make it.

Thank you.

1208PUNK

As far as I know they employ people to do that stuff (I'm guessing you mean pretending to be pilots to the ATC) as they did when I was shown around Bournemouth when I was there, well I'm pretty sure they were employed to do that anyways.

On some courses you'll work as the pilot on some/all of the exercises along with NATS employees, on other courses, all the 'blip driving' is done by employees.

Hello People

sorry if this is the wrong place.

I have my stage 2 at NATS in a couple of weeks. From what they tell me its all computer tests but from reading threads from as little as a year ago it seems that some people have had HR interviews as part of their stage 2.

Anyone have any current info (last few months) on what they did at their stage 2's

Thanks again

UberHesch

Al.bundy uberhesch
 

Al.bundy - if you pass first and second parts of stage 1 I would say you will be finished by 12.30. It's about a 25 min walk so you should be good. They are fairly rapid with the tests.
Uberhesch - the posts regarding stage 2 interviews must be over a year old as I took new stage 2 last year and just taken it for a second time this year and I can confirm that there are no interviews at that stage. Only at stage 3.
Good luck to you both

Stage 1
 

Hi Guys,

I'm new to this website and I've found this thread incredibly useful over the last few days! i have my Stage 1 next week 25th at whitely and was wondering about the numerical test - how difficult are they going to make the s/d/t questions (any examples?) and is it just a paper of s/d/t or are there other questions as well?

thanks guys

jimmy, thanks for the answer.

clary, you have examples and links on page 283(or 282)

Stage 3.....
 

To anyone who's thinking of pm-ing me to ask for what questions they ask, this is the response you'll get - the same as the others who've asked already. I'm all for giving advice (and I've found some useful help on here - Cheers!) but I'm not going to tell anyone how to get through their interview....

And also the fact that we were asked not to post anything about the selection processes on-line so as to give others an unfair advantage. It's all about how well you perform in unfamiliar and potentially stressful situations. Although to prepare did I apply for as many jobs as I could with no intention of taking them just for interview experience.

Good luck to all going through selection now

Hi folks sorry if this has been covered already but I don´t have time to cover the whole thread! assuming one gets to stage 3/ security clearance, what does the clearance entail? I´m assuming CRB (basic or full?) and what else? cheers in advance

Thanks al - can't believe i missed that! :ugh:

and R i don't know personally but I'm assuming it will be the most strictest and highest security clearance that can be done - including secret service because of all the terrorists and the countries current threat level

Mike

For a start we were asked specifically, by one of the interviewers, not to post on here about the group exercise or interview questions. There's a PDF on NATS website that contains all the info you need to know about Stage 3 - http://atcocareers.co.uk/pdf/Hints-a...Three-Days.pdf

Of course I don't know that I gave all the "right" answers, but if people knew the questions before hand then they'd have time to prepare (& fabricate?) responses, which I don't really think is what the interview is trying to test.

It's a competency based interview, they ask you to think of different situations you've been in and how you handled them, based on the topics up there ^^^.

I'd recommend going to visit somewhere before you go to the interview though, it helped me and was really interesting.

For a given mach number in still air,the higher aircraft will be slower.The highest aircraft of a given type will want to descend later cos its probably lighter.mach0.8=8miles per minute,0.7=7miles per minute.At these speeds the folk in the airplane would appreciate if you would pause for breath between transmissions,so they can get a request in before overflying the destination.If you want to get on in Air Traffic Control please ignore the above;It's worked for all your predecessors.:)Good luck guys. (It might be the second best job in aviation.)

Stage 3
 

Hi, how's everyone doing?

I have my Stage 3 soon and I was wondering if anyone had any advice for me?

I have read this thread extensively, been on a site visit and bought the ATC book.

I'm also planning on trying to demonstate the core competencies they outline.

Please note that I am asking for advice not the questions, so we don't need to run the "cheating" discourse again.

Cheers!

You may want to read this
 

Hi all,

If you havent read it in another post on here then i suggest you read this, very interesting article from behind the scenes at Heathrow Tower :-

Volcanic ash at 10 o'clock: The world's most stressful job - inside the control tower at Heathrow Airport | Mail Online

Enjoy

CJ

It seems like you have things pretty sorted to be honest and there isnt really much more advice to give. Just look up competency based interviews as this is what they use.
Nothing technical in there either so don't worry about trying to learn anything from the book before hand as they won't ask about it, would be useful when you get past this point I guess to prep for college, do mention it though if asked.

Stage 1...
 

Hi all, Long time lurker, first time poster. Have read most of the recent posts and feel as though i have a good understanding of the selection process, however one thing i was wondering about in stage 1, the motivation paper; do i need to learn all the aircraft data in the paper NATS sent me? I have learned most of the doc pretty well but just cant remember any of the aircraft specific data.

Cheers in advance.

Stage 3 interview prep
 

If anyone fancies downloading a small document ive made up with sample questions to prepare for stage 3 interview please clivk on the link below :-

Free File Hosting Made Simple - MediaFire

Scremaingcobra - This has been answered in several posts, myself included, you need a basic understanding of speeds, destinations etc... they wont ask numerous questions on specific details, but you will need to know them later on, so learn as much as you can. Also if you follow the link above there are some handy files ive uploaded that may help.
Good luck

Yep learn everything in that booklet and then you've got it cracked.

Stage 2 for me on Friday, staying over down there tomorrow night, not sure whether to be excited or nervous. Bit of both really, I'll give it my best shot that's all I can. Anyone else there on Friday?

Hi there

A question for those who have passed or been in the job a while it says on the nats website that after three years you are fully qual is this from your intial training start date or from you intail date of your first post at a unit ?


Thanks

Hi guys.

One more question. The distances they ask us in motivational exam, are they in NM or km?

Thank you.

Stage 2 yesterday wasn't really easy. Not overly confident as it is so easy to make mistakes on things that normally you wouldn't think you'd make mistakes on. The time pressure in some of those tests is immense (especially at 830 in the morning).

Wait and see from now on, but I'm not overly confident, might have made just too many mistakes on the simple stuff (although pretty much all of us said the same so maybe it is expected). Who knows what they're looking for? I'll just have to wait and see.

If you can feel any better almost everyone thinks they did bad on FEAST test, and then they pass.

You can't do anything more now. The best use of your time is to prepare for a interview.

Good luck.

Cheers family guy !