Cool!, that really helped me out!, cheers!

Stage 3 dates
 

Thanks for the info Phil. I've also been checking everyday for new dates and I've been getting a bit worried. At least I know I'm not on my own which makes me feel a bit better.

@boeingairbus1981 - I wish you would set all my multiple choice exams. With your possible answers (eg. A- 4400 B- 10,700 C - 320 D 15,800) I expect few people would ever have to calculate anything!!!!

Ha ha. Ok, for you I'll make the options harder: 4,000 4,200 4,400 4,600
Feel free to explain your approach to the question

@biscuitwithmorecallories AKA chocolatehobnob: no worries mate!

@others

I would approach that question using approximations too, however if the answers were too close together i would use the pencil and paper provided.

Not all of the questions are hard and take their full share of the time. Working quickly is key to "banking" some time for harder questions.

I found the 3 and 60 times tables came into use a lot, so either get good at them, or spend some time at the start writing them out.. careful doing that though... as that's using time before you've banked any! better to answer all the questions, even with wind guesses if necessary..

(Note, that blind guessing wasn't my tactic... )

I'd use your approach too boeingairbus1981 but to be honest the questions in the actual exam are normally easier to work.

I prepared in a similar way to Phil. I also made sure I brushed up on my hour fractions (ie. 5 mins is 1/12, 3 mins is 1/20, 8 mins is 4/15 etc.) which helped me go that bit faster.

Can't wait for Stage 3. Really looking forward to it but not sure what to expect. Will be trawling back through these pages once I have a date booked!!!

So, has anyone got themselves a booking for Stage 2 recently? This waiting about is a wonderful test of patience.

About the maths test, are you in any moments supposed to know how to work out the combinations with m/s^2 and knots or miles?. I'm good with any problem related with knots/miles but when I practice and come across certain problems that talk about meters per second or any other unit I get pretty lost... Thanks

I did stage 1 last year some time. At no point did I have to change metric/imperial. All questions were in their relevant format so any questions with the speed in knots always measured the distance in miles. I can't even remember any questions being in km or kph.

You could well exchange it for apples and oranges and you'd still be fine as in -

An aircraft is flying at 250 apples an orange. If in 0.2 oranges, Billy eats 10 of the apples travelled every pear, how many pears in 0.2 oranges at 250 apples a pear.

Answer: Not really sure. Got a bit lost. 5 pears I think.

Hope this helps :)

DreamBig.
I was there at Swanwick that day. Long haired guy from Newcastle.
Wondering if you'd heard anything yet. The fifteenth day is Wednesday (which also happens to be my birthday -_-) so I'm getting pretty nervous now.
Good luck if you aven't heard yet bud.

Thanks! :)

Anyone heard back regarding stage 2 results yet, from the 18th July? Should of heard by today.

Sam0n,

I spoke to them regarding the results and they haven't been sent out yet. They will be out this week.

I was there on the 19th

Seb

Thanks, the wait continues... :)

SamOn

I haven't heard anything either. I'm guessing that they're just slammed with the big move happening at the moment. Fingers crossed for everyone who was there the week of the 18th-22nd of July. (I'm excited to see whether the results come through from the tests that didn't really seem to be working on the day.) :8

She did mention that they wouldn't be holding any more stage 3 interviews until late September- Early October anyway. So another long wait ahead for those who do make it through.

Good luck to everyone at every stage!! :)

NATS Stage 2 Date
 

Hi,

I did Stage 1 on the 24th June and was successful. I am still waiting around for stage 2 dates. Has anyone get any more information on this? I emailed HR but they keep telling me they will send out the dates by email but this wait is too long :ugh:

To the people waiting, I don't think there's much more you can do. There is a huge backlog in the system due to a number of factors (college move, EFPS, iFACTS). I have passed my stage 3 and am looking at most likely 1 to 1.5 years wait, minimum. To be honest there's no use in speeding up the application process just to see candidates holding for almost two years. Patience is most likely your only option.

Anyone who did their medical recently that can let me know some details? Mainly, do we get any reimbursment of costs? Will there be one or two medicals (seems to be several versions out there)? How much could you decide for yourself what date would be suitable, was there a waiting list also for this?

Well my wait is over. I failed at Stage 2.
Anyone know whether they will actually give me any feedback at this point if I contact them?

Good luck to everyone else!

I failed stage 2 too. Pretty sure that they don't do feedback, which sucks, but I guess they're struggling to keep up with admin as it is, without having to answer all of our questions! Never mind, at least we can reapply! :ok:

Sorry to hear that DreamBig and Camstrong, unfortunately, as far as I know, you can only get feedback from stage 3, don't quote me on that though. Would be good to know what you didn't do so well one. Good luck next time around.

Just got an email saying they are going to send me another email to take part in an "Occupational Personality Questionnaire", which I'm taking as good news :-)
Well chuffed, especially since it's my birthday today haha.

Congratulations and Happy Birthday. Just so happens to be my birthday too.

^5 for August 10th babies haha.

Well, happy birthday to you both!!!, I hope you do well with what you have left to pass! :)

In reply to Crazy Voyager;

Do we get any reimbursment of costs? As far as i am aware, NATS only cover the cost of the actual medical. I had to pay for my own transport.

Will there be one or two medicals? One medical is all i have sat, im not aware of any others. The details should be sent to you but its all basic stuff, nothing really worth worrying about unless you have anything in your medical history.

How much could you decide for yourself what date would be suitable, was there a waiting list also for this? I phoned up and asked for the nearest available date, i had to wait about 4 weeks for this but im sure they will accommodate you if that's too short a waiting period.

Just a side note, but i'm in the same boat as you. 1 to 1.5 year waiting period before a college place opens up.

Good Luck to anyone reading this who is going through the process!

maths
 

Hi to all,
Now, by what I understand often the fastest way to resolve problems is using fractions and looking for common denominators and simplifying, but what happens when you come across a problem such as the following... I mean, how do you get round to it??

At 223 mph, how far do you travel in 27 mins?, surely some faster way than multiplying 223*9/20 or 223*0.45...Thanksss

You shouldn't have anything as complicated in the NATS test but I would work it out like this.
223mph / 2 = 111.5 miles in 30mins.
111.5/10 = 11.15 miles in 3 minutes.
111.5 - 11.15 = 100.35 miles in 27minutes.

A lot easier to break it up into chunks when you don't have a calculator.

I see. Thank you Avoiding_Action

To crazy voyager, when did you pass your stage 3?

By the end of May, but due to my GP being on summer holiday there have been some extra delays. Not sure if anyone else passed that day though and if so how they've gotten along with their medicals etc.

Opposite conflict
 

I would like very much if anyone can take me out this doubt:
In the SDM test, if I am remembering well, spotting an opposite conflict implies three conditions:
1 - the two air planes must have opposite routes, for example: a first airplane should go from point A to point B and a second airplane should go from a point B to a point A and their strips shouldn't have been removed from any location.
2 - In respect to the temporal distance, I think that the time (between the first airplane in city A and the second airplane in city B) and the time (between the second airplane in city A and the first airplane in city B) should be less than 4 minutes. These two times should be less than 4 minutes.
3 - In respect to the altitudes, the distance (between the altitude of the first airplane over city A and the altitude of the second airplane over city B) and the distance (between the altitude of the second airplane over city A and the altitude of the first airplane over city B)should be less than 30 flight units. These two distances should be less than 30 flight units.

My doubts are the following:
In respect to the temporal distance isn't it necessary to consider the time (between the first airplane in A and the second airplane also in A) and the time (between the first airplane in B and the second airplane also in B)? These two times aren't necessary??
In respect to the vertical distances isn't it necessary to consider the distance (between the first airplane in A and the second airplane also in A) and the distance (between the first airplane in B and the second airplane also in B)? These two distances aren't necessary??
Finally the conditions 2 and 3 are both necessay to be considered an opposite conflict or just one of them is enough for the spotting??

I'm looking forward for an answer from you.

Thanks

Oh so did you book your medical yet? I've passed 10 mnths ago, whilst I knew I'd be waiting long, I find it unfair and a bit unprofessional that there is no communication from HR, despite emailing, phoning(only get through to voice mail) you get nothing from them, I'd be fine with just 'Hi we're working on it'. Anyway, did you have it written it takes 1 and a half years to be posted or you assumed from their situation that that would be the case? Thanks.

I would like very much if you can take me out a doubt:
If I'm remembering well in the SDM, spotting an opposite conflict implies three checkings:
1 - The two airplanes must fly in opposite directions and their strips must not be removed yet. For example, a first airplane flies from A to B and a second airplane flies from B to A.
2 - In respect to the time distances, the time (between the 1st airplane in point A and the 2nd airplane in point B) and the time (between the 2nd airplane in point A and the 1st airplane in point B) should be less than 4 minutes. These two times should be less than four minutes.
3 - In respect to the vertical distances, the distance (between the 1st airplane in point A and the 2nd airplane in point B) and the distance (between the 2nd airplane in point A and the 1st airplane in point B) should be less than 30 flight units. These two distances should be less than 30 flight units.

My doubts are the following:
1 - In the time distances condition (2nd condition), the time (between the 1st airplane in point A and the 2nd airplane also in point A) and the time (between the 1st airplane in point B and the 2nd airplane also in point B) shouldn't be taken into account? Aren't they relevant?
2 - In the vertical distances condition (3rd condition), the distance (between the 1st airplane in point A and the 2nd airplane also in point A) and the distance (between the 1st airplane in point B and the 2nd airplane also in point B) shouldn't be taken into account? Aren't they relevant?
3 - Finally, are the 2nd and the 3rd conditions necessary to consider an opposite conflict or one of them is enough to spot it?

I'm looking forward for an answer from you and I would like it very much.

Thanks http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...ies/thumbs.gif

It's not booked but hopefully I can book it in the next few days as my medical details should reach HR today.

They told me at my stage 3 it would most likely be 14 to 16 months of waiting for a course allocation, I don't like it but what options do we have...

Yeah, I try to look at it that way. I was told towards the end of 2011, well it is fast approaching and I just have no info, but I guess they still have to give me the resignation period from my job time. Book it as soon as you can, it's quite nice to get it out of the way :ok: Good luck.

A FEW QUESTIONS...
 

Hi Guys

Im new to PPRuNe.... and i have some questions i hope some of you can help with...
I am currently studying the NATS initial test stage booklet and i will apply online for a trainee ATCO position when they re-open the recruitment. However, i would like to know what the 'online application' entails.

Please can you help!

Thanks!

Hey there ATCO wannab,


I am currently 17 and am planning to apply for a ATCO position when I turn 18.
I would also like to know what the online application entails.

My main concern is regarding my eyesight, I currently have a prescription of
-2.25 at this age will the NATS reject me on these grounds, even though I would be within the range of the allowed prescriptions. Could they reject me on grounds that it could successively get worse. As I understand you have a medical at the end of the stage 3. So I would like to have a defintive answer now, So I can decide whether it would be worthwhile to apply.

Thank You,
18YOATC

There's a box somewhere on the initial application form where you enter any prescriptions for contact lenses/glasses if you wear them.

As I wear contacts, I entered my prescription and received an e-mail with "your application has been forwarded to our medical team" or something along those lines.

Took that from NATS website (Eligability - NATS Air Traffic Controllers Careers), might be worth asking your optician if you meet the requirement.

Hey Simon,


Thanks for that, I had read it, After asking my optician I found out my Prescription has jumped within the last two years to -3.75. From what I see I would still be within the range. I asked my optician and she said, yes although she didn't look to deep into it.

I was just curious to hear whether anyone had been rejected even though they had been within the allowed prescription range.

Cheers,
18YOATC

arithmetics
 

Anyone that kows how to resolve this problem mentally?. It's easy to do it if you do it writen with a linear equation but doing that is not feasible since it takes too long...

A six passenger plan cruises at 180mph in calm air. If the plane flies 7 miles with the wind in the same amount of time as it flies 5 miles against the wind, then what is the wind speed?.

The solution is apparently 30mph...

Make it simple.

You have two dst-calculations. One with distance 7 miles and speed 160 mph that is not corrected for wind. One with distance 5 miles that is corrected for wind.

Solve them (time is equal in both of them), correct to get the speed of wind instead of the plane and voila.


I can write the entire solution if you want to, but I don't think you need it if you just approach it again knowing it's only two simple equations that need solving.