Paperclip - have you been for your medical yet? I've got to book mine and don't know how long the medical lasts for...was wondering if you could tell me please!

Thanks

Indeed I have - I've now had both my NATS and CAA medical, but just lost my licence with the CAA as ended up in hospital last week! Doh! At least I'm not starting at the college till July so will have it back then!

NATS medical takes between 1 hr and 1.5 hrs. CAA medical took a bit longer as there was more waiting around - more like 2 hours or so.

Hope that helps!

I just passed the OPQ too! :)

Just to double-check, is it possible to be rejected at the application form stage? I have all the information they ask for, I just hope it doesn't actually factor in to whether you get into Stage 2 or not. I'm guessing they would reject it if I didn't have the necessary references, GCSE grades or something (I do)? Does the previous work experience/ skills actually matter?

Lozzo - yes it is possible to be rejected at the application form stage! I accidently put 4 GCSEs on my application form even though that wasn't the case (massive typo!) and received an email stating I hadn't got through to stage 1! A phone call later and a 2nd email was received with a different situation...thankfully!

Paperclips - thankyou! I've just booked the NATS medical - when does the CAA medical take place?

Lozzo,

Well done. I don't think we've heard of anyone not getting to Stage 2 because of their application form, so I think you're safe as long as you meet the basic requirements.

Previous experience: Now, I don't know much about the 'new' Stage 2, but it seems less personal than the old one (ie. no questions for you as a person, they're still only interested in your brain :eek:), but if you make it to Stage 3, your interviewers will have read your whole application before they meet you, so it's in your interests to impress them as much as possible before you even walk through that door. Once there, they'll start to ask you about what you've done in the past and then start to pick it apart (well, they did for me anyway)!

Good luck and take your time with the application form - it's usually beneficial to get someone else to read your responses too before you send it off.

CJayne:

If NATS are totally happy with you after your NATS medical, they might not send you straight off to the CAA, but at the moment, it seems that's happening anyway for most of us.

If there's anything NATS isn't 100% of, you'll definitely be visiting the SRG at Aviation House, Gatwick before you start at the college so that they're certain that you're ok and will get a Class 1 (ATCO) without any problems.

Once I'd had my NATS medical I got an email from HR a couple of weeks later telling me to book an appointment at Gatwick, and once you've had it, you just send them a copy of your Class 1.

Thanks Paperclip - now all I have to do is get letters of certification from all the examination boards I took my GCSEs with....some of them don't even exist anymore...aaarrgh!

CJayne
Get the examinations officer at the school to sign a print out of your results... worked for me.

T250: let's say the jolly green giant looks for a career change to become a children's entertainer. his opq asks him if he would best be described as (a) jolly (b) green or (c) giant. since he possesses these qualities in equal measure, he opts for (a) jolly - assuming the qualities of being green or giant are (via his own perception) less applicable to the post in question. this can't be viewed as tantamount to dishonesty, surely.

stage 2
 

Got stage 2 tomorrow and im having a little bit of a stress out! ive been through the pdf so many times but i just hope i can remember all the info on it!
to anyone that has been to stage 2, how long is the motivation paper? is it multiple choice? what sort of questions did they ask?
Im not asking for the answers to be given to me, im just desperate for help and reassurance!

dimbo, not when he is so obviously a giant first.

Well, have filled in the application form, but have a couple of questions...

- I have my optical prescription, but no info on visual acuity, did anyone else put "unknown" or similar? I assume you can sort that out later.

- I don't seem to have got anywhere near any of the word limits. I've tried to be fairly concise, but have all the information in there. Coming from an IT background I don't think it's really worth going into too much detail on the nitty gritty, but have put the general responsibilities and things I learnt (mostly the soft skills side, rather than too much technical detail). Is this what most people found?

- Finally, I am currently a contractor and my previous employer (2 1/2 years ago) went bust in a big way last year... So I've put my current contract's manager as my Employer reference, an "academic" reference from the Flight Instructor course I'm just finishing and a general Personal reference person - does this sound reasonable?

:)

Cheers,
JB.

JB,

Visual acuity stuff - I had to put unknown on mine...I had nothing on my prescription relating to all necessary stuff they ask for and it was fine. If you have to go for a medical (fingers crossed you do!) you'll have to provide a full report on your eyesight dated within the last 6 months.

Don't worry about not filling in the boxes with as many characters as they allow - I didn't.

As for your references, I'm sure you'll be fine with what you have provided....

Don't stress! You'll be fine!!

All the best to you :):ok:

Oh well, asked to take the OPQ, so that's a start! Will get down to taking that this week. It suggest it will be up to 40minutes duration, but can any of you confirm how many questions the test is composed of?

And not to go ahead of myself, but if you make it through and are to set a date for S2 after the OPQ, how many dates can we choose from and how far ahead are they?
Kind of worrying as I now have a two week holiday coming up and wouldn't want that to stand in my way - booked it ages ago! :(

Thanks!
Nick

djnick, it's about 104 questions each consisting of 4 statements. You have to chose one that is least like you and one that is most like you. If you pass that, then there is a formal application form to submit (the usual qualifications and work experience stuff).

I assume that there will be a decent selection of dates for Stage 2 to choose from as they can't expect you not to have any holiday when the whole process is quite so drawn out!

Good Luck!

2nd stage
 

Hi

First time on here.

I've got through the first stage and the OPQ, my email said that after I complete the application I'll be invited to my 2nd stage interview and computer testing, reading this thread would suggest this is no longer the case?

Could someone advise me if this email is outdated or if stage 2 is now definately a full day of computer testing?

Thanks

It is now definetly a full day of testing..... i've got mine next week :bored:

Quick Stage 2 Old/New question.....

Does the motivation paper contain questions from the document we needed to revise for Stage 1? I know most of the stuff anyway, but just wanted to check if I needed to go over this.....

Or does the motivation paper only contain questions relating to the document sent to us for Stage 2?

Any help would be greatly appreciated...

Bartkobe,

The motivation paper contains information from both documents (although you should have noticed quite a bit is repeated, and Stage 2 doc just goes into more detail). Know everything in both.

There's also some more sdt questions too that are a little more complicated than the ones you will have had in Stage 1, but not impossible!

Good luck!

Stage 1...
 

Hi guys, I've been reading this forum for a while with fingers crossed but unfortunately recieved the news I knew as soon as I walked out of the test centre... FAIL!!!

Ah well at least I've got another 4 goes at it so the worst that can happen (if I dont get through at the next 3 attempts) is that I turn 30 by my last try ;)

Do you guys know if the 12 month gap between testing is from the date I first applied or from the date I took my stage 1?

The info on my application would seem to indicate its the date I applied, also is it worth having a cheeky go at applying in say 6/8 months???

Thanks in advance :ok:

paperclip810,

Thanks for your reply....I did indeed notice much was repeated, so just wanted to check :ok:

Donners - It's 12 months from when you applied, not from when you failed, so you'll be fine to reapply quite soon by the sounds of things. What stage did you get to out of interest?

Though you say you've got another 4 goes, I thought you only got 3 goes to get through? But I'm not 100% sure on that one.

Did my Stage 1 in London on 31st March

Just received request to take OPQ

SO happy as I was reasonably sure that i had failed!

NOw i need to get up, showere and take the OPQ- anyone know how long it takes for the results of the OPQ to come back?

I did my OPQ on Monday last week and got results yesterday... whether that's because I sent a message asking for confirmation that they'd received the questionnaire, I don't know! (The invite to take the questionnaire said that they would confirm receipt of it, but I got no confirmation).

Tim - HR may allow you to edit your application, I really don't know. But even if they don't, it shouldn't be a worry. When I got to stage 3, I had a gap on my application form and the guys interviewing me noticed it and questioned me round it. I was able to satisfy their curiosity so all was well.

Hi Chris R, only stage 1 mate, think I failed on the spatial awareness part of it, incidentially does anyone know a good way of doing this or would you actually be allowed to rip a bit of scrap paper apart, the only reason I ask this is i saw someone using a calculator in my test and the invigulator didnt say anything :confused:

The ATC we had on our day said you could have 5 attempts so just assuming he was correct

Multiple replies again so look out for your name....

Donners: You now only have two attempts left as I understand it - 3 attempts in total. I imagine people who have failed the 'old' stage 2 may have a case for having their application reset as it's no longer the same assessment, but I don't think that applies to you. And Chris R is right - it's 12 months from your date of application in the NATS Message Centre thing - I wouldn't suggest applying any earlier than that as you could get accused of being dishonest and having your application withdrawn....

Have you asked for feedback? I'm not sure about the ripping paper apart - I'm certain that it's allowed, but quite frankly, I don't think you'd have enough time to answer all of the questions if you did that. You might get more right, but answer less overall (if you get what I mean).

Tim91: You can try, but not sure they'll let you! If it's only one bit of work experience, I wouldn't worry too much about it - if you were like me and had 8 yeras work experience and didn't include any of it, I'd be more worried! I'm sure you can explain at the interview.

Pugwash - well done for getting through to the OPQ. Response times vary - mine came back within a day, and others take two weeks. It takes as long as it takes I'm afraid! Good luck.

Congratulations Pugwash4x4. I did mine on the 31st as well and I'm waiting to hear. Should be soon then. Was yours the am or pm slot?

hey speedbird- did mine in the afternoon

might be worth looking online to check he system- i happened to log on to check that they had the correct email address for me (which they did), only to find a test invitation- the email didn't come through for another few hours after that!

Just had the mail through saying I didn't meet the required standard. 12 months of practice before I reapply then

sorry you didn't pass the first stage speedbird- good luck next time

just finished the OPQ- that's no fun - as far as i can see they are going to think that i am an over-confident arse that doesn't think about anyone else, lives purely in the present who makes decision too quickly!

tell me- are these useful attributes for an ATC :D :ugh:

Pugwash, they let me in to stage 2 for being an unsociable, emotional, nervous person who hates to lead teams and can't stand monotonous work. :ok: I did put a strong emphasis on how much I love to help people and commit myself to extremeley tough challenges.

Cheers for the advise paperclip, much appreciated, I knew I hadn't got through, think my brain was well and truely out of gear due to not challenging it in the past 6 months, I know have 9 months to jump start it again! Think I'm looking at this as a better oppurtunity as I'm not going in with my eyes closed, as I did previously.

Anyone on here successfully after there 2/3 attempt at trying?

After completing and submitting the full application form prior to stage 2, does anyone know when referees are contacted?

JonathanB: My referees still haven't been contacted even though I passed Stage 3 in January, have had NATS and CAA medical. I assume they'll probably do it before I get a contract in May/June though!

Donners46: I know shugs (who probably still lurks here) was successful on his second attempt, and there's plenty of other people too, but I just can't remember who... I'm sure they'll come out of the woodwork soon enough...

well i did my OPQ this morning and this afternoon they texted me to say that i need to fill in a full application to progress to stage 2!

that was quick!

Blimey... that was quick! Nopw why can't they be that speedy for me?! :}

wow...you are so lucky to have found out so quickly...I have just completed my OPQ but knowing my luck they will make me wait and wait..and then wait some more!!! o well....i guess i will soon learn how patient i am as a person!!

well after just writing that post....I also just found out that I passed the OPQ and now to fill out the application form!!! I was amazed at the speed, it literally only look them abou 20 mins from the time I completed the test to when I got the txt!!!
Best of luck to everyone else...and I hope that you all have the quick response that I did!!!

Hi all,

Just booked stage 2 on 1st May, anyone else on this day ??? I had to book it early as im on holiday the following 2 weeks !!!

Any info on the day from people who have taken it recently ???

Good luck everyone