@ elcrusoe

Once you decide to live in another country you always should be open to learn the language that is spoken there. You´d not just make your lady happy, but everybody else, too! :D:D:D

@ saigor

I remember that a part of the Irish bunch that went to Germany DID work in lower airspace, too! And none of them was fluent in German!

Mmm... I'm really fighting with myself. Don't know what to do.
As I've already said I really like Munich, you guys in Munich ACC and I also like the way we use to work together. So I would not be scared to move "up there", and honestly I'm thinking about working somewhere else. Just for have some experience abroad. I mean... between Abano Terme and Munich there's only the Alps!!!!

That's the reason for writing 'almost mandatory'.
But as far as i remember there was only one of the bunch of irish controller who actually got a license in the lower sector.
Anyone of that bunch may correct of course, been wrong on my first guess ;)

A bit of basic german would help anyway i think.

Saigor

DFS maintains UACs in Karlsruhe and Munich, Bremen and Langen only have ACC and APP.
North-western German upper airspace is controlled by Eurocontrol at Maastricht.

Regards,

Robert

There are a some very challenging courses within 100km. I know at least 20 colleagues playing golf, some of them below hcp -10 (me included :))
BTW there's a RR golf-team as well.....

Cheers

DFS Approach Control
 

RobertK-

Are the DFS approach control units physically located within the control centre buildings in Bremen, Langen, Karlsruhe, Munich and Maastricht?

Thanks in advance.

DFS Website
 

Has a lot of good gen:

http://www.dfs.de/dfs/internet/english/index.html

:ok:

They are located in the control centre buildings in Bremen, Langen and Munich. No approach units in Karlsruhe and Maastricht. :)

Regards,

Robert

Approach
 

Does anyone know what is the package they are offering? Medical ensurance, pension scheme, accomodation, salary (with kids) etc.?

If there is anyone in here working for DFS in Karlsruhe, could they please PM me. I have a few questions I'd like to ask.

Cheers,

NFR.

Can you PM me too please, the interviews are about to begin and I would also like more info.

NFR, you got an interview? I know there is a few from MC who do.

West ATC

In your opinion... a non-german speaking atco will be employed only in the UAC? Or maybe there's the chance to be assigned also in Munich?
I mean... I work in Abano Terme and during the summer I go to Jesolo... both places are full of blonde german girls... something I've learned!!
Habt ihr einen Zigaretten? Und Feuerzeug? Danke! Du bist schon! Ich liebe dich!
Is that enough??????

almost ;)

but as far as i know, only Langen and Karlsruhe are open for the direct entries.

Saigor

pdcta,

From my lovely blonde Deutsche Freundin...

"this little little german might not be enough....aber schonmal sehr gut! :-)viel glueck. sometimes you dont need to talk... :rolleyes: "

interview process
 

Has anyone had an interview yet?
Mine is next week? What are they asking , what to expect? Any infos please?
Thanks.

Any news update?
 

So just curious if anyone has some news from the front line?.......Any news out of the facilities or well does anybody else have any useful information about the situation? Anybody know the exact numbers they are looking for?

And well good luck to everyone that applied and i hope for the best for all of you. I'm sure DFS will be a great place to work and i already know by experience its a great place to live.

Thanx people!!!!
Take care

Which centre?
 

Has anybody had their phone interview yet? I had mine and it seemed as though i was being recruited for enroute/approach at Langen!

Had mine yesterday. Exactly the same feeling I got. 25 to Langen and 15 to Karlsruhe was what I was told. They were definitely pushing me towards the low-level sectors!

Not really what I was expecting/wanting.

Number 2

DO you have to speak german? Salary details if you have them please! Pm if you would prefer Cheers!

I don't mind being public......I don't speak German (seemed to be a problem to the interview team - which I understand). They talked about attending the College at Langen for 5 months to do a low-level course.

To be honest, I didn't feel that a discussion about salary was appropriate at this juncture. An assessment day at Langen was mentioned.

Isn't it too much for direct entries?
5 months in school plus pre -OJT , than OJT,than an examination process.
UF! It sounds like 12 months,before full salary!

Just noticed the title of this thread: Whereas an ATCO is a person who stops aeroplanes bumping into each other, an Atco, is a lawnmower ;)

'It sounds like 12 months before full salary!'

Tell me about it!!!!

Like I said before, not what I expected at all.

I can´t tell you anything about the pay conditions etc.
But I know that you won´t get bored at the academy! You´ll be introduced to how wonderful the DFS is, to its philosophy and German laws (and we have lots of them!!!). And for those who will get jobs at Langen I wouldn´t be surprised if you´d get some German language courses. Especially in German phraseology. That´ll be enough since there´s not too much German speaking traffic on ATC-frequency.

And after that you´ll spend some 2 months in the simulator in order to make you familiar with local procedures. Believe me! You won´t get bored!
:8

With all that training why do they want experienced controllers? With 5 months in the classroom, including two months in the sim, then 5-6 months OJT I could train a keen student straight off the street.
I also hope the 'rumour' of training pay until validated is just that, a rumour. I would think it very unlikely that someone already employed by DFS would revert to training pay if they were to transfer from say Bremen to Karlsruhe. So why then should direct entry experienced controllers be fiscally penalised?

Classroom, sim and OJT take about 3 years for ab initio trainees here.

Regards,

Robert

Hallo RobertK

Did I read that right??? You're telling us that from the day a person walks in off the street into the classroom at Langen until the time they talk to an aircraft on their own licence takes three years:eek: In my experience it usually takes one year to train a tower controller, 14 months for an area controller (I will not say where, as I'd like to stay incognito, but a very complex ACC). For experienced overseas controllers it will take anywhere from 3 months to 6 months depending on the sector/s including sim and classroom time, it usually can be sooner but minmum training times are set down for the various validations. I'd be interested what the times are in other places...

As you work there, or close by, can you tell us whether internal transfers, ie Langen to Bremen revert to training pay until they validate in the new ACC?

Danker

FLF

Is there supposed to be an R at the end of Danke - I must brush up on my German!!!!

I'm interested to see how far and wide the applicants come from? The majority from Europe I assume (maybe wrongly?)

#2 you´re right!!! It´s DANKE!!! No R in it! :8

Ab initios spend 1 year in the classroom, half a year in the sim and then another 18 months (maximum) in OJT. Experienced controllers will most probably need 6 to 10 months in OJT to get fully validated.

Nobody ever said that German airspace is easy to get familiar with!

I rarely seen people needing only 3 years!

Most of them take a longer time until all licences are achieved!

But everything between 3 years and almost 4 years is a good value to calculate with for ab initios!


You are getting new, ready-to-work ATCOS in one year???!!!
Hm.....that is why some in DFS are thinking of good assements. Not every controller is able to cope with the central european airspace, it is definetly the most complex one in Europe. I have no idea about the amount traffic in other parts of the world, but central Europe with all its hubs is not easy to work and they (DFS) made experience in former times with ready entries (at least at Karlsruhe UAC): Only a very few made it!

Good luck to all - do your best! We´re waiting for you!

Only 2008 until this week in average 8,6 % more traffic (only for UAC, lower sectors not as much as here) in respect to 2007!

FY


Edit: If a ATCO changes the center, he will get the normal salary! No downgrading during training!

Slightly offtopic @ FLF: In The Netherlands training for from Ab-initio to fully licensed is at Tower/Approach about 4 years, and for Area about 2,5 to 3 years!

So with all this talk about going back down to training salaries whilst validating, does anyone actually have any idea what that salary would be??????

I can´t imagine, that you´ll get paid the trainee-salaries!

That is inappropriate!

Yes I agree, I certainly wouldn't expect to drop back down to the same salary level as an ab initio trainee.
But, that said, I'm guessing there will be some form of reduced pay structure until you actually validate. Obviously at this stage of recruitment it's distinctly bad form to start asking your interviewers about salaries so I was wondering if anyone already working there had any idea what the pay structure would be, or if anyone has dared to ask during the telephone interviews??!!

Any other feedback from the interviews?

In addition to what my German colleagues have already stated, DFS is faced with the problem that they don't get enough applications by ab initio trainees. I don't know exact figures but say you need 10000 applications to actually find 100 suitable candidates, and you only get 5000 applications in the first place, then you need 50 ready entries to make up for that deficit.

From what I hear DFS needs about 300 additional controllers over the next couple of years.

Or maybe there's the chance to be assigned also in Munich?

Munich ACC is looking for direct entries, too. Especially when familiar with the south-area (Austria, Padua, Swiss).

Munich APP also needs staff.

Just ask for it in your application.

And about the social contact in Munich: we had a very good time with our "guests" from Ireland, working here till 2004. And we are still in contact!!!

Try it. Good luck!

Antje

Is there a deadline on CV submission?
I think I'm going to apply. This kind of application makes me crazy. I mean... I prefere to fill a form instead writing a CV: I have nothing to write on it!

Anybody get feedback yet?
 

Just curious to see if anybody got word back from the HR office yet....

Thanx,

PN

I understand some Aussies have some testing scheduled...:}