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Area or Aerodrome?
So ok.. I'm yet to get my stage 1 results but I am very confident that I have passed.. I managed to finish all 50 of the weird shape and instructions logic paper and almost finished the head frying box one.. the maths and aviation knowledge test were walks in the park and so while I sit and wait for 3 weeks to get the official results preparing answers to the future HR interview and wondering if there is a replacement stage 2 since we already sat the personality test at the stage 1 a question comes up..
What would be better, to work in an area control or an aerodrome? I'm expecting conflicting views on this.. I know I won't have any real choice anyway but my initial opinion would be Aerodrome.. I like the idea of working somewhere other then Swanwick or Prestwick (esp. since they are closing my local Manchester anyway) and I think the more varied 'stations' appeal to me. I like the idea of working approach lining up planes etc.. So.. Area or Aerodrome? Discuss. |
Doesn't the old saying on these forums go 'the search function saves lives'? :}
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If you have an aversion to sunlight then go area.
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There is still a Stage 2 - the personality test that you did was the old Stage 1, Part B. Those tests you'll get in the new Stage 2 are pretty tough as far as I understand so I wouldn't go thinking too far ahead if I were you...
Good luck with your application - I'll leave the rest of the people on here to comment on Area vs Aerodrome as I'm yet to start college... Have you been to either an area control centre or a tower yet? Might be good so you can make up your own mind... |
I'd have thought that somebody who wanted to be an ATCO would know exactly which discipline they would prefer.. I loved both and enjoyed doing both.
If you love looking at aeroplanes then the place to be be is at an airfield. If you think that radar would be your preference then a centre is the option. Back in the good old days you could do both at an airfield, but not too many like that left now. |
^^^The problem is if you go in with the decision to be an aerodrome controller there's the big chance of ending up with area.
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@HD. All the NATS UK airfields have approach radar located locally with the exception of the 5 London airports.
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Area is a dark out practiced only by people who enjoy spending 20 days a month underground prior to being hung upside down in their lockers for ten days before being locked back in the seat.
Area may, for the most part, be better paid, but give me the view from the VCR (and being able to see how close you really got them;)) any day. |
Give me a nice view and three mile separation anyday!
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Give me a comfortable chair and the chance to not see how close I got them, it always looks like 5 miles on a radar screen especially if you wind the range in first ;)
From a personal point of view, I prefer Area. I like the challenge of setting things up nicely on my radar screen from miles away and watching it all unfold. I guess if I'd been streamed into Tower or Approach I'd probbaly prefer them, but Area is the only discipline I have experience of. |
I asked myself the very same question when HR asked me which course I'd like to go on. I'd been on tower visits and had a visit to Swanwick...I still didn't know which I'd prefer and only knew that I liked the idea of being an Approach Controller, maybe because I sat with a Controller operating Gatwick Approach on my visit to Swanwick. I'd even thought of doing the very same thing and posting a message on here to ask people's opinions and preferences, however I then thought 'What does it matter? I'm going to be a Controller one way or the other...I'll love it anyway!' I'd spent so long weighing up the pros and cons of each that I forgot about the main reason I applied for the job...to control aircraft and you get to do that whichever course you go on.
Incidently, I went for Area! |
Whichever discipline you do, you'll most likely really enjoy it... and probably never experience the other disciplines. So you may wonder what it could have been like, but does it matter?
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@HD. All the NATS UK airfields have approach radar located locally with the exception of the 5 London airports.
Glamdring View Public Profile Send a private message to Glamdring Find More Posts by Glamdring Add Glamdring to Your Buddy List Yesterday, 22:22 And how many is that? And not for long! |
And how many is that? And not for long! Airports - NATS Not for long ? That's another story ;) |
Area at an airfield
Just to confuse matters....I'm an Area Controller but work at a NATS airfield...and with daylight radar, I get to look out of the window whilst controlling on radar!!!! Best of both worlds as my radar is located next to the window looking straight out onto the runway!!!:ok:
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"Aerodrome and APP is also good fun but after a while it gets to be a bit more formulaic"
What a great way to put it. I've always tried to articulate that to people and failed! |
off topic but chances of approach and aerodrome?
Slightly off topic...
But what are the chances of doing approach and aerodrome? I appreciate you don't get alot of say with NATS, but after seeing both my dad and bro in law doing both albeit with the RAF and it seems the best of both worlds although both of them have their preferences!! It says on the NATS recruitment website that this is a possibility obviously at a regional airport, but I wanted to know if this was still the c,ase or if people are being validated on one and then stay for ever on that validation. Second attempt at stage one next month! Cheers, Gav |
Area at an airfield Just to confuse matters....I'm an Area Controller but work at a NATS airfield...and with daylight radar, I get to look out of the window whilst controlling on radar!!!! Best of both worlds as my radar is located next to the window looking straight out onto the runway!!! |
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