How did you get into ATC?

[SkyScanner]

I am just wondering what one is requried to do these days to become an air traffic controller.... Any information is greatly appreciated!

[Wedding Tackle]

In what country?

[ATC Watcher]

Must be a fool (or having sexual preferences for masochism ) if you contemplete a carreer as ATCO today. Information technology offers much more rewarding carreer prospect, much higher salaries , probably less effective working hours and a social life...
And if you put two programs or 2 PC together you won't be loosing sleep for months...
That aside, if you are below 25 years old, a pre-university education that included maths and physics (but not too much !)medically fit (especially the eyes,check before filling the papers,that will save you lots of disapointment ) a bit extrovert, definitively not a perfectionist , won't mind to work irregular hours 365 days a year 24/h a day , read Aviation Week or Flight once in a while and actually enjoy reading what's in them, then why not applying ?

[karrank]

http://www.selectnet.au.com/

An on-line aptitude test for ATC in Australia. Have not dared open it myself, I am aware of some experienced ATC who did not pass???? You want to work in ATC you have to jump through some pretty silly hoops. :)




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"Cut him off and call him shorty!" - Lorenna Bobbit (Patron Saint of ATC)
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[SkyScanner]

Wedding Tackle
Either Australia or England..

ATC and karrank thanks for the info!

[Wedding Tackle]

Both countries have citizenship or residency caveats on ATC, however, organisations that train ATCO's:

UK - NATS (www.nats.co.uk), SERCO-IAL (pay your own way I think) or RAF
OZ - ASA (see Karrank's link) or RAAF

(just type RAF or RAAF on any decent seach engine and you'll be away)
Depends on what you want to do. I am led to believe that the RAF don't do a lot of positive control due to the UK airspace design but seem to have a good lifestyle and interesting postings (plus RAF tradition). I am in the RAAF and I get the best of both the civ and MIL world since I work at a civ International airport (Darwin,NT), I see MIL fast movers, commercial jets and 'bugsmashers' (however, there are some 5hitholes the RAAF can send you to). Basically, it is horses for courses, it all depends what you want. It is worth noting that the OZ and Brit MIL need you to be Officers as well (hip, hip, eh wot? old bean!). Personally, I'd like to work Procedural Tower at Queenstown, NZ. Mmmm...Lifestyle. ;)
(The Kiwi's make you pay for the course - stuff that)

Hey Karrank, are you TMA, Enroute, or Tower (at whichever of the plethora of glass gum trees you can choose from in VIC)?

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"flow! like thine inspirer, beer"
-Alexander Pope, 1742 (History's first Approach Controller?)

[This message has been edited by Wedding Tackle (edited 09 March 2000).]