Air traffic controller

I would like to become an air traffic controller in the UK. What is it necessary for it? What are the average wages for it? What do you need to do to become one? Many thanks.

Reply 1

Morbo

Check out Prospects for more information on ATC work.

Wages are good, but the work is highly pressured and training courses are competitive.

Reply 2

725308

To become an air traffic controller in the UK, the only company to apply to is NATS (National Air Traffic Services)Ltd. who are responsible for the vast majority of UK airports and is wholey responsible for UK airspace via its Swanwick, Hampshire control centre and then approach into London airports from West Drayton, London Terminal Control Centre.

To become an air traffic controller with NATS, you will need at least 5 GCSEs at C grade or above and 2 higher qualifications above GCSE level such as 2 A levels or more.

As the 1st poster said, it is very very competitive, current rate is 85% are 'cut' as they put it and another figure is '3 out of 100' meet the criteria required.

There are a series of pressured tests and selection interviews before being offered a course because training air traffic controller costs thousands, we are talking 5 figures or even 6!

Reply 3

sergioib

I see, I know air traffic controllers earn around £8500 in Spain, is it the same in the UK?

Reply 4

alastair

From the prospects website:

"The starting salary is £10,000 during the first year of training. This rises to £15,000 - £18,000 on appointment, depending upon location. Salaries typically rise after validation (two years into the first appointment) to £42,000 - £47,000, depending on posted unit (salary data collected June 06)."

Reply 5

sergioib

Thank you very much!

So they pay a lot more in Spain, like £100.000 roughly every year, whereas just £47.000 in the UK.

I would like to check some more differences, like the work conditions. In Spain they work four days a week, working four hours each of those days, having a one-hour break between each hour. What about in the UK?

Thanks!

Reply 6

Morbo

sergioib

Thank you very much!

So they pay a lot more in Spain, like £100.000 roughly every year, whereas just £47.000 in the UK.

I think I read somewhere that UK area controllers can get up to somewhere near £100k.

I would like to check some more differences, like the work conditions. In Spain they work four days a week, working four hours each of those days, having a one-hour break between each hour. What about in the UK?

I think they work 8 hour shifts, with a 30min break every 90mins. They work 2 days early, 2 days late, 2 days nights, then have 4 days off.

Reply 7

sergioib

Thanks! Then it's not that bad working there, I think I will try to get my course valid in both countries, just in case, or something like that.

Reply 8

725308

Everything Worzo has said is correct, not too sure about the timing of shifts but around or about his estimate.

Reply 9

air1jwilkins1212

Hi Sergio,

I grateful to hear that your English is top notch and that you love our country! I also think it's brilliant that you want to have a career in British air traffic control! A controller at Heathrow can easily expect at least £100,000 (about €150,000) per year. As mentioned earlier, yes the workload is very great and it is strictly illegal to usually work anymore than 4 days per week, and each day you would only work for maybe 60mins at a time. You will need to obtain a PPL (Private Pilot's Licence) first because the theory is that you need to understand what it feels like to be a pilot who needs ATC coverage (in other words, you need to understand your clients' roles in flying and navigating their aircraft!).

I happen to really want to become an airline pilot, and so I am half-way to becoming a private pilot. I train in Gloucester, UK and it is a controlled airport, and so controllers need to be there at all times. I've been lucky enough to speak to the controllers because I once had a work experience week at the airport. Another good idea (although it may sound stupid) is to get into flight simulation (as in computer flight simulators). It's what got me hooked on aviation since the tender age of 9 and I am ALWAYS using Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004. I say this because this version has ATC on it and you can also fly online with hundreds of other virtual pilots and air traffic controllers and so you end up speaking to virtual controllers but who sound VERY VERY realistic and professional. I use a network called VATSIM for this experience and there is seriously nothing that gets you closer to real-life flying, except for the "REAL" thing! If you'd like anymore advice or information, just ask!

Reply 10

alastair

What is your source for needing a PPL for ATC? I have never heard that before and can't find anything on the NATS site about it.

Reply 11

air1jwilkins1212

At Gloucester Airport, the manager of ATC has a PPL and he told me once that he needed it to work as a controller. Although, he could have meant he needed it to work at Gloucester or that he wanted to improve his ATC skills by knowing what it's like to be "at the other end". Thinking about it now, what good would it be to have only a PPL when you are guiding in heavys into Heathrow? But I am certain you need to have a PPL for general aviation airfields (i.e. Gloucester).

Reply 12

top_vapour

I would have thought that a PPL would just be useful for ATC because you have to know RT. A basic knowledge is good, however, I wonder if it would be just possible to learn the RT and take the exam without doing a PPL...?

Top_vapour

Reply 13

Morbo

alastair

What is your source for needing a PPL for ATC? I have never heard that before and can't find anything on the NATS site about it.

You don't need a PPL to train as an ATC. I've heard they encourage/help you to obtain one though because it makes you a better controller. I knew one guy who actually receiving full PPL training from NATS, but I'm not sure if that's still possible.

Reply 14

bornfishy

725308

This is wrong. This is not the only way to apply; otherwise, how would many of the smaller regional airports, that are not under NATS NSL contracts, be staffed? Not all ATCO's come from a NATS background.
There are several organisations in the UK and Ireland, other than NATS, that will train you. The important difference is that you must pay for these courses; between £20k and £80k, depending on course.

On my course, 1% of circa 3000 applicants achieved the grade necessary to begin training; of that, around 75% can expect to be chopped further down the line. The cut rate depends entirely on where you head after your basic ('radar skills') course. That is to say, area control, in particular Swanwick, has a much higher failure rate.

We were told that training an ATCO can cost around £600k. This was, of course, most likely fairly embellished.

Regarding the pay issue mentioned above; 85k is achievable within 10-12 years, if working at a Band 5 unit (ie. Swanwick or Heathrow, that's it). All units are banded; Prestwick area control is Band 4, all the way down to Band 1 and 2 units. At a band 2 unit, you can expect to top off at £65k, as an operational controller.

Training is in stages. First stage is radar skills; rumours abound about how this determines your particular skills and so sets your path through training from then on. In all honesty, it's pretty much luck what you get chosen for; weight of numbers required for area mean chances are, you'll head that path. Area foundation course, at 3 months long, then Area advanced, at 3 months long. Mini / full recourses may be options for students that fail at certain points.

If you're chosen for APC (approach only), you'll be shipped off to West Drayton after 3 months, where you'll control the London airports approaches. That is, Gatwick, Luton, Heathrow, London City, Stansted.

If you're chosen for ADC (aerodrome control), then you'll do the ADC course, and may be posted to a London unit after 3 months. These units have their approach controlled by West Drayton, as mentioned above, and so you only need the ADC, not an APC rating.

After 3 months of ADC training, you may be selected for ADC regional, which is effectively a combined ADC/APC rating. This allows you to work at smaller regional airports, where you'll be required both in the radar room, manning the approach, and upstairs in the VCR, controlling aerodrome traffic.

Regarding the application process; two stages, held over two different days. The first day involves around 40 applicants, with multiple personality tests, an exam paper - you'll have been provided the info before - and a q+a session with operational ATCO's.

You'll hear back very quickly, and be asked to choose a day that suits you for a return visit, for more in depth testing. Computer based aptitude tests, alphanumeric psychometric tests, more personality tests, a group problem solving exercise, diagrammatic reasoning test and fairly difficult interview with a few problem solving questions to be solved face to face.

Sorry for the length; if anybody requires more info, please pm. I could restructure this and post again as a guide if a mod feels it necessary.

bornfishy.

Reply 15

bornfishy

air1jwilkins1212

Nope.

I'm not being rude, but in general, the standard of PPL RT is average, sub-par in some cases. What you've got to remember is that a PPL may fly 6 hours a month, talking to one ATCO, while an ATCO may work an average 8hr shift 18 times a month, talking to many hundreds of different a/c.

Having a PPL is of little appreciable benefit at any airfield, GA airfields included. If anything, it'd make more sense to have a PPL while sorting out separations and pre-landing orbits for light a/c at a commercial airport with mediums and heavies.

Regarding the PPL training mentioned above; NATS don't really encourage it as such, certainly not pre-application anyway. However, if you take the aerodrome (ADC) training route, then yes, you'll be provided X amount of hours flying (?12?), provided time permits. The courses are very packed as it is, and sick time / recoursing may very well get in the way. What you will get, regardless of course, are 'fam flights' with the airlines. Three flights I think, from memory.

bornfishy.

Reply 16

Morbo

bornfishy, where do you work? And do you need security clearance to be an ATCO these days?

Reply 17

bornfishy

Worzo

bornfishy, where do you work? And do you need security clearance to be an ATCO these days?

Worzo - I'd love to tell you, but y'know what big companies are like these days. Plus, I've posted elsewhere on the board regarding a new job, so... lol :redface:

sergioib; you'll not be able to retain validation in two countries. I'm unaware of whether there's a legal barrier - there probably is. Apart from that though, you need to spend a certain amount of hours per month 'plugged in' to retain your validation. You'd not be able to work full time in two countries :biggrin: