ATC recruitment with IAA

Thanks for the answers Phi.

Your a in the door if you have this qualification bud..
how did you obtain it?

Aero2009, FROL's are available at all good flight schools!! It's a part of any and all PPL training. Although I disagree that it makes a holder a shoe-in. There was no-where on the application form to let them even know I had one, and i can't see that it will be much use during the tests. As I said it's definitely worth mentioning if I get as far as the interview stage, but I doubt that it will the only factor they're considering.

Hope everyone does well though... just not as well as me!!

Also,

Just to reiterate - we shouldn't give any details about the test prior to Saturday evening as it's not fair on those who have already sat it.

There's 1200 applicants and last tests are Sat at 4.00 so we shoud keep it quiet till then.

Sounds a bit cold but fair is fair!!

I did the test earlier in the week. Don't think I'm giving anything away by saying it is worth having a look at the aforementioned practice test website www.practicetests.co.uk just to get the brain oiled. But really prep'ing is optional, best to focus on arriving fully awake and relaxed.

Against the clock these aptitude tests are very difficult. You will need your 'A' game to do well.

There is no negative marking, so it's worth having a guess if you run out of time, which is almost a certainty in the numerical and abstract parts of the test.

You need to bring only your passport (essential). They have a camera to take your photo, which I think is worth mentioning if you are already on a budget, might save you the six euro it costs for those fairly useless booth photos. No need to print off the email either.

I used a soft pencil but they have pens there. You get a nice big table with a good seat, so no excuses. The computer paper on which you write the multiple chioce answer notes to use a pencil or black pen so I think my paper should be ok. But it hardly matters as I doubt I made the grade. In other words I'll be surprised if I do. The pencil worked out ok for me as I'm used to using pencil and I was able to erase a couple of answers I had second thoughts about in the first part (verbal), but if using a pen you can write an X in the box if you want to change an answer.

By the way....
I found the MC a bit flakey or dizzy as she said the first part (verbal) was 15mins but it was 20mins as was the second and third parts. I had time to look over my answers to the verbal which gave a false sense of security about the rest of the exam. Hey ho. Be warned though, in her little preamble she doesn't follow the text to the letter. A bit off putting given the circumstances. Especially for an anally retentive male like me!

This is not sour grapes, I'm sure she's a nice woman and she seems to do her best to put people at their ease. Maybe she'll get better as the week continues.

Best of luck to all you budding radio officers,

over.

G

I wouldn't be too worried if you didn't get the 3 tests completed, from my understanding of these, they look at the highest scores obtained, plus also the level of accuracy.
For example if you only got 30 questions in the numerical completed, but had 100% accuracy. This is better than if you got the 36 completed, with 2 incorrect.

Best of luck to all,and whoever gets in, I'm sure that they will love it.

I'm not surprised. I don't think that people read the advert correctly. From what I've read in this post and elsewhere, some think that they can transfer to Dublin/Cork after the training is completed. As we know this is not the case as there is only one place for Radio Op (Shanwick) in Ireland and that is in Ballygirreen.

I said that from the start I guarantee you some people thought the job was in Dublin. Ah well less competition for us. There was a few empty seats at mine too. I really hope none of these muppets who think its a way into something else get through, if they get a place their costing those of us with a genuine interest in the job a place.

Hello again guys.

Well, I'm just back in Dublin after sitting the tests today (Friday 16:00) I was pleasantly surprised to see quite a decent female representation at the test. This sort of thing usually attracts more 'outies' than 'innies' but I was glad to see more than just one or two girls.

Anyway, I have one question. Not that it matters too much, since I've done my tests, but I am curious.

Phi seems to think that there is negative marking...

For example if you only got 30 questions in the numerical completed, but had 100% accuracy. This is better than if you got the 36 completed, with 2 incorrect.

but Gerardduff seems sure there isn't

There is no negative marking, so it's worth having a guess if you run out of time

Does anyone know for sure, or can either of you two say your reasons? I suppose I should have asked them today, but I never thought of it.

I finished all the tests, the verbal one being by far the easiest for me. Once I got into the non-verbal one I actually started to enjoy it! The numerical one gave me a headache! :mad: I got it finished, but only by guessing on two questions (both of these I had it rounded down to two of the six possible answers anyway)

Well, all the best to those who have to sit them tomorrow. Hope we all hear soon enough.

Hi pigdog, congrats on doing well.

Just to clarify, I dont think theres negative marking. In fact I know that there isn't. What I said was accuracy not negative marking.

If a decision was to be made on two that had the same (or similar) result, it would the candidate that had the closest to 100% accuracy ie 30 correct out of 30 competed not 30 correct out of 36 completed.

Anyway best of luck to all, and of I get thru I'll see ye there!

Hmmm, I'm trying to think how many were there, I'll give a rough guess at about 40, maybe 50! I think there were a few that were expected but didn't show up today too.

I'm not quite sure exactly what the difference is there Phi. I'n not saying you're wrong, I just don't get the difference. You said someone who got 30 right out of 36, with no wrong answers would be better off than someone who got 34 right and 2 wrong but answered all questions. How is that not negative marking? Maybe I'm not quite clear on what negative marking is.

Oh, and thanks for the congrats Phi, not sure it's warranted just yet though!! Just because I feel I did well doesn't mean anything. I've been bitten by that feeling before...

Not that it really matters either. The tests are done. All we've got to do is wait...

Pigdog wrote: »

Ok, so Phi, sparkysrovers and me get through with, say, 9 hotties! Everyone ok with that set up?

The could do with a few hotties;);)