Atc

im 19 and never joined the atc when i was younger. i was just browsing over the web site and found it to be very interesting, unfortuanately it says you have to be 18 maximum to join. as i really wish to become a pilot i feel this would help a lot, ant ideas on ways to gain the knowledge taught in the atc?

Reply 1

Dickie

zug

if you're in uni, why dont you join the officer training corps (assuming you can)? Thats basically the same as ATC/ACF etc, but for ppl at uni, and you get paid :smile:

Reply 2

zug

no im not at uni. im going to college in september to do public services but dont have any idea of what i coul do

Reply 3

Vladek

You can join the ATC as an adult, but you'd not be a cadet, you'd be helping out organising things as a senior NCO. Its basically like being a scout leader.

Reply 4

zug

but as a senior would i get the benefits of a cadet/ its the aviation that im interested in if i wish to become a pilot

Reply 5

Vladek

If you're looking at it as a good way to get flight experience i'd not bother to be honest, when i was a cadet (I'm not saying its like this in all cadet squadrons) i went fly a few times but i don't remember the warrant officers ever going, so if you're interested in helping out then great but i don't think you'll get much opertunity to fly.

Reply 6

zug

no im not too bothered about flight experience, its the academic side im interested, the experience would be great. id definately join as a senior if i would be eligible for this. any info please?

Reply 7

dontstopmenow

heya im a sgt in the ATC - all the theory that we get can be found on http://www.aircadets.org/acps.html - this is where everything we teach comes from. the only other way we gain any knowledge is purely practical - things such as flying, gliding, camps on RAF bases etc. hope this mite help!
*jemma*

Reply 8

mark1010

If you do want some flying experience, you could join one of the Volunteer Gliding Schools as a Civilian Gliding Instructor. I'm not sure though but you may need some gliding experience beforehand. I'm a Flight Staff Cadet on a VGS and have been taken from no gliding experience whatsoever to the position i am at now, heading for a point when i can fly cadets on their Gliding Induction Courses. It looks very good on your CV as it is very committed voluntary work (on my school you must turn up for at least 4 days a month and do one 10 day course a year). As for knowledge, well in my opinion what you learn in the ATC is very basic. Voluntary work where you can learn some of the knowledge - airmanship, principles of flight - and fly at the same time (you said you want to be a pilot) is probably the best, since employers like that sort of activity.