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Taking the initial Nav Canada test.

Submitted by Billhunter86 on Wed, 28/10/2009 - 20:17.

Hello,

I recently got invited to the assessment session testing for Nav Canada and I went to the library and grabbed a few career/test prep books, but they all deal with the American FAA testing. I was wondering if these books will still give me a good base before the session or if they will throw me completly off. If you want the book names they are "Air Traffic Controller" by James E. Turner printed in 1992 and "Air Traffic Control: Career Prep" by Patrick R. Mattson printed in 2006. Also if anyone knows any websites that might help it will be appreciated.

Thank you for any replys,
Bill

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Hello Bill, May I be blunt?:

Submitted by BY on Mon, 09/11/2009 - 11:28.

Hello Bill,
May I be blunt?: after 37 years Transport/Nav Canada, Air Traffic Services, I am 'intimately' familiar with the filtering process in Canada.
Background: When I first started, I thought that the recurrence of family names on employee's lists was the result of nepotism. "Nnn!"
Turns out, the ability to mentally (inner eye) perceive moving objects in 4D (3D plus Time where T1 is now and Tn is the next critical moment) is substantially genetic.
By all means, study whatever Canadian material on ATC available (hint - ATC MANOPS is theoretically a 'public document'), but - bottom line - your future success will (initially) lie primarily 'gene' based.
Should you 'go for it'? Absolutely! There are 2 types of ATS - visual (Tower) and (Center). Everybody wants VFR Tower, but the money is IFR/Center. Allow 2 years TWR and 4 years CTR commitment with a 3 per cent success (from street to stand-alone) rate.
Don't "suppose" - visit your local Nav Canada facility (though 'public', since 9/11, there is 'enhanced security') and ask for assistance.
Finally Bill, after 30+ years of "hours of boredom, separated by moments of sheer terror" - what money?
Cheers, BY youngbd1@shaw.ca
P.S. ATC MANOPS (Manual of Operations) is updated at least 2/year.

Hi. I'm not familiar with

Submitted by loulou on Fri, 30/10/2009 - 22:47.

Hi. I'm not familiar with the books, but anything of this sort will help you get a good idea of the job. Remember that aptitude tests won't test your knowledge on ATC. Instead, their purpose is to filter out the candidates that most probably are not meant to become air traffic controllers because they lack the required skills. So get a good night's sleep the day before and good luck!