NavCanada Testing

petite · Post by **petite** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 1:59 pm

Allo

Writing the aptitude test on the 11th at NCTI. Any advice or comments from the peanut gallery? I know that there are others writing this exam even sooner than myself and would appreciate remarks.

Thanks

grimey · Post by **grimey** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 2:47 pm

The tests are likely graded on both accuracy and completeness. You would probably be penalized for wrong answers, so if you don't know, don't guess. But don't waste time on a question that you can't solve quickly, skip it and come back to it later. In the audio checking portion (where they play a tape of someone reading off sequences of letters and numbers), don't get behind, or everything could get messed up. If you don't have the answer by the time the next sequence is read, go to the next question. All of the other tests can be done at your own pace, but you're unlikely to finish all of them. If you don't answer all the questions, don't worry, the test is designed that way intentionally, so that they can accurately measure everyone's results relative to one another. And don't lie on the personality test that "isn't a personality test". It's self-checking, there are multiple questions that ask the same thing in different ways. If you have inconsistent answers, it'll look bad.

200hr Wonder · Post by **200hr Wonder** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:30 pm

OK I was told that the tests where not graded on completness... no lost marks for wrong awnsers.

However on that note you are not expected to finish all the questions. apparently I tested very highly and did not finish the first three tests in time so do not fret about that.

Best advice I can give is to go with your gut and do not think too hard about some things.

200hr Wonder · Post by **200hr Wonder** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:31 pm

Oh yeah good luck... I should hear back about my interview in three or four weeks.

bigfssguy · Post by **bigfssguy** » Sun Jan 22, 2006 4:47 pm

I did the sample tests a bunch of times and when i got into the test i realized the actual questions are a lot more complex than the samples. Which i guess is to be expected. I went through at my own pace, finished as many as i could and didn't guess on any of them. SOme i finished and looked around and people were going crazy trying to finish. Some like the math test i finished 22 of 50 questions. Another thing is if you finish early and are looking over your answers resist the temptation to go changing answers, like they always say your first guess is usually the right one. Look over your answers and correct any glaring errors but try not to change them. I was ttold that i did really really well on my test when i went for my interview so i must have done something right.

BlueandYellow · Post by **BlueandYellow** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 9:27 pm

Petite,

Its pretty much all been said now. My best advice for you is to ESTIMATE answers on the math part. If you look at the answers they're really not that close together. Sometimes if you get the answer within 100, its close enough.

The rest of the questions are similar to the examples, just more complex.

I finally got a letter from NavCanada today. I was looking forward to finding out if I got an interview. Turns out it was my receipt. Yipee.

Good Luck

jonathan_tcu · Post by **jonathan_tcu** » Sun Jan 29, 2006 7:16 am

I've attempted that test at Ottawa Sept 2003 and it was brutal. We started at close to 1:30 pm and I ended up leaving at 6 pm and failed. The moderator told the group out of 20 people, only 1/3 would pass. If you fail, you must wait 1 year before trying again. I'm already up to 2 years and I feel that I have to upgrade my math skills before trying again.

armani · Post by **armani** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:16 pm

To somebody who already went through all the tests and exams.

Could you please tell us about the whole process, step by step. I have read all what is on the web-site, but I wanted to hear it from people who went through this. Also if you could tell more about work enviroment - would be great. Thank you!

jonathan_tcu · Post by **jonathan_tcu** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 6:57 pm

There used to a website that posted every single step from the aptitude test, to the interview stage, the hiring process, the training, and the part after the probation period. That website indicated that you can wait up to 6 months after the testing, to proceed to the interview. The interview itself CAN involve over 100 questions, ranging from how did you resolve an argument with your best friend, to your general what if's, do this/that, etc. After THAT, you move on to training. There are lengthy waiting periods between each step.

lexx · Post by **lexx** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 7:22 pm

armani wrote:To somebody who already went through all the tests and exams.

Could you please tell us about the whole process, step by step. I have read all what is on the web-site, but I wanted to hear it from people who went through this. Also if you could tell more about work enviroment - would be great. Thank you!

Try this site for a discussion of Canadian ATC Recruitment

invertedattitude · Post by **invertedattitude** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:37 pm

Hi all, my two cents.

I did the commercial pilot bit, logged close to 400 hours, decided to try for ATC.

I was accepted, I wrote the exam on Oct 11th, of 2004, had an interview 2 weeks later, one week after that I was confirmed for the Moncton ACC on Feb 6th 2005.

Now the troubles began, due to a mixup, I was bumped to August in Moncton ACC, then the Feb course was cancelled, so they transferred me to Edmonton ACC in May, at which point I requested Toronto for June, I was accepted here as well. Then 3 weeks prior to course commencement, student loans drops NavCanada, and I cannot come up with the money on my own in time.

Fast-forward to November 2005, I start back once again at the Moncton ACC, finally. A bit of blood sweat and tears but its all worth it.

Currently I am finishing the basic IFR course, and I start my speciality course, Moncton high-level March 6th.

Impressions: The CBT sucks.
The Instructors at the centre, and support staff are amazing
Paying for tuition same as VFR/FSS only difference is that VFR/FSS get fully paid accomodations, IFR does not, could be improved.
Pre-course information is sketchy at times, at best, and a lot of the information you need you really have to hunt to find anything out.

Overall, I am exstatic to be here, but the system needs a ton of work!

If you're interested go for it, what's $236 for the aptitude test anyway

For those who don't know, tuition which covers everything for IFR is $3745

One more thing, the course is very intense, if you cannot devote 110% of yourself, and folks I mean 110%, I don't care if you've done Masters degrees in biomechanical engineering, this is far more challenging due to the time constraints and the pace of learning.

I wouldn't trade it for the world however!

CYQMer · Post by **CYQMer** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 6:29 am

These new courses based at the ACC's are a piece of cake compared to what used to be offered at NCTI.

What you are doing now is not even close to as "Intense" as what was done at NCTI.

Spending your free time in the Sim's would also be a very wise idea. People notice this sort of thing and start to gain a lot more respect for trainees when they start to come in on their own time to complete Sim runs. When your instructors tell you that the Sim's will be open for 2 hours before classes start for a given set of days for practice and not one trainee shows up people loose respect for you very quickly no matter how good you are.

Good Luck...

invertedattitude · Post by **invertedattitude** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 1:11 pm

I agree, and I assume you may be one of the employees at the Moncton ACC, anywho:

While I am not familiar with what NCTI had to offer I can say this, no-one who went through NCTI, cept the last couple of years had to pay for their training, and even those who did, got accomdations and food, and lived in a 24hr think tank.

Us students have to:

Pay For Tuition
Pay all the regular bills without full time employment, and in my case I have to work part-time all weekend every weekend, including some weekday nightsjust to survive, I have no choice.

You can imagine having to study all the similar MANOPs, while having to live eat and survive on your own with little to no income. Just being able to buy kraft dinner and mr.noodles, and still have enough money to buy gas to get to the center is a challenge for me, keep in mind, student loans DOES NOT support NavCan anymore.

So before you make assumptions on how hard the "New" students have to work I would ask that you would consider the different hardships we have to endure that perhaps yourself or others did not.

Raydar · Post by **Raydar** » Tue Feb 14, 2006 7:40 pm

This site might be of some help.

http://www.local5454.com/community/boards/

armani · Post by **armani** » Wed May 17, 2006 9:24 pm

grimey wrote:The tests are likely graded on both accuracy and completeness. You would probably be penalized for wrong answers, so if you don't know, don't guess. But don't waste time on a question that you can't solve quickly, skip it and come back to it later. In the audio checking portion (where they play a tape of someone reading off sequences of letters and numbers), don't get behind, or everything could get messed up. If you don't have the answer by the time the next sequence is read, go to the next question. All of the other tests can be done at your own pace, but you're unlikely to finish all of them. If you don't answer all the questions, don't worry, the test is designed that way intentionally, so that they can accurately measure everyone's results relative to one another. And don't lie on the personality test that "isn't a personality test". It's self-checking, there are multiple questions that ask the same thing in different ways. If you have inconsistent answers, it'll look bad.

Question about audio test. So as I understand you don't actually see the sequences and only hear them? Right? I find it quite difficult to remeber all sequences without visual reference. I might go for test on 26th, but this is the only test that stops me, as I still don't get what it is going to be. All others - I am OK with. Please explain this test in more details. Thank you.

grimey · Post by **grimey** » Wed May 17, 2006 11:11 pm

armani wrote:
Question about audio test. So as I understand you don't actually see the sequences and only hear them? Right? I find it quite difficult to remeber all sequences without visual reference. I might go for test on 26th, but this is the only test that stops me, as I still don't get what it is going to be. All others - I am OK with. Please explain this test in more details. Thank you.

It's multiple choice. The proctor plays a tape with a woman reading of sequences of letters and numbers. So you'll hear "123abc", or somesuch, and have to pick the correct answer out of 5 on a sheet. I think there are around 100 questions like this, some getting up to 7-8 alphanumeric sequences. I thought it was one of the harder parts of the test, but it comes down to whatever you have aptitude in. I wouldn't be suprised if alot of people breezed through it, and struggled on the spacial reasoning or diagramming portions, which I thought were fairly easy.

armani · Post by **armani** » Thu May 18, 2006 6:07 am

I feel all right about other parts, but this one scared me. But it is not that bad, I thought I would have to remember the sequences and then to pick two identical. Thanks it is not like that.

Pygmie · Post by **Pygmie** » Thu May 18, 2006 8:57 pm

The only think I found difficult about that part of the exam was the really thick british accent. Other than that, it's not too bad, just don't get behind. If you find yourself getting behind, just skip a question to be ready for the next one.