Aerospace Control Officers-AEC [merged]

[dardt]

Flatspin, are you waiting still to actually DO your extra medical stuff, or is it done and you're waiting for the okay to come back on your air factor?  As for your offer, good luck and keep us posted.  Now that I am here, I am even more excited about the trade then I was before (well, except for learning clouds yesterday  :blotto

Additional eye exam is tomorrow, blood work and ECG on Thursday. Then it's sit back and wait.

 

[navymich]

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you both, Flatspin and Nick.  Here's hoping that files fly and you're both here at lovely NavCan for the March course. 

 

[navymich]

Update on the course so far as I hit the middle of week 3.

Besides the Threshold knowledge exam, we have had 2 others (weather last Friday and publications today) with another scheduled for this Friday (Flight plan info and data coordination services).

Information is coming fast and furious.  The lectures are all by powerpoint, but the instructors are decent and ensure that you understand what is being said and they do their best at keeping the beat up in class so it doesn't end up too dry.  We have homework most nights, but typically it is just confirmation questions from that day's lectures.  Time management is a big skill requirement for the course.  You need to review your notes every night, or you'll end up cramming far too much the night before an exam.  Your actual lessons for an exam end about 2 or 3 days beforehand, and you are already on to new topics when you write your exam.

All in all, busy days, but nothing too overwhelming (yet??).  I'm still quite enjoying things.  The first 3 sections of the course are ATC, while the last section will be AD.  Most students have decided, or think they have decided, which way they want to go.  But we've also been told that as we progress through the different sections, decisions will change back and forth many times.

 

[dardt]

Update on the course so far as I hit the middle of week 3.

Besides the Threshold knowledge exam, we have had 2 others (weather last Friday and publications today) with another scheduled for this Friday (Flight plan info and data coordination services).

Information is coming fast and furious.  The lectures are all by powerpoint, but the instructors are decent and ensure that you understand what is being said and they do their best at keeping the beat up in class so it doesn't end up too dry.  We have homework most nights, but typically it is just confirmation questions from that day's lectures.  Time management is a big skill requirement for the course.  You need to review your notes every night, or you'll end up cramming far too much the night before an exam.  Your actual lessons for an exam end about 2 or 3 days beforehand, and you are already on to new topics when you write your exam.

All in all, busy days, but nothing too overwhelming (yet??).  I'm still quite enjoying things.  The first 3 sections of the course are ATC, while the last section will be AD.  Most students have decided, or think they have decided, which way they want to go.  But we've also been told that as we progress through the different sections, decisions will change back and forth many times.

Well clearly there's still time for Army.ca, that's a good sign.  ;D

Do you know if you'll be spending any time in the simulators they have there at NavCan ?

Also is there formal PT or are you on you're own ?

 

[navymich]

There's always time for army.ca!  And if there isn't, well, I just go back to what I said about time management!

We get to the simulators in another 2 weeks, and spend about 5 weeks in them doing ATC stuff, and then we are back in them for about 3 weeks during the AD section.

There is PT scheduled into almost every day of class.  However, it is scheduled for 1600-1700.  We are often out a bit before that, and head to the gym earlier.  It is kind of formal, in the fact that we have to do it, and during the scheduled time. But most of us would have been working out anyway.  It is not formal, in the fact that although we are in PT together, we all do our own thing, except for once a week or so when we do an organized group activity like basketball or floor hockey or such.

 

[navymich]

We wrote our last written test for the ATC side of things today, and start in the sims (finally!) tomorrow.  The class has been split in half for the next 4 weeks.  I start in IFR then switch to VFR in 2 weeks.  Tomorrow will be demos run through by the instructors to show us how it is done and then it is all us on Thu.

For those still in the process of application, the next course has been pushed back a bit.  It is now scheduled to start 30 April, vice 18 March.  More time for those pesky med files to get through the system!!

 

[Arron]

Ahh the sims.....  They were fun!  You can even make the fire truck do touch and goes all day long, or spin the 360 degree view....  That can make a person sick!

Glad to hear the course is going well, who are the instructors there now?

 

[navymich]

Sadly we are not in the 360 sim.  We saw a short demo in there, and used it for our aerodrome markings class, but we are not using it for any of our actual sims.

PM inbound about the instructors.

 

[Retired ATC]

Sadly we are not in the 360 sim.  We saw a short demo in there, and used it for our aerodrome markings class, but we are not using it for any of our actual sims.

It`s just too bad... the 360 was so much fun when I was there...

 

[navymich]

Start of week 7 today.  Where is the time going?!?!  Today is our last assessed run in our respective sims before our practical exam tomorrow.  Then on Wed we switch, with my group going over to VFR.  It has been interesting to finally see what we have learned all fit together.  For those interested in the trade, start working on your neat printing now!  It takes awhile to get rid of 'doctor writing', that's for sure.

 

[navymich]

Start of week 10 today.  ATC side is complete with everyone having passed through IFR and VFR sims.  We are now into the AD section of the course with 2 weeks in the classroom, before we move into the sims.

Everyone is getting anxious to find out about postings, but we've still got a ways to go until we hear about those. 

 

[Airbrat]

I'm new to the forums here and am currently going through the recruiting process and looking to do AC as an officer.  Just wondering if there are any other ppl out there that have gone through this process and can tell me more about it as far as what to expect after MOC training in Cornwall and where you have ended up living or options you were given as far as postings.  Thanks in advance! 

 

[Zoomie]

Are you referring to the AEC trade?

 

[Airbrat]

Aerospace Control sorry..I'll change the subject line.  As I'm new I don't know all the abbreviations...I was just trying to go with what i saw other people posting.

 

[navymich]

... where you have ended up living or options you were given as far as postings. 

When I was on my 3's course at the beginning of this year in Cornwall, there were 3 AEC courses on as well.  The fol are where people ended up getting posted (what I can remember anyway):

IFR - Cold Lake, Comox
VFR - Greenwood, Comox, Cold Lake
Weapons - North Bay (everyone starts in North Bay as there is another course still to do there), then 4 of 7 were posted to North Bay, 2 to Cold Lake and 1 to Rome NY

You are not given a choice as to which area of the trade you wish to go, although you are allowed to submit your preference.

 

[Airbrat]

Thanks for the response Airmich!  Just trying to get a general idea for down the road.  I was born in North Bay so would be interesting to be there again as it's been awhile as I was 3 when we moved so 30 years later now..

 

[navymich]

If you have any other questions, just ask.  If I can't answer them, I can find out for you and there are also a couple of AECs on the boards too that I'm sure could help out.  I do know that, no matter which way you go with the trade, the course is hard.  When I was in Cornwall, the pass mark was 80% and the failure rate was high.  The pass mark is now at 85%.  As for the facilities themselves in Cornwall, there is at least one thread in this forum with details. Good luck!

 

[Airbrat]

Hmmm...yikes that is high!   Well if I do get through everything else and into this trade guess I'll have to work my butt off and maybe I can get a big shiny plaque like the one I saw you got.  Congrats on that btw. 

 

[Jorkapp]

For sure you've got some tough training ahead of you, but it's definitely an excellent trade to be in. I'm no authority on the subject of life as an AEC (having only survived BMOQ thusfar), but from what I've experienced, I don't regret for a second the choice I made.

If you've got any questions about the first part of your training, feel free to ask.

 

[navymich]

:-[  Thanks airbrat!

Like Jorkapp said, it does seem to be an excellent trade.  Not something I wanted to do, although it was pushed by CFRC when I remustered, but I just wasn't ready to take the plunge for officer.  Even people that have failed out of training don't seem to regret their time spent in the trade, and some of them get a second chance too.