An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir March / April 2026 www.military.ie/magazine M y name is Samuel Massey. I am 22 years old and currently an Air Traffic Controller Cadet with the Irish Air Corps. In 2022, while completing my Leaving Certificate in 6th year, I applied for the Aircraft Technician Apprenticeship. At the time, I had my heart set on pursuing an apprenticeship. In September, I was offered the position and began my journey in Baldonnell that October as a recruit. Like most first days in the Defence Forces, it was daunting. A mixture of excitement, nerves, and uncertainty all at once. I thoroughly enjoyed my 6 months of recruit training in the Military Training School (MTS). The experience of going through both the highs and lows alongside others created friendships that will last a lifetime. I was incredibly fortunate to receive the award for Best Soldier from recruit training through to 3-star, an achievement I never expected and one I am extremely proud of. A week later, I began the Aircraft Technician Apprenticeship. Growing up on a farm, I've always enjoyed hands-on work tinkering with machinery and cars in my spare time. Life in the Technical Training School was demanding, with long classroom hours, challenging exams, and a vast amount of material to master. We were fortunate to have practical training two days a week for certain modules, which I found particularly rewarding. Working on aircraft required precision, discipline, and attention to detail. Qualities I enjoyed developing. During the summer, we spent two months working in the hangars on live operational aircraft, gaining invaluable on-the-job experience. It was during this time that my interest shifted toward the operational side of aviation, particularly Air Traffic Control. Watching aircraft move seamlessly through the sky and wondering how they maintained safe separation felt almost like black magic. The following year, I heard about the possibility of the first-ever ATC Cadetship being launched. Previously, entry into ATC required applying internally for an Aerodrome Controllers course, which was advertised periodically in the Routine Orders. When the cadetship was advertised, I arranged a visit to the tower to see if it might be the right path for me. From the moment I arrived, I felt welcomed by the staff on duty. They walked me through their daily responsibilities, the equipment they used, and the scope of their role. It was an incredibly insightful experience. After careful consideration, I decided to apply. The selection process was extensive: psychometric testing, a fitness assessment, and a group exercise. For the ATC cadetship specifically, we were also required to complete the FEAST and DART aptitude tests, which lasted between three and five hours under supervision. This was followed by an interview and a comprehensive medical, including an air medical. When I received the offer in October, I was over the moon. Shortly after, I prepared to depart for the Curragh to begin the military phase of training. As part of the ATC cadetship, we completed three months in the Curragh as members of the 101st Cadet Class. Training covered foot drill, arms drill, navigation, military writing, and weapons handling including the Steyr AUG and GPMG. Returning to a strict routine was challenging, but my prior experience allowed me to adapt quickly. I met people from a wide range of backgrounds, and although I enjoyed my time there, I was ready to move forward when we finished in December. After Christmas, we returned to Casement Aerodrome for orientation and received a briefing on the six-month training phase in Spain. We also visited Dublin Tower, which was an incredible experience. Seeing their modern facilities and the volume of traffic they manage daily highlighted the importance of teamwork and coordination in ATC. The following week, we departed for southern Spain. The first six weeks consisted of the Basic Course, covering air law, meteorology, 20 | AIR TRAFFIC AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CADETSHIP CONTROL CADETSHIP ARTICLE BY CADET SAMUEL MASSEY

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