ATC academy
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GRP 2.1 - Diskussionsgrundlage
How to become a VATSIM controller in the VACC-Austria: 1.) Register your VATSIM account
If you are not already a VATSIM member, go to http://www.vatsim.net and create your account. Make sure your account is assigned to VATEUR (Europe) divison and VATEUD (Europe without UK and Russia) subdivision.
2.) Register at VACC-Austria
If your are not already registered in the VACC-Austria, go to http://www.vacc-austria.org and create your account. Keep in mind, that the credentials for the VACC-Austria infrastructure differs from your VATSIM account!
3.) Check your VATSIM region assignment
Go to https://cert.vatsim.net/vatsimnet/status.php?id=<YOUR VATSIM ID> (e.g. https://cert.vatsim.net/vatsimnet/status.php?id=1051824) and check if the region shows "Austria". In case the region is not selected or not correct, send a mail to vateud4@vateud.net and ask to correct the region assignment.
4.) At that point we strongly recommend that you connect to the network and fly around for several hours to get a feeling for the pilot side and spend some hours at observing active controllers in Austria to get a feeling for that task as well. Remember, the best controllers are also pilots, however, having (virtual) pilot experience is not a requirement but a recommendation from our side.
5.) Apply for controller status
Log into the VACC-Austria homepage (http://www.vacc-austria.org) and select from the menu "member" and select "???" (deutschsprachige Mitglieder finden die Bewerbung unter "Mitglied" -> "???"). In the information form fill out your application. Please do not forget to tell us something abount your person, skills, previous knowledge regarding flight simulation, phraseology, ...
6.) Mentor assignment
After you have sent your application, you have to wait until a msin mentor is assigned. The mentor will guide you thru the training to become a well trained VATSIM controller. The mentor will contact you and will coordinate the next steps.
7.) Basic lesson
Your training will start with a basic lesson. Your mentor has told you what information you should have read to be prepared for this lesson. Now there is time to ask questions, discuss topics and get further information about VATSIM, the VACC-Austria, how to log into the network, handle our radar client (EuroScope) and other interesting things. Very often, the basic lesson is held in small groups by a different trainer than your main mentor. Further information about the content can be found in the lesson overview (LINK zur Übersicht der Lehrinhalte).
8.) Theory Delivery/Ground
After you got some general information about the network, it is time to go into detail. Your mentor will teach you the basics of controlling on the network. This will include learning about the airport layout, issuing IFR clearances, taxi instructions and how to work with EuroScope. Further information about the content can be found in the lesson overview (LINK zur Übersicht der Lehrinhalte).
9.) Eurotest Basic
To start your controller carrier, you have to pass your first theory test, called "Eurotest". Your mentor will show you how to start the test ans in case you have difficulties on answering some questing he will assist you so you should be able to pass the test on the first try.
10.) Rating S1
A lot of theory is done already, so time to get your S1 rating. The mentor will request the upgrade, you will only have to wait a couple of days until the request is replicated.
11.) Practical lesson LOWS_DEL
Now it is time for the first highlight! You will log into the network and staff the delivery position at Salzburg (LOWS) with your mentor. The first pilots are waiting to get the clearance to find their way off the aiport.
11.) Additional training
Depending on the traffic situation in the delivery lesson and on your knowledge, some more training with your mentor will take place.
12.) Staffing LOWS_DEL
You will now be able to staff the delivery position in Salzburg without your mentor watching you. Train your skills to get to the next level.
13.) Practical lesson LOWW_GND
Issuing an IFR clearance is no longer a high sophisticated topic for you, so time to extend your skills. You will log into the network as a ground controller at Vienna (LOWW). On a much more interessting airport layout you will learn how to guide the pilots departing from Vienna to the active runway and how to guide incomming aircrafts to a stand or gate. At some gates an aircraft is not able to start taxi from their position (due to buildings in front of the aircraft), you will learn how an aircraft can be move backwards (called push back/push in).
14.) Additional training
Like after the delivery lesson depending on your skills some additional tranings may be held with your mentor to improve your skills as a ground controller.
15.) Staffing LOWW_DEL/LOWW_GND
You have already spent some hours on your training. You will be able to staff the dlivery positions at Salzburg and Vienna as well as the ground position in Vienna without your mentor. Take some time to enjoy controlling at the largest airport in Austria.
16.) High traffic procedures Ground
When staffing the ground position you may have had times with a large amount of traffic. To improve traffic flow, your mentor will show you how to deal with such large amount of traffic at Vienna airport.
17.) Theory Tower
You're now familar with two airport as a delivery and ground controller. It's now time to get the next part of theory, a very important one! As a tower contoller you are responsible for departing and arriving aircrafts. Your mentor will teach you some more phraseology, how the determine the active runway(s), set up an ATIS (automatic terminal information system), issue takeoff and landing clearances as well as handling VFR traffic.
Further information about the content can be found in the lesson overview (LINK zur Übersicht der Lehrinhalte).
18.) Practical lesson info station
As you now have to deal with VFR traffic, the tower lessons starts at an info station. You will learn how to navigate VFR traffic safely in the vicinity of an uncontrolled airport.
19.) Practical lesson LOWS_TWR
VFR traffic is no longer a problem for you, so you come back to Salzburg, and learn how to operate as a tower controller on a controlled airport using the theory skills you have aready learned.
20.) Additional training
The mentor decides, wheather there sould be additional training with him unless you will continue with the next step.
21.) Practical lesson LOWW_TWR
Taking your theory knowledge as well as the skills while staffing Salzburg tower, you will get your introduction for Vienna.
22.) Additional training (as required)
You know, depending on traffic and your skills some more additional tranings may take place at Vienna as a tower controller.
23.) Eurotest Tower
Beacause as a tower controller you have much more responsibilities than as a ground controller, you have to pass another Eurotest.
24.) Tower CPT
To pass your first CPT (controller practical test), you have to proofe than you are familar with the airport in Vienna, and that you can handle normal operations safly. Your mentor and a checker are wattching you and judge upon your skills.
25.) Rating S2
Congratulations, you have earned your first rating that needs to pass a CPT! Your mentor will request the rating upgrade and some days later you will be able to log into the network using your earned rating.
26.) Staffing LOWS_TWR/LOWW_TWR
You are now able to handle the traffic at the most busiest airport in Austria at your own. Now you should train on your own, improve your skills. In case you have any questions just contact your mentor to coordinate an extra training.
27.) Theoretical & Practical lessons LOWG_TWR/LOWK_TWR/LOWL_TWR and LOWI_TWR
At this point, you should feel comfortable with Salzburg and Vienna aiport. So contact your mentor to get introductions on the other airports in Austria. You will see, every airport is a challange on its own.
29.) Staffing a tower of your choice
The tower education is complete. You are able to control any airport in Austria, another big step is done!
30.) High traffic procedures Tower
When staffing the tower position you may have had times with a large amount of traffic. To improve your skills in this high traffic situations your mentor will show you how to deal with such large amount of traffic.
28.) OTS training
You feel familar with the tower position and decide that you want to prove your skills during a so called "Over the Shoulder" test for quality insurance. Talk to your mentor for the last training to be well prepared for your OTS.
30.) Tower OTS
Last step as a tower controller, it's time to proofe your skills during a high traffic situation. The checkers will watch the traffic flow, your phraseology and will prepare special situations you have to deal with. When the tower OTS is passed, you have proofen, that you are a very good tower controller and the training can go ahead in 3D.
31.) Theory Approach
After passing your first OTS, you will learn how to handle arriving and departing traffic. The mean topic is how to ensure separation between the aircrafts. As there are several approaches to handle the aircrafts safly in 3D, the approach station is one of the most interessting station for controlling.
32.) Practical lesson LOWS_APP
Starting your practical lesson at Salzburg is a good idea, because the airspace is not complicated and the amount of traffic is not that high. So you will practice you theoretical knowledge learned in the theory approach lesson.
33.) Additional training
You know, depending on traffic and your skills some additional tranings may take place at Salzburg as an approach controller.
34.) Practical lesson LOWW_APP
The introduction into an approach airspace is completed at Salzburg. Now it's time to get an intrudoction into the largest approach airspace, in Vienna. Your mentor will show you how to guide the aircrafts in the new sector.
35.) Additional training
Normally, a single training at Vienna is not enough, so you will spend some time with your mentor until you get the clearance to staff this position by yourself.
36.) Eurotest Approach
In the Eurotest you have to proofe, that you are familar with the approach theory.
37.) Approach CPT
As like at the tower CPT you have to pass the approach CPT to show your mentor and your checker, that you have laerned enough to staff the approach position at your own.
38.) Rating S3
You passed the Eurotest, the CPT and earned the new rating, congratulations! Your mentor will request the rating upgrade and some days later you will be able to log into the network using your earned rating.
39.) Staffing LOWS_APP/LOWW_APP
Another big step is done, you will be able to staff the approach sector at Vienna or Salzburg on your own!
40.) Practical lesson as/with LOWW_F_APP (can be done on a simulated session)
To practise your skills (especially feeding the aircrafts on the localizer) you will train a high traffic situation on and with the director station present.
41.) Theoretical & practical lesson LOWG_APP/LOWK_APP/LOWL_APP and LOWI_APP
After some training on the approach sector, you will learn about the airspaces for the other main airports in Austria.
42.) Additional training
Especially at Innsbruck, you will probably need some more training session to get familar with the speacial procedures there.
43.) Staffing an approach station of your choice
Basis education of all Austrian airports is complete. So you are free to choose an approach sector of your choice and staff the position by your own.
44.) High traffic procedures Approach
Some of our events bring us a large amount of traffic in a short amount of time. So will will practice staffing an approach station while the sector is split up into several parts. After that exercise you are completly trained on an approach station.
45.) OTS training
You feel familar with the aproach position and decide that you want to proove your skills during an other OTS test. Talk to your mentor for the last training to be well prepared for your OTS.
46.) Approach OTS
Last step as an approach controller, it's time to proove your skills during a high traffic situation. The checkers will watch the traffic flow, your phraseology and will prepare special situations you have to deal with. When the approach OTS is passed, you have prooven, that you are a very good appraoch controller and the training can go ahead for the center stations.
47.) Theory Center
After passing your approach OTS, you will learn how to handle a mix of departing/arriving and overflying traffic. The mean topic is again how to ensure separation between the aircrafts. As part of the top-down service at VATSIM, you will access your knowledge of all the approach and tower stations.
48.) Practical lesson LOVV_CTR
The theoretical introduction into the center airspace is completed. Now it's time to try to handle the traffic on the network.
49.) Additional training
You know, depending on traffic and your skills some more additional tranings may take place as a center controller.
50.) Eurotest Center
In the Eurotest you have to proove, that you are familar with the center theory.
51.) Center CPT
Thats the last regular controller practical test. You will show your mentor and a checker, that you are able to handle the traffic at the center station on your own.
52.) Rating C1
You passed the Eurotest, the CPT, and earned the new rating, congratulations! Your mentor will request the rating upgrade and some days later you will be able to log into the network using your earned C1-rating.
53.) Staffing LOVV_CTR
Your education is almost complete. You are free to staff the center position without your mentor.
54.) Practical lesson LOVV_I_CTR
As VFR traffic also is going fly in your airspace, you'll have an extra look on how to deal with that kind of traffic on the center station.
55.) High traffic procedures Center
Like in you approach lesson you will learn in this session how to deal with sector splits and handle the aircpraft in high traffic situations.
Education is done. You are free to staff ANY station within the Austrian airspace. The only thing to do is practice, practice and yes, practice ;-)