Training Procedures
1. Overview
New controllers are requried to request a training in order to be allowed to practice at an assigned training airport. Once training is requested a an Instructor will be assigned which will guide the student through the entire training process. Aa mentioned we expect students to self-study in order to be best rpepared for each scheduled training session, we do not offer full lectures on each topic as this is simple not feasible, instead we try to point out mistakes or demonstrate where improvements can be made
2. Controller Ratings
IVAO offers 6 different ATC ratings which are utilized by the North America division as follows:
| Current Rating | Certified for | Highest Position for Training | Target Rating | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AS1 |  |
Observer | Ground | AS2 |  |
Not allowed to control except when in training. |
| AS2 | |
DEL/GND | Tower | AS3 |  |
Allowed to control assigned DEL/GND position. |
| AS3 | |
DEL/GND | Tower | ADC |  |
Allowed to control any DEL/GND/TWR position.1 |
| ADC | |
DEL/GND/TWR | Approach | APC |  |
Allowed to control any DEL/GND/TWR position. |
| APC | |
DEL/GND/TWR/APP | Center | ACC |  |
Allowed to control any DEL/GND/TWR/APP/CTR position.2 |
Note 1: Some complex airports require ADC rating and are excempt from this rule.
Note 2: Enroute positions only require APC rating.
You can view all Facility Rating Requirments here
3. Training Flow Chart
Work In Progress 🔨
4. ATC Rating Progression
- AS1 to AS2
- AS2 to AS3
- AS3 to ADC
- ADC to APC
- APC to ACC
- Trainees will be trained as outlined in the training syllabus stage 3
- Trainee completes total of 200 hours as controller.
- Trainee sucessfully completes the ACC theoretical exam.
- Trainee sucessfully completes the ACC practical exam.
5. Training Requests
All training shall be requested on the main IVAO website here
All training is conducted over voice in the division discord server.
Cancellations
- If necessary, students may cancel their training session by means of direct communication with the Instructor
- Students may not cancel a session within 1 hour of the session start time.
- If a session is canceled by the training staff, the Instructor who canceled the session will make an effort to schedule a make-up session within a timely manner.
Failure to Show
- Students must report to the training session within 10 minutes of the session start time.
- Students who fail to attend will have a “no-show” training record filed.
- If a student fails to show to 3 sessions, without valid cause, they may receive a warning at the discretion of the Training Coordinator
- Additionally, three consecutive failures to shows are subject to disciplinary action at the discretion of the Training Coordinator.
Spontaneous Training
- Allows students and training staff with variable schedules to find training on short notice.
- Spontaneous training is scheduled through the appropriate channel on discord.
Remedial Training
- Remedial training is mandatory training that covers areas of observed deficiencies as noted by any Training Staff member regarding a controller who is already certified for a position(s).
- If a controller is directed to remedial training, they must contact the TC to schedule remedial training
- The TC is responsible for administering/conducting all remedial training.
- The TC may delegate this responsibility to other training staff.
Unproductive Sessions
- If a student comes unprepared for a session or a student is under-performing, the training staff member conducting the session may deem the session as unproductive and cancel the session.
- If more than one unproductive sessions are filed, the student may receive a warning at the discretion of the TC, and an individualized training may be developed to outline improvements to the student’s behavior, training, or lack of preparedness at the discretion of the TC and TAC.
6. Practical Exams
- A practical exam is designed to evaluate the student’s ability to work a position without any assistance.
- To request a practical exam the student must obtain at least one “recommendation” by his/her assigned instructor.
- A practical exam will be proctored by a division training advisor who will then be the desginated examiner.
- A score and summary of the exam will then be submitted by the examiner to a Senior Training Advisor for final evaluation.
- If passed, the new rating will be assigned.
- If failed, the student may request a new practical exam.
AS1/AS2
| Lesson | Content |
|---|---|
| Intro to IVAO | R&R, Divisional Structure, Training overview, Aurora Setup |
| Airspace | Classes of Airspace, Requirements, Special Use Airspaces |
| Weather | Decoding METARs & TAFs, Runway Configurations, TAs and TLs |
| Communications | Phonetic Alphabet, Number Groupings and Special Callsigns, Aircraft Categories |
| Routing | Equipment Suffixes, NAVAIDs/Fixes, Departure Procedures |
| Clearance Delivery | CRAFT acronym, RVSM airspace, Altitude for direction of flight |
| IFR Clearances | use of CRAFT, Local Procedures, Amendments, FRCs |
| VFR | Traffic Pattern, VFR Departures, VFR Flight Following, Class B application |
| Ground Control | Movement vs Non-movement, ASDE-X, Taxi instruction, hold short of, intersection departure, taxi-to-parking |
| Helicopter ground movement | Hover taxi, Air taxi |
| Ground Sequencing | Follow, Give-way, departure sequences |
| Transmissions | Radio Etiquette, Silent Acknowledgment, readback and hearback, transfer of communication |
| Coordination | Intersection departure, runway crossings, position briefings |
AS3/ADC
| Lesson | Content |
|---|---|
| Basic VFR Operations | Parts of a Traffic Pattern, Entry Instructions, Parts of the Option Clearance, Airspace Transition |
| VFR Sequencing | Pattern Entry Instructions/Fundamentals, Traffic Advisories/Follow, Use of 270/360 Turns, S-Turns, Visual Holding |
| Separation | Same Runway Separation, Wake Turbulence Separation |
| Departure Fundamentals | Take-Off Clearance Foundation, Intersection Take-Off Clearance, Line Up and Wait, VFR Departure Take-Off Clearance, Helicopter Departure Instructions, Heading Instructions, Spacing Concepts (meeting MIT, building spacing, etc.) |
| Arrival Fundamentals | Landing Clearance, Crossing Runways, Go-Arounds, Change-to-Runway, Arriving Traffic/In-Trail Advisories, Option and “Unable” Clearance(s), Helicopter Arrival Instructions |
| Airspace | Local Jurisdiction, Radar Tower Fundamentals, Class B Clearances |
| Departure Fundamentals | Radar Identification and VFR Handoffs, RNAV-Off-The-Ground Fixes, SID Headings |
| Arrival Fundamentals | Receiving Radar Handoffs, Missed Approach Procedures, Coordination/Releases with Departure Control |
APC/ACC
| Lesson | Content |
|---|---|
| Radar Targets | Primary vs Secondary |
| Primary Radar Identification | Right/Left Turns, Position Reports, “Departure” Method |
| Secondary Radar Identification | IDENT, Change Squawk Code, Squawk Standby/Normal |
| Radar Contact/Loss | Position Confirmation, Mode C Altitude Validation, Radar Termination |
| Transfer of Control | Handoffs |
| Separation | Radar Site Separation, Adjacent Airspace/Edge of Scope Separation, IFR Vertical Separation Minima, VFR Separation in B/C, Positive Separation/Control, Radar Wake Turbulence, Radar Traffic Advisories, Visual Separation, Merging Target Procedures |
| Weather | Altimeter Issuance, PIREP Dissemination and Solicitation |
| VFR Radar Services | VFR Flight Following, VFR-on-Top, Popup IFR |
| Methods of Vectoring | Direction of Turn/Magnetic Heading Method, Number of Degrees Turn Method, No-Gyro Vectors, Specifying Reason for Vectors |
| Altitude Assignment | Climbs/Descends/Maintain, Crossing Restrictions, Pilot Discretion Climb/Descents, Climb Via/Descend Via |
| Speed Adjustments | Reduce/Increase, Maintain/Maintain Knots or Greater/Do Not Exceed, Maximum Forward/Slowest Practical, Speed Confirmation, Reduce then Descend or Descend then Reduce, Crossing Restrictions |
| Charts | Reading/Detecting Differences in SIDs, Detecting Difference in Conventional/RNAV, Detecting and Analyzing Crossing Restrictions STARs, Analyze Approach Plates, Precision vs Non-Precision Approaches |
| Approach Clearances | Visual Approaches, Instrument Approaches, Procedure Turns/Straight-In Approaches, Practice Approaches, Circling Approach/Side-Step Clearances, Contact Approaches, Cruise Clearances, Cancellation of Approach Clearance |
| Holds | Issuance and EFCTs, Published/Unpublished, Cancellation |
| Uncontrolled Field Operations | One-in/One-out Rule and Protecting Airspace, Departure Releases, Handling of Arrivals, IFR Cancellation Handling |
| Sequencing | Speed Control, “C to A” Sequencing Methods |
| Safety Alerts | Traffic Alerts, Low Altitude Alerts |
| Coordination | APREQs, Pointouts, Rolling Calls, IFR Releases, Missed Approach Procedures |
| Departure Operations | Departure Gates, Climb via SID, Handling RNAV Departures, Handling Arrivals via RNAV STARs, Radar Vectors |
| Arrival Operations | Merging Streams, Speed Control and Building Spacing, Visual Approach Ceiling Minima, Stagger Approaches and Minima, Simultaneous Dual/Triple Runway Operations, Stagger Approaches and Minima |
Enroute (CTR)
| Lesson | Content |
|---|---|
| Airspace | Class A Airspace Boundaries, RVSM Airspace Boundaries |
| Altitude Assignments | Class A Lateral Separation Minima, Above Class A Lateral Separation Minima, Super Wake Turbulence Separation below FL240, Descend Via Clearances, Crossing Restrictions |
| Speed Adjustments | Mach Transition Flight Level, Applying Mach Number Adjustments |
| Local Methods and Procedures | Area Definitions and Jurisdiction, Adjacent Facility Crossing Restrictions, Adjacent Facility Routing Compliance, Adjacent Facility Airspace Jurisdiction |