[ HvACC Controller ID upgrade requirements ]

These are the requirements the Hellenic Virtual ACC has set as minimums for each "VATSIM ID rating", for a controller to have, in order for him to upgrade to the next one.We will never require (nor should the pilots served by ATC demand) more knowledge per level than the ones specified below.

VATSIM needs a "recommendation" from each vACC's training director, even if the controller passes the written test, each time he requests an upgrade. Unless this recommendation is received, VATSIM does not authorise the Level upgrade.

NOTE : Unless the requirements set below are met, Hellenic Virtual ACC cannot issue this recommendation and it is the student's responsibility to contact the Training Director in order to start the Upgrade Procedure and get Upgrade Recommendation.

• Theoretical training
  • VATEUD Training Department Manual
  • VRC Manual
    
    
• Practical training
  • organized on line Training Nights

This is the common ID level that VATSIM members get when they first apply for.


This is the one you use with SquawkBox to fly on line.

With VRC you are able to connect as observer only (i.e. LGGG_OBS) and start familiarising with procedures in Hellenic virtual airspace.

You are not able to transmit publicly (preset freq 199.990), but can chat with other controllers on line 

• The Greek "on line flying" tutorial TUTORIAL I
• The VATEUD Training Manual
• The Hellenic Virtual ACC web site

B. After having a respectable experience as pilot within the Hellenic vFIR (and have passed Squadron "B" Checkride)

NEED TO KNOW :

The procedures of a non Athens airport as pilot (it will be the first TWR and APP to be used after S Level ID receipt)

If _APP is to be used, the student must be able to vector an aircraft with a 30deg. intercept angle to a 10+ miles final approach of (non Athens) airport of choise

Must  be able to issue a basic IFR departure clearance according to submited Flight Plan

Must know basic  VRC  features like : 

• functions related to the PC menu poping up with right mouse click on radar screen
• meaning of settings on VRC's  Options
• receipt of weather METARs
• change of frequencies
• own ATIS setup and checking of other controller's ATIS
• able to chat via chatboxes
• able to handover and accept a plane to/from another controller the proper way

Able to work with few text and voice pilots the same time

Able to spell in the international RadioTelephony phonetic alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, ... .)

Note: Having passed HvACC Pilots Team Squadron "B" checkride assures that the Student Controller has good knowledge of English ATC Terminology and can also "feel" the pilot who visits a foreign place for first time and assist him as required.

• What information is presented on the PC radar screen
• How to log in and start up an ATC position
• What a radar blip/label means
• How to communicate on an ATC channel and Private chat box
• Who is on-line, and frequencies other controllers are using
• Change frequency and monitor two frequencies or all frequencies
• How to hand off automatically and manually
• How a pilot obtains weather information or ATIS information
• Good knowledge of meaning of settings on VRC's Options
• Able to handle Venizelos Tower LGAV_TWR procedures (knowledge of Venizelos SIDs)
• Able to control efficiently the Approach (& Departure) of a non Athens airport.
• Having in posession the IFR charts for the airport that he/she controls (all are downloadable from HvACC web site)
• Also the S (above) requirements but in more expert (quick) manner
• How to obtain weather information for different airports
• Knowledge of most Greek and major  European ICAO airport codes
• Navigation procedures for pilots, including SID/STAR
• Basic radar vectoring (heading, radials, vectoring T's, speed used)
• Aircraft limitations (turn radius, cruise altitude/cruise speed/approach speed)
• Difference between Altitude and Flightlevel
• Clearance phraseology for start-up, taxi, takeoff, approach and landing, use of ATIS
• When to use the terms cleared and approved
• the basic emergency procedures for an aircraft in distress
• Able to understand (setup) and use the ALIAS feature of PC which speeds up text communication
• Able to handle Athens Approach procedures
  • Vectors for Venizelos's 03 and 21 ILSs with a 20⁰ intercept angle to at 10+ miles establish
  • Vectors for Hellenikon 15L visual right base approach and ILS 33R approach with a 20⁰ intercept to at 10+ miles establish
• Able to handle Athens departures at same time with SID and non SID pilots
• Able to issue an IFR departure clearance according to submited Flight Plan and correct it if needed so as to comply with local & international procedures

• ATC clearance items for IFR
• Correct ICAO clearance phraseology for start-up, taxi, takeoff, approach and landing, use of ATIS
• Initial contact at arrival: Report, ATIS, runway in use, intentions (vector’s, SID, STAR)
• VFR/IFR differences
• Basic knowledge of the Airspace Control system and which ATC does what
• Basic ability to decode the METAR weather codes
• QNH versus standard setting, Transition Layer, altitude, flight level
• Navigation beacon types, limitations, airways, fixes
• Standard ILS, VOR and NDB Approaches (difference in minima's, effect on aircraft separation)
• Holding procedures
• Go around procedures
• Basic Procedural Controling (no radar view - only voice)
• Knowledge of  basic SquawkBox peculiarities (NDB tuning, manual weather etc.)
• Able to login as LGGG_CTR and
  • handle enroute traffic
  • issue departure clearances to pilots who will be cleared next to "report airborne" (no ground procedures)
  • handle arrival procedures with pilot's "own navigation to final approach"
  • issue simultaneous airport landing/takeoff clearances with wind weather information
• Able to handle multiple approach vectors to Athens with simultaneous departures elsewhere within Hellenic FIR
• Able to to communicate clearly and efficiently through voice
• Able to handle "text" traffic in a quick and efficient manner (ALIASes etc)
• If he/she is to connect as _CTR, to have the available tables indicating SIDs & STARs for Greek airports and/or have all the Greek IFR charts easily accesible (all downloadable from HvACC web site)

PRACTICAL TEST  (CPT - Controller Position Test)

• At  LGAV Venizelos Airport – minimum traffic : 6 movements = 2 departures and 4 arrivals of which
  • Two vectored ILSs
  • one complete departure, from start-up till take off

Position available after six months of active work as a C.

This is the top rating and will not be easily earned unless you have a very good standard. The reason is that this rating should reflect that you are able to handle all possible traffic situations which can be simulated in ProController.

Basically you have to show knowledge up to the standard of a Commercial Pilot level in the topics possible to simulate in ProController.

Two practical tests are required for this rating.

NEED TO KNOW :

• Minimum Altitudes in area providing ATC: Obstacle clearance, MORA, MOCA, minimum radar altitude
• How to interpret ATC-relevant information in SASFSS or Jeppesen manuals
• How to interpret SASFSS or Jeppesen ASIR/IAL cards, as well as Enroute Charts
• Correct use of ATC, best knowledge of all items described above
• Handling of emergency traffic (consequences)
• Lost communication procedures
• Procedural, Non radar procedures (transponder failure or radar failure)
• Assignments of runways (selection criteria)
• The Airspace Control system and which ATC does what
• Able to login as LGGG_CTR and handle at the same time :
  • one vectoring procedure to any Greek airport
  • two arrivals under pilots "own navigation"
• Knowledge of major Greek airports procedures and able to handle them at the same time
• Airplane limitations (wind, runway length, speeds)
• Airport code system (ICAO)
• Lost communications procedures. Emergency X-ponder settings
• Height, altitude, elevation
• Influence high/low QNH
• Separation in air and on the ground (for take off/landing and en route)
• Operational Minima and equipment requirements for CAT I & II
• IAS, TAS, GS, drift
• ETA, EAT, CTOT
• How to Monitor aircraft speed/altitude/track versus clearance and intentions
• Holding: Entries, times, speeds
• Lower & Upper Airspace system including odd/even Flight Levels and level separation
• what VFR and Special VFR means
• how to handle a VFR-Flight Plan
• How to handle CTR traffic and one emergency at the same time
• The popular greater than 100ft Greek airport's elevations ( to closest hundred ft ) and usual obstructions related to vectors in their area
• Major Hellenic airport's runway numbers for taxi and departure procedures
• Knowledge of type of Instrument approaches available for each popular Hellenic airport (ILS / VOR/ NDB)
• Knowledge of frequencies of major Hellenic FIR Navigation Beacons and airports
  

PRACTICAL TEST 1 (CPT - Controller Position Test)

• At unknown major airport – minimum traffic : 14 movements = 4 departures and 10 arrivals, of which :
  • Minimum two vectored ILS as APP in bad weather
  • One standard STAR-approach with weather problems and holding
  • One full NDB-approach in bad weather
  • One vectored VOR approach
  • Two IFR aircraft performing a visual approach
  • Two VFR flights, one local flight (take off and landing) and one outbound only
  • Minimum one complete departure as TWR with full ATC-clearance via SID and handover to DEP/CTR

• One hour checkout in real conditions at known major Airport - minimum 6 movements
• Test is performed as an "over the shoulder" check
  

NEED TO KNOW :

• EVERYTHING regarding the simulated aviation online environment !

Lowest ID : 5

Available for HvACC Controllers with Ratings above "Controller"

NEED TO KNOW :

• Requirements of "Controller" rating
• How to provide instruction within HvACC organization.

For more details contact the HvACC Training Director