Miami ARTCC
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I become an Air Traffic Controller assigned to Miami ARTCC?
How do I go about becoming a Visiting Controller?
My Virtual Airline would like to have an event that involves Miami ARTCC, what should I do?
I'm a member of another ARTCC, but I would like to transfer to Miami ARTCC. What is involved?
Q: How do I become an Air Traffic Controller assigned to Miami ARTCC?
A: If you do not have a Pilot or Controller ID, then you need to go the the VATSIM web site at www.vatsim.net. Under the Member Services menu, click the link that says "Join Now". You will be guided through the process of setting up your membership. You must select The North American Region and the United States Division. If you don't, you won't receive a VATUSA password, and you won't be able to select Miami ARTCC as your assignment.
If you already have a Pilot ID issued by VATSIM and you have selected the North American Region and the United States Division, you can go to the VATUSA web site at www.vatusa.org. Follow the link on the Main Menu that says "New Members Click Here". You will need to pass the Basic/Observer test first. After you do, you will be asked to select an ARTCC assignment. You can select Miami ARTCC then. When prompted for our password, enter DOLPHIN.
Q: How do I go about becoming a Visiting Controller?
A: You can send an email to our Facility Chief requesting Guest Controller privileges. The Facility Chief will sign you up to take our Basic and SOP exam. If you pass you will be permitted to control in our airspace at the position of Clearance Delivery until you take and pass our position exams. For instance, if you would like to work radar positions, you must also pass our APP/DEP exam and CTR exam. We also ask that during the 14 days following your approval of Visiting Controller privileges you log at least one (1) hour online as a controller in our airspace. This proves to us that your interest in participating is sincere.
Please see our Policies page for more information.
Q: I'm a new controller and I want to learn how to work a position other than Delivery. What do I do next?
A: As a Student Controller assigned to the Miami ARTCC, you may request instruction from a member of our Instruction Staff. Please contact our Chief Instructor and he will set you up to begin your training with one of our instructors.
Q: Which controller do I contact if I want to take-off from an airport without a Tower controller online?
A: If you will be departing from MIA, TPA, FLL, PBI, RSW or SRQ, you must contact ATC if there is a controller online. Follow these steps:
If you will be departing from any other airport within our airspace, there are three possible options:
Q: My Virtual Airline would like to have an event that involves Miami ARTCC, what should I do?
A: We welcome staffing requests from Virtual Airlines! If you represent a Virtual Airline, send an email to the Facility Chief approximately one month prior to your planned event. Depending on the size of your event, we will make ever effort to provide ATC staffing. If the event is particularly large, all of our full-performance controllers will be invited to reserve controller positions for the event.
If your staffing request comes at the last minute, or you feel may not involve many pilots, we would still be happy to post the event on our Events Calendar and announce it in our Controller's Forum.
Q: I'm a member of another ARTCC, but I would like to transfer to Miami ARTCC. What is involved?
A: Transfer requests are handled through the VATUSA web site at www.vatusa.org. Only controllers who are members of VATUSA may transfer. If you are not a member of VATUSA, you will need to transfer to the North American Region and the United States division before you can submit a transfer request for Miami ARTCC. Controllers who transfer to our ARTCC will be required to pass a Basic and SOP exam before the transfer request is approved. Controllers requesting to transfer must pass this exam within 2 weeks of making the transfer request. The controller may take the test only once each day, and will have a maximum of 5 attempts during the 14 day period to pass. Once the Basic and SOP exam is passed, the transfer will be approved if there are no other disqualifying issues. A new transfer controller will be restricted to Clearance Delivery until taking and passing the local position tests associated with his/her current rating. Please read our Policy page for complete information.
Q: I was a member of Miami ARTCC, but I was removed from the roster because I became INACTIVE. How do I join again?
A: If you were removed from our Controller Roster for Inactivity, it means you did not provide a total of 2 hours at a controller position during the 3 months prior to your removal. The 2 hours do not need to be all at once, however, only time spent at a control position with Miami ARTCC counts (DEL, GND, TWR, APP, DEP or CTR). To re-join Miami ARTCC, you must first go to the VATUSA web site. On the menu at the left side of the Main Index page, select ARTCC Transfer Form. Enter your CID, Password and select Miami ARTCC as the New Sector. Click submit. If you have not been a member of Miami ARTCC for longer than 6 months, there may be new restrictions on which positions you may control. Please read our General Operating Agreements (§ 1.3.1) for complete details.
Q: I'm a pilot, and everytime I fly from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale, the Delivery Controller changes my first waypoint. Why?
A: Miami International and Ft. Lauderdale International Airports are both inside an area called a TRACON (Terminal RAdar CONtrol). All TRACONs have "gateways". These are like one-way doors through which air traffic enters and exits, just like for the kitchen doors at a crowded and busy restaurant. When you use flight planning software that isn't aware of these gateways (or if you select a route yourself), you might be filing a route which has you going out of the TRACON through an in gateway. The Delivery Controller is required by our Standard Operation Procedures to amend your route so that you won't be running directly into oncoming traffic as you exit the TRACON. If you are interested in learning more about how our TRACON works and how you can avoid filing a "wrong-way" route, have a read through our Departure Tutorial found through clicking on Tutorials of the Controller Menu on this web site.