Section 2 - Training Agreement
2.0.1 All training activities conducted within the boundaries of Miami ARTCC shall be conducted in accordance with the Training policies of the VATUSA Training Department.
2.0.2 Only persons possessing the rating of Instructor or Senior Instructor, or are designated Mentors and such designation is so described on the Miami ARTCC web site, and are members of Miami ARTCC, may act in the capacity of Instructor or offer any form of instruction to another member of Miami ARTCC.
2.0.3 The Chief Instructor (also named Chief Training Contact or Chief Training Officer) shall coordinate the activities of all Mentors and Instructors assigned to Miami ARTCC, unless such duties are delegated to another member of the Instruction Staff.
§ 2.1.0 Duties and Responsibilities
2.1.1 All Instructors must be available no less than 10 hours per month to provide instruction.
2.1.2 Mentors will be assigned duties to help specific controllers with a rating no higher than S-3:
2.1.3 Instructors will be assigned duties to help all controllers with a rating no higher than C-1.
2.1.4 Instructors may offer unsolicited instruction under these conditions only:
a. The Instructor must ask if the controller to receive the comment objects.
b. The Instructor will withhold any instructive comment if the controller to receive the comment objects.
c. Any comment made to another controller shall be wholly based on a procedure described by FAA order 7110.65, Miami Standard Operating Agreements and Procedures, or VATSIM/VATUSA policy. The Instructor should be prepared to cite Section and Paragraph and be able to offer a direct quote from the above named references.
d. Instructive comments shall never be of a personal nature, and shall be worded as politely as possible.
e. Instructors shall be respectful at all times.
2.1.5 Instructors and Mentors offering solicited instruction shall:
a. Base all instruction on those procedures described by FAA order 7110.65, Miami Standard Operating Agreements and Procedures, Miami Tutorials or VATSIM/VATUSA policy.
b. Instructive comments shall never be of a personal nature, and shall be worded as politely as possible.
c. Instructors shall be respectful at all times.
2.1.6 Mentors shall make all recommendations regarding promotions to the Chief Instructor.
2.1.7 Instructors and Mentors will make frequent training reports for any student they are assigned to work with.
2.1.8 Instructors will make occasional observational reports for all controllers who are members of Miami ARTCC.
2.1.9 Instructors and Mentors may offer training in a voice environment under the following conditions:
a. The Instructor or Mentor must staff the same position as the student. The Instructor will using the designator _VM_ in his callsign, and the student will use _VS_ in his callsign.
b. The student controller may not use voice unsupervised unless he possess either a Voice Endorsement or Temporary Voice Endorsement.
§ 2.2.0 Specific Provisions
2.2.1 If, after a credible and substantiated report, it is determined by the Facility Chief that an Instructor or Mentor has violated a provision of §2.1.4 or §2.1.5:
a. For a first-time violation, the Instructor or Mentor shall receive a caution for violating the cited Standard Operating Procedure
b. For a second-time violation, the Instructor shall receive a warning and a notice will be sent to VATUSA training with regard to the infraction. A Mentor will have a 1 month suspension of the Mentor designation.
c. For a third-time violation, a recommendation will be made to the VATUSA Training Department that the Instructor's rating should be removed for cause. A Mentor will have the Mentor designation permanently removed.
2.2.2 An Instructor or Mentor assigned to a new controller with an S-1 rating shall:
a. Observe the student provide Clearance Delivery and offer instructive comments and corrections.
b. Review the Delivery Tutorial with the student.
c. Review the Ground Tutorial with the student.
d. Answer any questions posed by the student.
e. Prepare the student for the Miami Delivery/Ground exam.
f. When the student is observed to provide Delivery service with confidence, efficiency and very few errors, and the student demonstrates a willingness to learn and accept instruction, the Instructor or Mentor will assign the Miami Delivery/Ground exam.
2.2.3 An Instructor or Mentor assigned to work with an S-1 student who has passed the Miami Delivery/Ground exam shall:
a. Observe the student provide Ground and Delivery service and offer instructive comments and corrections.
b. Review the Tower Tutorial with the student.
c. Answer any questions posed by the student.
d. Prepare the student for the Miami Tower exam.
e. When the student is observed to provide Ground and Delivery service with confidence, efficiency, and very few errors, and the student continues to demonstrate a willingness to learn and accept instruction, the Instructor or Mentor will assign the Miami Tower exam.
2.2.4 An Instructor or Mentor assigned to work with an S-1 student who has passed the Miami Tower exam shall:
a. Observe the student provide Tower, Ground and Delivery service and offer instructive comments and corrections.
b. Review the Departure Tutorial with the student.
c. Review the Approach Tutorial with the student.
d. Answer any questions posed by the student.
e. Prepare the student for the Miami Approach/Departure exam and the VATUSA S-3 exam.
f. When the student is observed to provide Tower, Ground and Delivery service with confidence, efficiency and very few errors, and the student continues to demonstrate a willingness to learn and accept instruction, the Instructor or Mentor will recommend the student to the Chief Instructor for observation.
g. A Temporary Voice Endorsement may be issued to an S-1 student with the following provisions:
1. All of the provisions of the published VATUSA policy with regard to Temporary Voice Endorsements shall apply.
2. The S-1 student must have scored 90% or higher on both the Miami Delivery/Ground exam and the Miami Tower exam.
3. The assigned Instructor of the S-1 student must feel that the Temporary Voice Endorsement will enhance further training, and that providing ATC service using a combination of both voice and text will not place a greater workload on the student.
4. ATC service provided by the S-1 student with a Temporary Voice Endorsement will not be compromised in any way and will be at the same quality level as service provided by an S-3 student who obtained a Voice Endorsement in the sequence described below.
h. When the student is observed by the Chief Instructor or Facility Chief to provide Tower, Ground and Delivery service with confidence, efficiency and very few errors, the Chief Instructor or Facility Chief will direct the Instructor last assigned to work with the student to assign the VATUSA S-3 exam and the Miami Approach/Departure exam.
i. After successful completion of the VATUSA S-3 exam and the Miami Approach/Departure exam, the Instructor (or Chief Instructor) will promote the student to the S-3 rating.
j. Those S-3 controllers who do not possess a Voice Endorsement shall be eligible as follows:
2. When the student is observed to provide ATC service using text with confidence, efficiency, and very few errors, the Instructor shall recommend the student for a Voice Student (_VS_) designation that will entitle the student to use voice only while under the supervision of the Instructor, and with any other restrictions put in place by the Chief Instructor.
3. When the student is observed to provide ATC service using voice with confidence, efficiency, and very few errors, the Instructor shall assign the Voice Certification exam.
4. After successful completion of the VATUSA Voice Certification exam, the Instructor (or Chief Instructor) will certify the controller with a VATUSA Voice Endorsement.
2.2.5 An Instructor assigned to prepare an S-3 student for promotion to Full Performance Level Controller (C-1) shall:
a. Observe the student provide Approach, Departure, Tower, Ground and Delivery service and offer instructive comments and corrections.
b. Review the Enroute Center Tutorial with the student.
c. Review all Standard Operating Procedures with the student.
d. Answer any questions posed by the student.
e. Prepare the student for the Miami Center Controller exam and the VATUSA C-1 exam.
f. When the student is observed to provide Approach, Departure, Tower, Ground and Delivery service using both voice and text with confidence, efficiency and very few errors, and the student exhibits maturity and has throughout training demonstrated a willingness to learn and accept instruction, the Instructor will recommend the student to the Chief Instructor for observation.
g. An Over-The-Shoulder examination shall be required and all members of the Instruction Staff shall be invited to submit comments with regard to the candidate's performance and suitability for promotion to the level of C-1.
h. When the student is observed by the Chief Instructor to provide Approach, Departure, Tower, Ground and Delivery service using both voice and text with confidence, efficiency and very few errors, the Chief Instructor will direct the Instructor last assigned to work with the student to assign the VATUSA C-1 exam and the Miami Center exam.
i. After successful completion of the VATUSA C-1 exam and the Miami Center exam, the Instructor (or Chief Instructor) will promote the student to the C-1 rating.
2.2.6 Controllers who have demonstrated a commitment to Miami ARTCC and continue to provide a high quality of ATC shall be considered for promotion to Senior Controller (C-3) as follows:
a. By consensus of the Instruction Staff, the candidate shall be recommended to the Chief Instructor for promotion to Senior Controller (C-3).
b. The Chief Instructor shall observe the Senior Controller candidate work as the Center Controller on a pre-arranged date for an Over-The-Shoulder examination. This examination is mandatory. All other Senior Controllers who are members of Miami ARTCC shall be invited to fly online and to submit a critique of the candidate's performance to the Chief Instructor.
c. If after observation by the Chief Instructor and further recommendation of the Instruction Staff, the controller nominated for C-3 promotion exhibits maturity and experience in the VATUSA/VATSIM environment, the Chief Instructor will assign the VATUSA C-3 exam.
d. After successful completion of the VATUSA C-3 exam, the Chief Instructor will promote the controller to the C-3 rating.
2.2.7 Any controller who fails a VATUSA exam must wait no less than 30 days to retake the exam.
2.2.8 Any controller who fails a Miami ARTCC exam must wait no less than 14 days to retake the exam.
2.2.9 A controller must wait no less than 14 days between promotions in rating (S-1 to S-3, S-3 to C-1, etc).
2.2.10 Any controller who demonstrates an unwillingness to accept instruction or who demonstrates an insubordinate attitude to any member of the Instruction or Administrative Staff shall:
a. For a first-time incident, receive a caution from the Facility Chief.
b. For a second-time incident, be restricted to current rating and any position restriction imposed by the Facility Chief until such time as the controller demonstrates a change in behavior and attitude to the satisfaction of the Facility Chief and Instruction Staff.
c. For a third-time incident, be permanently restricted to current rating and any position restriction within the Miami ARTCC.
d. Further incidents of insubordination or disruptive attitude will result in removal from the membership of the Miami ARTCC. A report will be filed with the VATUSA Conflict Resolution Manager.