Mark Dalforno
February 15th, 2006, 09:55 AM
Gentlemen, good morning, afternoon, evening- pretty much whatever it is when your reading this.
This is just a little information type post so that everyone has a idea what is going on in their ARTCC.
First off, here is the latest ZOA Numbers as of this morning after a quick cleanout of inactive controllers....
Oakland ARTCC has a total of 33 controllers with a Instructor to Controller Ratio of 18.18%
Our Numbers(please note that numbers also include controllers on LOA):
1 - I3
5 - I1
7 - C3
2 - C1
9 - S3
9 - S1
What this tells me is that we are kicking some royal butt for staffing the levels we are, I am very impressed with everyone, but at the same time this tells me that staffing this ARTCC is so important to try to acquire new students. Good Work Everyone
Next on agenda, I am sure you all notice how out of date alot of our material like SOPs are.
The new SOPs are on the way to include the new procedures for each of our airports, this plans for release sometime this month. It will include new procedures for dealing with the MOD3 etc.
The new Sectorfile (10.1) is also on the way and is in final beta testing as I write this, the new sectorfile will have all the latest charts on it along with the latest fixes. Its planned for release along with the new SOPs sometime this month.
Next, our website, I am sure everyone has heard something through the grapevine that ZOA is working on a new website, well to confirm those reports, yes, haha. I can't really release a lot of details on the website as I wish it to be more of a surprise and also cause I don't know half of the stuff Jim Thompson has in store for us. We have a unknown ETA of the website, but progress is moving well.
Lastly, our Training Department. Our Training Department does have some holes it in, I am working on plugging them up with the strongest stuff I can find. Additionally I am working on a whole new program for new students that will include the students getting ASSIGNED a Class C tower to work at and learn the basics, for example, Joe White comes to ZOA a fresh S1. He gets the ZOA SOP test, which on him passing it, can work any Class D tower, he will then get Assigned a Tower; in this case say MRY Tower. He will take a written test on the Tower specific procedures and general tower rules. Then will work with instructors and mentors at MRY Tower till a instructor gives him a Class C certification which will allow him to control any Class C. The student will then focus on the other Class C towers and can start Training at SFO_TWR, on passing his SFO_TWR written and OTS, he is ready for APP. This will allow students to grasp the proper controlling skills down before moving up and getting overwhelmed.
Well, thank you for the time, and I really am happy to see all the great progress ZOA is making towards having the best ARTCC in VATUSA. Keep up the good work gentlemen, I am very proud to be the ATM of this great ARTCC.
This is just a little information type post so that everyone has a idea what is going on in their ARTCC.
First off, here is the latest ZOA Numbers as of this morning after a quick cleanout of inactive controllers....
Oakland ARTCC has a total of 33 controllers with a Instructor to Controller Ratio of 18.18%
Our Numbers(please note that numbers also include controllers on LOA):
1 - I3
5 - I1
7 - C3
2 - C1
9 - S3
9 - S1
What this tells me is that we are kicking some royal butt for staffing the levels we are, I am very impressed with everyone, but at the same time this tells me that staffing this ARTCC is so important to try to acquire new students. Good Work Everyone
Next on agenda, I am sure you all notice how out of date alot of our material like SOPs are.
The new SOPs are on the way to include the new procedures for each of our airports, this plans for release sometime this month. It will include new procedures for dealing with the MOD3 etc.
The new Sectorfile (10.1) is also on the way and is in final beta testing as I write this, the new sectorfile will have all the latest charts on it along with the latest fixes. Its planned for release along with the new SOPs sometime this month.
Next, our website, I am sure everyone has heard something through the grapevine that ZOA is working on a new website, well to confirm those reports, yes, haha. I can't really release a lot of details on the website as I wish it to be more of a surprise and also cause I don't know half of the stuff Jim Thompson has in store for us. We have a unknown ETA of the website, but progress is moving well.
Lastly, our Training Department. Our Training Department does have some holes it in, I am working on plugging them up with the strongest stuff I can find. Additionally I am working on a whole new program for new students that will include the students getting ASSIGNED a Class C tower to work at and learn the basics, for example, Joe White comes to ZOA a fresh S1. He gets the ZOA SOP test, which on him passing it, can work any Class D tower, he will then get Assigned a Tower; in this case say MRY Tower. He will take a written test on the Tower specific procedures and general tower rules. Then will work with instructors and mentors at MRY Tower till a instructor gives him a Class C certification which will allow him to control any Class C. The student will then focus on the other Class C towers and can start Training at SFO_TWR, on passing his SFO_TWR written and OTS, he is ready for APP. This will allow students to grasp the proper controlling skills down before moving up and getting overwhelmed.
Well, thank you for the time, and I really am happy to see all the great progress ZOA is making towards having the best ARTCC in VATUSA. Keep up the good work gentlemen, I am very proud to be the ATM of this great ARTCC.