Greg Marcoux
July 13th, 2009, 04:10 PM
OK everyone here comes the best explanation I can give on what is transpiring in the staff forums for the new GRP. The new rating system for VATUSA is effective August 1st, 2009.
PURPOSE
The GRP Review was initiated to examine the current GRP and refine it to best meet the needs of online pilots and controllers. The Founders’ Open Letter to the Community clearly expressed concern about some current practices that need to be addressed. This review process brought to light many of the problems existing due to the first version of the GRP. This guide will serve as an outline on the implementation of the rating structure.
Explanation
Each airport as been classified as either a Major or Minor position.
Basically VATSIM has asked every facility to designate which airports we would like to classify as MAJOR. ZOA has selected San Francisco International Airport as our Major airport. All other airports are Minor.
Along with the new GRP is a different rating structure. The structure is as follows:
Observer=OBS
Ground/Delivery Controller=S1
Tower Controller=S2
Approach Controller=S3
Center Controller=C1
Note: The C3 rating is not a rating given to a controller based on qualifications anymore. The C3 rating is now looked upon as basically an accolade.
S1: Ground/Delivery Controller
All new students will start out as an obsever. Anyone with an OBS rating is not allowed to control on the network. In order to be promoted to S1 each student will have to pass a PV/OTS with an instructor on ground/delivery. You may be asking yourself if I am an S1 what am I allowed to control? Each rating at a minimum allows controllers to work any Minor position for which they have the appropriate rating. Any S1 can work any minor airport ground/delivery, which is every airport except San Francisco. In order to control San Francisco as an S1 you will need a separate OTS.
S2: Tower Controller
The same concept applies as the S1 rating. Every S2 controller can control any minor airport tower. In order to control SFO you will need a separate OTS/PV or have SMT on SFO.
S3: Approach Controller
Again, any S3 can control minor airports as an approach controller without a mentor or instructor. However, no S3 can control any part of Norcal without SMT for that particular sector(s) or an OTS/PV for Norcal Comined or that particular sector(s).
C1: Center Controller
No person may work Center unmonitored unless they are a C1.
ZOA's Progression Plan
Notice: This training plan supersedes Center Policy Statement-001.
1. All new students that are not transfers will start out with an OBS rating. They will begin training on San Francisco International ground/delivery using sweatbox, team speak or observing on VATSIM. I repeat, no training can be conducted with the controller logged onto VATSIM so there is no SMT for SFO ground anymore. Please do not complain about this, I have made my point to VATUSA and VATSIM but they will not change there stance. Once they have completed there training they will need a PV recommendation from a mentor/instructor for there S1 rating on San Francisco ground. Since all of the students training will be done at SFO, the S1 rating PV/OTS will allow students to control SFO as delivery or ground.
2. Once a student becomes an S1 and is checked out at SFO they will begin there tower training at SFO as well. Tower training can be conducted on VATSIM network because they are not an OBS anymore. Once a student has completed there tower training and been recommened by a mentor/instructor, a PV/OTS will be conducted. If the PV/OTS is satisfactory the student will be promoted to S2 and since the PV was conducted at SFO they will be able to control any tower including SFO.
Note: The progression plan for tower training is likely to change a bit soon.
3. Approach training will begin at SMF. Once the student has the basics for approach they will be moved to Reno where the rest of the S3 training will be completed. A recommendation will be given by a mentor/instructor for there S3 OTS/PV. An instructor will conduct the OTS/PV at reno for the students S3 rating. If the OTS/PV is satisfactor the student will be promoted to S3 and can control any approach except Norcal or any sector part of Norcal.
4. Once a student has passed there S3 rating they will be eligible to start training at either Norcal Combined or an individual sector/group of sectors depending on how the training staff thinks the student will progress best. A separate OTS/PV will be conducted for Norcal Combined or the appropriate sectors before that student will be able to control the sector(s) for which the PV/OTS was conducted.
5. Once the student has been checked out for Norcal Combined then we will start Center training. There is no SMT anymore for CTR. Anytime an S3 wants to control Center they either need to be training or being observed by a mentor/instructor. A PV/OTS recommendation is needed to conduct a C1 PV/OTS. If the student passes the C1 PV/OTS they will be certified to work CTR and will be fully checked out at ZOA.
PV's/OTS'
Only Instructors can give PV's/OTS' for the S1,S2,S3, C1 rating and the OTS/PV for norcal combined.
In the Future
ZOA is currently is in the process of fixing our website so we can start to change our policies and update or training resources to reflect the changes in the new GRP. Please bare with us for now as we are working to hard to update everything. For now, if you have any questions please reference this post and/or e-mail either David or myself.
PURPOSE
The GRP Review was initiated to examine the current GRP and refine it to best meet the needs of online pilots and controllers. The Founders’ Open Letter to the Community clearly expressed concern about some current practices that need to be addressed. This review process brought to light many of the problems existing due to the first version of the GRP. This guide will serve as an outline on the implementation of the rating structure.
Explanation
Each airport as been classified as either a Major or Minor position.
Basically VATSIM has asked every facility to designate which airports we would like to classify as MAJOR. ZOA has selected San Francisco International Airport as our Major airport. All other airports are Minor.
Along with the new GRP is a different rating structure. The structure is as follows:
Observer=OBS
Ground/Delivery Controller=S1
Tower Controller=S2
Approach Controller=S3
Center Controller=C1
Note: The C3 rating is not a rating given to a controller based on qualifications anymore. The C3 rating is now looked upon as basically an accolade.
S1: Ground/Delivery Controller
All new students will start out as an obsever. Anyone with an OBS rating is not allowed to control on the network. In order to be promoted to S1 each student will have to pass a PV/OTS with an instructor on ground/delivery. You may be asking yourself if I am an S1 what am I allowed to control? Each rating at a minimum allows controllers to work any Minor position for which they have the appropriate rating. Any S1 can work any minor airport ground/delivery, which is every airport except San Francisco. In order to control San Francisco as an S1 you will need a separate OTS.
S2: Tower Controller
The same concept applies as the S1 rating. Every S2 controller can control any minor airport tower. In order to control SFO you will need a separate OTS/PV or have SMT on SFO.
S3: Approach Controller
Again, any S3 can control minor airports as an approach controller without a mentor or instructor. However, no S3 can control any part of Norcal without SMT for that particular sector(s) or an OTS/PV for Norcal Comined or that particular sector(s).
C1: Center Controller
No person may work Center unmonitored unless they are a C1.
ZOA's Progression Plan
Notice: This training plan supersedes Center Policy Statement-001.
1. All new students that are not transfers will start out with an OBS rating. They will begin training on San Francisco International ground/delivery using sweatbox, team speak or observing on VATSIM. I repeat, no training can be conducted with the controller logged onto VATSIM so there is no SMT for SFO ground anymore. Please do not complain about this, I have made my point to VATUSA and VATSIM but they will not change there stance. Once they have completed there training they will need a PV recommendation from a mentor/instructor for there S1 rating on San Francisco ground. Since all of the students training will be done at SFO, the S1 rating PV/OTS will allow students to control SFO as delivery or ground.
2. Once a student becomes an S1 and is checked out at SFO they will begin there tower training at SFO as well. Tower training can be conducted on VATSIM network because they are not an OBS anymore. Once a student has completed there tower training and been recommened by a mentor/instructor, a PV/OTS will be conducted. If the PV/OTS is satisfactory the student will be promoted to S2 and since the PV was conducted at SFO they will be able to control any tower including SFO.
Note: The progression plan for tower training is likely to change a bit soon.
3. Approach training will begin at SMF. Once the student has the basics for approach they will be moved to Reno where the rest of the S3 training will be completed. A recommendation will be given by a mentor/instructor for there S3 OTS/PV. An instructor will conduct the OTS/PV at reno for the students S3 rating. If the OTS/PV is satisfactor the student will be promoted to S3 and can control any approach except Norcal or any sector part of Norcal.
4. Once a student has passed there S3 rating they will be eligible to start training at either Norcal Combined or an individual sector/group of sectors depending on how the training staff thinks the student will progress best. A separate OTS/PV will be conducted for Norcal Combined or the appropriate sectors before that student will be able to control the sector(s) for which the PV/OTS was conducted.
5. Once the student has been checked out for Norcal Combined then we will start Center training. There is no SMT anymore for CTR. Anytime an S3 wants to control Center they either need to be training or being observed by a mentor/instructor. A PV/OTS recommendation is needed to conduct a C1 PV/OTS. If the student passes the C1 PV/OTS they will be certified to work CTR and will be fully checked out at ZOA.
PV's/OTS'
Only Instructors can give PV's/OTS' for the S1,S2,S3, C1 rating and the OTS/PV for norcal combined.
In the Future
ZOA is currently is in the process of fixing our website so we can start to change our policies and update or training resources to reflect the changes in the new GRP. Please bare with us for now as we are working to hard to update everything. For now, if you have any questions please reference this post and/or e-mail either David or myself.