1. PURPOSE:

This Center Policy Statement (CPS) describes the Training Program for ZOA ARTCC.

2. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

This CPS shall be maintained, revised, updated or cancelled by the Facility Advisory Board and shall be effective unless there is a conflict with the VATUSA/VATNA/VATSIM policies in which case they shall supercede these policies.

3. DISTRIBUTION:

This CPS is applicable to all controllers.

4. BACKGROUND:

The Training Program will be established to organize and provide guidance for the Instructor Staff. This training program describes how students will be trained to meet:

• Facility and Equipment Ratings set forth in CPS-002.

The Training program encompasses the Mentor Program described in CPS-003.

5. TRAINING PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

a. Training Responsibilities

i. Responsibilities of the Air Traffic Manager, Training Administrator, and Deputy Air Traffic Manager in regards to the Training Program are outlined in CPS-004 "Staff Organization".

ii. Responsibilities of the Staff Instructors in regards to the Training Program are outlined in CPS-004 "Staff Organization", and are qualified as follows upon activation of the Mentor Program:

o Staff Instructors will be primarily focused on the development of controllers of grades S-3 through C-3, and secondarily on grades S-1.

iii. Responsibilities of the Mentor Team will be on grade S-1 through S3.

b. Program Elements

i. VATUSA Web Site Training Materials will be used to gain basic knowledge of General ATC, Clearance Delivery, Ground Control, Tower (Local) Control, Approach/Departure, and Center (enroute) control concepts and methods. This is located here.

ii. The ZOA Web Site Training Wiki will be used to amplify the VATUSA materials, and provide both in-depth, and applied usage of the general concepts. An emphasis on phraseology and applying ATC methods to actual situations will be given via this element. This material will consist of tutorials or "how-to's" organized in a syllabus fashion to match the needs of students as they progress in grade and rating. The material will include graphics and links/references to both virtual and real-world documentation as needed. This is located here.

iii. ZOA Web Site Resources form the core of knowledge applicable locally to ZOA ARTCC and must be understood in stages as controllers progress through the training program. These resources include:

o Standard Operating Procedures

o Letters of Agreement

o Center Policy Statements (Now under ARTCC SOPs)

o Navigation, airspace, and facility charts and tables

o Training Presentations, located under your user account.

o Self-study of the Web Site Wiki and Resources is the primary method for gaining knowledge and will be expected of you by the training staff.

iv. Observer Sessions are conducted when the student logs into the network as an observer for the purposes of watching a rated controller work a position. This can be a highly useful too for gaining knowledge. However, be aware of the following limitations:

o Student controllers must use care not to interfere with the controller of a busy sector when asking questions. Most controllers are happy to help, but always ask them first if they have the time to assist a student.

o VATUSA is strictly monitoring and enforcing the use of observer time on the network, to insure that all network bandwidth is used for operational, training, or administrative purposes. Do not abuse OBS callsigns by using them idly or for personal purposes. You will be removed if a supervisor messages you and you do not respond within a set time.

v. Training Sessions are conducted by mentors and instructors with student controllers of all grades. The mentor/instructor should prepare a list of feedback items and review these at the end of the session.

o To arrange a Training Session with a mentor/instructor the student should post a request for training in the appropriate forum on the Oakland ARTCC Discussion Forum located here. Once the student has posted a request for training a mentor or instructor will reply to arrange a date and time for the session and will advise the student of material to study before the session.

o When conducting a Training Session the instructor will use the "I" (Mentor the "M"), and the student the "S" modifier in their callsigns, per the communications SOP, if the session is taking place on the "live" VATSIM network. The Instructor/Mentor is responsible to insure the student adheres to all SOPs and practices. The student will be assumed to be the operational controller of the position by adjacent facilities, unless the they are explicitly informed otherwise.

o The instructor or mentor may choose to conduct the Training Session using "Sweatbox", which is a dedicated training server provided by VATSIM. The instructor/mentor will teach the student how to connect to Sweatbox if their session is going to be conducted on that server.

o Alternatively, the instructor/mentor may provide traffic for the student by flying on the network, but this practice may only be used when the student as earned the full rating he's being trained on.

o Instructors "monitoring" students from a higher up position (i.e. Approach or Center) is not a Training Session and is a discouraged method of teaching.

o Instructors/mentors and their students may use the training rooms on the ZOA Teamspeak 3 server to conduct their Training Sessions. These rooms are setup to prevent unwanted visitors from interrupting the session.

1. Self-Monitored Training (SMT) is when a controller is authorized by a mentor/instructor to work without supervision as outlined and restricted by policy, to practice and obtain experience in a particular position. Certain areas of the ARTCC will be allocated by policy for use in self-monitored training. Self-monitored training may be conducted by any student granted an SMT rating by an instructor or mentor, at any time except during official (scheduled) ZOA events.
2. One on one and SMT training are the primary methods for gaining experience. Students should spend a significant amount of time reviewing the training documents, so that all time alloted with an instructor or mentor is used efficiently and wisely.
3. Written Exams, provided by both VATUSA and ZOA ARTCC will be used to verify knowledge and competency for the assignment of promotions in grade or facility and equipment ratings.
4. Performance Verification Assessments (PV)s will be used to in addition to written exams for all promotion or ratings assignments, or for recurrency checks. PV exams on Tower and below may be given by instructors or by mentors authorized to do so. PV exams on Approach and above will always be given by instructors. The material to be tested on in an PV Exam will be outlined in an associated Practical Test Standard (PTS). PV Exams must be formal, which will be graded as outlined on the PTS, with the majority of the PVs being taken on VATSIM. A small portion of the PV may be taken orally and/or on Sweatbox.

c. Student Progression Plan

i. The following is the new "step ladder" for progression. Every student should be able to readily identify where they are on this ladder.

1. Sign up for VATSIM
2. Join VATUSA
3. Take VATUSA Basic Exam

a. Study materials in VATUSA syllabus

4. Select ZOA as ARTCC.

5. Get accepted and added by the membership director.

6. Once the student is a member of ZOA the remainder of the training progression can be found in the ZOA training syllabus here.