ZLA Training Summary - VATUSA Compliance

POC: Facility Advisory Board	Date: 2010-07-06
Code: ZLA	Version: 2.00

1. PURPOSE.

This summary outlines the ZLA Training Program in order to comply with a request of VATUSA. This document is merely a summary, and does not create or modify any existing or future policies. Although every effort has been made to ensure congruence with policies, in the event of any conflict between this summary and ZLA policy and procedures, those documents shall control.

2. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

The Office of Primary Responsibility for this Summary is the ZLA Facility Advisory Board. This Summary was originally drafted by Mike Cassel, ZLA Training Administrator, on November 16, 2008. This Summary shall be maintained, revised, updated or canceled by the ZLA Facility Advisory Board or any organization that supersedes, replaces or assumes the FAB responsibilities. Any suggestions for modification/amendment to this Summary should be sent to the FAB for review.

3. DISTRIBUTION.

This summary is intended for VATUSA reference in order to verify that ZLA is in compliance with the Global Ratings Policy, the spirit of VATSIM policies, and any other applicable VATUSA and VATSIM policies. In addition, it is intended for ZLA Student Controllers as a quick reference to the program.

4. BACKGROUND.

VATUSA has requested that ZLA post, on its publicly accessible website, a document containing the "complete training regimen, schedules, and syllabi of the entire curriculum for the ARTCC's established training program. This shall include all required/recommended reading materials, a listing of any scheduled lecture series or multi-media products, a listing of all examinations that are expected to be completed (including pass/fail ratings), a listing of any OTS sessions that are required."

In order to comply with that request, ZLA has created this summary.

5. REQUIREMENTS.

A. Readings, Multimedia, and other such documents:

ZLA requires new students to read and be familiar with the information contained in the ZLA standarized training materials webpages available here for the positions they wish to control and generally applicable SOPs. In practice, we highly recommend that our students read the following articles and guides, although they are not absolutely mandatory:

Tower Students:

1. ZLA Clearance Delivery Exam Study Guide, available http://www.laartcc.org/clearance.php

2. IFR departures: Don't I Just Fly Runway Heading?? - A Guide for pilots and controllers, available http://www.laartcc.org/article_page/15

3. Tower PTS Guide, available http://laartcc.org/training/ZLATowerPTS.pdf.

Additional Reading for Approach Students:

1. A Controller's Guide to Instrument Approaches, available http://www.laartcc.org/article_page/21

2. Controller's Guide to Instrument Approaches (Advanced Topics), available http://www.laartcc.org/article_page/20

3. Approach PTS Guide, available http://laartcc.org/training/ZLAApproachPTS.pdf.

Additional Reading for Center Students:

1. Center PTS guide, available http://laartcc.org/training/ZLACenterPTS.pdf.

In addition, we do use the VATUSA reference material for students to gain a brief understanding of tower and approach. Our instructors use references from the 7110.65 at a very early date in training, and we expect our students to get to the point where they are at least comfortable with that document in looking up answers to some of their questions. Links to the VATUSA Guides and the 7110.65 are accessible from our ATC Training Program Homepage, which is at http://www.laartcc.org/training/index2.php.

B. Examinations:

1. Written Examinations

a. ZLA Basic Examination, required of all students wishing to control LCTP or Major Facilities. 25 question multiple choice examination, open-book, nearly all answers available on ZLA Website.

b. ZLA Clearance Delivery Examination, required of all students wishing to control LCTP or Major Facilities. 15 question essay-style exam, open-book, complete study guide available on ZLA Website.

c. ZLA Tower Written Examination, required of all students wishing to control LCTP or Major Tower facilities. 50 question, open-book examination, testing both general tower knowledge and ZLA policies on tower. Nearly all answers available on ZLA Website. Passing this exam grants students the ability to work LCTP/Major Class D towers.

d. ZLA Approach Written Examination, required of all students wishing to control LCTP or Major Approach Facilities. 50 question, open-book examination, testing both general approach knowledge and ZLA policies on approach. Nearly all answers available on ZLA Website.

e. ZLA Center Written Examination, required of all students wishing to control Center. 50 question, open-book examination, testing both general center knowledge and ZLA policies on center. Nearly all answers available on ZLA Website.

2. Formal OTS Examinations:

a. ZLA Class C OTS, an optional examination, offered to those students wishing to control LCTP and Major Class C towers. Very few ZLA students take this examination. If undertaken, graded according to the PTS, available http://www.laartcc.org/training/ZLATowerPTS.pdf.

b. ZLA Class B OTS, a formal OTS at LAX, graded according to the PTS, available http://laartcc.org/training/ZLATowerPTS.pdf.

c. ZLA Socal Combined OTS, a formal OTS on the Socal combined tracon, graded according to the PTS, available http://www.laartcc.org/training/ZLAApproachPTS.pdf.

d. ZLA Center OTS, a formal OTS on the Center position, graded according to the PTS, available http://www.laartcc.org/training/ZLACenterPTS.pdf, which include the VATUSA C1 rating standards.

3. Other Examinations/Checkpoints:

a. Global Controller S1 checkout, which we perform as a sweatbox session at the Burbank airport, graded according to Tower PTS, which incorporate the VATUSA guidelines.

b. GND/DEL Solo, an informal certification granted on the judgment of the Mentor/INS. The standard is very low, and its grant allows a student to work GND/DEL at any major airport at any time. Advisory standards are available in the Tower PTS above

c. TWR Solo, an informal certification granted on the judgment of the Mentor/INS and the standards in the ZLA Tower PTS. The grant of this certification allows the student to work any tower in ZLA during off-peak times.

d. Global Controller S-3 Examination, tested according to the ZLA Approach PTS, which incorporates the VATUSA S-3 rating guidelines. Passing this results in promotion to S-3, and grants permission to work any minor TRACON at any time. This is normally combined with the TRACON Solo, although for certain visiting and transfer controllers we may test it separately upon request.

e. TRACON Solo, tested according applicable portions of the ZLA Approach OTS, which incorporates the VATUSA rating guidelines. Passing this results in promotion to S-3, grants permission to work any Major/LCTP Single Tracon during off-peak times. Obtaining the TRACON Solo by definition includes the GC S-3 checkout, and the two are usually tested together. This certification is generally not given during a formal examination, but rather, based on training records and performance of the student, is granted informally.

f. TRACON Certifications, an informal OTS, grant the ability to work a TRACON during on-peak times, graded according to the ZLA Approach PTS. We generally expect that a student will take the LAS and SAN TRACON Certifications prior to starting training on Socal Combined TRACON, but our approach training is very flexible and we do tailor it for each student.

g. SOCAL Combined Solo, granted on the judgment of the instructor/mentor, grants the ability to work the Socal TRACON combined during off-peak hours.