Re-Design of the Senior Controller Rating Criteria

[Luke Bruce-Smith]

There has been discussion of late amongst the training staff and amongst the board members relating to the requirements of the Senior Controller rating.

 

It has been decided that the requirements for the obtaining of this rating are to be changed as follows to allow better access to this rating, and to better suit the requirements of the VATSIM Group Ratings Policy.

 

Below are the outlined changes.

 

• Current senior controller training and subsequent assessment is to be dropped
   
  
• A new Moodle module with an emphasis on advanced controller techniques is to be created
   
  
• The Senior Controller rating will now be an 'awarded' position rather than an assessment outcome
   
  
• To qualify for the award of senior controller you must have sat all moodle courses including procedural tower, oceanic, and the advanced ATC course. You must also be making some meaningful contribution to the VATPAC community which may include works related to ATC Training, Pilot Services, Documentation, Sector Files, IT, or other similar agenda.
  

 

All controllers will be granted access to the new Moodle advanced ATC module and may sit the course at any time to pre-qualify for the award of Senior Controller Rating.

 

The material contained within the advanced course may be applied by all controllers as they see fit. However Tower Controller, TMA Controller, and Enroute Controller will remain the benchmarks and no one may be forced to apply techniques that they are uncomfortable with.

 

Those staff currently undergoing Senior Controller training may choose to discontinue your current training and revert to the new course as required. Though please bare in mind this course will likely be unavailable for a few months yet. Please send me an email if you are somewhere in limbo with your Senior rating and we can come to alternate arrangements which suit your situation better.

 

This system allows better senior rating access to controllers, but still maintains the complexities you would expect for such a rating. The new criteria align in a much better way with GRP but still offer an incentive to controllers to go 'one step further'.

 

This proposed system will make things easier for you.

 

I'm open for comments until 15 July at which point the publications on the website will be permanently changed to reflect this new system.

 

Regards

[Luke Bruce-Smith]

Please find a PDF information sheet about the new Senior Controller rating criteria attached.

 

The VATPAC board will not be actively making nominations for new Senior Controllers until such time as the new Senior Controller awareness course becomes available.

 

Self nominations are excepted and consideration given, but controllers will need to wait for the new moodle course before upgrade.

 

Existing students undergoing the old senior controller training process may continue via the old method of attaining the rating or alternate to the new method as they prefer.

 

Regards

seniorcontroller.pdf