VATUSA Training Academy
Frequently Asked Questions
Why am I unable to log into the Academy?
Why am I unable to edit or navigate away from the edit profile screen?
I have real-world ATC experience. Do I still need to go through the Academy?
What is the difference between required enrollment and open enrollment?
Why aren’t TRACON and en-route operations taught at the Academy?
Does the Academy use a particular facility or ARTCC to train students at?
What tools does the Academy use to simulate traffic?
How long does it take to graduate from the Academy?
What’s the next step after graduating from the Academy?
What are the requirements for becoming a Teacher at the Academy?
I’m interested in becoming a Teacher at the Academy. Who should I contact?
Why am I unable to log into the Academy?
At the current time, access onto the VATUSA Training Academy website and its contents is permitted to Academy students and faculty only. VATUSA members who fall into one of these two categories should log in using their CID and VATUSA password. New Academy students who are unable to login should contact a member of the Academy Administration for help. Graduates of the Academy automatically lose their access privileges upon being transferred to an ARTCC. Graduates wishing to review Academy lessons should consult the VATUSA Training Study Guides, since many of the lessons were transposed there.
Why am I unable to edit or navigate away from the edit profile screen?
If when you log into the Academy website, you are taken directly to the Edit Profile screen, and are unable to update it and/or navigate away from it, then chances are you are not listed on the Academy roster. In order to be listed on the roster, you must complete and pass the Academy Entrance Exam (80% and higher). Please be patient, sometimes it takes up to 12 hours from the time you pass the test until you are able to successfully log in and navigate the site. If after 12 hours, you are still unable to log in, please notify the Academy Director, VATUSA12. Students that have already graduated will no longer be able to access the Academy material once their transfer has been approved.
I have real-world ATC experience. Do I still need to go through the Academy?
Yes. Any new VATSIM member who joined the USA Division as of April 17, 2006 is required to undergo training at the Academy regardless of any real-world training. Although you may know many of the procedures we teach, we find it important that you learn how to apply them in a simulated environment using a radar client program. Currently there is no bypass system in place.
What is the difference between required enrollment and open enrollment?
Members who joined VATSIM/VATUSA on or after 4/17/06 are required to enroll in the ATC Training Academy before they are permitted to join an ARTCC to begin controlling. Members with an OBS or S1 rating who joined prior to 4/17/06 are not required but may voluntarily enroll. The VATUSA Training Department will approve or deny each transfer request just as an Air Traffic Manager does when a member requests to transfer into his ARTCC. It should be noted that the VATUSA Training Department reserves the right to deny any request to transfer at its sole discretion. Members that are accepted into the Academy will receive an automated notice from the Academy Administration with instructions on how to login and begin their training. Members with an OBS rating will be assigned the Academy Entrance Exam at the VATUSA Cert Center. Only after the member has successfully passed the exam with an 80% or higher will their transfer be approved.
Why aren’t TRACON and en-route operations taught at the Academy?
TRACON and En-route (Center) procedures are not covered because they vary by ARTCC. The information students pickup from working Delivery up to Tower in most cases can be considered standard. But as their training progresses and they start to learn Departure and Approach control, what one ARTCC might consider as standard knowledge, is not necessarily what another ARTCC will call standard. Each ARTCC has their own set of local procedures that each of their controllers is expected to abide by, mostly dealing with TRACON and En-route operations. VATUSA has decided to allow these operations and the local procedures that coincide with them continue to be taught at the ARTCC level.
Does the Academy use a particular facility or ARTCC to train students at?
The facility that the Academy uses is a fictitious airport using the KUSA ICAO that is centered very close to Henrietta Texas (8TS2) in the Forth Worth ARTCC. The facility diagram, vectored DP, and RNAV DP (which are all fictitious and are used for Academy purposes only) are all labeled using the KUSA ICAO and Henrietta Texas facility name.
What tools does the Academy use to simulate traffic?
At the present time the Academy uses the ACSim (Sweatbox) software developed by Chris Serio and Ben Supnik. Once the TWRTrainer software (developed by Ross Carlson) is publicly released, it will serve as the Academy's primary training program since it is designed to teach students how to work traffic from the TWR position and below.How long does it take to graduate from the Academy?
Academy time-in-grade ultimately depends on how much effort the student is willing to put towards the required training. With the new classroom style of teaching, all lectures and labs are taught each week by various teachers at various times which allows the student to pick the time and teacher that best suits his/her real-world schedule. Students now have the ability to graduate in seven (7) days with VATUSA seeing an average time span of 10 days.What’s the next step after graduating from the Academy?
Once the student has successfully completed the requirements needed to graduate, he or she will be upgraded to the Senior Student rating and will be placed in one of their three ARTCC choices by the VATUSA Training Director. Once the transfer has been completed the Student will receive a welcome email from the ATM of the ARTCC with instructions on how to proceed. The student should plan on contacting either the ATM or TA of the ARTCC with any questions regarding local procedure certification and training at the TRACON and en-route levels
What are the requirements for becoming a Teacher at the Academy?
The VATUSA Training Department requires all potential Academy Staff members hold a S3 rating or higher. Preferential consideration is given to those VATUSA controllers that currently hold a Mentor endorsement or an Instructor rating at their home ARTCC. Recommendations for these members must come from the ARTCC TA or ATM. All candidates should have a clean disciplinary record with VATSIM/VATUSA and be willing to work with multiple students on a weekly basis. Most of all the candidate should have a positive attitude and be able to work in a team environment. If selected, candidates should expect to commit an average of four (4) hours a week. All candidates are required to successfully complete and pass the Academy Mentor/Instructor exam via the Certification Center and undergo some minor training with the Deputy Training Director prior to being accepted.
I’m interested in becoming a Teacher at the Academy. Who should I contact?
Complete the online application, listed in the Academy section of the VATUSA Training website.