Air Traffic Controllers
Becoming a controller
To become a controller, you will have to go through one of our training courses:
FAA (American phraseology, used in Oconia)
CAA (UK Civil Aviation Authority phraseology, used primarily in the UK)
NAV (NAV Canada phraseology)
ICAO (ICAO phraseology, used in most of the world, with some local variations)
You may only do one course at a time, but after passing an evaluation , you may start a second course.
In AeroATC, a top-down system is used, in which a higher-ranked controller can assume the positions below them. For example, if a Center C1 controller is online, they may also assume the functions of S1, S2, and S3, for airports that do not have these positions online.
C1 Center Controller: responsible for controlling an area control centre and routing aircraft during the mid-phases of their flight, after they’ve been handed off by departure, or forwarding a pilot to approach.
S3 Approach, Departure Controller: controls aircraft arriving and departing an airport.
S2 Tower Controller: clears aircraft onto the runway, for crossing, take-offs, and landings. Additionally responsible for aircraft performing traffic patterns.
S1+ Visual Tower Controller: visual tower controller
S1 Delivery, Ground: gives pilots flight clearance and controls aircraft on the ground (except for the runway).
S0 Observer, Trainee: essentially someone with no rating, undergoing training or waiting for an S1 evaluation.
As a trainee, you will begin as an S0 and train to become a S1 controller and move your way up, going through training and evaluations for each rank.