Document Information
Version 2
Created 03/24/2016 01:12
Last Updated 11/24/2020 22:40
by Finn Hutter

Observer Orientation

  1. Set up VRC for observing.
  2. Review basic ATC VATUSA material.
  3. Know how to navigate the FAA Order 7110.65, specifically references below.
  4. Review Minor Delivery and Minor Ground documents on the ZSE website.

ATC Fundamentals

  1. Phonetic Alphabet (including numbers)
  2. National Airspace System
    1. Classes of Airspace A/B/C/D/E/G
    2. Special Use Airspace
      1. Alert Areas
      2. MOAs
      3. Prohibited Airspace
      4. Restricted Areas
      5. Warning Areas
  3. NAVAIDs and Fixes – 7110.65 Chapter 2 Section 5
  4. Airways and Route Systems
    1. J/Q/T/V airways
  5. Flight Rules
    1. IFR/VFR/SVFR
  6. VFR/SVFR Weather Minimums
  7. METAR/TAF Decoding
  8. ATIS7110.65 Chapter 2 Section 9
  9. Aircraft Identification
    1. Tail number callsigns
    2. Airline/military callsigns
    3. Heavy and Super classifications
  10. Altitudes and Flight Levels
    1. Pronunciation (5,000 vs 10,000 vs FL180)
    2. Transition Altitude
  11. Controller Coordination
    1. Opening/Closing a position
    2. Position Relief Briefing
      1. Relieving a position
      2. Transferring control of a position
    3. Clearance requests
  12. VATSIM CoC Policies regarding Emergencies and Air Force One (Rule B6)
  13. Emergency Squawk Codes
    1. General Emergency/Radio Failure/Hijack

Clearance Delivery

  1. Accessing and Amending Flight Plan Data
    1. Right-click on aircraft, Edit flight plan
    2. CTRL+click on aircraft
  2. Flight Strip Bay (under Tools menu)
  3. IFR Clearances (CRAFT) – 7110.65 Chapter 4 Section 2
    1. Clearance Limit (full airport name)
    2. Route (initial portion, or full portion as amended)
    3. Altitude to maintain (Initial altitude per SOP_100)
    4. Frequency (Departure, Approach, Center, or UNICOM)
    5. Transponder code (Squawk Code Assignments per the POF file)
  4. VFR Clearances
    1. From Class C/D airspace
    2. Operating within Class B airspace
    3. Departing Class B airspace
  5. ZSE Preferred Routing
  6. Reading and understanding Departure Procedures - Useful Video
  7. Aircraft Equipment Suffices – Also 7110.65 Table 2-3-10
  8. Cruising Altitude Selection7110.65 Chapter 4 Section 5
    1. NEODD/SWEVEN
    2. Lowest Usable Flight Level
  9. Reading Routes
  10. Full Route Clearances

Ground Control

  1. Areas of responsibility
    1. Movement vs Non – Movement areas
  2. Taxi Instructions (3 flows of 3)
    1. Runway, Taxi via, Altimeter
  3. Taxi Instructions for Intersection Departure
    1. Runway at (intersecting taxiway), taxi via, altimeter.
    2. Altimeter Issuance when appropriate
  4. Listen to readbacks.
  5. Progressive taxi instructions
    1. Step – by – step guidance for aircraft taxing to the runway.
  6. Helicopter Taxi Operations
    1. Surface Taxi/Hover Taxi/Air Taxi (7110.65 Glossary)
  7. Coordination with Tower
    1. Runway crossing
  8. Coordinating Runway Crossings without Tower or above
    1. Cross [runway] at your own risk, use caution.

7110.65 references:

Chapter 2 – Section 1 = Radio Communications (Specifically 2-1-17)
Chapter 2 – Section 3 = Flight Progress Strips (Specifically 2-3-8 using TBL 2-3-10 it covers Aircraft Equipment Suffixes)
Chapter 2 – Section 5 = Route and Navaid Description
Chapter 2 – Section 9 = Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS)
Chapter 3 – Section 1 = General ATC Terminal (Specifically 3-1-3, 3-1-4, 3-1-6)
Chapter 3 – Section 7 = Taxi and Ground Movement Procedures
Chapter 4 – Section 2 = IFR Clearances
Chapter 4 – Section 3 = IFR Departure Procedures
Chapter 4 – Section 4 = IFR Route Assignment 
Chapter 4 – Section 5 = IFR Altitude Assignment and Verification 
Pilot/Controller Glossary (located at the end of the document) as needed for definitions