New procedures - do you get any simulation before?
My ATC environment is about to be completely changed in few months time: brand new zone (I hope that will sound the same in any ATC language - right now my airfield is in a CTR alone, with a military airfield just out of it, after the changes we'll have a CTR with a MATZ (uncontrolled) and ATZ of a flying club nearby all put together in a procedure TMA - that is all to be made radar controlled in, let's say, 1 year's time).
Following these changes there'll be completely new approach procedures: instead of a "traditional" racetrack ILS/DME with a NDB on 4NM final we'll have a choice of 2 ILS approaches for the main RWY; one without any racetrack but with a loooong 110 degrees turn for IF and final, another based on a new DVOR placed on the airfield with a racetrack. The NDB will definitely be turned off.
I must say I am a bit nervous about it, since the company is not planning to have this airspace simulated before it gets into real life traffic. Apart from many questions about our ability to separate departing and arriving traffic without any major harm to efficiency of the traffic flow I am concerned of being thrown into deep water without any preparation.
Those of you who work in ATC certainly know that it's not an easy situation.
My question is: is it normal in other countries to have such big changes introduced and having ATCOs left alone? I feel that we at least deserve any simulator session...