Atc student

[bryanbal]

Hi all
I hope to start training with the Iaa this year or next year whenever our class is called. In the mean time i have alot of time on my hands and would like to get a head start. Is there any notes, links papers,games ect that would be beneficial to me?
Thanks:ok:

[LMX]

Unless you already have a background in aviation, try to learn more about aviation in general. During your training you'll have to learn (and recognize) the most common aircraft types and their performance, and this will likely be easier for you if you can relate "A343" to a widebody four engine jet airliner and not just a letter and numbers. During my training I found that the people who had little interest in aviation and aircraft were struggling more with understanding why the A343 to RJAA didn't want to climb to FL370 while a B736 would happily take FL410.

As for games, there is VATSIM (http://www.vatsim.net) which is a hard-core simulation, where you can practise controlling flight sim pilots. The risk with it is that you could learn bad habits that may be difficult to unlearn later. You could join as a pilot though and get a feel for phraseology, routes, flight plans and other terminology.

[bryanbal]

thanks
I have started listening to live atc whilst looking at live radar to get used to the terminology.

[mcstiofan]

As for games, there is VATSIM (http://www.vatsim.net) which is a hard-core simulation, where you can practise controlling flight sim pilots. The risk with it is that you could learn bad habits that may be difficult to unlearn later. You could join as a pilot though and get a feel for phraseology, routes, flight plans and other terminology.

I'd strongly recommend against it. As alluded, it's pretty useless for guaranteeing the quality of knowledge. The network is based on volunteers and being ultra-inclusive. If you are looking to use it to prepare for real world ATC, you may as well not bother. Only a handful of regions are partially capable of even remotely doing that and trust me, Ireland(The VATSIM's one) isn't one of them! Take it from a hard learned experience.

[ItchyFeet2]

I agree: Don't use VATSIM. Any bad habits picked up in VATSIM will be very difficult even impossible to change later. If you are unable to get rid of them, you may not make it through your training. Be warned! You are better being a complete novice than someone with half an idea and some bad habits!

IF2

[INTERNATIONALATCO]

Best advise is to learn the theory first as stated by a few. You will eventually learn the RTF in due course.

[Lon More]

Maybe your local flying cub does training for the RT licence? In fact, most of the theory for the PPl is relevant. It might be possible to join a group.

[Tarq57]

I was interested in aviation well before starting ATC training, and I think the learning/knowledge that made one of the larger differences was meteorology.

I'd recommend reading any books to do with aviation weather. Those aimed at glider pilots are among the more readable, but once you start to understand it, it becomes fascinating.
Or not. There are those that find met interesting, and those that don't. Either way, it's useful.

Our workplace is the sky. Good to know what goes on.

Any text book to do with flying, in order to increase knowledge of aircraft, is good. Fiction, too, if written by those that know.
Try Stick and Rudder, and Fate is the Hunter for starters.

[Helen49]

Take every opportunity to gain background knowledge about the aviation industry. Airports, airlines, aircraft and how it all fits together.

Browse the aviation regulatory websites, this website, wikipedia, aviation magazines, library books, aircraft accident reports. These will give you a good grounding in the language of aviation as well as some of the many industry abbreviations.

In my view this will give you a good foundation on which to build the specific ATC knowledge which is best acquired from good training organisation.

Helen