IVAO ZA division. Air Traffic Control Getting Started Manual

IVAO ZA division Air Traffic Control Getting Started Manual v1.00 ATC Getting Started Manual Page 1

1. INTRODUCTION This document is to answer a few of the many questions you might have. It s here as a guide to point you to our resources, where to find information and how to get going as an Air Traffic Controller. Topics in this document: Useful Terms Information Sources For The IVAO First Timer Before You Start Controlling The ATC Position Webpage Configure And Connecting IvAc IvAc Notes ATC Getting Started Manual Page 2

2. USEFUL TERMS AIRAC (Aeronautical Information Regulation and Control) Our aeronautical data are kept up-to-date by regular revision on a fixed cycle, called an AIRAC. For operationally significant changes in information, this cycle is used. This is also used to update aircraft FMS. ATC Ratings https://ivao.aero/training/ratings/ratings_atc.asp CTR (Control Zone) Used on its own, it is the name of a type airspace established around an aerodrome. xxxx_ctr CTR can also be used as part of the call sign of an ATC position for an Area/Center controller. FRA (Facility Rating) http://ivao.co.za/facility-ratings Facility Ratings are each division s way to manage which ATC rating/qualification you may need to control certain ATC positions at certain times. If an ATC facility/position does not have a FRA then it has no restrictions. See the ZA website -> ATC Ops -> Facility Ratings. FPL IVAC IVAN IVAO HQ IVAP Sector file Flight plan IVAO s official ATC client software. The IVAO Network consisting of multiple servers. These servers are what IVAC & IVAP connects to. The servers are all interconnected, thus it does not matter to which server each member (pilot or ATC) connects to with IVAC or IVAP. All text communication between ATC and pilot is between IVAC <-> IVAN <-> IVAP. Refers to the IVAO head office and website, http://www.ivao.aero IVAO s official Pilot client software. A file used with IVAC that contains the information that is displayed on the radar screen. Download them from ZA website -> ATC Ops -> IVAO ATC Software They are regularly updated, so please watch South African Forum -> Division NOTAMs for updates. ATC Getting Started Manual Page 3

TS (TeamSpeak) IVAO s official software used for voice communication. There are several IVAO TS servers to connect to, but unlike the IVAC and IVAP servers they are not interconnected. TS was not designed this way. Thus every pilot that needs to communicate with you (the ATC) via voice must be connected to the same TS server and ATC channel that you (the ATC) created. See the VAIP GEN 2.2 & 2.3 sections for more abbreviations. ATC Getting Started Manual Page 4

3. INFORMATION SOURCES IVAO ZA website, http://www.ivao.co.za or http://za.ivao.aero The IVAC Manual This comes with the software s installation. You must fully understand how to operate IVAC. This is the 1 st step in your progress to become a rated ATC. The Aviation Handbook (ZA Website -> Training) This document was created within the division and is orientated towards aviation in South Africa. The ATC Positions and ATC Procedures (ZA Website ->ATC Ops) is to be used while actively controlling. The VAIP (ZA Website Main menu) This is our main and official source of aeronautical data and procedures for this division. All information with regards to airspaces, navigational aids, fixes, airways, RNAV routes, holds and more are in there. Division Online Status The ZA website s front page displays the current situation for Southern Africa; Online pilots (flying in/out of Southern African aerodromes, ATC (within South Africa only), ZA division staff and IVAN and TS Server status (FUTURE VERSION) IVAO HQ website, http://www.ivao.aero ATC Books, https://www.ivao.aero/training/documentation/books_atc.asp Loads of information related to ATC and divided into sections to show what is more relevant to each step as you progress in your ATC career. IVAO Webeye, http://webeye.ivao.aero This website displays both a graphical and list type layout of ATCs, pilots and observers currently connected to IVAN. Skyvector website, http://www.skyvector.com Skyvector is world-wide graphical display of aerodromes, airspaces, navigational aids, air routes, etc. IVAO ZA only uses this website as a source for airspace maps. Please note Skyvector (as far as I know) is not an official real-world source for aeronautical data. Although the website seems to stay fairly well up to date. NOTE: We make every effort to stay as close to real-world, but our aeronautical data (VAIP, sector files, etc.) has to be manually updated and does not always reflect current REAL world data. ATC Getting Started Manual Page 5

4. FOR THE IVAO FIRST TIMER VERY IMPORTANT Do not be overwhelmed with the amount of information to learn and things to do. We all started here and you will get the hang of things in a very short time. Do not be afraid to ask for help from a fellow member, but we encourage you to seek assistance from the IVAO ZA division staff to get the most reliable information. We are here to help you. Use our Division Online Tool to see which staff members are online. All ZA division staff positions will start with ZA-xxx, but the staff member could be logged in as an ATC or pilot thus displaying another callsign. You are welcome to contact any of us (via IVAC, IVAP or TS) if you see us online or contact us by email, see below for contact details; ZA Website -> Home -> Division staff P.S. Don t be fooled by our photos, we way friendlier than we look. NOTE: IVAO staff are not employed by IVAO; we do all of this in our spare time as a hobby just like you. Please do not expect to see staff members online, especially during working hours. Thus please don t expect a relatively fast response to an email from a staff member. Give us at least a day or 2 to respond. Logging in as an Observer (OBS) If you have not controlled before on IVAO, we strongly suggest you connect as an observer first. Then use this time to familiarise yourself with the software first. You can connect to IVAN and view any part of the world you want to, by using the appropriate sector file for that region/sector. IVAC has a few sector files that are installed with the software, but if you want a particular country s/division s sector files then go to the appropriate division s website, download them and place them in the %IVAC Install folder%\sectorfiles. See IVAO HQ website -> Divisions for the division website urls. Our division s sector files can be downloaded from: ZA Website -> ATC Ops -> IVAO ATC Software -> Southern African Sector Files Our sector files are in zip format and must be extract and the compiled. You MUST read the README.TXT in the zip file to know how to compile the sector files. NOTE: Ensure you connect with a callsign that is NOT an ATC position. Thus your callsign must not end with _DEL, _GND, _TWR, _APP, _CTR or _FSS Your Observer callsign can be anything, except as described above. We suggest using either your name or initials followed by _OBS or use the aerodrome s ICAO code you are observing followed by _OBS. E.g. MJS_OBS or FACT_OBS FACT is the ICAO code for Cape Town Intl airport and now you ve learnt something already. ATC Getting Started Manual Page 6

Set one of your IvAc frequencies to the frequency of the controller you are observing to receive all text communications. You cannot transmit (via text) on any of the possible 3 frequencies/ radios or the ATC channel in IVAC while logged in as an Observer. You can however open a private chat in IVAC to anyone (pilot or ATC) connected to IVAN and communicate that way. If the text frequency seems quiet, the ATC and pilots are probably using TS to communicate. To listen in on the voice communications, read the ATC s ATIS and get the TS server he/she is connected to, so that you can connect to the same server and get into his/her voice channel. NOTE: When connecting to TS, use the same callsign as you used to connect with IvAc. This is for when you are an Observer, pilot or ATC. Jeeesh now I have already explained a bunch of stuff that went right over your head. Don t be put off, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and NO it s not a train. 1. If you haven t done so already, use the ATC First Steps document as download and install IvAc and TS. This document will take you through the necessary steps to connect IvAc for the first time to the IVAO network. 2. Run IvAc, open the IvAc manual and start working through the manual to learn how to use the software. a. You don t have to be connected to IVAN to play with a lot of the functionality. b. Once you feel comfortable to connect with IvAc we ll take the next step. 3. Go to ZA website -> Training -> TeamSpeak setup This page will explain to you how to manually add and connect to the various TS servers yourself. This will be very helpful in the future and you will also be able to connect to our ZA_MEMBERS channel. ATC Getting Started Manual Page 7

5. BEFORE YOU START CONTROLLING The following list is a summary of what you should know when you start working as an ATC: Now if this is your first time then we will not expect you to know everything before even start controlling. This will take time and practice. Use the ATC Procedures to know your responsibilities for the position you working, and The airspace class and dimensions (does not apply to _DEL & _GND) that you responsible for. Open the ATC Positions webpage to get your frequency, squawk codes, links to charts and much more. ATC Getting Started Manual Page 8

6. ATC POSITION WEBPAGE Go to ZA website -> ATC Ops -> ATC Positions and open your specific ATC position s page. Note: Example of the ATC position page of FACT_TWR. Figure 6.1 ATC Getting Started Manual Page 9

Figure 6.1 is for Cape Town Tower: o Resize the page as required. o The webpage will auto-refresh at 5 and 35 minutes past the hour to display the latest QNH, TL and Inches Mercury. o The page displays the following position information: Callsign; FACT_TWR, you must use this field for the callsign to connect to with IvAc and TS servers. Primary frequency, 118.100MHz o MUST be set as your primary frequency (COMMBox 1 st tab) in IvAc. Radio callsign as it must be displayed in your ATIS and used in voice communications on TS. Squawk code pool that this position must use. Circuit altitude (if available) for _TWR controllers. QNH / InHg & TA / TL This information depends on availability. QNH; we receive METARs only for a limited number of aerodromes. InHg; will be converted from the QNH. TA; not all aerodromes have published TAs. (See VAIP ENR 1.7) TL; this is calculated using both the QNH and TA. There will be a block of information for every aerodrome that falls under the responsibility or adjacent to or underneath your airspace. You can click on the aerodrome s ICAO designator to get more information about that aerodrome. Clicking on each runway designator will show (if available) the SIDs & STARs for that runway. More links on this page gives you access to the CAA charts, Skyvector chart of your airspace, etc. ATC Getting Started Manual Page 10

7. CONFIGURE AND CONNECTING IVAC I strongly suggest to start using IvAc s Profile function. This function will save most of IvAc s setup for each ATC position you login as on IVAN. This saves you from having to completely configure IvAc every time for the position you will be controlling. Load profile o Not if this is the 1 st time connecting as a particular ATC position, because the profile won t exist. Load sector file (if you didn t use a profile or profile had the wrong sector file) o _DEL, _GND, _TWR & _APP controllers use the xxxx_app sector files having the same ICAO code as the position/aerodrome you will be working. o _CTR controllers use the xxxx_x_ctr sector files. o Using the correct sector file will ensure your display is showing the correct information, also the correct magnetic variation and METAR. In/Out window o Configure this to automatically display FPLs applicable to your aerodrome or airspace. Set frequencies 1, 2, 3 o Primary frequency MUST BE THAT OF THE POSITION YOU WILL BE WORKING. o Secondary frequencies are optional. I do encourage you to set at least 1 frequency to UNICOM to easily contact aircraft on that frequency. Maps to display o CC Always o High airspace Always o Low airspace Always o Airports Always, labels optional o Geo As required (Taxiways and Runways Layout necessary for GND and TWR controllers). o High Airways (RNAV) Always, label optional o Low Airways (High Airways) Optional, label optional o Fixes Always, label optional o VOR Always, label optional o NDB Always, label optional o SIDs APP always, label optional DEL, GND, TWR, ACC optional o STARs APP always, label optional DEL, GND, TWR, ACC optional o The rest of the maps as you prefer. ATC Getting Started Manual Page 11

The following I strongly suggest you do in this order to setup your IvAc and TS as efficiently as possible: Go to IVAC CONNECT your IvAc to IVAN. o If you selected a Voice server as well, TS will be opened automatically. Go to TS, if you selected to use voice as a communication method. TS will already be connected to the TS server you selected and place you in the UNICOM channel. See figure 7.1 below. You have to now create your own ATC channel. Note: In the figure below I connect to the EU2 server, callsign FAJA_CTR. Figure 7.1 ATC Getting Started Manual Page 12

Now create your channel for your ATC position, using the exact same callsign as you are connected with on IvAc. See figure 7.2 below. o Name : Should be your callsign as you connected with on IvAc. o Topic : The same as your Radio Callsign. o We do not use a password for your channel on IVAO. Figure 7.2 o o Make yourself Channel Commander. (TS Menu -> Self -> Channel Commander). Once completed your TS should similar to this: Figure 7.3 ATC Getting Started Manual Page 13

Back to IVAC Note: Please make use of your IvAc manual to see and learn how to do the below. Set PVD range. o Please do not set your range to the maximum setting. This places a huge load on IVAN and potentially your bandwidth. The maximum PVD range does change according to the type of position you connect as. Here are suggested ranges, but these might need to adjust depending on the shape of your airspace. o DEL, GND: 20nm o TWR: 50nm o APP: 100nm o CTR: Depends on airspace size. I suggest you must be able to see traffic at least 50nm outside your airspace boundary all round. Add METARs o If you DEL or GND you only need the 1 aerodrome and the sector file should be correctly configured to display that aerodrome s METAR already. o Add the METARs for the all additional aerodromes you responsible for. Use your ATC positions window as a guide to which aerodromes to add. Note: Most aerodromes do not have METARs. o Leave the Commbox on the METAR tab for the next step. Set up your ATIS o Ensure your ATC Position name is the same as displayed on your ATC Position page. o View your METAR(s) and setup your ATIS accordingly with regards to runway-in-use. If other ATC was already online before you for the sector you will now be responsible for, confer with them w.r.t the runway-in-use. o Set the TA & TL correctly; NOT for Area controllers; leave empty. o Remarks field: DEL, GND, TWR, APP: Indicate whether the Control Zone is VMC or IMC. E.g. Zone is VMC or Zone is IMC CTR (Area): Indicate runway in use and VMC/IMC at your main aerodrome. E.g. FACT 01 VMC FAGG 29 IMC Any other remarks may follow the above. The following are suggestions that will ease your job and give you quicker access to information, especially on Approach and Area OCA function o This feature s usage is optional, but useful. o To display runways in use, CTR (Control Zone) MET condition IMC or VMC. E.g. CT01 VMC or OR21 IMC o You could use it to display the names of the SIDs and/or STARs that you will be clearing acft on if you do not want to display the actual SID or STAR on your screen. SIDs/STARs as required Configure your Zoom buttons for quick zoom and moving of your screen. ATC Getting Started Manual Page 14

Once you have completed your IvAc and TS setup, broadcast on the ATC channel (if there are other ATC to notify) and then the UNICOM 122.8 channel to indicate you are open and ready to ATC. If another ATC was already responsible for the airspace you will now be working, proceed with a sector handover. Details on this COMING SOON. For now just contact that ATC and let him/her explain what is happening in your airspace so that you can continue working it. 8. IVAC NOTES: Wind Wind direction displayed in the ATIS Block is always in reference with True North., but this not an accurate wind. Use the aerodrome s current METAR as your source for the surface wind. You must adjust the wind direction for local magnetic variation. The magnetic variation in SA varies between approx. 13 and 27 degrees West. Add 20 degrees as an average all across South Africa. (This makes for easier math). Wind direction should also be round up or down to the nearest 5 or 10 degrees which ever you prefer. E.g. 117@13 can be given as 135deg@13kts or 140deg@13kts Wind less than 5kts is described as calm. ATC Getting Started Manual Page 15