Welcome to the sixth edition of IFATC Trainer Tales. Each edition of Trainer Tales will introduce you to a handful of trainers from the Infinite Flight Air Traffic Control team as they share their journey with the wider community. The IFATC training team and the community as a whole is full of people from around the world with a diverse range of backgrounds, cultures and experiences so there will never be a dull moment. With that being said, welcome to the sixth edition of Trainer Tales!
Mattchew | IFATC Trainer
Mattchew's Trainer Tale
Hey everyone! I’m Matthew, but most people know me as Mattchew. I’ve been playing Infinite Flight for years, but my IFATC journey started in December 2023 when I decided to join joined. My recruiter was JulietTango, and with Hornet as my trainer, I passed my local practical on the first try.
Right away, I got involved in training sessions and controlled as much as I could. I was always looking to improve and learn from others, which led me to apply for radar training in March 2024. I was assigned to Cooper as my trainer, and he was incredible—always patient, supportive, and willing to take the time to explain things in detail. I trained almost daily, working hard to refine my skills. I did hit a bump along the way, failing my single-runway mock practical, but Cooper helped me push through it, and I passed the next one. By April, I had officially passed my radar test and became an IFATC Officer.
That same month, I was also invited to join the tester team, which gave me the opportunity to help out with practical tests and contribute even more to the IFATC community. It was a great experience, and I enjoyed being involved in the process of welcoming new controllers.
At the start of 2025, trainer applications opened, and I knew it was something I wanted to do. My trainers had been so helpful and played such a big role in my journey that I wanted to do the same for others. I applied, and about a week later, Tyler made the announcement, and I saw my name on the list. That night, I was officially added to the team, and I couldn’t have been more excited.
Now, I get to help train our future Officers, passing on everything I’ve learned and helping others reach their goals in IFATC. It’s been an amazing experience so far, and I’m looking forward to what’s next. See you on frequency!
Steve_Alcock | IFATC Trainer
Steve_Alcock's Trainer Tale
I’m Steve and I live in London, I’m firmly at the upper extremes of age for your average IF user! I starting using IF almost 3 years ago, I’ve always had an interest in aviation which led me to working as an ATC in the RAF for a fair few years. This was the main reason for me applying to join IFATC, it gave me an opportunity to scratch my ATC itch! I also do a fair bit of flying and I’m a member of the IAG VA.
I became an apprentice in Oct 2022 and a Specialist about a week later. The next few months were spent honing my skills as a Local controller in control towers all over the (IF) world. Early in 2023 I applied for radar training and was allocated to the extremely patient Alexandre. It was a pretty difficult journey (very different to my ATC in the RAF!). I’ll be forever grateful for the time and effort that Alexandre put into getting me through. After being promoted to Officer, I’ve been concentrating on becoming as efficient as possible on approach at various airports. I tend to stay within my limits and look to provide the best service I can. I’m really looking forward to helping as many people as I possible through the IFATC training program, if you have a question, feel free to DM. Thanks for reading!
PranavJ | IFATC Trainer
PranavJ's Trainer Tale
Hey everyone! My name is Pranav, and I’m a 20-year-old university student from India. I first heard about Infinite Flight back in 2016–17 but never actually played it. Then, on a random day in July 2023, I decided to install it again and purchase a subscription, and I haven’t looked back since!
Just a few weeks later, in August 2023, I had the idea of applying for IFATC. After doing some research, I submitted my application and was assigned my amazing recruiter, Ramzi. He was incredibly helpful throughout the process. In my excitement, I rushed things and ended up failing my first theory test. But on my next attempt, I prepared better and passed.
After that, I was assigned to my incredible trainer, Jinco, who was always there to help with my queries, and played a huge role in helping me pass my first practical. Thanks to both my recruiter and trainer, I officially became a part of IFATC on October 5, 2023. From then on, I controlled regularly and attended training sessions to improve my skills.
A few months later, I decided to apply for radar training. This time, my recruiter was Lester, while Jinco remained my radar trainer. He was incredibly helpful, patient and supportive throughout the process. And after 12 training sessions, I finally passed my radar practical - earning my promotion to IFATC Officer.
On March 9, 2024, I received a DM from Tyler with the news that I had been promoted to IFATC Tester, a moment that made me really happy. Then, after a year of controlling, attending TTs, and maintaining a good standing within the community, I was honoured to be offered the Trainer role by the IFATC Management on February 6, 2025. I love helping people wherever I can, so being a Trainer is something I truly enjoy. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity.
Throughout my IFATC journey, I’ve met some amazing people and made great friends. This community is filled with passionate and talented individuals who make the experience even more special. I look forward to training more aspiring controllers and helping them achieve their IFATC goals!
Thanks for tuning into the sixth edition of Trainer Tales. These stories and this initiative is designed for community members to gain an understanding of what the journey into and through IFATC can entail and to encourage community members that are contemplating joining IFATC to do so, as it is certainly an experience that you won’t regret as shown above by the tales of the IFATC Trainers.
Previous Editions:
IFATC Supervisor Stories
IFATC Supervisor Stories: Edition 1
IFATC Supervisor Stories: Edition 2
IFATC Supervisor Stories: Edition 3
IFATC Supervisor Stories: Edition 4
IFATC Supervisor Stories: Edition 5
IFATC Supervisor Stories: Edition 6
IFATC Supervisor Stories: Edition 7
IFATC Supervisor Stories: Edition 8
IFATC Supervisor Stories: Edition 9
IFATC Supervisor Stories: Edition 10
IFATC Trainer Tales
IFATC Trainer Tales: Edition 1
IFATC Trainer Tales: Edition 2
IFATC Trainer Tales: Edition 3
IFATC Trainer Tales: Edition 4
IFATC Trainer Tales: Edition 5
