Training-Time Guidelines

Features
#1

Good morning, IFC! I hope everyone is having a great day today.
This Feature request really only applies to active IFATC members but everyone’s vote is welcome as well!
With this Feature Request I’d like to dive a little deeper into the dynamic of Training Sessions both on the IFATC Discord and in the app.
Usually, most IFATC members like to control the amazing skies of infinite flight whenever they have free time, meaning if school/work is in session, they won’t be able to be active at that moment. Similarly, some IFATC members might have a certain time they’ll have to sign-off by. Say, you have a business meeting at 4 in the local library, it’s 3:15 now, and you want to be active on IFATC until 3:45. Regarding controlling airports, that is feasible, due to the 30 minute minimum on controlling on the expert server, along with the very helpful timer on the top-right corner.
But, regarding training sessions, it is very hard to time it right. There are a few reasons for this.
The first reason is that some training sessions go longer than others. There is no real way to know in advanced exactly how long and at exactly what time the Training Session will commence.
The next reason is that there is no real structure for the training sessions in regard to knowing exaclty what you will need to do and when you will need to do it. For example, maybe you’ll be told to spontaneously set up for a go around. While there isn’t anything wrong with it, aside from maybe the length of the training time being increased, I just feel like it should be planned beforehand.

I’ve created a sample Training Session “schedule” as a visual marker to what I’m requesting:

[Example For a Tower Session]
Good afternoon everyone! Thank you for signing up to help out and join my training session today! Below you can find your assignments for the session, along with helpful information.
AIRPORT - KBOI
RUNWAYS IN USE - 28L,28R (Takeoff and landings)
AIRCRAFT ACCEPTED - ANYTHING SMALLER THEN B737 or A321, NO GA AIRCRAFT PLEASE
STARTING TIME - 1500Z, ENDING TIME, 1525Z-1530Z (PLEASE BE AT YOUR GATES/IN THE AIR SLIGHTLY BEFOREHAND)
Assignments and instructions:
@Dan123 - Spawn at Parking space 1, Create Pushback Conflict with @Eli2334, taxi to the closest active runway, when taxiing, create give-way conflict with @John1234, then depart. Fly 4 patterns, and please be on standby for instructions regarding a go-around on @Eli2334 during your last pattern. Immediately proceeding the Go-Around, you may depart the airspace if you wish.
@Eli2334 - Spawn at Parking Space 2, Create Pushback Conflict with @Dan123, Taxi to the active runway, Depart and do 4 patterns, please be on standby for Runway Change Request on your second pattern. Additionally, please be on standby to Full-Stop, creating a situation requiring a go around for @Dan123.
@John1234 - Spawn at Parking Space 35, Taxi to the Closest Active Runway, when Taxiing, help to create the give way conflict with @Dan123. Then Depart, fly 4 patterns.
@Tod2897, Spawn at ID59, Depart from runway 16, Call Inbound for TAG, fly 4 patterns, then Taxi to Parking.
@Hector2137, Spawn at 77U, Depart from Runway 9, Then request transition. When Overhead at KBOI, call inbound for TAG, then fly 4 patterns. Full stop, then taxi to parking.

Note: This is the Trainees first session, along with a controller evaluation. Please fly professionally and follow all controller commands, even if they may be incorrect. After the session ends, please give your honest feedback on the session, sometimes referred to as constructive criticism. I really appreciate you all for signing up, your attendance does not go unnoticed!

And this would all be made possible by guidelines that Tyler (or another ATC Official) would make. These guidelines would be available for Trainers, Testers, and IFATC pilots who’ll be joining the session in the #readonly category of the Discord Server.

This is more of a foundation for the idea, and anyone’s feedback is definitely welcome! What does the IFC along with IFATC think?

#2

Hello!
Thanks for your input about IFATC Training Sessions.

Training sessions are supposed to last 30 minutes from start to the moment where the last aircraft full stops. Of course, trainers can’t really predict exactly how long will it take for the pilot to be on the ground as there are many factors to take into consideration, starting by the fact that the trainee has control over aircrafts.

All training sessions have a focus that is set by the trainer and internally discussed with the trainee. This focus might be published at the trainer’s discretion for everyone to see it or just keep it between the trainer and trainee. Either way, each focus has different timing; for example, a Center session might not last the same as a Traffic Management session for full stop.

All trainers provide an initial message with all the instructions listed for each pilot. We are always on the channel to solve any doubts the pilot may have. If there are no specific instructions like “Take off from runway 23” it’s likely that there’s no need for you to follow that procedure/instruction.

Furthermore, there’s not much we can do to predict scenarios that will depend on the trainee. For example, I can’t ask you to do an upwind incursion if I don’t know what will your position or sequence be. 90% of the session depends on the trainee’s decisions, making it almost impossible for us to plan beforehand.

As for this example, this is pretty much what we do. However, I don’t think there’s a need to add that amount of detail as we need to consider that we are expecting you to act as if you were on the Expert Server.

In terms of guidelines for Training Sessions, it would be very difficult to standardize all sessions as they a) depend on the trainee and b) don’t focus on the same items, even if they are the same airports.

Once again, thanks for your input about ATC Training. I think this is a request that should be made internally to the upper management instead of bringing it up community-wise.

4 Likes
#3

All those points are very valid and I appreciate you responding! Basically the main thing I was requesting was that I feel like there should be like an easier system to allow pilots joining the training session an educated estimate for the length of the session, based on what the session will be about. For example, if we will be working on patterns, it could be 5 mins for each pattern, totaling out to 20 mins for 4 patterns (with a wiggle room time of 5-10 mins for taxi, etc). This might not work in every case but I feel like it would help a little in assisting to allow everyone to know about how long ittl be.

Ps: I messaged Tyler about it but he informed me to make a feature request

#4

I think that the dark side of this is that pilots would join the session based on that estimate which can take longer than expected, either because the trainee was late to the session, connection issues, etc. so that might end up being prejudicial for the session’s objective.

I do think that pilots should estimate 30 minutes, which is the current maximum duration of the session. If they can’t commit to those 30 minutes, then they can let the trainer know via PM that they can arrive later during the session or even not attend the session at all.

My point goes to the fact that every session is unique and changes occur. Having a predefined session would not work in my opinion as there are many factors to take into consideration, especially the human factors (trainee and pilots mostly).

1 Like
#5

Slightly off topic, but why is this even in #features ?

1 Like
#6

Now that I think of it, you are correct. The only thing tho is I think it would be great if like it was a known thing that TT’s were 30 mins but other then that I hear what you’re saying.

1 Like
#7

Per Tyler’s request