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Three disciplines exist in Air Traffic Control: Aerodrome, Approach and Area.
- Aerodrome controllers manage traffic on the ground and in the immediate vicinity of an airport.
- Approach controllers manage traffic arriving and departing at those airports.
- Area controllers manage traffic flying enroute, away from airfields.
In reality, these positions are always manned by separate controllers. On IVAO, however, they are often combined under the services of a single controller which can make opening an Approach or Area sector extremely challenging.
The United Kingdom division has established a series of courses, one associated with each discipline, which need to be completed in order to attain the rating. The courses provide comprensive instruction in each discipline. They are sequential and must be completed in the order Aerodrome (ADC), Approach (APC), Area (ACC).
Each course is comprised of a number of group lessons at pre-arranged times, and is supplemented by written theory material. After the completion of these lessons, you will be required to complete a number of hours of mentored training on the live network. When your intructor feels you are ready, he will submit you for your final exam. The rating will be awarded on your successful completion of this exam.
If you wish to try you hand at controlling without enrolling on a course immediately you are most welcome to do so at the following airfields: EGTE, EGNX, EGNM, EGPD, EGAA. However to control at any other airfield or area control sector in the UK you will have to successfully complete the appropriate rating course.
The Aerodrome and Approach Radar courses take place at Edinburgh, Liverpool, Luton and Stansted, and the Area course is based at the London ACC. After completing the theoretical and group lessons you may control, under the supervision of your instructor, at the training airfields across the UK.
Before enrolling on any of these courses, however, you should complete the introductory course. The introductory course introduces you to many of the concepts that are common to all Air Traffic Control disciplines, and will provide you with a good foundation on which to build further skills and knowledge, specific to each discipline. You can access the introductory course HERE. More help can be found on our help page HERE.
Having completed the introductory course, you are ready to enrol on a rating course. Please see the help for more details on enrolling.