ATC

ATC

SAERCO is certified by the Spanish Supervisory Authority (AESA) as a provider and organizer of air traffic controller training pursuant to Annex III of EU Re 2015/340 that establishes technical requirements and administrative procedures relating to air traffic controllers' licenses.

Students who successfully complete the training programs described below obtain a student controller licence, which means that they have acquired the rating and rating endorsements pertaining to the selected itinerary and the level of knowledge required in the program subjects according to Annex I of EU Re 2015/340. In the case of air traffic controllers they add to their license ratings and rating endorsements according again to the selected itinerary.

Control Service Associated ratings
Aerodrome ADV/ADI
Approach APP/APS
Area ACP/ACS
Objectives

Passing the Initial Basic Training is a pre-requisite for earning the different ratings and rating endorsements required for the different control services.

Duration

The course is 10 weeks long with a total of 200 classroom hours divided into 50-minute sessions.

Content

The contents of the initial basic training are found in Order FOM/1841/2010. Module development is adapted to the Eurocontrol Common Core Content (Ed. 21/10/2008).

The course is broken down as follows:

  1. Introduction to the course
  2. Aviation law
  3. Air traffic management
  4. Meteorology
  5. Navigation
  6. Aircraft
  7. Human factors
  8. Equipment and systems
  9. Professional environment
  10. Safety and security culture
  11. Unusual and emergency situations
  12. Degraded systems
  13. Linguistics issues
  14. National civil aviation safety procedures
Objectives

Candidates who successfully complete this training obtain their student-controller licenses with the following ratings and rating endorsement:

  • Aerodrome Control Visual (ADV)
  • Aerodrome Control Instrument (ADI)
    • Tower Control (TWR)
    • Ground Movement Control (GMC)
    • Air Control (AIR)
    • Aerodrome Radar Control (RAD)
Prerequisite

The student should pass the basic training phase in order to be able to access airfield control qualification training.

Duration

The initial ADV/ADI training consists of a theoretical content portion followed by a simulation portion.

  • The theory portion is 3 weeks long and includes a total of 45 hours divided.
  • The simulation portion consists of 50 hours carried out over a period of time that varies depending on the number of matriculated students (4 months on average).
Content

The theory portion covers the following subject matter:

  • Airport procedures
  • Phraseology
  • Airport environment
  • Strip marking
  • Contingency plans
  • Self-protection plan
  • AIP

The simulation exercises are designed to meet the requirements contained in Order FOM/1841/2010, of 5 July 2010 which implements the certification requirements for air traffic controller training instructors and those described in the 21 October 2008 edition of the Eurocontrol Common Core Content Initial Training for air traffic controllers.

Duration
Objectives

Candidates who successfully complete this training obtain their student-controller licenses with the following ratings and rating endorsements:

  • Approach Control Procedural (APP)
  • Approach Control Surveillance (APS)
    • Radar endorsemen (RAD)
    • Terminal Control endorsement (TCL)
Prerequisite

The student should pass the basic training phase in order to be able to access approach control qualification training.

The initial APP/APS training consists of a theoretical content portion followed by a simulation portion.

  • The theoretical portion is 13 weeks long totalling 263 training hours.
  • The simulation phase consists of 200 hours carried out over a period of time that varies depending on the number of students enrolled.
Content

The theory portion covers the following subject matter:

  • Specific APP and APS training
  • APP and ACS work area
  • Phraseology
  • Operations Manual
  • Strip marking and flight plans
  • Unusual, degraded and emergency situations
  • Airport environment
  • Human factors
  • Contingency plans
  • Self-protection plan
  • AIP

The simulation exercises are designed to meet the requirements contained in Order FOM/1841/2010, of 5 July 2010 which implements the certification requirements for air traffic controller training instructors and those described in the 21 October 2008 edition of the Eurocontrol Common Core Content Initial Training for air traffic controllers.

Duration
Objectives

Candidates who successfully complete this training obtain their student-controller licenses with the following ratings and rating endorsements:

  • Area Control Procedural (ACP)
  • Area Control Surveillance (ACS)
    • Radar endorsement (RAD)
    • Terminal Control endorsement (TCL)
Prerequisite

The student should pass the basic training phase in order to be able to access the control area qualification training.

The initial ACP/ACS training consists of a theoretical content portion followed by a simulation portion.

  • The theoretical portion is 10 weeks long totalling 241 training hours.
  • The simulation phase consists of 200 hours (in the executive and planner positions) carried out over a period of time that varies depending on the number of students enrolled.
Content

The theory portion covers the following subject matter:

  • Specific ACP and ACS training
  • ACP and ACS work area
  • Phraseology
  • Operations Manual
  • Strip marking and flight plans
  • Unusual, degraded and emergency situations
  • Human factors
  • Contingency plans
  • Self-protection plan
  • AIP

The simulation exercises are designed to meet the requirements contained in Order FOM/1841/2010, of 5 July 2010 which implements the certification requirements for air traffic controller training instructors and those described in the 21 October 2008 edition of the Euro control Common Core Content Initial Training for air traffic controllers.

Objectives

Ground Movement Surveillance (GMS) endorsement is granted in addition to the Ground Movement Control endorsement or Tower Control endorsement and indicates that the licence holder is competent to provide ground movement control with the help of aerodrome surface movement guidance systems, especially during adverse weather conditions and high traffic density.

Prerequisite

The student should pass the basic training phase in order to be able to access this training.

Duration

The training consists of a theoretical content portion followed by a simulation portion. Both are 3 days long in total, assessment included.

The minimum requirements to be met by all candidates in order to enrol in the initial training for air traffic controllers are as follows:

  • Must be 18 years of age on the first day of the course.
  • Must have "bachillerato" (A Levels) or equivalent qualification and be eligible for admission to university level courses in order to register for the course.
  • Must be able to obtain category 3 European medical certificates for air traffic controllers.
  • Must demonstrate a sufficient level of linguistic competence in English and Spanish.
  • Must demonstrate that he/she is fully capable of performing the functions inherent to the position of air traffic controller.
  • Must pass the Eurocontrol FEAST test.
  • Must pass the SAERCO preliminary selection process: psycho-technical tests and interviews.

There is constantly room for new additions to the faculty. If interested, please contact us at STC@saerco.com

The faculty selection process is set out in the internal SAERCO document titled SSSCC-FOIN-PRD01 Professor and student selection process. The process describes the correct way to select instructors based primarily on two requirements:

  • Regulations (Order FOM/1841/2010)
  • Pedagogical requirements

Regulations

Instructors and/or evaluators must meet the following requirements:

  • Their pedagogical training and professional experience in the subject to be taught must be accredited by an academic degree or they must hold an aviation licence that is commensurate with the material to be taught. In addition, examiners must have at least one year of prior training experience or be able to demonstrate that they have the experience, skills and abilities necessary to provide such training.
  • In order to teach the initial rating training in the simulator, the instructor must possess an air traffic controller's licence with STDI or OJTI endorsement and must possess or have possessed the right rating for the rating training to be taught/evaluated.
  • In order to teach the evaluator training course, the candidate must have proven experience as an instructor.

Pedagogical requirements

The candidates chosen to part of the faculty must meet the following requirements:

  • Demonstrable experience in the aeronautical sector that is closely related to the subject to be taught.
  • At least two years of demonstrable training experience (certification required) or must pass a pedagogical test consisting of teaching a didactic unit.
  • Must have a personal interview.
  • Must pass an English test .