This briefing is created to help candidates understand the purpose of APC Exam.
The exam has two parts which shall be successfully validated in this order:
- Theoretical exam: complete successfully the APC online test
- Practical exam: examiner will check your theoretical knowledge and your proficiency in approach position.
Before applying for this exam, you shall meet the following requirements:
The theoretical and practical exam can be requested by directly accessing your exam status page.
Rule: Requests for practical exams are only possible for members of active divisions. Members of inactive divisions will have to change to an active division in order to get higher ratings.
Once your exam has been registered, the examiner will contact you via your e-mail address given on your details page. Before requesting for the exam, check that this e-mail address is valid since it is the only way for the examiner to get in touch with you.
We recommend you to do a practical training in your division prior to applying for this exam. It is recommended that an exam does not take place on the Tower and Approach positions at the same time.
All theoretical exams consist of 20 randomly selected multiple-choice questions (MCQ).
- Each question includes 4 proposed answers among which only one is correct.
- You have a maximum of 45 minutes to fill in the examination paper, and should you exceed this limit, the exam will be automatically recorded as failed (default failed score = 0/100).
- These MCQ exams are automatically corrected (each question will be marked 0 for a wrong answer or 5 for a right answer).
- The pass-mark for the exam is 75/100 (corresponding to at least 15 correct answers).
- The theoretical questions are mainly extracted from our training documentation and software manual.
- All questions are based on ICAO/EU-OPS Rules and Regulations if not stated otherwise in the question.
Note that you can submit your answers as often as you want during the 45 minutes of the exam. Only the last submission will be taken into account. We greatly recommend you submit your examination paper on a regular basis in order to avoid to be marked 0 if you are disconnected or if you exceed the 45 minutes limit.
After your successful theoretical exam, you can apply for the practical part of the exam without delay.
Warning: Our system does not allow the resetting of theoretical exams, as in this case the same exam will appear again. Consequently, the Training department will always refuse to reset unfilled or timed out exams. In order to shorten the time for applying again, members should save their answers on a regular basis so as to avoid the exam being marked 0 if a disconnection or a time out occurs.
The APC exam is a series of tasks to appreciate your basic ATC theoretical knowledge and controlling skills. The practical exam is done only at the division level.
Note that these are our minimum standards. Your local division may have set additional requirements that should be published on its web site.
ATC Student documentation (ASx)
Aerodrome Controller documentation (ADC)
Approach Controller documentation (APC)
DEL controller position
GND controller position
TWR controller position
APP controller position
DEP controller position
The training material is available on the IVAO website following these links below:
Rule: You shall only use one IVAO ATC client approved by the HQ training department for the exam. A list of such approved software can be found here.
We strongly recommend voice communication for the exam. We do not recommend a “text-text” or “text-voice” communication method due to the increased level of difficulty and incompatibilities with certain tasks.
Rule: When you are unable to use voice method due to a medical disability or a poor network connection, you shall contact the HQ Training Department before requesting the exam in order to establish an individual procedure.
During the practical exam, the examiner shall question you about theoretical knowledge:
The examiner could check your ability to correctly use the main functions of the ATC software , mainly:
During the exam, you shall log on as approach controller.
You shall connect to the network using the requested position only using the ICAO_POS format (eg. LFRS_APP).
Your ATIS shall always contain the following remark: “Exam in progress – no unauthorized Emergencies”.
Rule: No separate departure controller is permitted during the exam.
Rule: There shall be a radar controller who is responsible for the airspace above during the exam.
Rule: There must be one tower controller for each of the major airfield below
Rule: The main airport, where the exam will take place must have IFR procedures available.
Note: The examiner should connect to the network using X suffix to the examined position (eg. LFRS_X_APP)
Note: During active practical exams no Emergency (MAYDAY) or Urgency (PAN) situations may be initiated by any participating pilot unless specifically requested by the examiner.
Note: As examinee, you will be expected to find the necessary charts yourself. However, in countries where charts are not easily and freely available, it is the responsibility of the examiner/division to provide the necessary material and/or links so that both examiner and examinee can work on the same charts.
To evaluate an approach controller exam, the minimum traffic required is as follows:
- at least 8 departing IFR aircraft (with or without SID)
- at least 10 arriving IFR aircraft successfully vectored onto final approach (ILS, VOR, NDB…)
- at least 3 arriving IFR aircraft simultaneously to the same airfield
- at least 1 emergency (Emergency calls made on another frequency do not count)
- at least one missed approach,
- at least one text only aircraft.
Note: If the weather is not suitable for VFR traffic the examinee may apply Special VFR rules. The examiner can ask a pilot to fly in VMC. The examinee has to be informed about that.
Note: The examinee will be expected to find the necessary charts himself. However, in countries where charts are not easily and freely available, it is the responsibility of the examiner/division to provide the necessary material and/or links so that both examiner and examinee can work on the same charts.
Basic knowledge regarding approach tasks will be checked during the whole exam.
- Fill out ATIS correctly
- Good SSR identification
- Suitable and sufficient traffic information and traffic management
- Observance of MRVA, MSA, MEA during radar vectoring, procedural or direct routes
- Ability to provide radar vectors and/or procedural control (in function of the airspace)
- Ability to monitor and assist pilots (if they ask for information)
- Ability to use holding stacks and passing of EATs (if situation is applicable)
- Perform correct handoffs to the next unit (TWR / CTR) including correct flight strip marking
- Suitable and sufficient coordination with adjacent ATC units in all necessary situations
- Handle miscellaneous emergency situations
- Have and maintain a good overview of the radar situation all the time
- Correct phraseology and English proficiency
The examiner will score separately all required tasks (including both theoretical questions and practical exercises) on a dedicated marking sheet:
- The maximum score is 100 points.
- The pass mark is 75/100.
- The score will reflect the exactness and range of your knowledge (for theoretical data) and your ability to accurately execute the exercises (and your performance in doing so).
In all cases, your examiner will give you the detailed results during the debriefing, so as you can identify your errors and correct them in case the exam is failed.
Note : Should a PC crash occur which is out of the examinee control, the exam will have to start again or will be delayed to take place on another day, the decision being up to the examiner.
Some special situations may result in an automatic exam failure (maximum score = 51/100):
An exam is considered as failed and the practical part will stop immediately or will not be performed if:
Rule: If the examinee fails to arrive for the exam at the time organised, the examiner should wait for 15 minutes. After that period, the examiner can log off the network. The examinee then has 48 hours to provide a valid reason for the failure to attend by e-mail. If no e-mail is received in time the exam will be marked as failed.
After evaluation, your examiner will send his evaluation to the training directors who will assign a validator.
The validator will verify the marking based on the comments and marking sheet of the examiner.
If your exam is validated as a success your rating will be updated at 1200z the following day.
The validation process needs a validation delay estimated from one day minimum to an average maximum of one week.
¶ AUTHOR
VID 514786 TDM - Minor changes on training material
VID 514786 TDM - Update 27 March 2022 - Corrections of typo
VID 150259 TDAM - Update 17 January 2020 - New Wiki integration and rewording.¶ COPYRIGHT and DISCLAIMER
This documentation is copyrighted as part of the intellectual property of the International Virtual Aviation Organisation.
The content of this documentation is intended for aviation simulation only and must not be used for real aviation operations.