This briefing is created to help candidates understand the purpose of
this exam.
Before applying for this exam, you shall meet the following
requirements:
- You shall have your aerodrome controller rating (ADC) since more
than 60 days and,
- You shall have at least 100 hours of logged time on IVAN as an ATC
(pilot hours are not taken into account)
The theoretical and practical exam can be requested by directly
accessing your exam status page.
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.
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 (R&R 4.6.2.1)
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 3 to 5 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.
The training material is available on the IVAO website following these
links below:
¶ IVAO software, connection and communication modes
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: Approved software for
exams.
The examiner will check your ability to correctly use the main functions
of the software, mainly:
- establish a text and/or voice communication with pilots,
- fill out a correct ATIS,
- be able to transmit by text on your ATC frequency and privately, and
make a conference in the chat tab
- retrieve a distant station ATIS, METAR and TAF
Your ATIS must always contain the following remark: "Exam in progress --
no unauthorised Emergencies".
You must connect to the network using the requested position only using
ICAO_POS format (eg. LIRN_APP).
The examiner should connect to the network using X suffix to the
examined position (eg. LIRN_X_APP)
During active practical exams no Emergency (MAYDAY) or Urgency (PAN)
situations may be initiated by any participating pilot unless
specifically requested by the examiner.
Declaring any unrequested Emergency, PAN or squawking 7700 or 7600 will
lead to a forced disconnection by the examiner or any supervisor.
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.
Should a member be unable to use voice or the voice/text method due to a
medical disability or a poor network connection, please 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:
- Decode METAR / TAF including knowledge of RVR
- Knowledge of controller altimetry including TRL/TA, QNH, QFE, QDM,
QDR,
- Ability to explain the charts for APC
- Knowledge of airspace set up including CTR, CTA, TMA and FIR around
the airport including airspace classifications, also related from
the point of view of separation, information, responsibilities of
pilot versus controller
- Explain I,V, Y and Z flight plan including procedures for giving the
appropriate clearance
- Knowledge of VFR rules including Special VFR, Night VFR and
controlled VFR. (as applicable in the division), cruise altitudes
and flight levels, semi-circular rules, VMC minima
- Knowledge of IFR rules including initial IFR clearance, cruise
altitudes and flight levels, semi-circular rules, IFR separation in
TMA
- Wake turbulence separations
- Important aerodrome phenomena (wind shear) and how to inform the
pilot about it
- Knowledge of the approach procedures (ILS, VOR, NDB, RNAV
approaches, Holding and performance at low speed)
- Knowledge of MRVA, MSA and surveillance radar approach and relevance
between different ILS categories, missed approach handling
- You have to log on as approach controller. No separate departure
controller is permitted during the exam.
- There must be a radar controller who is responsible for the airspace
above during the exam.
- There must be a tower controller as the exam does not test the
controllers ADC capabilities
- The airport, where the exam will take place must have IFR procedures
available.
- Using IVAO approved software is required.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- We strongly recommend voice communication on all exams. We do not
recommend a 'text-text' or 'text-voice' communication method due
to the increased level of difficulty and incompatibilities with
certain tasks. Should a member be unable to use voice or the voice /
text method, please contact the HQ Training Department before
requesting the exam in order to establish an individual procedure.
For some exercises, the examinee possibly has to transmit in text
mode.
Note: Emergencies and/or radio-communication failures during the Exam
will ONLY be done on request of the examiner
- 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
\
¶ Evaluation and marking method
The examiner will score separately all required tasks (including both
theoretical questions and practical exercises) on a dedicated marking
sheet.
Each 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).
The maximum score is 100 points. The pass mark is 75/100.
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.
Some special situations may result in an automatic exam failure (maximum
score = 51/100):
- Radio Communication proficiency failure
- English Communication proficiency failure
- Insufficient theoretical knowledge
- Poor theoretical knowledge
- No charts
- Loss of separation
- Landing/Take-off clearance while another aircraft is still on the
runway
- Landing/Take-off clearance if another aircraft is cleared to line up
on the runway ahead
- Landing/Take-off clearance if another aircraft is cleared to cross
the runway
- Inability to manage VFR on the circuit pattern
- One task marked "0"
- Keeping or Clearing an aircraft into or through an area it should
not be allowed to enter due to restrictions (prohibited, VMC loss
...)
- Vectoring below MRVA/MSA
- Issuing a clearance below published altitude on procedures below
MRVA/MSA
- Control instruction that puts the aircraft in an immediate terrain
collision situation
NOTE: In those airports where MRVA is not available (not published in
real life) the MSA should be considered as the reference for radar
vectoring. As the MSA could be different depending on the chosen
approach plate, both examiner and examinee should agree which MSA is
going to be used during the exam. We know that the MSA is not a real
parameter to be used on radar vectoring but it is the only value we
consider to be feasible for virtual purposes. .
An exam is considered as failed and the practical part will stop
immediately or will not be performed if:
- Examinee has extremely poor theoretical knowledge (score shall be at
or below 10/100)
- Examinee makes any violation against IVAO Rules and Regulations
(score shall be 0/100)
- Examinee does not turn up for the exam and a valid reason is not
given within 48 hours. This will cause the exam to be considered as
failed (score shall be 1/100 or 0/100 depending of examiner)
- Examinee decides to stop the exam at any time after it has begun
(score shall be 1/100 or 0/100 depending of examiner).
- In case of any cheating during a practical exam, regardless whether
during the theoretical or the practical part, the result will be
0/100 and a blocking of 6 months for exams will be appointed to the
examinee.
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.
Should a PC crash occur which is out of the applicant's 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.
After evaluation, your examiner will send his evaluation to the training
director 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.
See also
Reference
Author
- VID 150259 - Wiki integration
- VID 200696 - Update
- VID 200696 - Update June 2020