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At Rotate we implement Air Control Centres for controllers to give you a better gateway to the community. The ACC is effectively your entrance into the ATC world and offers you events, support and organisation for ATCs as individuals within the system. Robust and efficient organisation is a must for a large network. What we did is to focus on the most important part of ATC organisation and eliminate the rest. So, at Rotate, there are two main elements which group controllers efficiently. You are welcome to organise yourselves independently, and we offer you a more straightforward approach to that organisation. Without an unnecessary excess of bureaucracy, there will be nothing getting in the way of your controlling. We want you to socialise and have fun while controlling on the network and to be part of the process without first slogging through hours of management work. We decided only to include ACC and Flight Information Regions (FIR) to keep things simple. Problems and support issues go directly to Rotate, instead of through a massive hierarchy. ACCs – Area Control Centre The ACC is the first member-based level of organisation. It is bound to a specific area, mostly to a country. You can join an ACC to get in touch with other controllers interested in controlling in that region and communicate in the ACC’s native language. ACCs also organise events with other airports or between airports within their area. Each ACC is also responsible for the local airports and provides training for their members so that you can gain knowledge about the specific local procedures within your ACC. Your ACC has mentors who are there to help you with all aspects of your controller training, including working with Rotate’s globally available training documents and preparing you for your controller exams. One of you will be your ACC’s leader, elected by your peers in a simple majority rule election. Their term lasts for half a year. Anyone can be a candidate, and this process is also carried out by the network. The election process is as straightforward as possible. All registered members of an ACC will be notified of the election and can vote as soon as the automated candidate selection is complete. The election and notifications all take place within the Rotate Network. At the start of their term, the ACC leader appoints the deputy leader, head of events, navigation and mentoring. The ACC leader and deputy leader organise the ACC and work as mediators for problems within the ACC. The ACC leader is also our direct contact person. The event coordinator plans upcoming events, contacts other event coordinators or other contact persons and manages anyone involved with the event. The navigation coordinator maintains sector files and procedures at all airports within an ACC. Finally, the mentor coordinator checks and hires new mentors, and makes sure that they receive the support they need. Please note that an ACC in the United States is called ARTCC, so you could get involved with ARTCC Washington D.C., for example. FIRs – Flight Information Region In exceptionally large or densely populated ACCs it makes sense to divide the area even further. For that reason, we believe it is reasonable to introduce an even smaller unit called FIR. FIRs function like an Area Control Centre for a smaller part of an ACC. Regardless of their operational size, they provide all ACC services in their respective areas. This means that FIRs are effectively on the same organisational level as their former ACC was. We hope to cut away unnecessary bureaucracy by giving the leadership in an ACC the option to dissolve their ACC and reform it as multiple FIRs. ACC Registration Requests for forming new ACCs go through our online system. A FIR can also be created after the ACC leadership decides to split the ACC into FIRs or could be requested before forming an ACC. The FIR registration requests will be checked on a case-by-case basis by Rotate so that we can confirm that the new area borders are acceptable. ACC and FIR have to have at least 30 members, and all members must be listed in the registration application. The listed members then have to confirm their membership in the ACC or FIR. Finally, Each ACC and FIR has to elect a leader, who then appoints the other vital positions we listed above. Support The overarching organisation is the Rotate Company itself. We are the main support instance for all ACC and FIR leaders. We make sure that your ACC/FIR runs smoothly. We also offer guidelines, support and training documents for all career and training purposes, as well as the ATC Client, which is your door to the controlling world. We function as everything in the organisational hierarchy above ACC.
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System Supported Co-ordination makes controller communication a lot faster and more comfortable. When transferring an aircraft, you can pass additional information to the receiving controller with only a few clicks. You can quickly negotiate a different FL for a specific outbound aircraft, or adjust the speed by proposing it right in the flight's tag, letting the other controller accept or decline it. Coordinating directs to certain waypoints along the route can now be shown to and approved by all controllers, whose airspace is influenced by the change.
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There once were small printed slips of paper to track aircraft flight progress. Those were the early flight strips, the beginnings of better controlling. Nowadays air traffic controllers basically have access the same function, but use a different medium. Modern controllers use electronic flight strips. Each aircraft is represented by a flight strip. These strips are grouped into different categories which you can organise yourself and hold important information for the specific aircraft. Controllers around the world work with flight strips because they give you a solid overview of all operations at your station. Our design is based on what ATC actually work with on a day-to-day basis. We modelled our Flight Strips after their real-world counterparts to give you the most realistic experience possible. You can display them in a smaller version on the same screen as your radar. This is a good solution for single-screen setups. If you have multiple screens, we offer you the option of running extended Flight Strips on a dedicated screen and the compact version on your main view. Our Flight Strips are synchronised network-wide. Edited and commented flight strips are viewable by the first controller at the departure airport, and by the receiving controller at the destination. Many areas of Rotate Network benefit from the synchronisation. For example, mentors watching you during your training can stay updated on your flight strip organisation and how you plan. This feature is all about building a sequence that best suits you and your pilots. Use Flight Strips to make sure you stay ahead of bottlenecks before they lead to delays and that your pilots enjoy the best service.
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Efficiency is key for an Approach Controller. You know your session was good when you are happy with your separation. Most virtual Approach Controllers today will be familiar with distance-based separation, depending on the wake-turbulence category of incoming aircraft. A more advanced option for aircraft separation is time-based. This is the only system that integrates factors such as wind and aircraft performance. This system is embedded in the Rotate ATC client and it calculates the safest and most efficient separation for incoming traffic. It shows up on the radar screen as an orange chevron, which continuously updates its position. The system calculates the expected flight path and indicates the predicted position of the aircraft in relation to the best possible position for optimal separation by displaying a smaller, grey chevron. With the help of this indicator, you can quickly see what you need to do in order to achieve the best possible separation. Let’s say you decide to accelerate an aircraft in order to move its optimal (orange) and predicted (grey) chevrons closer together. So you adjust the new speed in that aircraft’s tag, and the Time-Based Separation Planner then updates the predicted (grey) chevron's position based on the selected speed. This even gives you the opportunity to validate your actions before you send a command to the pilot. The Time-Based Separation Planner will not only optimise your separation, thereby increasing your runway capacity, but also make your life as a controller a lot more enjoyable.
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No matter what stage of your controller career you are in, we want to support you with everything we have in order to achieve and maintain a global standard of excellence. Advantages of our ATC Career system We put a lot of focus on gaining experience during training. You deserve to hop into the controller seat early on, with as few hurdles as possible. You won’t be alone on your journey through controller training. Mentors will guide you along your path, both for your sake and for the sake of the network. At the end of your training, you will be a competent controller. Mentors Rotate Network makes mentoring a blast. With our globally available training documents, you can focus on educating trainees and helping them improve faster. Additionally, we offer you a special set of tools to increase your effectiveness, such as scenarios where you manage simulated aircraft; or mentoring view, which allows you to oversee the actions of your trainees. Bookings for sessions and training are easily managed right in the Rotate Manager. Organisation is simple and clearing students for the next step in their training requires only a button-click. Now you can focus purely on giving trainees the skills and knowledge they need, sensei. Training Rotate’s goals for the controller community are twofold. We make it straightforward for new users to get into controlling. We also make our controllers prove that they are skilled enough for their stations, right from the start. Once registered with Rotate anyone who is interested in a career as an air traffic controller can start learning the basics of controlling while also receiving an introduction to the ATC Client. First, we supply you with the proper reading which teaches you to what it means to be a controller and how training and controlling works. We create the learning experience, and you just have to apply yourself to the challenges. You aren’t alone in your training; mentors will always assist you, should you need any help. We make sure that before you man a position, where you control real pilots, a mentor will speak with you. After your first mentor session, you can already begin operating an info tower. We also want you to be challenged from the start and believe that you will grow faster by giving you controlling tasks during your training. Learn the basics and start offering great service especially to all VFR enthusiasts and beginner pilots out there while advancing your controller career. We want to make your entry into the world of air traffic control as smooth as possible. That is why we choose to train beginner controllers in smaller steps at the beginning of their career. This allows you to become comfortable and competent in one area first, while at the same time giving you the freedom to accept the challenge of managing those positions all on your own. Training for advanced positions becomes more challenging later on in your ATC Career to ensure high-quality controlling at positions with increased responsibility. You have to pass exams for each level of certification, and once you are a tower controller, you can switch regions or even countries. If you want to switch regions, you are required to pass an exam. Before taking the exam, you are welcome to take an optional refresher course. This examination process makes sure that you know local procedures and your controlling skills are well-suited for your new station. Should you fail the exam, you will have to go through proper training to get certified for the target region. Community Nobody likes to be stuck in a place with no traffic. We are combining those early stations with our Pilot career to make sure you actually get traffic. For example, traffic circuits are a beginning task for all pilots starting their career at Rotate. What better way to train as a pilot than at staffed airports? All controllers can set an option especially welcoming pilots in training. This way pilots can easily see well-suited airports right from their mission screen. This leads to cooperation between beginner controllers and pilots because the controllers offer their service to the pilots, who offer their traffic to the controllers. The two groups grow together because they interact with each other from day one. This symbiosis builds up both parts of the Rotate community. Please note that your ratings will expire if you are gone for long amounts of time, so you will have to practice and prove that you are up-to-date before you resume controlling. This is important because of the standard we want to uphold in our controller community. We want you and the community to be happy and up-to-date, so renewing your license doesn’t take much time. For new ATC trainees, we want to offer a streamlined process that gives everyone the opportunity to become a high-quality air traffic controller without sitting around in positions without enough traffic. If you are a veteran user, we want to challenge your skills and make you improve at your own pace. If you are a mentor, we want to offer you all the tools necessary for you to pass on your skills as efficiently as you control your airspace.
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STCA Short Term Conflict Alert monitors for loss of separation between two aircraft with a look-ahead time of two minutes. Once the system calculates a loss of separation within this timeframe, it automatically triggers an alert. It also shows a projection of the incident that is bound to happen after two minutes, giving you the time to react before it happens. APW Area Proximity Warning works almost the same as STCA, but instead of looking for conflicts between aircraft, it monitors conflicts regarding airspaces. If a pilot is about to enter a restricted airspace within the next two minutes, it will trigger an alert. The System takes into account the current altitude of the aircraft, its flight rule and temporary airspace restrictions.
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We want to build a system that gives beginners and veterans what they need to grow as virtual aviators and controllers. Beginners enjoy a more stable communication medium, leading to a steeper learning curve. ATC users will benefit as well because both parties in a transmission can understand what is being said. Veteran users already know how to deal with the older transmission models, but we want you to have the richest simulation possible. No more unintended comms issues, only crisp and authentic radio chatter. We are moving on from an outdated modem basis and misplaced software, and aiming for good quality voice transmissions. Now, when we say good quality, we aren’t aiming for the clarity of Teamspeak or similar voice communication programs. We are aiming for stable comms, with reduced bass and some artificially induced static meant to imitate real-world radio transmissions. Another focus is the reduced latency during calls, and the addition of a warning tone when speaking over each other. VHF transmissions will be influenced by obstacles. The current voice system models of the old networks allow for VHF transmissions only, but we want to expand that and offer you both VHF and HF frequencies. As a special feature, service frequencies are available to airlines in support of our extended airline infrastructure. Additionally, pilots using Rotate’s Voice Transmission will be able to tune into two separate frequencies at the same time, which is useful while multi-tasking your communication operations. Signal strength varies depending on the distance to the transmission's source. In addition, signal strength varies and is influenced by altitude, line-of-sight with and distance from the transmission source, as well as weather and terrain. Including these variables is a good example of the amount of detail Rotate wants to offer you. You could be checking a pilot’s IFR clearance, or listening to your airline radio traffic. From signal strength variance to authentic radio transmissions, from the ability to listen to your controller and the ATIS at your destination at the same time, Rotate wants you to hear the virtual aviation world.
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Voice Triangulation uses incoming radar waves from different stations to locate the source of a transmission. The approximate position is then displayed on the radar screen. The actual position calculated by Voice Triangulation can deviate a little from the actual origin of transmission, but it will be very close to the aircraft's position. That's how the controller can quickly see where the transmission is coming from even if it's outside of his airspace. The Voice Triangulation feature draws a small circle around the origin of the transmission. This circle is then displayed differently according to the status of the plane. If the aircraft is squawking an emergency, the circle will indicate this by using an orange colour. Voice Triangulation can even track simultaneous transmissions coming from multiple directions.
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For air traffic controllers a simple text message can make all the difference when trying to handle a lot of traffic at the same time. CPDLC allows you to send and receive predefined text messages or free text from pilots. From the moment you decide to log-in as a controller you automatically offer CPDLC to pilots wanting to connect to your station. Aircraft connected to CPDLC will show an outline around their call sign. The network-wide integration of CPDLC is especially handy for controllers who handle overcrowded frequencies or complicated reroutings. No matter how busy, it helps all controllers maximize their efficiency and comfort on the job. CPDLC can even prove valuable when dealing with new or text-only pilots, as it provides all the necessary instructions your connected pilot needs without having to type anything. Your frequency will be less crowded by "say again(s)" and readbacks and this way you free up more time for traffic planning and pro-active controlling. Simply click on the appropriate buttons to compose your messages. The purpose of CPDLC is not to get rid of the traditional method of voice frequencies communication, but to provide a faster and easier way to deal with standard tasks. We want to achieve maximum realism and in specific scenarios, such as position reports over the Atlantic Ocean, CPDLC inevitably plays a central role in modern aviation. An overview of all your current messages. Find out more about how CPDLC will help you as a:
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For the first time in virtual aviation history, you as a controller are able to look at the weather. Yes, we know that you can read the METAR, but with Rotate’s Weather Radar you can see it. As it stands in virtual aviation, there is no in-client weather radar for controllers. Your pilots could be flying directly into a thunderstorm, and you wouldn’t even see it coming. The Weather Radar improves this state of affairs. Now you will actually be able to guide pilots around bad weather. You won’t need eyewitness weather information in order to plan redirects. Instead of receiving that info second-hand, trusting the weather reports from pilots, you can take well-informed action. This new feature will help you proactively direct your pilots. You will see first-hand if you need to start planning a reroute. Rain, hail and any other precipitation and its strength will be displayed. Now you are the person with the plan, not waiting for the data you need to do your job. We want to implement this feature within the ATC Client, so that it is an integrated part of your controlling experience. It will give you yet more realism in your controlling experience and improved flight safety due to a better understanding of your pilots’ potential reroutes.
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The Monitoring Aids System analyses the complete flight path of all aircraft, providing you with helpful tips. Think of MONA as your assistant sitting next to you, applying little sticky notes to everything you have missed. For example, it knows when an aircraft is supposed to start their descent and displays a small reminder next to the aircrafts tag, to let you know the plane has reached its top of descent. Additionally, the next controller, who you are sending the aircraft to, will love you for always handing over tags just in time. Little does he know that MONA was displaying reminders next to all the aircraft that needed transfers. Anytime a pilots derivates from his flight path or is speeding through the air; MONA lets you know. You can also ask her to remind you when the time is right to execute planned actions, such as having someone descent to a perfect flight level for handovers. MONA is a beautiful gadget, designed to help you with the little things that help you perfect your controlling and offer excellent service to all pilots.
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A question we get asked a lot is, will I be able to transfer my ATC rating from existing networks? The answer is simple: for a limited time only, yes. We believe that it's essential for you to be able to pick up where you left off. Let's say you’re already a qualified controller in your old network and want to switch over to Rotate, when you back us during our initial funding phase on Kickstarter, we will match your rating in accordance with the table below. One of the reasons for the limited availability is that our training and rating system differs from existing networks. Allowing those transfers can only be the first step. In the long run, we want to make sure everyone gets the appropriate training and support as they journey through the ranks of their Rotate ATC Career. Curious about how the career system will work for air traffic controllers? Detailed information about the ATC Career System will be released on November 13th. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter or sign up for a Rotate Account today to get access to our Forum to ask more questions yourself.
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METAR is a short, pre-formatted weather report. In the Rotate ATC Client, you can select from a short list or a more detailed full weather report. The short list shows the most important information: wind direction, speed, and the current ATIS designator of the airport. The more detailed version displays a complete METAR for all your selected airports. With this information, you can quickly see the current weather situation at a particular airport, and provide the best service for incoming and outgoing flights. The METAR data is based on real-life weather distributed to all controllers by our centralised weather system. The METAR also serves as a basis for setting up the ATIS of your airport and will influence the advanced calculations of the ATC client.
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The Selected Flight Info Strip inside the ATC Client provides the controller with the most relevant data on a selected flight. You can easily see information about the origin, destination, callsign, route and squawk in one convenient Flight Info Strip. The system is designed to assist you, so you don't have to learn the name of every airline or airport, and the associated ICAO code. It will show basic information about the aircraft type, such as the number of engines and the aircraft classification. There are also some quick links in case you need to change the flight plan, show the route or want to contact the pilot via CPDLC. The route is easily editable by changing the visualised flight path on your radar screen. Additional data with Mode-S For aircraft that support Mode-S, the controller receives additional data through the Flight Info Strip. ATC will be able to see the indicated airspeed, mach and heading of the plane which is shown on the instruments in the cockpit. Additionally, you can directly see the flight level that the pilot has programmed into the autopilot to prevent problems before they arise. As with all of our ATC Client features, we aim to provide the most up-to-date systems that are used in real life to bring you an experience that is as convenient as it is real.