Day 18 of RTF (last day!)

Our PV schedule was posted the day before our PV day and we just had to make sure to be in the labs and ready to go for both ours and our partner's PV times. The rest of the time is allotted "self-study" time.

My partner ran her PV first and I had to work the south sector for her. She did pretty well and I think she only had one compression error on final. South sector was boring to work because they keep it pretty slow since no one is watching you and you're just there for a few coordinations. Our evaluator was from Waco, TX and he was pretty nice. I ran my PV after lunch. There are 3 different PV scenarios, so mine wasn't the same as my partner's. Overall the traffic wasn't super busy, but it was enough to keep you scanning and issuing pretty frequent transmissions. I didn't end up with any separation errors, but I did have a stupid scratchpad entry mistake. There was a United flight departing off of Academy going out the Mayes gate at 12,000, so I climbed him and turned him. Once he got to around 8,000 and there wasn't any conflicting traffic, I went to hand him off to Center. I pushed "C" on my keyboard and (according to my evaluator) I went to issue an instruction to a different aircraft before clicking on the United flight. Then I must have come back to click "C" again (forgetting I had already done it and hadn't clicked on him), and I tried to click on him this time. It didn't take it, so I hit "C" for a third time. Of course, this time it took, but now I had "CCC" in my preview area and didn't realize it. And in case you didn't know, anything with three letters/numbers replaces the destination in the aircraft data tag. So now my United flight was headed to "CCC" instead of "MAY". Go me. Oh well, not a big deal. At least I didn't have anyone die during my PV run. :)

After all of the PVs were over for the day we all met in the classroom around 3pm. We were given our certificates of completion, everyone said their goodbyes, and we were dismissed for good. I ended up hitting the road right after class to start my drive to Denver, which is why it's taken me a little while to update these posts. It's so good to be done with the Academy and to be back in Denver. I start work tomorrow morning at 7am and I'm looking forward to it. I'm still going to be updating this blog every now and then with short summaries of what I've been doing at the Tracon, so feel free to keep reading.

Day 17 of RTF

On day 17 we ran a specialized scenario in the morning and then we ran the post-test scenario. The post-test was exactly the same as the pre-test and it's supposed to show how much we've improved. It wasn't graded and our names don't even go on the report sheet. Compared to running the pre-test when I hadn't really worked any traffic, the post-test seemed incredibly slow and easy.

After we got done with that we had to meet upstairs in the classroom so that the woman who makes the PV schedule could brief us on the PV that we'd be having the next day. She basically just explained that the FAA flies in supervisors from facilities all around the country and told us to make sure we were in the labs about 10 minutes prior to our PV time. It was a short briefing, and then we all went down to the computer classroom to fill out our course evaluations. This was just a short survey asking each of us to review the course and there were also sections where you could type comments if you wish.

After lunch some of us got the chance to run 05WA. It's a single sector scenario so you have control of the entire airspace, but wow, it was crazy. Most of our scenarios start off with about 3 airplanes in the corners of the scope. This one started off with about 8 on the screen, and they were located all over. You immediately had to start issuing instructions, and from there on out it was non-stop transmissions. There were a ton of Academy arrivals, and I ended up slowing most of them to about 150 knots just because there was no other way to work the sequence and fit them all in without having a super long downwind. There were still departures and arrivals off of all the other airports, and it was important to constantly scan and not get lost in just working all of the Academy arrivals. Overall, it was a lot of fun to run (if not hectic), and I still did pretty well. I didn't have any separation errors or compression on final, and when we checked the computer at the back of the class at the end (it shows all errors for each individual scope), it showed that I only forgot to transfer the frequency of one aircraft. Not too bad.

The last two problems of the day were specialized scenarios meant to prepare us for our PV. I think we mostly ran old PV problems. Nothing too difficult.

Day 16 of RTF

Today was our 70% skill check. In the morning we ran specialized scenarios to give us practice for the skill check, which included busier scenarios and old PV scenarios. After lunch we ran the skill check. It's meant to be at 70% of the traffic level of the PV that we'll be having on Wednesday. I didn't have any problems with it, and I don't think anyone else did either. It was the same stuff we've been seeing in every scenario, and I think we're all used to working a busier level of traffic now. The last run of the day was just a random specialized scenario, and it's gotten to the point where I'm kind of bored with the same things. Tomorrow we've been promised to get a chance to run 05WA though since a few of us have been requesting it (nicknamed "Whip Ass"). Supposedly it's the craziest scenario they have and no one can handle it. Our instructors told us they'd bring popcorn, sit back, and laugh at us all as we attempt to run it.

Day 14 and 15 of RTF

On Thursday we had our 40% skill check. In the morning we ran four different scenarios to give us some more practice before the evaluation. I forgot to mention that everyone in the class (in pairs anyway) is able to work at their own pace, and the individual instructors decide which scenario you'll run at each point in the day. The skill check went pretty well. We were evaluated only on the north sector, so we had to take turns running the scenario on north. The instructors from the two separate lab rooms swapped rooms for evaluations. The traffic level during the skill check was about average, and while you're on south waiting for your partner to get through with north you'll probably get kind of bored. On the north side you have to make sure to make the right calls at the right times or it's very easy to get backed up and lose control of the entire picture. At the end of the scenario the instructors went over things we did wrong (as well as things we were good at), and filled out notes on our evaluation forms (which will be sent to our individual facilities). Since RTF is not pass/fail at this point it doesn't matter if you completely bomb the skill checks, but of course it's still better to do your best. After the skill check was over we just ran a specialized scenario to finish up the day. I think most of us ran a single sector scenario that covered the entire airspace, and it was nice not to have to coordinate anything.

On Friday we ran specialized scenarios all morning, and these were all pretty similar to the others we've been running, if not slightly busier. Then after lunch we ran what they call an OJF problem. This scenario was exactly the same as the single sector scenario we ran on Thursday (where you have control of the entire airspace). The instructors left the room and we ran the problem on our own with everything being recorded. After we finished and took a short break they had us plug in again and then they replayed what we had just run and we listened to ourselves for the entire scenario. It's kind of funny to hear yourself controlling traffic, and you pick up on things you wouldn't have noticed before. You'll say to yourself things like, "Why didn't I turn that guy now?" and "Ooooh, I didn't have wake turbulence separation there..." You'll also realize the voice inflections that you have during transmissions and may want to make changes to certain ways you say things in the future.

Only 3 days left of RTF! I'm looking forward to finishing up. On Monday we have our 70% skill check and then on Wednesday we have our PV.

By the way, I heard that they slightly changed all the RTF classes just after ours. If any of you are headed to RTF training anytime soon, get ready to play some PacMan! There is this program called Natpro Suite on the computers and they're using PacMan as a tool to improve your scanning and anticipation abilities. You'll play your typical PacMan game and they also have different speed settings like "insane" which is nearly impossible. Supposedly during the classroom days of RTF they'll have students play PacMan for 45 minutes to an hour or so and then during the lab days of RTF they'll replace one of the seven scenario time slots with a time slot of PacMan playing. Sounds like a waste of time to me. Personally, I hate that game and I don't see how playing it will improve anything above what running a scenario in that time slot would do for you instead.

Day 12 and 13 of RTF

Yesterday we just ran more scenarios both on the north and south sides. We did have one scenario that was just north for both of us (separately) that was just arrivals into Academy. Almost all of the arrivals were coming from the northwest, and then you'd get three or four arrivals coming directly from the east that you had to work into the sequence. Speed control was the key here, and you had to be careful not to run your downwind out too far (which if you didn't use speed control correctly, it was pretty easy to get a long downwind).

Today the scenarios definitely got a little busier. I've found that the north scenarios seem to be a little bit more hectic compared to south. This morning I think I was just out of it so I had one really bad run where things were just all over the place on north. After lunch I got a handle on things though. We had one scenario with an emergency (which we haven't worked any emergencies before), and we just had to vector him straight to Academy and land him as soon as possible. My partner and I also ran the arrivals scenario again (the one where we were both north separately) and I did much better with my speed control today and working those east arrivals into my sequence.

I met my facility manager from Denver today, and I was surprised to see him behind my partner and I during our second to last scenario of the day when we were finishing up. Turns out he had been watching it the entire time. As far as I can remember, I did pretty well, so hopefully he wasn't like, "Whoa, we don't want her working triple simultaneous approaches into Denver and level 11 traffic..."

Tomorrow is our 40% skill check which we take right after lunch. Supposedly the traffic will be less than what we've been dealing with on some of our busier scenarios. The skill check evaluations will be sent to our individual facilities. Our facilities also get the results of our 70% skill check, our RTF PV that we have on the last day of class, our radar qualification exam, our two RTF block test exams, and our ITR exams.

Day 11 of RTF

Today the scenarios picked up speed a little bit, but things still weren't too difficult. There's not much to say about the scenarios in general because I can't describe them in full detail, so I'll go over a few things that you'll find in the scenarios we run.

As a north controller you're likely to see:

• Arrivals into Academy - You'll have to scan south's airspace too to plan a sequence that works for both your Academy arrivals and their arrivals. You call up south and say something like, "South, North, sequence." They come back, "South." You'll say, "One slot behind Delta 58, M.N." And then they'll give their initials. Try to stay ahead of the game and give them slots so that they don't have to call you up asking for them.
• Arrivals into Bartles - These will come from the northeast (in which case you drop them to 3000 before they hit the Bartles shelf and vector them across the top of your scope to land at Bartles), or they come from the northwest (which they're given to you at 4000 here and are already on a runway heading so you can pretty much just clear them for the approach once they get closer to the airport). There will also be one or two Bartles arrivals in each scenario which come up from the south (the south controller will vector them around the outer 15 mile ring and then hand them off to you). You'll just vector these north and then towards the airport. You might also get a VFR pop-up going to Bartles by way of James.
  
• Arrivals into James - These will also come from either the northeast or northwest. You can vector them straight in for the full approach or you can give them vectors.
• Point outs to South - You may get an aircraft going out the Noble gate or Shawn gate that is climbing to 12,000, so it's easier to hand them off to Center. Since they'll be clipping South's airspace you have to do a point out on each one.
• Hand offs to South - If an aircraft is going out the Noble gate at 8,000 or something other than the high altitude (12,000), then you can just hand them off to South and transfer their communications.
• APREQs - You may get some Jeske arrivals coming down from the northwest at 10,000. They're on a heading direct to Jeske Tacan originally. By SOPs, you're supposed to drop them to 6,000 and keep them in the outer 15 mile ring. However, it may be easier to just keep them at 10,000 and keep them direct Jeske Tacan. This requires an APREQ.
• Overflights - There will be a few overflights going to OKC or MKC, etc. who you'll just let fly through your airspace. When they get towards the limits of your airspace you'll just hand them off.
• Departures off of Bartles - Airplanes will call up requesting release. Make sure you don't release them if you've got a plane that will be landing soon at Bartles.
• Departures off of James - Same thing, except McAlester FSS will be the one requesting the release.
• Departures off of Academy - Most of your departures will be going out of the Colin gate or the Mayes gate. You'll just climb them to their requested altitude and turn them towards that direction. Some airplanes you have to wait to turn until they're out of 3,000 though (for noise abatement), and you may also need to scan the area to make sure you won't have a conflict from climbing them into someone else.

As a south controller you're likely to see:

• Arrivals into Academy - You'll have to either be given slots from the north controller or you'll have to request them. Be prepared to change up whatever sequence you may have had in mind if North doesn't want you to have that slot you thought you'd get. Speed control is your friend.
  
• Arrivals into Jeske - These will be coming up from the southwest of will be given to you by the North controller from the northwest. Drop them to about 6,000, once they're within 15 miles of Jeske call them inbound, drop them to 3,000 once they get closer, and then vector them and clear them to land.
  
• Arrivals into Bartles - You'll usually get one that comes up from the southeast wanting to go to Bartles. Keep him in the outer 15 mile ring and keep him at 6,000 and then hand him off to North once he gets farther north.
  
• Point outs to North - You may get some departures off of Jeske that are going out the Colin gate at 12,000, so you'll want to hand these off to Center and just point them out to North. There may also be some departures wanting to go out the Mayes gate, so they'd be a point out too.
  
• Hand offs to North - Typical hand offs that you may have to do.
  
• Overflights - There will be a few overflights who you'll just let fly through your airspace. You'll just hand them off once they get towards the limits of your airspace.
  
• Departures off of Jeske - These will be going out any of the four departure gates. Not too difficult. You may have to throw in a point out or hand off with one of the planes if they're headed out the Colin or Mayes gate.
  
• Departures off of Academy - Most of your departures will be going out of the Shawn or Noble gate. You'll just climb them to their requested altitude and turn them towards that direction. Some airplanes you have to wait to turn until they're out of 3,000 though (for noise abatement), and you may also need to scan the area to make sure you won't have a conflict from climbing them into someone else. One thing to look out for is the planes going out the Shawn gate. You'll get something like a Skyhawk coming off going out the Shawn gate at 8,000. Your first thought is to climb him up and turn him left to get out the gate. But if you do that then you're screwed when a jet comes off requesting the Shawn gate too, and now you've just turned the Skyhawk into his flight path. Operational error, anyone? Solution is to wait to turn the Skyhawk until he gets about 6 miles further south. That way you'll still have separation when the jet comes off.
  

Day 10 of RTF (first day of labs!)

On Friday we moved into our new classroom so that the new RTF class that was starting could take over our old one. We'll be in the ACD labs full time now. We skipped over lab orientation since we already knew how to set up the scopes and everything and at 0730 we moved right into the pre-test. It was pretty simple and nothing to worry about. Each person was watched by one instructor each and the instructor marked points off for each mistake you made. However, your name doesn't go on the evaluation sheet. This same scenario is given as a post-test at the end of RTF and it's just used as a tool to see how the instructors do to improve the students' skills.

Oh, and we are the most totally awesome class ever by the way. Supposedly we were the first class ever to not have anyone at all vector the overflight. About halfway through the problem comes this aircraft going to OKC, and there's usually at least one person who sends them to Academy and clears them to land there only to issue the approach clearance and get the response, "Uh, we didn't request a landing at Academy..." The other RTF class who parallels ours had a few people who did it, but ours did not. We thought that Dave (our instructor from ITR) was going to follow through on the bet he made with us, but apparently he chickened out. Supposedly he makes the same bet with every RTF class he has: if no one vectors the overflight then he'll shave his head. However, he pulled some B.S. that the bet included all 24 RTF students who ran the problem that morning (our class and the other parallel class), even though he never said that as part of the bet to begin with. Oh well. Points still to all of us. :)

We ran three different scenarios after the pre-test. Each scenario lasts about 40 minutes and then we get about a 15 minute break in between each one. We're paired up in twos, and one person works the south sector and one works the north sector. They typically try to pair up each group by skill level. Each person also has one instructor who constantly watches over your scenarios. You'll get to work with two instructors total, because for your pair you'll have one instructor to watch over the north sector and one to watch over the south sector. After one run on each scenario, you swap with your partner to get a chance to run the opposite sector.

We ran one scenario that was just arrivals, one that was just departures, and one that was both arrivals and departures. All in all it wasn't very difficult. They keep the traffic count low to start you off so that you can get the hang of things. The only thing that took a little getting used to was the sequencing on final into Academy. The north controller has control of all sequencing, so as a south controller you have to wait until you are given a slot, or you have to request one if they don't call you up in time. You often have to re-sequence things, because you may not always get the slot you were expecting.