Enroute ?'s

[vyper1278]

I parused a couple other enroute threads and didnt see this. I understand that enroute is around 4 months. then off to your facility. But I also seem to remember coming across a mention of additional OKC training later? I havent been able to locate this again so I dont know who it applied to. Also is enroute training longer then terminal because you receive additional training? or is it completely different other than basics? If I check out enroute and decided down the road I wanted to go tracon or tower would I then be able to switch?

 

[nathanw]

I parused a couple other enroute threads and didnt see this. I understand that enroute is around 4 months. then off to your facility. But I also seem to remember coming across a mention of additional OKC training later? I havent been able to locate this again so I dont know who it applied to. Also is enroute training longer then terminal because you receive additional training? or is it completely different other than basics? If I check out enroute and decided down the road I wanted to go tracon or tower would I then be able to switch?

Yes, you do come back to OKC for radar training, which is about 3.5 weeks. Everyone (terminal/enroute) goes through the same basics. Then it's all different. You can't switch facilities until after you check out, which if you're enroute, will be at least 2 years. Enroute is longer because you have more to learn. Other than basics, enroute, tracon & tower don't do any of the same classes.

 

[teetee]

I thought that the Enroute training was 3.5 weeks longer than Tower because they receive radar training BEFORE going to their facility. Tower/Tracon don't receive the radar training, go to the facility and get checked out on everything other than radar, then they come back for Radar. I could be wrong on this though.

I DO know that my husband does have non-radar and radar training while he is here (they do non-radar first).

 

[nathanw]

I thought that the Enroute training was 3.5 weeks longer than Tower because they receive radar training BEFORE going to their facility. Tower/Tracon don't receive the radar training, go to the facility and get checked out on everything other than radar, then they come back for Radar. I could be wrong on this though.

I DO know that my husband does have non-radar and radar training while he is here (they do non-radar first).

they may have changed things, but i thought that the enroute (like the tracon folks) only got an "intro to radar" 9 day class.

 

[ohioaviator]

they may have changed things, but i thought that the enroute (like the tracon folks) only got an "intro to radar" 9 day class.

we get six weeks of non-radar and then six weeks of radar training. when that's done we go roughly another two weeks for URET. i haven't heard anything about having to come back after all that's done.

 

[nathanw]

we get six weeks of non-radar and then six weeks of radar training. when that's done we go roughly another two weeks for URET. i haven't heard anything about having to come back after all that's done.

well that's cool. different then it used to be.

 

[BWER]

The radar training we receive initially at MMAC is not on the R side, it is specific to the D side.

During Non-Radar the students are responsible for the whole shabang from coordination to talking to planes. In Radar the student will be on the D side and an instructor will be running the radar.

I have not heard where we will receive our R side initial training but if I had to guess I would say it would be at the center vs going back to OKC.

Teetee,

Comparing the two courses is apples and oranges. Each side has different objectives they have to meet in order to move forward in training. There is a tower class that is two days behind my enroute class...they were already playing with the sim and tabletops while we still had another week of nonradar academics left to cover. I have not talked to them recently as to where they are in training but my understanding is that the amount of material covered along with the amount of pratice required varies greatly between the two options.

 

[moulds80]

I had a similar question, so just to clarify things the training and final PV at OKC for enroute entails mostly D-Side tasks such as flight strip interoperation and handoffs, and not so much R-Side things like talking to pilots as much, correct? It seems like that would make sense and you would not start R-Side training until well after a year of training at your facility, or do they give you a taste of R-Side and a evaluation of it at OKC too?

 

[BWER]

From what I have heard talking to classes ahead they only worked D-side, an instructor ran the R-side the entire time. I am pretty sure that is how it is...radar is complicated not only in the operation of the scope but understanding the general theory of how it operates can tickle the brain at times. I would hope that they would stick to the KISS method here...our brains are already soaked!!!

For in the field training and all that jazz I think that it will depend on the facility you will go to as to how you check out. I know ZTL has you check out on all your D-sides first then you go to R-side. I have heard that some facilities go D-side then R-side on the same position...not first hand knowledge on that though so I take it with a few tons of salt.

 

[JT ATC]

You don't do any R-side training at OKC. It's only D-side.

As far as at your center, it depends on the center. I'm at ZID, and we do all our D-sides then go to our R-sides. A couple of my friends at other centers have said they do a D-side, then an R-side and keep rotating.

 

[K-Dog]

Does anyone here know the average length of time it takes to progress through the different levels at a center. I know it takes 2 years or more to get to CPC, but how long for D1, D2 and D3?

 

[Barty]

From what I have heard talking to classes ahead they only worked D-side, an instructor ran the R-side the entire time. I am pretty sure that is how it is...radar is complicated not only in the operation of the scope but understanding the general theory of how it operates can tickle the brain at times. I would hope that they would stick to the KISS method here...our brains are already soaked!!!

For in the field training and all that jazz I think that it will depend on the facility you will go to as to how you check out. I know ZTL has you check out on all your D-sides first then you go to R-side. I have heard that some facilities go D-side then R-side on the same position...not first hand knowledge on that though so I take it with a few tons of salt.

ZME is the same way according to the training folks there. Do all of your D sides, radar school, R-sides to CPC.

 

[teetee]

Does anyone here know the average length of time it takes to progress through the different levels at a center. I know it takes 2 years or more to get to CPC, but how long for D1, D2 and D3?

According to the training manager at ZLC, for ZLC you will be a full CPC in 2 years. For at least 5 weeks you will be on the M-F 7:00-3:30 schedule. As for how long it takes for to go up to each level, my husband said the manager didn't go over that. We both seem to recall being told by a recently obtained CPC at ZLC it will take about 6 months for each. Each facility has their own time frame and it will vary based on if they are fully staffed and ready to train or not.

 

[K-Dog]

I hope 2 years is correct for my facility. I was hearing up to five years on this board before.

 

[Barty]

I think 3-3.5 years is more typical. One developmental I spoke to at ZME had been there right around a year, had finished his D-sides and was waiting for radar school. He was CTI if that makes any real difference once you are on the floor.

 

[teetee]

Part of the wait time depends on if the facility is ready for you to start training. If they have enough people to train you from the start, your training time will be much shorter than if you have to wait to start training or wait before you move to the next area of training.

 

[homeslice702]

I'm currently in OKC, soooo..... What most people have said is correct as far as en route training. You go to OKC once (for the 3-4 month time...longer if you do basics). You train non-radar, and D-side radar. Most classes also have the URET training. After you are done in OKC, you do NOT return at a later date for further en route training. The rest is completed at your facility. If at some point you do decide to transfer to terminal, then you may or may not return to OKC for terminal training....

 

[moulds80]

When you get to a center what really does it mean to be certified on different sectors? Is it simply learning a new map and serving as a D-Side on those new sectors? If that’s the case is that portion of the persons training relatively easy since your learning no new skills, mostly just practicing them in slightly different circumstances?

 

[homeslice702]

When you get to a center what really does it mean to be certified on different sectors? Is it simply learning a new map and serving as a D-Side on those new sectors? If that’s the case is that portion of the persons training relatively easy since your learning no new skills, mostly just practicing them in slightly different circumstances?

To be certified in the diff sectors, it means that you've learned the airspace for those sectors and done training. You start out training on D-side for awhile, and eventually you will move over to R-side. So you are pretty much correct....you just have to get familiar with the airspace of each sector and any specific procedures you may have to deal with. I don't know how long you spend training on D-side, but one of my lead instructors said that you usually spend about 10 hours training on the R-side before you get checked out.