FIR TRAINING POLICY

Home controllers:
All resident controllers will complete the facility written exam and successfully complete an Over the Shoulder (OTS) exam for your endorsement level.
S1 – Clearance Delivery/Ground students will start S1 training with a Mentor/Instructor at one of the 4 major facilities in the FIR (TTPP, TBPB, TFFR, TFFF) and will be provided with reference to the necessary FIR documentation.
S2 – Students will continue at one of the 4 major facilities for their Tower training and be introduced to the procedural aerodrome environment.
S3 – TMA/Approach students will continue at one of the 4 major facilities for their Approach training and will be required to complete a procedural approach control checkout at VC Bird (TAPA_APP).
C1 – Center training will be conducted mostly “On the Job”. Piarco radar north and south sectors are combined and will provide ATC services to traffic in the absence of TMA and local control. A checkout is required to control Piarco Oceanic (TTZO_FSS).

Visiting controllers:
All visitors will complete the facility visitor exam and request a checkout for your endorsement level. S1 visitors are not permitted in the VATCAR division.
S2 – Receive a checkout at one of the 4 major tower facilities and be introduced to a procedural aerodrome.
S3 – Receive a checkout at one of the 4 major approach facilities and will be required to complete a procedural approach control checkout at VC Bird (TAPA_APP). A checkout for procedural control may be omitted if an individual has prior experience controlling non-radar approach.
C1 – Receive a checkout on Piarco Center (TTZP_CTR) and/or Piarco Oceanic (TTZO_FSS). If the controller has no prior experience with procedural control and oceanic procedures further training will be provided by Piarco FIR as necessary.

Once you have been accepted to the roster, join the VATCAR discord server, this is where all official training sessions will be done. Request the Piarco (Home or Visitor) role in #role-request and contact the training team via the #atc-training channel. Should you ever have any questions or need any assistance, please email the Piarco training administrator at ta@piarco.vatcar.net

Additional Information:

Tier 2 Designation
Positions that have significant differences to standard operational procedures maybe designated as Tier 2. This designation may be used if failure to adhere to certain (atypical) procedures negatively affects either the experience of pilots or adjacent controllers.

A ‘Tier 2 Endorsement’ is required to operate a position grouped under a Tier 2 Designation.

Tier 2 Endorsement
A Tier 2 Endorsement allows a rated controller to operate all Tier 2 Positions of the type to which the endorsement applies. A Tier 2 Endorsement does not have an expiry date except when issued as part of a solo endorsement, specified in 7.3(f). Training for a Tier 2 Endorsement may include self-study methods, a limited amount of simulated or live training and a written exam. A practical exam is not permitted.

Piarco Center (TTZP_CTR) & Piarco Oceanic (TTZO_FSS), TAPA, TKPK, TLPC, TVSA, TGPY Procedural (Non-radar) Approach positions will require a Tier 2 Endorsement.

Piarco FIR Controller Training Flow:

Major Airports: (Checkout Facilities)
TTPP – Piarco International Airport
TBPB – Grantley Adams International Airport
TFFF – Aime Cesaire International Airport
TFFR – Le Raizet International Airport
Procedural Control TMA/CTR:
TAPA_APP – V.C Bird Approach (Checkout Facility)
TKPK_APP – Bradshaw Approach
TLPL_APP – St. Lucia Approach
TVSA_APP – Argyle Approach
TGPY_APP – Maurice Bishop Approach
Other Airports within the Piarco FIR:
TTCP – A.N.R Robinson International Airport
TTCM – Camden (Uncontrolled)
TVSV – E.T Joshua Airport (Decommissioned)
TVSB – J.F Mitchel Airport
TVSC – Canouan Airport
TVSM – Mustique Airport (Uncontrolled)
TVSU – Union Island Airport
TGPZ – Lauriston Airport (Uncontrolled)
TLPC – George Charles Airport
TDPD – Douglas Charles Airport
TDCF – Canefield Airport
TFFA – Grande Anse Airport (Uncontrolled)
TFFB – Baillif Airport (Uncontrolled)
TFFC – Saint Francois Airport (Uncontrolled)
TFFM – Marie Galante Airport (Uncontrolled)
TFFS – Les Saintes/Terre De Haut Airport (Uncontrolled)
TRPG – John A. Osborne Airport
TKPN – Vance W. Amory Airport
TAPT – Coco Point Lodge Airport (Uncontrolled)
TAPH – Codrington Airport (Uncontrolled)