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Training Director Resignation

Daniel Crookes

Entry posted by Daniel Crookes in United Kingdom ·

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Hi everyone,

Over the past 5 years, I have had the pleasure of being part of what can only be described as a community teeming with enthusiasm, knowledge and the will to want to help others. As with most commitments, there comes a time when it is appropriate for the baton to be passed on. To say that I have enjoyed the past 5 years wouldn’t do it justice. 

I will see the department into the new year followed by the commencement of a recruitment period for the role(s) in January 2022.

We still have a little bit of 2021 left and hopefully, a surprise or two to share. I have tried summarising some of the many projects that we have completed over the past half-decade, however, for those who know me, my version of summarising doesn’t really follow the definition. So, here are a few of what I think are our greatest achievements:

Moodle Courses
When the two departments merged into what we now know as the Training Department, there were an array of projects and ideas about how to best deliver the vast theoretical elements of our training programmes. Our conclusion was to create eLearning courses that students could access from anywhere and wherever they wanted for all of our ratings. This was not a new idea and the foundations laid by previous ATC Training Directors enabled us to progress at pace.

It’s scary when I look at how many folders and Google Docs’ worth of information was collated for these courses, the numbers are easily in the hundreds and it is a clear demonstration of how the involvement of so many members of our community can yield results.

New Pilot Ratings
From 2017 to 2019 the team and I gained approval for all 5 of the legacy pilot ratings. At the time, this was quite a feat as we were already training hundreds of pilots a year through the legacy P1 (Online Pilot) course. However, in 2018 we gained approval for the final pilot rating and continued to provide training through to 2020. In 2020, VATSIM announced a restructure to the pilot ratings which required us to rebuild from the ground up. It was at this point, that the true dedication of the pilot training community was evident and the team worked day and night (quite literally) to develop what we now know as the P1 PPL(A) rating. A special thanks to @Darren Hill and @Lewis Hammett must be noted, without their time and commitment, we would not have the incredible training programme that we have today.


Training Handbooks
A slightly less exciting and more administrative achievement, however, possibly one of our most important projects. “What do the books say” is a phrase that I use all too often, however, it wasn’t a phrase we could use when the departments merged. We wanted a place where any member irrespective of their role could find the answer to pretty much all of their questions. Whether that be a student looking for hour requirements or an examiner looking at how to brief a candidate, we needed a central point of reference that governed how we operate. Now for me to take credit for the creation of our ATC and Pilot Training Handbooks would be completely wrong. The mastermind behind them and the person who spend hundreds of hours working on them is @Oliver Rhodes - anyone who knows him will be far from surprised.

I also would like to say thank you to the DSG for supporting the iterative adventure Training has been on over the past 5 years and for putting up with me! 

Finally, I just wanted to say thank you to the community. VATSIM is far more than a ‘Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network’ and I hope that everyone gets to enjoy the experiences that I have as a result of it. I promise to not be a stranger and I am excited to see what others can bring to the team.

Thanks,

Dan ✈️
 

Edited by Daniel Crookes

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Fergus Walsh

Dan, thank you so much for your assistance for all of my many TGI questions that I've had to put you through! All the best for the future!

 

Fergus

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Darren Hill

Dan,

From that first meeting arranged in Slack (yes, to the new folk, we used Slack) to write what eventually became the P1 questions, to where we are now with the Training Department as a whole has been a fantastic experience. I know trusting me with your beloved PTD wasn't easy, but I seriously thank you for the opportunity I've had with it.

Thanks for all the fun memories, from juggling 2 PTTs during a P1 exam to careening with a TBM and a C172 into Jersey, its been a blast!

I wish you all the best for your future as I mentioned in DM, and I believe its now 1-all in the number of flights owed (mine only redeemable in SA) 😛.

Safe landings,
Dazza.

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George Peppard

George Peppard

Posted (edited)

Dan,

Thanks so much for all the help over the last years whilst I have been on the team - a team is nothing without a good leader and I can say without a doubt that you have more than fulfilled the role (@Oliver Rhodes' spellchecking and General Life Advice(TM) notwithstanding).

Like many of us that provided some service over the last couple of years, you did not "choose" to run the Department through a pandemic - instead, you were thrown into it head first with no real idea of what to expect, yet you have presided excellently over one of the biggest surges in popularity, controlling and flying hours, and (most importantly in our little TD world) demand for training (if not the biggest) that the Division has ever seen. Whilst I wouldn't go so far to say we were an "essential" service during lockdown(s) and beyond, VATSIM did provide a get-away for hundreds of our members and a chance for them to learn something new, speak to new people, get involved with mentoring, or just take part in a hobby they enjoy in a relaxed environment - and I think the importance of that to many people cannot be understated.

Best of luck with everything in the future - and hey, if you want to mentor, then maybe Oliver will approve a fast track through the training programme. 😉

Approved. OR.

Edited by George Peppard
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Thomas Greer

All the best Dan! You've been a credit to the division. Wish you well in your future ventures!🛫

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Daniel Crookes

Daniel Crookes

Posted

On 27/11/2021 at 12:23, Fergus Walsh said:

Dan, thank you so much for your assistance for all of my many TGI questions that I've had to put you through! All the best for the future!

 

Fergus

Thank you Fergus! It's been an absolute blast and we have certainly had fun! Also, thank you for all of your work over the years in your many roles. You are a credit to the division 😄 

On 28/11/2021 at 10:20, Darren Hill said:

Dan,

From that first meeting arranged in Slack (yes, to the new folk, we used Slack) to write what eventually became the P1 questions, to where we are now with the Training Department as a whole has been a fantastic experience. I know trusting me with your beloved PTD wasn't easy, but I seriously thank you for the opportunity I've had with it.

Thanks for all the fun memories, from juggling 2 PTTs during a P1 exam to careening with a TBM and a C172 into Jersey, its been a blast!

I wish you all the best for your future as I mentioned in DM, and I believe its now 1-all in the number of flights owed (mine only redeemable in SA) 😛.

Safe landings,
Dazza.

It's mad to think that slack was even a thing.... Our time in the TD has definitely been a rollercoaster with all of the changes thrown our way. Without a doubt you have been key to getting to where we are today and I very much hope you will continue the great work that we have done over the years. Don't be a stranger and I still owe you a flight! 😄 

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Daniel Crookes

Daniel Crookes

Posted

21 hours ago, George Peppard said:

Dan,

Thanks so much for all the help over the last years whilst I have been on the team - a team is nothing without a good leader and I can say without a doubt that you have more than fulfilled the role (@Oliver Rhodes' spellchecking and General Life Advice(TM) notwithstanding).

Like many of us that provided some service over the last couple of years, you did not "choose" to run the Department through a pandemic - instead, you were thrown into it head first with no real idea of what to expect, yet you have presided excellently over one of the biggest surges in popularity, controlling and flying hours, and (most importantly in our little TD world) demand for training (if not the biggest) that the Division has ever seen. Whilst I wouldn't go so far to say we were an "essential" service during lockdown(s) and beyond, VATSIM did provide a get-away for hundreds of our members and a chance for them to learn something new, speak to new people, get involved with mentoring, or just take part in a hobby they enjoy in a relaxed environment - and I think the importance of that to many people cannot be understated.

Best of luck with everything in the future - and hey, if you want to mentor, then maybe Oliver will approve a fast track through the training programme. 😉

Approved. OR.

Pepps 🐷!!! Thank you for your kind words - I can't say that it's been a perfect tenure, but I'd say we've done an alright job. Our ability to function over the last 18 months has been down to you guys and the mentoring team - without the dedication that you guys provide we wouldn't be where we are today. I promise I won't be a stranger and once again thank you for everything you have done over the years 😄 

12 hours ago, Thomas Greer said:

All the best Dan! You've been a credit to the division. Wish you well in your future ventures!🛫

Thank you Tom! As I've said to George above, thank you for everything that you have done over the years. It's fair to say that there are many of us who haven't had an easy ride through this pandemic, yourself included, however you have always pushed on for the benefit on the team and for that I am extremely grateful. 

Hopefully I'll hear you on the airwaves soon enough!

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Ben Wright

Dan,

I couldn't quite believe it when I saw your resignation post! I think you're the only member of the DSG still in the same role from when I first got involved with the Division 4 and a half years ago, although perhaps Calum Towers may share that honor? In any case, 5 years of continuous service is an incredible achievement. Your training team has always been a pleasure to work with and is continuously pushing the standards of what we can achieve on the network - it is a true testament of your leadership and hard work.

While we'll all no doubt miss you, I respect your decision to step aside and allow someone new to take the reins. Your influence on the Division will be felt for some time still to come, and I'm happy to hear you'll still be sticking  around. If you ever get bored of the day job then make sure to give us a shout, there's always space for you in the Marketing Team (although I can't guarantee the pay is quite as competitive).

Ben

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Nick Marinov

Thanks for your work and commitment, Dan, you've defo left your mark on the division! 😛😄 

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Simon Irvine

Dan, 

Having worked closely with you over the years, I can lay testament to the hard work you have put into the Division.  You have made training in the UK credible and the envy of many parts of the network.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

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