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Good Evening and a Happy New Year! An update is once again long overdue and as the beginning of a new year is always a great time for both reflection and looking to the future, I can think of no better time than now. Starting in somewhat standard fashion with staff changes, in November 2024 we welcomed @Jack Edwards into the role of Operations Director. Jack agreed to take this position to enact a number of internal changes in the Department, with one of the primary focuses being to promote staff development and implement a clearer succession plan. I was thrilled to immediately see work begin in this area, with @Peter Mooney being promoted to Deputy Operations Director. Following the removal of the Marketing Department, restructuring of the Operations Department has resulted in @Luke Thompson joining the team as our Events Manager. Similarly affected by this restructuring was the Member Services Department, which welcomed @Kye Taylor back to the staff team as our Outreach Manager. Kye is joined by @Thomas Hallam of ex-Marketing Department fame/notoriety, where the two will be responsible for improving member experience, retention and onboarding. As a result of this new, broader focus, the Member Services Department has rebranded to become the Community Department. During this time we were also sad to see the departure of @James Thomas from the Community Department, who has left the staff team after an incredible 4 year tenure. On behalf of the entire Division, I would like to thank James for his countless contributions over the years, and I wish him all the best for the future. Continuing with recent appointments and resignations, but switching focus to the Pilot Training Department, we welcome the return of @Ben Carpenter as one of two VFR Flight Instructors in the department. Ben was recruited into this role to try and streamline the manner in which we conduct our P1 rating training, and I was impressed to see the culmination of this work published last December in the form of an updated P1 Syllabus and Moodle course. Last but not least, ATC Training has itself seen a number of staff changes, such as the resignation of @Will Hinshaw from his role as Training Group Instructor. Will led the Tower Training Group since June 2023 and I would like to extend my gratitude for the hundreds of hours he has contributed towards the training of S2 students during his tenure. @Reece Buckley and @Kye Taylor were appointed as successors to the roles of Tower TGI and Enroute TGI respectively, the latter of which was left vacant following Dave Woodward’s resignation. Both Reece and Kye have been previously appointed as mentors, examiners and staff within the ATC Training Department and in recognition of this, Kye Taylor was also appointed to the role of Division Instructor. Not only was this an incredibly busy quarter in terms of staff changes, but it has also been an incredibly busy year for the same reason. I am happy to have passed a very important personal milestone now that we have finally completed the restructuring of departments and finished recruitment to staff positions. Although it took the better part of a year to get to where we are, I am incredibly proud to lead a full, highly-motivated staff team into the new year, and I look forward to see the new ideas and enthusiasm which these new appointments will bring. Moving on to other news within the Division, last October we saw some changes to the way in which OBS-S1 training takes place. These changes were introduced in order to streamline the training process and place a greater emphasis on self-study prior to students being offered practical training. These changes have already resulted in the OBS-S1 waiting list length decreasing for the first time in many, many years, even in spite of a quieter than average Q4 for TGNC. I would recommend any current or future S1 students read the following blog post from @Adam Arkley, which explains in more detail the nature of these changes. Equally relevant to our ATC trainees is the 2024 ATC Training review which provided some useful insight into the performance of the ATC Training Department. For the sake of repetition, I will not recap everything here, however a very short TLDR is as follows: ATC rating upgrades remain consistent with 2023 levels, despite the introduction of new department leadership, Network policy (GCAP and TVCP) and training procedure (OBS-S1 changes and S2/S3 block training) at various points throughout the year. Efficiencies gained in the S3 training process were unfortunately counteracted by losses in the C1 process, however I am happy to report that despite this, waiting lists have reduced over the past year at almost all training levels. Further contributing to their workload, the ATC Training Department has, alongside the Community Department, almost entirely worked through the backlog of transferring controller validations. Assuming our current trajectory continues, I expect this backlog to be entirely cleared within the current quarter. This is significant, not only because it brings us into compliance with regional policy regarding transfer times, but also because it would be the first waiting list to be completely eradicated under myself and Adam’s tenure. My thanks go in particular to our VT Assistant, @Dylan Parkes, as well as our Division Instructors who carry out the majority of practical validations. This can often be a thankless task as, unfortunately, a large proportion of these validations result in failure. This outcome is not entirely surprising given not only the complexity of UK airspace, but also the sheer volume of traffic which we see in our Division. I understand Kye is putting together a longer post to provide detailed statistics on this topic so I don’t want to say too much, but do wish to share some rather incredible statistics. Over the last year, traffic levels in the UK have increased by a further 15.6% compared to 2023, and we have surpassed half a million annual movements for the first time in Division history. There will be no prizes for guessing which UK airport (located between Slough and Hounslow) was ranked the busiest overall on the Network this year, but equally as impressive to see was the diverse mix of airfields which attract traffic. We had 3 airports feature in the top 10 busiest airports on the Network, tied with the US but otherwise more than any other single country, and 6 which feature in the top 100. Gatwick was by far the busiest single runway airport on the Network while Manchester just lost out to Los Angeles, the busiest airport in the US, by a difference of 400 movements over the course of the year. For some perspective, that difference equates to slightly less than one day’s worth of movements at Heathrow on VATSIM! I believe this speaks volumes about not only the quantity of ATC coverage, but also the quality of service which we provide. This is a culmination of efforts across a many groups: our ATC Training Team, mentors and examiners who are constantly raising the bar in terms of training quality; Operations for maintaining our sector file and controller packs to the highest standard each month, as well as consistently organising events which are enjoyable for pilots and controllers alike; Technology for maintaining our critical infrastructure and developing bespoke services such as UKCP, without which controlling would be near impossible; Pilot Training for assisting newer pilots onto the Network through the one-of-a-kind Flying Programme, and of course Community for keeping the lights on in all our departments. Finally, a special thanks goes to you, our membership, and everyone who consistently logs on to fly and control in the UK - it is your efforts which showcase the Division and continue to attract new members each day. Looking ahead to the new year, I anticipate continued improvement and growth within the Division now that the Christmas season is over and we are back to business as usual. The DSG are currently in the final stages of reviewing rewrites of ATC Training Policy and the ATC Training Handbook. Adam and his team have spent countless hours writing these documents and I know he is very eager to share these with you all. In a similar vein, we are in the final stages of approving a rewritten Division Policy and, although I can’t imagine it’s too hotly anticipated, it does finally bring UK policy in line with recent releases of GCAP, TVCP and the Code of Conduct. This will allow myself and Nick to shift our focus elsewhere – we have lots of things to pick from, but if you believe there is a burning issue which you want to see fixed then please do let us know! That is all from me for now, thank you for taking the time to read this update and please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. Myself and Nick remain contactable via email, the Helpdesk and, of course, via Discord. Ben

Great synopsis Adam. Thank you.

Hello everyone! I've been sort of quiet with updates as life has gripped what little precious time I have and summarily taken it away from me, but I promised transparency and it wouldn't be the advent of a new year without a blog post now, would it!? Firstly, as ever, we need to recognise the contributions of our mentors, examiners and staff. Our department is one the most highly demanding across VATSIM and we deal with people from all walks of life, from all situations and with various learning capabilities. We work in a complicated environment subject to regular change - and my team stay abreast of that and continue to deliver high quality training. In three of our ratings, we've performed more rating upgrades this year than last - in one case performing to just over 150% of last year's throughput. This is hard work, in a hard environment, and my thanks go out to all of my team, past and present, from the most infrequent mentor to the hardest working of my staff - thank you for all that you do, for all that you continue to do and for sacrificing so much of your time for the enjoyment of others. Exams The division conducted 161 examinations this year, resulting in 143 rating upgrades. Both of these numbers are, sadly, slightly below 2023's numbers (161 vs 166 and 143 vs 145), but continuity is key in what we're doing. We also needn't forget the exemplary contribution to C1 rating upgrades of our outgoing En-route TGI coming into 2024. However, we must recognise the contribution to this years numbers of our Approach Training Group. Last year, we saw 10 S3 rating upgrades but followed this year with 16 - a 160% increase in rating upgrades year-on-year. Given that it is commonly accepted that S2 > S3 is the hardest rating upgrade to obtain, this is a huge achievement and my thanks go to our team of S3 mentors led by @Samuel Lefevre and our approach examiners for their efforts. There are also some interesting statistics that we can start to draw from the statistics between this year and last: This year in TGNC, we saw an average of 6.8 sessions per rating upgrade. In the previous year, this number was 7.2. Our TGNC training is becoming more efficient. This year in TG TWR, we saw an average of 12.5 sessions per rating upgrade. In the previous year, this number was 12.8. Our tower training is becoming more efficient. This year in TG APP, we saw an average of 16.4 sessions per rating upgrade. In the previous year, this number was 32.8. This is an absolutely extraordinary improvement. This year, in TG ENR, we saw an average of 31.6 sessions per rating upgrade. In the previous year, this number was 14.8. This is an absolutely extraordinary degradation in performance. As ever, we must consider some relevant caveats for this. Specifically, a student who passed their rating upgrade this year may have done the bulk of their training last year, whilst a number of mentoring sessions from 2024 may not lead to a rating upgrade until 2025. However, averages are averages and the numbers speak for themselves. We must consider why our en-route training performance has degraded so much and I will explore this with @Kye Taylor and @Will Jennings in the coming days. My initial suspicion relates both to traffic volume and pilot quality, but we'll need to do some more digging and report back. Mentoring This year, we saw 1,408 mentoring sessions take place across all training groups, compared with 1,506 last year. There's an argument to say there's reasonably clear correlation in a reduction of mentoring sessions as the year has gone on but that's not quite true in all training groups and so the correlation isn't as clear as I would like. For example, in Q4, TG TWR had its second busiest quarter, whilst TGNC had its quietest across all of my records. We must also consider that, sadly, we've seen a lot of variation in the leads of various training groups. With @Reece Buckley being appointed in TG TWR and @Kye Taylor being appointed in TG ENR, I hope that we can see a return to stability in 2025 and that we can continue to make progress with mentoring. I am reassured that we're seeing TGNC, TG TWR and TG APP all improve in efficiency throughout 2024 - likely testament to the introduction of block training in both TG TWR and TG APP, championed by messers @Will Hinshaw and @Samuel Lefevre respectively - my thanks to both for their efforts. Perhaps the biggest surprise for me is the impact to our waiting lists. I am pleased to say that for the first time since I took up this post and, I suspect, for a long time before that, our OBS > S1 waiting list has decreased in size. That's right folks - if you join now, you'll have less time to wait than if you'd joined 3 months ago. The fun doesn't stop there - we've also seen a really significant decrease in the size of the waiting list for TG TWR. After a year of effort, tweaking, hard work and dedication across the department, alongside the longer-term impact of GCAP, the waiting lists are finally reducing in size. I am very proud of the work of all of the teams in achieving this - thank you once more. Summary It's been a very interesting year to say the least. We are now half-way through my minimum tenure in this post, having committed a minimum of two years to the role. In some areas, I'm quite behind what I had hoped to achieve - testament to the complexities of working in this voluntary world and various things outside of VATSIM dominating my time. However, we should consider what we've achieved and what we're continuing to work on: We have a new structure in place for S1 training, with early indications that this is having a good effect on our waiting lists. Efficiency is improving here. Block Training for both S2 and S3 training appears to be working, alongside new syllabi in both TGs. We've made some new appointments across the department. I've had the first round of feedback from the DSG on new ATC Training Documentation which I hope to publish Soon(TM). We've had some really useful features delivered by our colleagues in Tech, with more to come. Ably led by @Craig Stewart, we're hoping quite soon to see a new Sweatbox scenario generator to make our training more varied. Near the top of my agenda now are some initiatives to find out why people stop mentoring or controlling in the hope of changing this. It's been a good year and I look forward to what 2025. As ever, I openly invite questions, challenge and suggestions in the hope of making the department even better. For now, a belated Happy New Year to you all and I hope to see you behind the scopes or in virtual cockpits soon! Adam

VATSIM UK and VATÉIR are pleased to announce their latest joint event. The weekend of the 1st of February sees the return of one of the greatest rugby competitions in the world. Inspired by our event series of a few years ago, join us for a special 6 Nations themed shuttle between Heathrow & Dublin. This city-pair highlights the great rivalry between England & Ireland in this infamous tournament. We can't wait to see you there and hope to be wrapped up well before kick-off in Dublin later that evening! Controllers please note that this event will be rostered, an expression of interest will be posted shortly.

It sounds like it's not successfully loading the Sector File. The 'official' video is slightly out of date. Where did you put the pack? It should be in the AppData EuroScope Folder. e.g. mine is C:\Users\peter\AppData\Roaming\EuroScope\UK (not you have to have this exact - no extra folders or anything - or it won't work properly). If you're still having issues after checking this, the best and fastest place to get help is the #community-help section of the Discord. You can post screenshot and have easier back-and-forth chat there 🙂 Peter.

Hi All, this is my first time trying to set up euroscope. I have followed the video/read me as I can, I can see the UK regions to select. I've went with Gatwick SMR as per the instructions and followed it through but the runway/airport map doesnt appear. I have the tabs, combined taxi out list and combined take out list showing and the SRW1 but no detail under them I can connect to VATSIM but after a while it shows and Error: failed to create file :UK/data/sector/VATUK_Euroscope_files.txt.download uninstallad everything and tried again but presented with the exact same as above. any ideas thanks

✈️ VATSIM Air Shuttle: Manchester & Copenhagen 📅 Date: 18 January 🕒 Time: 1730-2130z 🌍 Departure: Either EGCC or EKCH 🌍 Arrival: Either EGCC or EKCH 🛫 Event Overview: Join us for a thrilling air shuttle event between the vibrant cities of Manchester and Copenhagen! Whether you’re a seasoned pilot or just starting out, this event offers a perfect opportunity to test your skills on a popular European route. Expect full ATC coverage at both airports, as well as en-route support to ensure a seamless and professional experience. Event Routes : EGCC - EKCH SONEX L975 DESIG L603 LAMIX UT29 LIBSO UL975 ROPAL LESRA BAMPI TESPI EKCH - EGCC ODDON L975 LESRA DCT ROPAL UL975 ROVNI 🎯 Objectives: • Enjoy realistic air traffic control from departure to arrival. • Perfect your departure, en-route and arrival procedures. • Engage with the VATSIM community and experience the fun of shared skies. 🛠️ Preparation: • Ensure you have updated charts for EGCC and EKCH. (Available via Navigraph or other sources.) • Confirm your aircraft and simulator are ready to fly. • Check VATSIM connection details and familiarize yourself with event NOTAMs. 💡 Tips for Pilots: • File your flight plan early and include your intended SID/STAR. • Respect ATC instructions and maintain professionalism at all times. • Enjoy the journey and bring your best flying skills! We look forward to see you in the virtual skies! 🌟 Controllers please note that this event will be rostered. An expression of interest will be posted shortly.

Version 2024/13 Available ⚠️ You must update your sector file and controller pack to ensure correct sector ownership and sector file identification when controlling. Installation Instructions The pack is compatible with EuroScope 3.2.3.2 which can be downloaded here. You should install in the default 'working directory': \%appdata%\Roaming\EuroScope Please read the README contained within the pack for full details. We continue to work with Gergely to test the latest version of EuroScope (3.2.9) However, at the time of writing we cannot guarantee it will be stable. Please keep an eye on Discord announcements for the recommended ES version. What's Changed * Fixes #920 - Fixed Farnborough (EGLF) tags and trails by @Samuel Lefevre in https://github.com/VATSIM-UK/uk-controller-pack/pull/921 * Fixes #855 - Added QSY column to SMR lists by @Kristian Kunc in https://github.com/VATSIM-UK/uk-controller-pack/pull/922 * Fixes #923 - Updated VATGER CPDLC logon codes by @Luke Brown in https://github.com/VATSIM-UK/uk-controller-pack/pull/924 * Fixes #925 - Updated Copenhagen CPDLC codes by @Callum Hicks in https://github.com/VATSIM-UK/uk-controller-pack/pull/930 * Fixes #862 - Added TopSky to Oxford profile by @Samuel Lefevre in https://github.com/VATSIM-UK/uk-controller-pack/pull/926 * Fixes #919 - Ignore non-"UK" sector files in AIRAC workflow by @Patrick Winters in https://github.com/VATSIM-UK/uk-controller-pack/pull/931 * Fixes #929 - Wittering (EGXT) frequency changes by @James Tantamin https://github.com/VATSIM-UK/uk-controller-pack/pull/932 * Fixes #933 - Updated FID profiles to contain information about AFISO/AG stations by @Callum Hicks in https://github.com/VATSIM-UK/uk-controller-pack/pull/934 * Fixes #936 - Update Amsterdam/Maastricht CPDLC logon codes by @Patrick Winters in https://github.com/VATSIM-UK/uk-controller-pack/pull/937 * Fixes #927 - Add Frequency Monitoring Squawks and 1234 to not correlate lists by @Luke Brown in https://github.com/VATSIM-UK/uk-controller-pack/pull/935 * Fixes #928 - Waddington (EGXW) Frequency changes by @Callum Hicks in https://github.com/VATSIM-UK/uk-controller-pack/pull/938 New Contributors @James Tantam made their first contribution in https://github.com/VATSIM-UK/uk-controller-pack/pull/932 Changes Only Download Available from here **Full Changelog**: https://github.com/VATSIM-UK/uk-controller-pack/compare/2024_12...2024_13

2024/13 Released! --- AIRACs: --- 2413: Added TRPs for East Midlands (EGNX) and updated taxiways Added Barkston Heath (EGYE) RNP fixes Removed Taxiway R and grass runway from Gloucester (EGBJ) SMR Updated Gatwick (EGKK) SMR Runway markings Changed Wittering (EGXT) Frequencies Added Cranwell (EGYD) RNP fixes Added Barkston Heath (EGYE) MID Fixes Added Cranwell (EGYD) MID Fixes Changed Waddington (EGXW) Frequencies --- Other: --- Procedure Change (2413): Updated Reims (LFEE) frequencies Changed Amsterdam sector top-down orders and added new frequencies Removed EUC-MW_CTR position from top-down of MUAC sectors Bug: Corrected TC NE -> TC East Standing Agreements Reformatted London S18->Paris North agreements for LFOP/LFOB inbounds Enhancement: Added D098 complex --- Many thank to our contributors this cycle: --- Chris Globe Ben Walker Aiden Bok Oliver Cesarczyk Chris Pawley

Good evening, It gives me great pleasure, this evening, to make not one, but two appointments - for the same person! Over a month ago, we advertised for applications for the En-Route Training Group lead. I am pleased to say that we had more than one applicant and accordingly, we were able to conduct a proper process. Competition was genuinely strong and I welcome that we've had multiple applicants. I'm pleased to say that Kye Taylor has been offered and has accepted the post of TG ENR lead. Kye is no stranger to ATC training. He has a remarkable record for mentoring and examining and has previously held lead posts within the ATC Training world. He is very familiar with our processes, policies and procedures has been a staunch advocate of ATC Training throughout his time in the division. As one of our more active En-route mentors, he is very familiar with the challenges facing the En-Route training group currently and Will and I welcome his vision for how those challenges might be tackled. However, it's fair to recognise that Kye's contribution transcends this single application process. Kye's dedication to ATC Training in VATSIM UK is notable and he is a long-standing and well-recognised mentor within the division. Accordingly, alongside Kye's appointment as lead for TG ENR, I feel it only appropriate that we recognise Kye's long-term contribution by appointing him as a Division Instructor. I am sure that you will all join me in congratulating Kye on both appointments!

Effective 26 December 2024 Summary As notified in a previous Temporary Instruction, the frequency for the Reims bandbox position (LFEE_CTR) has been changed to 133.005 MHz (previously 128.305). This will be reflected in the 2024/13 sector file. vMATS Procedure (EGTT) Deleted text – red and strikethrough. New text in blue. LAC 3.4.4.1.2 South LAG | AC Dover - Reims ACC sectorisation The coverage priority (left to right) for the Reims ACC (FL295+) sector at the interface with London ACC is as follows: Reims North (HN+KN+YB+UB+UN+UN1+UN2+UR+XR) Sector LFEE_N_CTR 127.555 MHz LFEE_CTR 128.305 MHz 133.005 MHz LFFF_CTR 128.105 MHz EUC-WN_CTR 135.125 MHz Documentation Status The LoA, Agreed Levels Diagrams and EGTT vMATS Part 2 will be updated at their next published revisions.

Effective 26 December 2024 Summary A new Letter of Agreement between VATSIM UK and the Dutch vACC will take effect on the above date to reflect amended Amsterdam controller positions: EHAA_W_CTR frequency changed to 123.705 - remains highest priority position below FL245 at the UK-EHAA interface EHAA_LOW_CTR (125.750) created - covers EHAA airspace below FL245 (i.e. excluding MUAC Delta airspace) EHAA_ALL_CTR (134.375) created - covers EHAA airspace below FL245 and MUAC Delta. The MUAC Delta ownership is also affected by the removal of EUC-MW_CTR - see this post. Ownership summary: vMATS Procedure (EGPX / EGTT) Deleted text – red and strikethrough. New text in blue. ScAC 3.4 / LAC 5.4 / LAC 7.4 - ScAC South / AC Clacton / AC North Sea ScAC 3.4.5 / LAC 5.4.2 / LAC 7.4.3 - Amsterdam ACC Amsterdam ACC is responsible for the whole of the Amsterdam FIR FL245 and below. As in real world, the Maastricht Delta (EDYY_D_CTR) and Jever (EDYY_J_CTR) sectors have responsibility for portions of the Amsterdam FIR adjacent to [London/Scottish] above FL245. On VATSIM, in the absence of EDYY positions, Amsterdam ACC and RG Bremen take responsibility of the Delta and Jever sector airspace, respectively. Note: Amsterdam Radar always has a higher priority over the upper airspace than the Maastricht Eurocontrol position (EUC-MW_CTR). FL250 is not available as a cruising level in the Amsterdam FIR/UIR. ScAC 3.4.5.1 / LAC 5.4.2.1 / LAC 7.4.3.1 - Sectorisation The coverage priority (left to right) for Amsterdam (SFC-FL245) at the interface with [London/Scottish ACC] is as follows: EHAA_W_CTR 125.750 123.705 MHz EHAA_LOW_CTR 125.750 MHz EHAA_ALL_CTR 134.375 MHz EHAA_S_CTR 123.850 MHz EHAA_E_CTR 124.880 MHz (See Note) Note: The primary callsign for Amsterdam ACC is EHAA_W_CTR, but in cases where they may have logged off leaving EHAA_E_CTR online, EHAA_E shall then be responsible for the whole FIR. ScAC 3.4.7 / LAC 5.4.4 / LAC 7.4.4 - Maastricht UAC [...] Note: Amsterdam/Bremen Radar always has a higher priority over the upper airspace than the Maastricht Eurocontrol position (EUC-MW_CTR). [...] ScAC 3.4.7.1 / LAC 5.4.4.1 / LAC 7.4.4.1 - Sectorisation The coverage priority (left to right) for Maastricht UAC (FL245+) at the interface with [London/Scottish ACC] is as follows: Delta Sector (FL245+) EDYY_D_CTR 135.960 MHz EHAA_ALL_CTR 134.375 MHz EHAA_W_CTR 125.750 MHz Note: The primary callsign for Amsterdam ACC is EHAA_W_CTR, but in cases where they may have logged off leaving EHAA_E_CTR online, EHAA_E shall then be responsible for the whole FIR. Documentation Status The vMATS and Agreed Levels Diagrams will be amended at their next revisions.

Effective 26 December 2024 Summary The EUC vACC position EUC-MW_CTR (135.750 MHz “Maastricht Eurocontrol”) is being removed. This affects the ownership of airspace bordering the following sectors: LAC Dover LAC Clacton LAC North Sea ScAC South The sector file will be updated to remove the position, along with all documentation. New Letters of Agreement between VATSIM UK and VATSIM Germany, the Dutch vACC and the Belux vACC have been agreed. Documentation Status The vMATS and Agreed Levels Diagrams will be amended at their next revisions.

The appointment of Peter Mooney to Deputy Operations Director has created a vacancy for a Sector File Coordinator. The Sector File Coordinator role sits within the Operations Team, leads work on the VATSIM UK Sector File and is responsible to the Operations Directors. They ensure contributors follow the standards of the repository, and review and merge Pull Requests. They are also responsible for publishing the Sector File each AIRAC. The Sector File Coordinator works as part of the wider Ops team. They may contribute to other projects being undertaken by Ops, where their skill set and knowledge enables this. The ideal candidate will be knowledgeable with GitHub, and be a good team player. They will also be able to encourage and foster fellow contributors to the sector file. More detail can be found on these roles in the Operations Handbook. If you wish to discuss the position, please feel free to contact me, either via Discord DM (add me as a friend first!) or via email jack.edwards[at]vatsim.uk To Apply Please submit an application by email to jobs[at]vatsim.uk. Please write a short application (max. 300 words) outlining your relevant experience and why you are interested in the role. Application Deadline Applications will be accepted until latest 23:59z on Sunday 19th January.

Hi All, In similar fashion to our ATC Training Department, we will be winding down between the 23rd December to the 2nd January. During this time, responses to inquires may be slower than usual. For transfer or visiting applicants, please note that application processing may take longer, and we will not be sending our usual emails with 84 hour deadlines during this period. I hope everyone has a great Christmas and a happy New Year! For those of you taking part in the Christmas Quiz, good luck! Will

Good Afternoon, I am pleased to announce that @Kye Taylor will be joining the team in the role of Outreach Manager. This newly created role is designed to enhance the experience of all our members, both current and new. Kye brings a wealth of fresh ideas and passion to the role and I can't wait to see the impact he has moving forward. To view just some of the areas this position will impact I'd invite you to view our application post:

Good morning, all, As is tradition, to remove any burden of expectation on either our mentors, staff or students, the ATC Training Department will be closed between the 23rd December and 2nd January. During this period, there is no expectation of any mentoring or examinations taking place, but of course, if mentors and students find themselves with time and wanting to take part then we will, of course, not stop them! To this effect, between the 23rd December and 2nd January, no ATC Training Session Request/Availability checks will take place and students may consider themselves exempt from maintaining either. We do ask that you submit availability promptly in the new year to resume your training. I intend to a write an end-of-year review in the 1st week of January, but in the mean time, have a wonderful Christmas period, enjoy the time with your families whether you celebrate Christmas or otherwise, rest up and we'll see you in the New Year. To my team, mentors and examiners, past and present, thank you for all of your help this year - we really couldn't do it without you. All the best, Adam Arkley ATC Training Director

Hi all! After months of planning, getting .net approval, and a late night push with @Ben Carpenter, we are extremely proud to announce our revised and streamlined P1 PPL(A) syllabus. These changes are the first step in a wider effort my Pilot Training to improve training efficiency, modernize our syllabus, and encourage more self-study for students. Syllabus Changes Note: changes are effective immediately. The overall changes can be summarized as follows: Removal of the following lessons: Lesson 6: Stalling and Spinning Lesson 9: Dual Circuits with Flapless and Glide Approaches Lesson 12: Emergencies & Practise Forced Landings (PFLs) * Lesson 13: Emergencies & EFATO Lesson 20: Navigation 5 - VFR with MATZ crossing Lesson 22: Navigation 7 - VFR with Diversion (* replaced with textual reference to CAP1535 radio failure guidance) Concatenation of the following lessons: Lesson 21: Navigation 6 – Basic Instrument Flight Lesson 23: Navigation 8 – Practise License Skills Test (replace the navigation section of L23 with L21) Moving navigation briefing lessons to a three-part video series With these changes, we remove a lot of the "extra" content that went above and beyond the MCS. While this may seem like a step back, these "unnecessary" lessons added competencies for student progression that were never required for their P1 Skills Test. As such, it was purely a time waste for some (especially in circuits)! I don't plan to remove the content entirely, and I will continue to encourage our mentors to go "above and beyond" to enrich our students' knowledge. Instead, we are just removing the requirement for these competencies from our course. With time (ie, when we have the bandwidth), these lessons will be replaced with videos for students to watch in their own time. The effect of this change is substantial: Total lessons: 23 -> 16 Lessons requiring a mentor: 17 -> 11 Going forward, we plan to add more self-study content for students in the form of briefing videos, pre-lesson quizzes, and recap exercises. We are also working on completely revamping the checklists for the three training aircraft. Moodle Changes We have completely revamped the P1 PPL(A) Moodle (https://moodle.vatsim.uk/course/view.php?id=51). The main change was migrating to a tile-based interface for easier navigation. Mentors' Moodle We have released a Mentors' Moodle, which contains all the resources mentors need to teach the P1 and P2 courses. This course is not available to general members, which is unfortunate as most members will not see the tens of hours that went into the relatively small amount of content already on there. Acknowledgements A massive thank you to @Ben Carpenter and @Benjamin Arrowsmith for their enormous contributions to this revamp. Join the team We are always looking for new mentors across our training courses: P1, P2, and TFP. Irrespective of your experience, if you are interested in contributing to the division and passionate about flying then please reach out! Helpdesk: https://helpdesk.vatsim.uk/ (select “Pilot Training” as the department)

Effective 28 November 2024 Summary Earlier this year (AIRAC 2407 - 11 Jul 2024), the availability of the P18 ATS route north of Newcastle between NATEB and ADN, along with the associated controlled airspace, was amended to become H24. Therefore, the next vMATS update will reflect this change and clarify that only when Swanwick Mil (vRAF) reserves the airspace for use will it be simulated as reverting to Class G, requiring ScAC to provide UK FIS. When the P18 is unavailable for use, traffic may be re-routed via GRICE/P600. Note: TopSky auto airspace has been updated in the 2024/12 controller pack release. vMATS Procedure (excerpt) ScAC 3.2.1 ScAC South - Route Structure ScAC 3.2.1.2 (U)P18 [NB: Old procedure not shown for clarity] The P18 ATS route north of NATEB (and UP18 between NATEB and ALASO) is established as a CDR for traffic from/to Aberdeen only available H24. Unavailability of the route in real life is specified by NOTAM when required for MOD access or by activation of a flight planning buffer zone, EGD514Z. For VATSIM purposes, and because of a lack of mandatory flight plan validation, Swanwick Mil (vRAF) shall notify ScAC sectors when the P18 is explicitly unavailable, and whether civil aircraft are required to be re-routed. Only when Swanwick Mil reserves the airspace for use will it revert to Class G and ScAC shall therefore provide UK FIS. When the P18 is unavailable, traffic may be re-routed via GRICE and the P600. Documentation Status The Scottish FIR (vMATS) will be updated to coincide with this change.

Effective 28 November 2024 Summary A new Letter of Agreement between VATSIM UK and VATSIM Scandinavia, Copenhagen FIR, will take effect on the above date to reflect amended Copenhagen controller positions: EKDK_S_CTR removed and replaced with EKDK_UN_CTR EKDK_L_CTR removed from top-down order EKDK_WE_CTR created. vMATS Procedure Deleted text – red and strikethrough. New text in blue. ScAC 2.4/3.4 ScAC North/South ScAC 2/3.4.6.1 Copenhagen ACC - Sectorisation The coverage priority (left to right) for Copenhagen at the interface with Scottish ACC is as follows: EKDK_N_CTR 134.680 MHz EKDK_UNS_CTR 136.555 MHz EKDK_V_CTR 135.565 MHz EKDK_WEL_CTR 124.555126.055 MHz EKDK_CTR 136.485 MHz Note: Eurocontrol North (EURN_FSS) covers all Copenhagen airspace above FL245 in the absence of local ATC. Documentation Status The Scottish FIR (EGPX) vMATS and Agreed Levels Diagrams will be amended in time for this change.

Effective 28 November 2024 Summary A new Letter of Agreement between VATSIM UK and VATSIM Germany will take effect on the above date to reflect amended Jever sector ownership. The vertical split between Jever Low and High is now FL365 (increased from FL355). Accordingly, EHAM departures via LONAM are now RFC to FL360 with Scottish (increased from FL350). vMATS Procedure Deleted text – red and strikethrough. New text in blue. ScAC 3.3.2 ScAC South - External Standing Agreements ScAC 3.3.2.7 Maastricht UAC (FL245+) MUAC Jever Sector to ScAC South From Agreement Conditions EHAM ^ FL320 Via LONAM. (See Note) Note: Traffic is released for climb to FL350 FL360 and released for turns, subject to known traffic, providing it remains within the confines of the transferring and receiving sectors. ScAC 3.4 ScAC South - Coordination and Procedures with Adjacent Units, Sectors and Airfields ScAC 3.4.7 Maastricht UAC ScAC 3.4.7.1 Sectorisation Jever Low Sector (FL245-FL355FL365) EDYY_JL 136.465 MHz EDYY_JH 129.735 MHz EDYY_HH 132.780 MHz Common Jever top-down order Jever High Sector (FL355FL365+) EDYY_JH 129.735 MHz EDYY_HH 132.780 MHz EDYY_JL 136.465 MHz Common Jever top-down order Common Jever top-down order The following top-down order is common to both Jever sectors: EDYY_BB 129.840 MHz EDWW_E 124.075 MHz EDWW_A 126.325 MHz EDWW_W 120.225 MHz EDWW_CTR 133.725 MHz EUC-MW 135.750 MHz Documentation Status The Scottish FIR (EGPX) vMATS and Agreed Levels Diagrams will be amended in time for this change.

Hi all, It's with sadness that I announce the departure of James from the team after over 4 years of dedication, hard work and valuable contributions to both the team and the division. James has played an important role, supporting multiple departments and his presence will be missed. I can't thank you enough James and wish you the very best going forward.

I am pleased to announce that @Peter Mooney has accepted my offer of the role of Deputy Operations Director. I was delighted to receive so many applications for the role - competition was fierce and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to apply - it's great to see so many people interested in helping the division out. Note: The role of 'Operations Manager' has been renamed to 'Deputy Operations Director' to make the department structure clearer and better reflect the division of responsibilities. The role of Sector File Coordinator will be advertised in due course.

Please be advised that applications for Operations Manager and Events Assistant will now close at 2359Z on Sunday 17th November

We are looking to expand the Community team and as such I am pleased to start recruitment for an Outreach Manager and Outreach Assistant. Outreach Manager As part of the Community department, the Outreach Manager will lead a team within the wider department that is focused on the experience of our members, supporting development in onboarding, member retention and improving our community spaces. They will play a key role in fostering a welcoming and engaging environment for both new and current members of the division. The Outreach Manager will be responsible for: Developing our Community Spaces (Discord, Teamspeak etc); Developing member retention and outreach strategies; Developing our onboarding process for new members; Developing a program of new in-person events; Oversight and management of marketing related activities, including VATSIM UK social media, and the use of our design and brand; Management and utilisation of our Graphics & Video team; Management and utilisation of outreach assistants to support you in being successful. Will the responsibilities of this role change? As you develop into this role there may be opportunities to take on additional responsibilities. This would be done in coordination with yourself and the main focus of the role would remain. This may include but not limited to supporting our Moderation team, by creating new guidance and companion documents. To be considered for this role you must: Be a home member of VATSIM UK; Be a member in good standing; Have a high level of English writing ability; Have a high level of interpersonal skills; Be able to commit a minimum of 1 year to the role; Have the motivation and commitment to see tasks through. A desirable candidate would possess all or some of the following qualities: Experience leading a small team; Good communication, administrative and teamwork skills; Motivation to excel in the role and a vision to strengthen the areas you are responsible for; Demonstrate good organisational and planning skills; Experience in good social media practises; Experience in graphic design and video creation; How much time do I need to commit to the role? It is an expectation that you will dedicate enough time, weekly, to fulfil the responsibilities of the role. Whilst specific hours may vary for a number of reasons, candidates must be prepared to invest consistent weekly hours, demonstrating a proactive and dependable presence within the community and the department. Additionally there may be times when increased availability is necessary, such as during special events or key projects. What could I discuss in my application to help me be successful? We are looking for someone who has new exciting ideas in the areas they are responsible for, both inside and outside of the box, and the desire and passion to follow through. You may wish to expand on this by specifically stating your plans and goals for the first 6 months in the position, with the understanding that these may change. In addition, you will not be alone in this branch of the department and thus, we are looking for someone who has the ability and confidence to lead a small team, you may wish to discuss any experience you have here and/or how you would effectively manage your team. Outreach Assistant We are also looking for someone to join @Thomas Hallam in the role of Outreach Assistant. This role sits within the Community department under the Outreach Manager, and will play a key role in developing a vibrant, welcoming community experience. While this role mirrors the responsibilities, requirements and desirable attributes of the Outreach Manager, it focuses more on specific tasks that play a key part in implementing the department's initiatives. This role is ideal for those who are not quite ready to take on a leadership role but would like to support the division and support what the Community department is trying to achieve. This role provides an excellent foundation for individuals looking to grow into a leadership position and as part of this role, you may gain exposure to tasks that enhance your understanding of team management, community engagement, and strategic planning. How much time do I need to commit to the role? Similar to the above, you must be able to dedicate enough time each week to perform assigned tasks and support the department. The time each week will vary based on your assigned tasks and any special events / key projects. You will be responsible for managing your time effectively to meet deadlines and expectations. What could I discuss in my application to help me be successful? To stand out you may wish to discuss ideas you have for improving member retention, onboarding, engagement or any other aspect of the role. You may also wish to discuss any skills or experience you find relevant. How to Apply Please submit applications by email to jobs[at]vatsim.uk. Please state why you are the most suitable candidate for the position, how you meet the desired attributes and what you can bring to the team. If you wish to discuss any part of this role, please feel free to contact me via Discord. We are not looking for an essay, just a reason why you stand out. We are also not looking for you to be the complete package, the requirements for this role reflect this. As long as you have the ability and willingness to develop in your role we want to hear from you, so please do apply or ask questions! Applications will close at 23:59z on the 27th November 2024. Applications received after this time may not be considered. All applications will be reviewed after this date and everyone will be notified of the outcome in due course. Some applicants may be invited to a short interview style discussion to allow you to further expand on your application.