Controller Path
From zero to your first connection as a controller, in nine steps. Tick each one off when you finish it: the portal saves your progress in this browser, so you can come back whenever you like.
How long does it take?
It depends on your pace. Steps 1 to 4 fit in a few days. The theory course and practical training depend on your commitment and on the mentors' schedule. There is no rush: the goal is for you to connect confident in what you are doing.
Create your VATSIM account
Registration is free and done on the VATSIM website, at vatsim.net. At the end you get your CID, the number that identifies you on the network.
- Use your real name. The network requires it, and it is what other users see.
- Each person has only one account. If you already had one, recover it instead of creating another.
- Keep your CID and password: you will use them in EuroScope, TrackAudio and the training website.
Join Vatsim Brasil
To train as a controller here, you must be a resident member of Vatsim Brasil, that is, be in the Americas Region, Brazil Division.
Check the Region - Division - Subdivision field in your myVATSIM profile. If it is not Americas - Brazil, request a transfer.
Waiting period
There is a mandatory 90-day interval between transfers. Only request the transfer if you really want to take part in the division.
Fly on the network (recommended)
Before controlling, fly with ATC a few times. You learn phraseology by listening, understand what pilots expect from controllers, and get to know Brazilian aerodromes from inside the cockpit.
Install the controller software
Four programs make up the ATC workstation at Vatsim Brasil:
| Software | What it is for |
|---|---|
| EuroScope | The radar screen, with the Vatsim Brasil sector files |
| TrackAudio | The radio: transmits and receives on frequencies |
| vATIS | Generates the aerodrome ATIS |
| vacs | The telephone line to coordinate by voice with other controllers |
The Set up your workstation path takes you through installing all four, from download to the first test.
Observe online controllers
Connect to EuroScope with a callsign ending in _OBS (for example, SBGR_OBS) and listen to the frequencies in TrackAudio. As an observer, you see the traffic and hear the controller without transmitting.
Pay attention to:
- how the controller organizes the sequence of calls;
- what they say in the clearance, during taxi and for takeoff;
- when and how they hand the aircraft off to the next unit.
Tip
Vatsim Brasil events bring several controllers online at once. They are great for watching coordination between positions.
Study the theory
The S1 course covers the essentials, but the portal manuals go deeper into each subject. Start with these:
- Positions and units: what each position does, on an interactive flight profile;
- Airspace and ATS Services Manual: airspace classes and the services provided;
- Aeronautical Phraseology Manual: the phonetic alphabet, numbers and a complete flight;
- Flight Plan Manual: what DEL checks before issuing a clearance;
- Aeronautical Meteorology Manual: METAR and TAF, the basis of the ATIS.
Then test yourself with the controller quiz.
Take the S1 course
At the Vatsim Brasil Training Center, register, enroll in the S1 course and, at the end, take the theory exam.
Complete the practical training
Once you pass the exam, open a ticket on the Vatsim Brasil Discord to schedule your first session with an ATC mentor.
Sessions are one-on-one. You control in a training environment, apply what you studied and get feedback from the mentor. When the mentor decides you are ready, they forward the approval to the training staff, who grant your S1 rating.
Connect for the first time
With S1, you can control the Delivery (_DEL) and Ground (_GND) positions within the Vatsim Brasil jurisdiction. Choose an aerodrome you know, read its page in the MOP and follow the first session checklist.
From then on, each new rating opens a new position: Tower, Control and Center.
Still have questions?
Do I need to speak English?
You do not need to be fluent to start: between Brazilian controllers and pilots, communication is in Portuguese. But foreign pilots fly in Brazil all the time, and controllers must handle them in English. It is worth studying phraseology in both languages from the start.
Do I need to be a real-world pilot or controller?
No. Most controllers on the network learned everything here. What counts is study and training.
Do I need special equipment?
A Windows computer (EuroScope runs on Windows), a headset with a microphone and a stable connection. A second monitor helps, but is not required.
Can I control any aerodrome?
With the right rating, you can control the matching positions throughout the Vatsim Brasil jurisdiction. Before connecting at an aerodrome, read its local rules in the MOP.