Pacific West Airways, in collaboration with the Oakland ARTCC (ZOA) has recently joined forces, to establish the ZOA/PWA Vatsim Training Academy based at Sacramento, CA (KSMF)
The intent for the Academy is to provide newcomers to VATSIM with an introduction to the Network, as it relates to all aspects of online flying. "As so many new Pilots here at Pacific West Airways have expressed in the past, overcoming the initial anxiety of first time connection and the fear of making simple mistakes is the goal of this Training Academy", stated Jay McFerdy, President of Flight Operations & Human Resoures at Pacific West Airways.
A simple 4-Step Tutorial Training program has been established to introduce our Pilots to VATSIM flying, utilizing the vast resources of experienced Controllers and Pilots alike. The program will run over the course of 4 weeks (meeting once per week on the PWA Team-Speak Server), with each session running between 45-60 minutes at the most. After completion of the program, the Pilot should be able to comfortably connect to the Network, enjoying his/her online experience.
"While the Training Academy has been designed to improve Pilot skill, proper utilization of resources and planning, it vastly differs from any training a new controller would receive. The program is solely catered towards the Pilot, teaching the necessary skills and fulfilling the expectations of a controller when connecting to the Network. It is also imperative to note that the sole purpose is to provide newcomers to the Network with the basic knowledge to make the "first impression" a good and lasting one", added Michael Mund-Hoym, ZOA Air Traffic Manager and Pacific West Captain.
Sign-Ups for the 1st Training Session will begin sometime in mid-August, with an initial capacity of 5 spots, to assure that each student will receive the proper attention required.
If you have any questions, require any additonal information or would like to sign up for our next training session, please contact our Training Department (Training@newpacificwestairways.com).
