2. MEMBERSHIP

a. Membership

Only roster members and authorized guest controllers, may log at CZEG positions and only for those positions for which they are certified and current.

b. Controller currency:

The membership roster will be kept up to date and inactive controllers will have their names removed from the CZEG list as follows. This doesn't affect VATSIM or VATCAN membership status.

Observers. Become inactive without notice after 30 days, if no training has been started or has been interrupted. Furthermore, after registering with CZEG Observers receive a welcome email from the FIR, with a request to hear back from them. Should Observers never respond to the welcome email, it will be assumed they have registered by mistake or that they had no intention of starting any training and they will be removed 7 days later without notice.

Clearance, Ground, Tower released members and guests: CZEG membership will become inactive with notice, after 6 months of logging less than at least 60 consecutive minutes each month at the highest released position.

Terminal, Center members and guests: CZEG membership inactive with notice, after 12 months of logging less than at least 60 consecutive minutes each month at the highest released position.

(It is understood that if a Center controller logs for 10 months, each month one hour, but is absent one or two months, that, that wouldn't qualify him or her to have his membership removed. What we are looking for is a trend of absenteeism, for example, first 6 months, 3 hours, then another 6 months 2 hours.)

Guest controllers with notice, lose guest controller privileges as do belonging members according to the rating they hold as described above.

All members and guests shall be required to re-qualify and pass an "Over The Shoulder" check , if within a 3 months period, they have logged less than 1 consecutive hour each month, at the highest released position.

The length of time is proportionate to the level a controller occupies and was decided thinking about the amount of knowledge and practice required in keeping proficient at that level.

A leave of absence can be arranged but reassessment and retraining will be required upon returning.

Inactive roster or guests controllers are welcomed back to the region, but the returning controller may be required to undergo an over the shoulder check and/or a refresher session, before being fully restored to the previous levels of certification. Every effort will be made to accommodate the returning controllers as quickly and easily as possible.

c. Quality assurance.

It is CZEG's pride to count our members as some of the best well trained and professional controllers of the VATCAN network. Keeping up with that high level of competency, it is important to have a proper quality assurance program. This is not to prevent controllers from working, but to encourage them to grow in their knowledge and practice.

It is understood that any controller may be monitored at any time by an Instructor or a qualified Mentor who may offer supportive suggestions or corrections in a timely manner or through a debriefing. This will be done in a respectful manner with the aim of helping.

In the event that a controller is shown to be in need of a refresher or retraining, the Chief Instructor, or in the absence of the Chief Instructor, the FIR Chief, may require the controller to work under supervision and receive retraining before having their "release" restored.

d. Licensed members.

Observers that hold or have held at least a private pilots license; may be exempt from any ground school leading to STUDENT status, but will be required to successfully pass the STUDENT on line VATCAN exam before receiving the promotion. Training will resume for the student with the normal training schedule for DEL/GND/TWR. In any case, they will not be exempt from the RADAR ground school and from the VATCAN RADAR exam.

Observers or Students that hold or have held an instrument rating or a controllers license, may be exempt from any ground school leading to SENIOR STUDENT, but will be required to successfully pass the SENIOR STUDENT on line VATCAN exam before receiving the promotion.

They will not be exempt from the RADAR ground school and from the VATCAN RADAR exam. Once SENIOR STUDENT status has been received, the member will be limited to controlling TWR positions and only under monitor from an authorized FIR staff. Under monitor performance will determine if the member requires any ground school leading to TWR position.

e. Exams in CZEG.

All VATCAN exams require a passing grade of 75%. Where the exam has been authorized by the FIR, should any member fail to pass, the member shall be ineligible to rewrite the examination for a period of:
(a) in the case of a first failure, 4 days; (b) in the case of a second failure, 15 days; (c) in the case of a third or subsequent failure, 20 days, plus an additional 5 days for each failure in excess of two failures, up to a maximum of 180 days.

It is strongly advised to thoroughly review any given material between exams and eventually request re-training in weak areas with the FIR.

f. Guest Controllers.

Controllers having reached at least a C1 rating from other FIRs and regions are welcome to apply as guests in CZEG. Prior to being released at an appropriate position, the new guest will be required to receive a briefing or a training session, plus appropriate monitoring on line with an Instructor or a Mentor, to assist with the understanding of local phraseology and procedures and to ensure the guest is at least up to the level of competency of CZEG members. Where a guest has not yet satisfactorily passed a local competency check in accordance with his or her rating, level, or endorsement, then CZEG may impose an appropriate restriction until such time that the guest is able to demonstrate full competency or, the guest may be asked to voluntarily accept a downgrade to a lower rating which in some cases may be that of OBS.

At the discretion of the FIR chief, from time to time, occurrences such as events will require the participation of "substitute controllers"; members from other regions, not CZEG qualified and not necessarily meeting the minimum guest controlling criteria. Though monitoring shall not always be possible prior to the momentary need for a "substitute controller", orientation (FIR and position procedures) shall be mandatory.

g. Transfers.

Members from other regions are welcomed to transfer their membership to CZEG. CZEG shall be able to obtain training records and speak to the members instructor, prior to continuing training. Training shall continue where the member left off in his region of origin. Except for members having started training CTR who shall first be monitored briefed and released TERMINAL before commencing CZEG CTR training.

CZEG members transferring to another region shall automatically retain guest controller privileges, even when they have not yet achieved a C1 rating, as long as they meet the minimum time on line required to keep current. Regardless of their progression in their new region, those members will be required to continue CZEG regular training if they wish to continue moving up at a higher rank at CZEG.

h. Website, Emails and Forums.

It is the members responsibility to always have a valid email. An invalid email will have the controller immediately removed without notice. The CZEG Website, SOPs and other documents will be updated from time to time and not necessarily with notice. It is CZEG members responsibility to visit the CZEG Website often and to get the latest documents, SOPs or any other changes. Also the CZEG FORUM is a great place for official announcements or just for general discussions or questions that may interest the entire CZEG community. As a member you are asked to regularly visit and keep current with all the memos posted on the CZEG and VATCAN FORUM

3. CONNECTION

a. Authorized positions.

Full FIR Members or CZEG Guests are authorized to connect at the positions for which they have previously been certified on. Connecting at any other position may only take place under the supervision of a qualified CZEG Instructor or Mentor. Certification is given only after the member or the guest has received training and monitoring, where the member or the guest has proved he possesses the knowledge and the sufficient practice to be in charge of the position alone.

Certification is granted based on instructor’s or mentor’s recommendation, by the CZEG chief at his discretion and is accompanied by a CZEG virtual license stating clearly the position the member is released to occupy.

b. Observing

Observers are reminded that as per VATSIM regulations, members wishing to observe shall only be allowed to log for a maximum of 30 minutes per occurrence at a range not more than 400 nm, with "observer" selected as a "facility" in the connection window and only using a call sign ending with _OBS. Observing using a controller call sign (for example CYYC_DEL) is strictly forbidden under any circumstances.

c. Connection priority.

As per VATCAN/VATSIM rules, Controllers log in on a first come first serve basis only to occupy positions they have been cleared to fill by the FIR Chief. Should a Controller be accidentally disconnected, upon immediate re-connection, he will be allowed to re-occupy his previous position and any controller who's taken over will have to surrender the said position.

d. Ground and Tower range allowance.

Calgary Tower shall also provide service to Springbank as Springbank tower. When Calgary ground is not on line, Calgary tower shall assume all positions below in Calgary as Calgary tower and in Springbank as Springbank tower. When on line, Calgary ground shall also provide service to Springbank as Springbank ground. Calgary Clearance shall only provide service in Calgary.

Edmonton International Tower shall also provide service to Edmonton City Center as City Center tower. When Edmonton International ground is not on line, Edmonton tower shall assume all positions below in Edmonton International as Edmonton tower and in Edmonton City Center as City Center tower. When on line, Edmonton International ground shall also provide service to Edmonton City Center as City Center ground. Edmonton International Clearance shall only provide service in Edmonton International.

Using ASRC or VRC, users shall respect VATSIM range guidelines and set their first vis (.vis) to the main airport (for example .vis cyyc) and their second vis (.vis2) to the second airport they are required to provide service to (for example .vis2 cybw).

In no circumstances, will a controller offer service to an airport that is not the airport of his/her call sign.

All other positions in the FIR shall continue to respect VATSIM guidelines for range settings.

e. Text and Voice ATIS.

As per CZEG Sector Procedures documents, the TWR operator (whoever is assuming TWR duties (TWR TML CTR) will hold a text Atis and a voice Atis. Should the controller be unable to hold a voice Atis, he shall delegate the voice Atis to a voice enable controller. This does not relieve the TWR operator from his responsibility from the atis. In that case, the TWR operator will still carry a text atis and be responsible for updating the voice atis holder with any change that should be broadcasted in the voice atis. In the absence of a TWR operator, the DEL operator (DEL; or GND if no DEL) is providing airport services, having to choose runways and issue clearances. Therefore in the absence of a TWR operator, the DEL operator shall hold a voice ATIS and a text Atis or delegate the voice atis to a voice enable controller.

f. Events.

From time to time, special events will happen or be planned in the CZEG FIR. To control during these events Controllers are required to book in advance their requested position and time available with the FIR Chief. Positions and time on line will be granted at the discretion of the FIR Chief, based on experience and recent assiduity controlling. Bookings are announced, prior to the event, published on the website or emailed to CZEG FIR members. Members logging last minute during planned events are asked to log in as Observers and to contact the FIR chief or the CZEG Event member in charge, for position availability and assignment.

g. Positions and frequencies

CZEG approved positions are: