Please dont expect to join and jump streight into the ATC chair, you can Observe, but not control until you have a Rating, you start at TOWER and work your way up, you have to study and be assessed, there are 5 ratings in total, TWR, APP, CTR, OCEANIC, and SUPER CONTROLLER
The higher ratings can cover for the lower Positions eg CTR covers TWR and APP when Absent, but TWR can not cover APP when Absent.
Any one can Fly if you have flight sim. you dont need a rating, you do need a Membership number and a add on that connects the sim to the server, this is all free of charge how ever it is very daunting place at first, and most newbies tend to sit and listen first.
Head to www.vatsim.net and have a look, im a Virtual Pilot, i fly for Ansett Virtual Airlines, with +400 hours,
The net work is hard to explain but there is some programs around that connect Pilots in Microsoft Simulator, to a server which then can plot their location, similar to RADAR, then there is a program called Virtual Radar Client, that decodes that Information and displays it on a screen similar to a Air traffic controllers screen, All Pilots in the multilayer session can see each other, and talk to controllers, thus simulation real world Air traffic control.
Each controller has to Study to get to specific Positions eg Tower, APP and CTR, i have trained to the 2nd highest level which is CTR, these require Study and assessments, the assessor for Australian Division is a ASA employee and works at Melbourne Center, we train to Real life procedures,
Tell you what, we are planing to be online tonight around Perth Area, the system is Live 24/7, and covers the whole world, with each country having separate divisions, how ever you can only control in your home division, as you train to those local rules, and America and UK differ vastly
so head to www.VATSIM.net
Make an account,
Head to ATC software and download VRC, Virtual Radar Client, the best one for AUS
Head to www.VATPAC.org and look for ATC services, and download a ZIP folder with the Sector Files, sort out the program, Try log in if you have troubles, let me know, come and watch us tonight from 1000 Z, about 6pm wa TIME
Here is a QUICK pic of VRC at SYDNEY if you look top the bottom right you will see some planes, these are real people sitting at home being controlled by another person.
Here is one i took at SYDNEY in the SIM
My plane is the First Plane at the bottom of the screen
there are 7 other people in this shot, the orange writing represents other planes
