Rating transfer
IVAO offers a rating transfer to its users who hold real-world ATC or pilot licences, or an ATC rating acquired in the VATSIM network. This page will guide you through the conditions to fulfil and to the application procedure.
Introduction
The "rating transfer" (equivalence of qualification) is a procedure which allows to increase the ATC or pilot rating of a member who has a real license without having to carry out the corresponding practical exams on IVAO. It is also intended for members of the VATSIM and POSCON networks who wish to benefit from an ATC qualification correspondence on the IVAO network.
Obtaining a rating transfer is not a right. A rating transfer is examined and granted, if necessary, on a case-by-case basis after analysis of the documents provided, but also on the basis of arguments of opportunity and merit, the evaluation of which is the sole responsibility of FR-HQ. In particular, the France division attaches particular importance to its training activities and to progress through learning and passing exams, and this regardless of the real experience, real or supposed, of each IVAO member.
The official conditions and procedure are described here. They have been translated into French and adapted to the requirements specific to the France division. For the time being, the Rating Fast Track system described here is not in use within the France division.
Conditions of eligibility
Each member of the division can apply for a rating transfer if they meet the following conditions:
- The member has not already benefited from another rating transfer by type of career (pilot or ATC). A rating transfer can only be granted once per type of career.
- The applicant is an active member of the France division.
- The member holds a real license (pilot or ATC) issued by an administrative authority qualified in the ICAO/FAA standards and currently valid (the relevant qualifications for the request for equivalence must also be in progress) on the date of the request for a period of at least 6 months following the date of the request. The type of license and actual qualifications required for each type of IVAO career and qualification is shown in the following equivalence table.
- Alternatively to the possession of a real licence, the member holds a qualification obtained within the VATSIM or POSCON networks at least 12 months before the date of the request.
- The member has passed the PP or ADC theoretical exam depending on the type of career to which the rating transfer request is associated.
- The member has not failed the practical exam associated with the qualification for which he is requesting the rating transfer in the 24 months preceding his request.
- The member has sufficient knowledge of the IVAO network, its rules and associated software. A verification of this knowledge can be carried out during the processing of the application.
- The member has sufficient knowledge of aviation English. A verification of this knowledge can be carried out during the processing of the application.
- The member has not been the subject of disciplinary procedures (suspensions) in the 6 months preceding his request. In general, it is expected that a member requesting a rating transfer demonstrates exemplary behaviour on IVAO and strict compliance with its rules.
- The member has completed a minimum number of hours in active connection as a pilot or ATC, depending on the type of career to which the rating transfer request is associated. The minimum number of hours required is indicated in the following equivalence table.
Table of equivalence
No equivalence to AS1, AS2, AS3, FS1, FS2 and FS3 qualifications is possible.
- ATC
| Real world qualification | POSCON equivalence | VATSIM equivalence | IVAO rating | Minimum hours |
| Aerodrome Controller (ADV-ADI) | TWR ATC Approval with 150 quality points | TMA Controller (S3) |
| 100h |
| Approach Controller (APP-APS) with ICAO English Proficiency 4 at least | APP/ACC ATC Approval with 250 quality points | Enroute Controller (C1) |
| 150h |
| No transfer possible | No transfer possible | No transfer possible |
| -- |
| No transfer possible | No transfer possible | No transfer possible |
| -- |
- Pilots
| Real world rating | VATSIM/POSCON equivalence | IVAO rating | Minimum Hours |
| PPL or CPL without IR | No transfer possible |
| 50h |
| PPL, CPL or ATPL with IR with ICAO English Proficiency 4 at least | No transfer possible |
| 60h |
| CPL or ATPL with IR and ME with ICAO English Proficiency 4 at least | No transfer possible |
| 70h |
| No transfer possible | No transfer possible |
| -- |
ULM, I-ULM, ABL, LAPL licenses, as well as the BIA, any helicopter or drone pilot license are not accepted for equivalence. Similarly, instructor and examiner qualifications do not constitute a sufficient condition if the corresponding licenses are not valid.
Rating transfer application process
The rating transfer is granted by the Training HQ Department at the request of the FR-HQ. The following procedure aims to submit the application to the FR-HQ but in no way prejudges the final decision of the Training HQ Department, which is always the ultime judge. The Training HQ Department is entitled to request any additional document or proof, as well as to refuse a request or revoke a rating transfer previously granted.
Any request for rating transfer must be sent to FR-HQ by email to the address fr-hq@ivao.aero.
The request must contain the following:
- Surname, first name and VID of the applicant (include the VID in the object of the email)
- Screenshot or high definition scan of the real license (all pages, front and back) without editing, modification or masking (it is recalled that editing an administrative document such as a license is a crime punishable by the law). Alternatively, screenshot of the VATSIM/POSCON account page where the name, VID and qualifications obtained are visible
- Any other document useful for processing the application (for example ICAO English Proficiency certification)
Once the request has been received by FR-HQ, it is forwarded to the Training department of the France division for an opinion. The Training department may request clarifications, additional documents, or an evaluation interview.
In the event of a positive opinion from the Training department of the France division, the request is examined by FR-HQ, which decides on the action to be taken (refusal of transmission or transmission with a positive opinion to the Training HQ department). The FR-HQ may request clarifications, additional documents or an assessment interview.
In the event of a positive opinion from FR-HQ, the request is forwarded with a positive opinion to the directors of the Training HQ department who, after verification and any request for clarification or additional documents, decide on the rating transfer and, if necessary, proceed with the update of the member's account. The member is informed by the FR-HQ of the transmission with a positive opinion.
When examining a request for equivalence, the France division or the Training HQ department may ask the member to take one or more theoretical and/or practical exams, or to take part in an assessment interview.
If the member who has obtained a rating transfer wishes to obtain other qualifications, he may do so by following the normal examination procedure.
Data protection
The documents and personal data transmitted by the member during a request for rating transfer are treated by the France division and the Training HQ department in strict confidentiality. Once the rating transfer procedure is completed, these documents are deleted from IVAO servers in accordance with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). The France division and the Training HQ department reserve the right to request any supporting document used to validate a rating transfer, at any time and without prior justification.
Specific procedures
Fraudulent application
If the supporting documents provided during a rating transfer request turn out to be altered, falsified, or if the identity of the requesting member does not correspond to that of the documents transmitted, the request procedure is immediately stopped and the member is suspended from examinations for a period not less than 12 months. In the event that the finding of fraud appears after obtaining the rating transfer, a rating downgrade will be applied by the Training HQ department. In all cases, the file will be forwarded to the IVAO Executive Committee, which may sanction accordingly.
Downgrade of a rating
In serious cases of non-compliance with IVAO rules, proven fraud, serious and/or repeated disciplinary sanction, manifest and proven finding of mismatch between qualification and performance in active connection, the France division and the department Training HQ reserves the right to downgrade the rating acquired by equivalence. In this case, the demotion request is submitted to the Training HQ department by the FR-HQ.