Last update: 11/03/2022

1 - Forewords

The IVAO France division participates to the Guest Controller Approval policy which is described in the IVAO Rules (IR 2.2.2) and Regulations (T.2). In this framework, foreign divisions members shall obtain a "Guest Controller Approval" (GCA) in order to connect to active ATC units under the responsibility of the France division. 

All ATC positions subject to Facility Rating Assignments (FRAs) available within the France division, both in Metropolitan France and in the Overseas Territories, are available into the GCA system as described below.

The France division considers IVAO as a pleasant and friendly network and expects IVAO members to spend most of their time in enjoying their own division. The following rules apply for the GCA evaluation and the approval but should be considered as guidelines. This means that France staff may decide at any time to approve, deny or remove a GCA without justification.

The France division is always happy to welcome ATC coming from foreign divisions and thus diversify the experience of our controllers. However, GCA is not a right but rather a privilege to be deserved and which contributes to the quality of ATC services proposed by our division.

2 - Eligibility requirements

The GCA program of the France division is open to all IVAO members active as ATC and registered in a foreign division.

2.1 - ATC rating

Members requesting a GCA in the France Division must own at least the ADC rating. This implies that the ADC exam should be successfully passed and validated at the day of the GCA request.

No condition is required concerning the pilot rating.

2.2 - Language

ATC Service in France division is provided using both French (ICAO language) and English. GCA candidates must be able to ensure radio communication speaking equally both languages and following current Rules and Regulations regarding standard phraseology.

Knowledge of any other ICAO languages may be considered as an additional skill but will not constitute a requirement for the acquisition of a GCA in France division.

2.3 - Former holders of GCA in France

The members who have hold a GCA in France division in the past and who do not own it anymore are not eligible to the acquisition of a new GCA for a period of 12 months following the end date of the preceding GCA.

In any case, these members are not exempt from eligibility requirements and from following the acquisition procedure in force on the date of the new application.

2.4 - Former members of the France division

Former members of the France division who wish to obtain a French GCA are not eligible to its acquisition for a period of 12 months following the date of the division transfer.

In any case, these members are not exempt from eligibility requirements and from following the acquisition procedure in force on the date of their application.

2.5 - Holders of multiple GCA

Members holding three or more GCA in other divisions are not eligible to its acquisition of a GCA in France.

Nevertheless, the evaluation procedure for a holder of only three GCA may be initiated under the condition that the member resign to one of his/her GCA and that this is replaced by the French GCA. The formal cancellation of the GCA that the member has given up must be effective the day of the GCA evaluation in the France division. If this condition is not fulfilled the GCA application will be cancelled.

2.6 - Staff members

IVAO divisional and senior staff members are not exempt from eligibility requirements and from following the acquisition procedure in force on the date of their application.

Divisional staff coming from foreign divisions are highly encouraged to first support their own division.

In any case, all staff members are expected to have an exemplary behaviour when practising the privileges of their GCA in France. It should be noted that all actions, expressions and attitudes on the network and its communication media will consequently commit the France division

3 - Approval Process

The acquisition of a GCA in France division requires to complete a process consisting of several steps. French staff has the right to refuse an applicant at any one of these steps.

In normal conditions, the duration of this process should not exceed a couple of weeks. Nevertheless, the effective delay mainly depends on the member availability as well as French staff availability to conduct the evaluation.

3.1 - Application

Any member who wants to apply for a GCA in France should fill the following form:

GCA application form

Any application transmitted aside from this procedure (by mail, orally, etc.) will not be considered.

The applicant should fill the form indicating his/her motivations to provide ATC within the French airspace and, more generally, to participate to the activities of the France division.

The applicant should also indicate the ATC units chosen to perform the evaluation session. The chosen ATC unit must be compatible with the ATC rating of the member according to the FRAs in use.

In the case the application is validated by the FR-HQ, the request is transmitted to the France Training department to organise the evaluation session.

3.2 - Evaluation

After validation of the application, an evaluation session is organised under the responsibility of the FR-TC and FR-TAC.

The GCA evaluation is not an IVAO exam and no mark will be issued at the end of the evaluation. It only intends to check if the ATC attitude and skills (phraseology, ATC technique, knowledge of local procedures and LoAs, etc.) of the candidate comply with the standards of the France division.

It is clear that the evaluation takes into account the inexperience of the candidate in handling the concerned French ATC unit.

The evaluation must be performed on a ATC unit corresponding to the actual rating of the member:

• A member owing an ADC rating is evaluated on a tower position
• A member owing an APC rating is evaluated on an approach position
• A member owing an ACC rating or higher is evaluated on an area control centre position

The ATC unit where the evaluation takes place if chosen by the candidate and indicated in the application form. It should be noted that the chosen ATC unit must be compatible with the ATC rating of the candidate according to the FRAs in use.

The staff members of the French Training department are the only ones allowed to perform GCA evaluation sessions. The staff member who performs the evaluation session is appointed by the FR-TC and FR-TAC.

The applicant is contacted by the appointed examiner to schedule the evaluation session.

The evaluation session is displayed on the division calendar. The candidate should take care of the ATC booking. The eventual search of ATC for the adjacent positions and the communication on the forum are at the applicant discretion.

Although the evaluation session does not involve any traffic quota, both in number and type, a minimal number of air traffic control situations is needed to perform a proper evaluation.

3.2.1 - Tower position (TWR)

During the session, the applicant is evaluated in the same conditions of an ADC exam and he/she has to ensure ATS of TWR, GND and DEL on the airport of his/her choice.

The following skills are assessed:

• VFR traffic handling (traffic information, management with multiple VFR aircrafts, simultaneous VFR and IFR traffic management)
• IFR traffic handling (departure clearances, departure and arrival separations)
• French and English phraseology based on the French regulatory documentation
• Frequency management
• Knowledge of controlled airspaces
• Theoretical knowledge corresponding to the ADC level

3.2.2 - Approach position (APP)

During the session, the applicant has to ensure ATS of APP, TWR, GND and DEL on the airport of his/her choice as it happens daily on IVAO. Traffic flow is not expected to be as heavy as during an APC exam but it should at least correspond to the average traffic on the assessed position.

The following skills are assessed:

• VFR traffic handling (traffic information, management with multiple VFR aircrafts, simultaneous VFR and IFR traffic management)
• IFR traffic handling (departure clearances, departure and arrival separations)
• Management of the climb to cruise level or coordinated level and descent to the final approach
• Radar vectoring and procedures knowledge based on the French regulations
• French and English phraseology based on the French regulatory documentation
• Frequency management
• Knowledge of the LoAs applicable on the controlled airspaces
• Theoretical knowledge corresponding to the APC level
  

3.2.3 - Area Control Centre position (CTR)

During the session, the applicant has to ensure ATS of a CTR position, together with at least one airport (APP and TWR positions) provided with IFR procedures. Traffic flow is not expected to be as heavy as during an ACC exam but it should at least correspond to the average traffic on the assessed position.

The following skills are assessed:

• VFR traffic handling (traffic information, management with multiple VFR aircrafts, simultaneous VFR and IFR traffic management)
• IFR traffic handling (departure clearances, departure and arrival separations)
• Management of simultaneous climb and descent, accurate use of directs and shortcuts
• Radar vectoring and procedures knowledge based on the French regulations
• French and English phraseology based on the French regulatory documentation
• Frequency management
• Knowledge of the LoAs applicable on the controlled airspaces
• Theoretical knowledge corresponding to the ACC level
  

3.3 - Awarding

Following the evaluation session performed by the candidate and taking into account the report from FR-TC and FR-TAC, the FR-HQ decides on the awarding or the refusal of the GCA in France division. In the case of a refusal, it is possible to submit a new GCA request after a 12-month period following the evaluation of the previous GCA. The FR-HQ informs the member about its decision, whatever it is.

Note: any division transfer request (towards France division) will take into account the GCA evaluation.

4 - France GCA restrictions

4.1 - Validity

The GCA is valid for a duration of one year starting on the awarding date.

However, this duration can be modified at any time, in particular whenever the member owing a GCA has an inappropriate behaviour on the network or does not comply anymore with the eligibility criteria described in section §2.

The GCA validity may be extended at member's request (see §4.7).

4.2 - Allowed ATC units

A member owing a France GCA may connect on any active ATC unit under the responsibility of the France division, both in Metropolitan France and on overseas territories, according to the FRA in use.

4.3 - Language and procedures

A member owing a France GCA should be able to ensure radio communication both in French and in English according to the current rules and regulations regarding the standard phraseology.

The respect of the ATC rules specific to the France division, of the procedure defined within the French rules and regulations and of the LoAs in use in the France division is mandatory without exceptions for all members owing a France GCA.

4.4 - Presence

Members owing a France GCA shall execute at least half of the ATC duty (number of hours connected on an active ATC unit) In their home division, at risk of GCA revocation. Hours performed prior the GCA approval are not be taken into consideration.

Nevertheless, members holding a GCA in France division must regularly connect to ATC units in France for which they are allowed to. An ATC duty of at least 1 hour per month is required, at risk of GCA revocation.

4.5 - ATC rating upgrade

Whenever a member holding a French GCA is upgraded to an ATC rating higher than the one owned during the evaluation process has to contact the FR-HQ in order to organise an evaluation corresponding to the new rating.

If the GCA holder does not inform the FR-HQ about the ATC rating upgrade or refuses a new evaluation, the GCA is revoked.

4.6 - Revocation

A GCA in France division is revoked without prior notice in the following cases:

• Behaviour issues, whether they are sanctioned or not by a suspension from the IVAO network
• Non-compliance with local procedures (phraseology, ATC rules, LoAs, etc.) in a repeated manner
• Downgrade to "INACTIF" status
• Absence of ATC activity in France division for a period longer than 2 months

It is recalled that in the case of GCA revocation the member becomes ineligible to request a French GCA for a period of 12 months.

4.7 - Renewal