Facility Training Order

Revision Info

Document Number: HCF 3120.4
Date: 06 Jul 2026
Revision Version: F
Editor: David Shoup, HCF TA
Approved: Joshua Haight, VATUSA Deputy Director Training Services

Record of Revisions

Version	Date	Revision	Editor
A	22 Feb 2024	Initial Release	Dave Mayes, HCF ATM
B	08 Mar 2024	Updated Mentor Requirements	David Shoup, HCF TA
C	12 Mar 2024	Updated Syllabus	David Shoup, HCF TA
D	09 May 2024	Updated Syllabus + Solo Clarification	David Shoup, HCF TA
E	09 Jun 2025	Update to Currency Requirements	Dirk Thorben Kottenhahn, HCF TA
F	06 Jul 2026	FTO Overhaul	David Shoup, HCF TA

Facility Information and Welcome

The Honolulu Control Facility is part of the VATUSA division of VATSIM. The facility includes both HCF (Honolulu Control Facility) and ZUA (Guam CERAP).

VATUSA

VATUSA is a division of the VATSIM Americas region and includes nearly all airspace operated by the real-world Federal Aviation Administration within the United States. This airspace consists of 20 Air Route Traffic Control Centers, including the contiguous United States and Anchorage; 1 Control Facility, the Honolulu Control Facility; and 1 CERAP, Guam CERAP, which is managed by HCF.

For Simulation Use Only

All information contained within this document and associated facility resources is intended solely for use on the VATSIM network and for flight simulation purposes. It is not intended for real-world navigation or operational use. Use of this information for real-world navigation may violate federal laws. This facility and its materials are not affiliated with the Federal Aviation Administration or any other governing body.

HCF

The Honolulu Control Facility is an air traffic control facility located in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. In the real world, it is operated by the Federal Aviation Administration. The facility includes Honolulu International Airport's control tower and the Honolulu Center Radar Approach Control, known as Honolulu CERAP.

Honolulu CERAP is a combined TRACON and Enroute control facility responsible for airspace surrounding the Hawaiian Islands and portions of the Pacific Ocean.

ZUA

Guam CERAP, also known as ZUA, provides air traffic services for an area comprising nearly 200,000 square miles of airspace. The control area is part of the Oakland ARTCC Flight Information Region and is generally centered around Guam, extending approximately 250 nautical miles from the island. This area is based primarily on radar coverage from sites near Guam.

In addition to Guam, ZUA airspace includes the Northern Mariana Islands, including Rota, Saipan, and Tinian. The facility supports a wide variety of aircraft operations, including civilian, commercial, general aviation, and military traffic.

ZUA is unique due to its significant military presence and support of large-scale military exercises and special training missions. This combination of civilian and military activity makes the airspace both challenging and rewarding to control.

Definitions

Term	Definition
Controller-in-Training (CIT) / Student	A member of the controller roster who is actively training toward a controller rating or certification.
Controller	A member of the controller roster who holds at least an S1 rating.
Trainer	A member designated as an Instructor, Mentor, Probationary Instructor, or Mentor-in-Training.
Mentor	A trainer who provides theory instruction, practical training, and live monitoring, and who may recommend students for rating examinations.
Instructor	A trainer holding an I1 or I3 rating who may conduct rating examinations, assign written exams, and assist with training development.
Training Administrator (TA)	The individual officially designated by HCF and VATUSA to oversee training administration and who holds an I3 rating.
Solo Endorsement	A temporary certification allowing a controller to operate a position while training toward the next rating, in accordance with VATUSA policy.

Controller Certifications

Certification Requirements

All controllers staffing HCF positions must be certified in accordance with this policy.

Solo Endorsements

Solo Endorsements shall only be issued after all required lessons have been satisfactorily completed.
Solo Endorsements for OGG TWR, HNL TWR, OGG APP, and HNL_APP shall be issued in accordance with VATUSA Training Policy DP002.
Controllers operating under a Solo Endorsement shall not staff their Solo Endorsement position during HCF events.
Solo Endorsements are valid for 45 days, unless extended up to 90 days with VATUSA approval.

Training Procedures

Section 1 – Scheduling Training

Training is scheduled through the "Scheddy" training application, available at https://scheddy.vhcf.net/. Booking a session serves as a reservation. The assigned trainer will notify the student whether the session is confirmed.
A new request is required for each training session.
A CIT/student may complete no more than one training session per day.
Training sessions must be booked no less than forty-eight (48) hours before the scheduled start time.

Section 2 – Training Expectations

As a student, you are expected to:

Take responsibility for your own progress and allocate appropriate time for training.
Follow the training scheduling procedures outlined above.
Come prepared for each session to the best of your ability, including self-study of ATC Orders, VATUSA Academy materials, facility procedures, and any other applicable reference resources.
Review any areas of deficiency listed on the training ticket posted on the HCF website or VATUSA page and come prepared to discuss those areas in subsequent lessons.
Seek clarification on any material that is not immediately understood. This may be accomplished through direct interaction with your trainer or through self-study.
Be receptive to feedback and critique.
Refrain from recording, streaming, or otherwise broadcasting any training event.

Section 3 – Cancellations

The CIT/student and trainers should provide reasonable notice when cancelling a session. Reasonable notice is more than twelve (12) hours before the scheduled training session; however, as much notice as possible is preferred.
Trainers should wait at least fifteen (15) minutes after the scheduled start time for a CIT/student to arrive. Unless otherwise coordinated, all training sessions will be conducted on the HCF Discord server.
Any CIT/student who does not arrive within fifteen (15) minutes of the scheduled start time may be considered a no-show.
Repeated no-shows may result in suspension from scheduling future training sessions for up to thirty (30) days or other disciplinary action.

Section 4 – Rating Examination Scheduling

Prior to a CIT/student's first S1 Basic ATC lesson, they must complete the S1 VATUSA Academy exam.
Prior to a CIT/student's S2, S3, or C1 rating, they must complete the appropriate VATUSA Academy exam, which will be assigned by an HCF Instructor.
Rating Examinations are used to determine whether a CIT/student meets the criteria for promotion to the next VATSIM rating.
When a CIT/student is ready for a Rating Examination, they will be assigned an instructor. The Rating Examination instructor will contact the CIT/student to schedule the examination.

Section 5 – Rating Examinations

Rating Examinations test a CIT/student's practical application of required skills for rating promotion. Examinations may be conducted in either a simulated Sweatbox scenario or with live traffic.
HCF conducts Rating Examinations for the following VATSIM rating changes at the conclusion of the listed training courses:
1. S1 — Unrestricted Local Control (GC/CD) and Tier 2 certification for HNL GND
2. S2 — Unrestricted Local Control (TWR) and Tier 2 certification for HNL TWR
3. S3 — Unrestricted Radar Control (APP) and Tier 2 certification for HNL APP
4. C1 — En Route Radar Control (CTR)
A CIT/student is prohibited from recording, streaming, or otherwise broadcasting during a Rating Examination.

Section 6 – Rating Consolidation

All home controllers must complete a consolidation period as determined by the Training Staff for proficiency (but not greater than 50 hours) before receiving access to the next level of the VATUSA Academy course.

Courses

Course Development Theory

1. Scope

Courses in this curriculum are designed to be narrow in scope. This allows students to choose what to pursue next, focus on their interests, and progress efficiently through certification without degrading competency standards. This structure is intended to enhance student motivation by empowering students to focus on areas they find engaging and enjoyable.

2. Competency Compliance

All courses must adhere to applicable VATSIM and VATUSA policies and competencies. Each course should be developed to satisfy the competencies required for the rating issued upon completion or, when no rating is issued, the rating most closely aligned with the area of instruction.

3. Lesson Development

Lessons should focus on a limited number of specific skills or techniques. In most cases, lessons should be designed to be completed within 45 to 75 minutes.

4. Course Listing

The following courses are maintained by the Training Administrator and administered to home controllers within HCF:

Note

Initial training for Simple GND/CD, Simple TWR, and Simple APP occurs at PHOG.

Clearance Delivery and Flight Data (DEL) (OGG)
Simple Ground Control (S-GND) (OGG)
- Advanced Ground Control (GND) (HNL Tier II)
Simple Local Control (S-TWR) (OGG)
- Advanced Local Control (TWR) (HNL Tier II)
Simple Terminal Radar Control (APP) (OGG)
- Advanced Terminal Radar Control (APP) (HNL Tier II)
En Route Radar Control (CTR)
Basic Instructional Practices (MTR)
Advanced Instructional Practices (INS)

5. Student Placement

Once a course has been implemented:

New CIT/student enrollment will begin the course from the first lesson.
A CIT/student actively training in areas covered by the course will be placed on the appropriate lesson.
A CIT/student who has previously completed training related to the course but has been inactive for less than three months will be placed on the appropriate lesson with a Mentor or Instructor.
A CIT/student who has previously completed training related to the course but has been inactive for three months or more will begin the new course from the first lesson.

6. Home Controller CIT/Student Activity Requirements

Any home controller who does not hold any certifications to control within HCF must complete at least three (3) hours of training per quarter.
Home controllers listed on a training waitlist are exempt from this requirement.

Training Staff

A. Mentors

A1. Mentor Appointment Requirements

To be appointed as a Mentor, a member must:

Hold a Student (S2) rating or higher.
Be an active member of HCF in good standing.
Be a team player and be able to provide input to advance the Training Department.
Have a thorough understanding of HCF policies, procedures, and airspace.
Have held their current rating for at least ninety (90) days.
Maintain a consistent online presence.
Complete the HCF Basic Instructional Practices Mentor (MTR) training course.
Be recommended by an instructor and appointed by the HCF Training Administrator (TA).

A2. Mentor Duties

Mentors shall:

Report to the Training Administrator.
Teach new Controller-in-Training (CIT) members and students the policies and procedures applicable to the ratings they are authorized to instruct.
Assist CIT members and students in preparing for rating examinations.
Monitor CIT members and students as outlined in the Monitoring section of this policy.
Follow all training outlines, documents, and HCF procedures.

A3. Mentor Requirements

This section guides prospective Mentors within HCF ARTCC and supplements the requirements outlined in the HCF ARTCC Facility General Operating Procedures.

Mentors are selected and promoted by the Training Administrator based on skill, experience, and teaching ability. Interested candidates should contact the Training Administrator in writing.

To be eligible to serve as a Mentor, a member must:

Be an active member of the network in good standing.
Hold an S2 rating or higher for at least ninety (90) days.
Be able to work effectively in a team environment.
Have excellent written and oral communication skills.

A4. Mentor Induction Process

Members who express interest in becoming a Mentor will typically be expected to complete the following items, in order, before certification:

Observe at least two (2) training sessions.
Serve as a Remote Pilot Operator (RPO) for at least two (2) sessions.
Administer at least one (1) theory session under the supervision of an Instructor.
Administer at least one (1) live network training session while being supervised.
- To conduct this live network training session, the Mentor candidate must have held an S3 rating for at least ninety (90) days.
Demonstrate to the Training Administrator, without assistance, the ability to provide instruction to students using an assigned lesson plan.
Document each type of training session through the facility website training notes.

Note

A Remote Pilot Operator (RPO) is a person whose primary function is entering computer commands to simulate pilots in Sweatbox scenarios.

A5. Mentor Limitations

A Mentor holding a C1 rating may train any CIT member or student in any position.
A Mentor holding an S3 rating may train any CIT member or student holding an S2 rating or lower.
A Mentor holding an S2 rating may train a CIT member or student only on the initial OBS CRC setup.
A Mentor cannot approve a rating change for a CIT member or student. The Mentor may only recommend a rating change to an Instructor.

B. Instructors

B1. Instructor Appointment Requirements

To be recommended as an instructor, a member must:

Hold a Controller 1 (C1) rating or higher.
Be an active member of HCF in good standing.
Maintain a consistent online presence.
Have advanced knowledge and understanding of HCF policies, procedures, and airspace.
Be a team player and be able to provide input to advance the Training Department.
Be approved by the HCF Air Traffic Manager (ATM) and the HCF Training Administrator (TA).

B2. Instructor Duties

Instructors shall:

Report to the Training Administrator.
Train new and advanced students at all rating levels.
Train new Mentors for their duties.
Follow all training outlines, documents, and HCF procedures.
Monitor student training on HCF facilities.
Conduct rating examinations.
Assist in the development and maintenance of training content and materials at the request of the Training Administrator.

B3. Instructor Requirements

Instructors must:

Have served as an HCF Mentor for at least ninety (90) days.
Have held an HCF Center Certification and C1 rating in HCF for at least ninety (90) days.
Be an active member of the network in good standing with no long-term suspensions.

B4. Instructor Limitations

An instructor may train any student in any position.
An instructor may award TWR, APP, and CTR solo endorsements.

B5. Trainer Activity Requirements

All trainers are subject to the currency requirements outlined in the HCF General Operating Procedures.

B6. Visiting Trainer Currency

Visiting trainers who have been permitted to exercise training privileges at HCF must remain current by completing at least one (1) training session per quarter, unless otherwise approved by the Training Administrator.

B7. Training Staff Monthly Currency

All Instructors and Mentors should conduct at least one (1) training session per quarter. The training session may be conducted as:

Sweatbox training, including classroom theory or simulation; or
Live network training.

B8. Trainer Leave of Absence

Trainer Leave of Absence requests shall be granted by the Training Administrator on a case-by-case basis, depending on the information provided by the trainer.

Trainer Leave of Absence periods must not exceed one hundred twenty (120) days.

B9. Removal from Training Staff

Trainers may be removed from the Training Staff for any of the following reasons:

Suspension from the VATSIM network.
Failure to comply with any VATSIM or HCF policy.
Failure to meet activity requirements for the quarter, unless written approval from the Training Administrator has been granted.

Training Policy

A. Training Flow

General

Controller-in-Training (CIT) students are expected to begin training only after reviewing the applicable HCF Facility General Operating Procedures (GOP), Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), supplemental training documentation, and any additional materials recommended by the facility training staff.

Each CIT/student will be assigned a Mentor or Instructor (MTR/INS) who will guide them through the requirements for their assigned rating. To schedule training, the CIT/student is responsible for submitting a request for the applicable rating or checkout by following the procedures outlined in the #training-requests channel within the Controller Training section of the HCF Discord server.

CIT/students are strongly encouraged to connect to the VATSIM network as Observers (OBS) to monitor controllers and MTR/INS staff while they are actively working traffic. Observation is an essential component of preparation for future training sessions and position proficiency.

Home Controller Training Flow

CIT/students pursuing home facility certifications are expected to review all applicable VATUSA training materials, including:

VATUSA Training Syllabi
VATUSA General Operations Policy
VATUSA Training Department Policy
Supplemental HCF training materials

Observers are expected to independently study the foundational concepts introduced during training sessions.

All training shall be conducted in accordance with the applicable training syllabus. CIT/students are encouraged to review upcoming lessons in advance to understand and prepare for future requirements.

Each lesson must be completed satisfactorily before the student may progress to the next lesson. If a CIT/student experiences difficulty advancing, the matter should be referred to the Training Administrator (TA) for evaluation and guidance.

Solo Endorsement

Solo Endorsement may only be issued after all required lessons have been satisfactorily completed for the applicable training facility (e.g., HNL TWR or HNL APP).

CIT/students holding a Solo Endorsement shall not staff their solo-endorsed positions during official HCF events unless specifically authorized by the Training Administrator.

For additional information, refer to the VATUSA General Training Policy.

Visiting Controller Training Flow

Visiting controllers transferring from within VATUSA shall be processed in accordance with the HCF General Operating Procedures.

Visiting controllers transferring from outside VATUSA shall also follow the procedures outlined in the HCF General Operating Procedures.

All visiting controllers must demonstrate competency consistent with the applicable VATSIM Global Controller Administration Policy (GCAP) standards and all current VATUSA competency requirements.

B. Late, No-Show, and Cancellation Policy

1. Late Policy

CIT/students are expected to be fully prepared and ready to begin training at the scheduled start time.
CIT/students must be present in the HCF Discord Training Waiting Lounge at the time of the scheduled session.
If a CIT/student anticipates arriving late, they must notify the assigned MTR/INS as soon as possible.
If an MTR/INS anticipates arriving late, they must notify the CIT/student as soon as possible.
If an MTR/INS arrives late without prior notification, the CIT/student should report the occurrence to the Training Administrator via email.

2. No-Show Policy

If either party is delayed, both the CIT/student and MTR/INS are required to wait at least fifteen (15) minutes after the scheduled start time before a session may be considered a no-show.

A training session may also be designated as a no-show if it is canceled less than six (6) hours before the scheduled start time, unless the cancellation is due to an emergency.

CIT/students are responsible for attending all scheduled training sessions on time and fully prepared. Failure to attend a scheduled session without proper notice will result in disciplinary action under the following three-strike policy:

First No-Show — The CIT/student will receive a formal warning, documented in the training notes for the missed session.
Second No-Show — The CIT/student will receive an email warning from the Training Administrator. At the discretion of the Training Administrator, a temporary hold may be placed on the student's account, preventing the scheduling of additional training sessions for a period of up to seven (7) days from the end time of the missed session.
Third and Subsequent No-Shows — At the discretion of the Training Administrator, a hold may be placed on the student's account, preventing the scheduling of training sessions for a period of up to fourteen (14) days from the end time of the missed session.

The CIT/student will be notified by email of all account holds and the date and time when the restriction will be lifted.

3. Scheduled Training Cancellation Policy

Training sessions may be canceled by either the CIT/student or the assigned Mentor/Instructor through the HCF Discord server or by email directly to the other party.

Except in cases of emergency, cancellations should be submitted no fewer than six (6) hours before the scheduled start time.

All no-shows, rescheduled sessions, and cancellations submitted less than six (6) hours before the scheduled start time by either the CIT/student or the Mentor/Instructor must be reported to the Training Administrator by email, including the reason for the change when available.

Visiting and Transferring Controllers

1. Certifications

a. Initial Certifications

Upon acceptance to the HCF roster, visiting and transferring controllers shall be granted unrestricted certifications commensurate with their current VATSIM rating and in accordance with applicable HCF and VATUSA policies.

2. HCF Tier 2 Endorsement

a. Endorsement Requirements

The HCF Tier 2 Endorsement may be obtained by completing a live session with an Instructor after the controller has completed appropriate self-study of the applicable facility's Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and related training materials.

Training Program Information

The Honolulu Control Facility training program is designed to provide a standardized and structured approach to controller training while maintaining full compliance with VATUSA standards and the VATSIM Global Controller and Administration Policy (GCAP).

The program is organized into instructional units and lessons to ensure that all Controller-in-Training (CIT) students receive consistent, effective, and efficient instruction. The objective of the program is to ensure that each student demonstrates proficiency at the conclusion of each course and is prepared to safely and competently operate under a Solo Endorsement, when authorized.

Training Syllabus – Introduction

The following training syllabus establishes the framework through which Controller-in-Training (CIT) students will progress to demonstrate competency for the applicable rating.

Mentors and Instructors (MTR/INS) will guide each CIT/student through the prescribed units and lessons, providing the knowledge, skills, and practical experience necessary to become an effective air traffic controller while meeting the requirements of the VATSIM Global Controller Administration Policy (GCAP) and all applicable VATUSA training standards.