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Messages - Matt Bromback

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1
News / Position Posting: ZJX Training Administrator
« on: February 13, 2024, 07:52:38 AM »
The Jacksonville ARTCC is currently seeking applicants for the position of Training Administrator.

Duties to include:
Attends all ZJX Staff meetings.
Responsible for overview, development, and implementation of all training programs and materials.
Approving all mentor applications upon completion of the mentor-in-training program.
Nominating and managing all instructors, mentors, and mentors in training.
Serves as acting Air Traffic Manager in the absence of the Air Traffic Manager and the Deputy Air Traffic Manager.
Maintain an active online presence.

Minimum Requirements:
I1 rating or above.
No significant disciplinary record and no history of unprofessional behavior.
Be a home controller at the time of appointment.
Be in good standing on the VATSIM network.

Preferred Skills:
Have previous senior staff experience in a VATSIM ATC facility or current/former Instructor.

Application Information
Applications may be submitted to the Jacksonville ARTCC Air Traffic Manager via email: [email protected]

Application Must Include:
Full Name, Email Address, and VATSIM CID
Cover Letter and Resume
Letter of Reference from Current ATM/Supervisor

Applications should be submitted

What to Expect
Interested candidates should be aware that this position requires a SIGNIFICANT time commitment and should not be taken lightly. Only those who understand the requirements and can make the appropriate commitment should consider applying. All applications will go through an initial evaluation. Candidates who pass this evaluation will be contacted for a comprehensive interview. All candidates will be notified if/when a selection is made.

Any questions about this posting are encouraged and should be directed to the Jacksonville ARTCC Air Traffic Manager via email: [email protected]

Applications will be accepted until February 29th at 2359z.

2
News / Jacksonville has a new Webmaster!
« on: November 30, 2023, 08:22:13 AM »
Please join me in congratulating Samuel Valencia in his new role as the ZJX Webmaster! He has been a member of ZJX since 2022 and wants to contribute his time and knowledge to the community. He has an extensive background in website development and will be a great fit for the Jacksonville ARTCC here in VATUSA. Give him a warm welcome!

3
The Control Room Floor / Re: VATUSA Traffic Management Unit: Launch
« on: August 28, 2020, 06:51:36 AM »
Excellent questions asked Evan. I agree with you 100%

Lets be honest with ourselves here...TMU won't really fix anything if ARTCC's don't have the staffing, or the proper training, or poorly designed events. I have seen time and time again ARTCC's staff up for a bordering FNO and even with 3 to 4 controllers still go down the tubes because the controller(s) working the traffic were not trained properly on those type of traffic levels. Conversely I have seen ARTCC's plan and host events into airports that the AAR is so low that FNO level traffic is nearly impossible to fit in there.

I think overall a TMU program is great to have for VATUSA but take it with a grain of salt. Much better time and resources should be spent helping the ARTCC's deal with staffing, training issues and event planning. Perhaps a one or 2 man national TMU person can oversee an entire event such as FNO, big picture eyes on the system type of thing.

4
General Discussion / Re: Changes to FNOs for the time being
« on: April 13, 2020, 09:07:58 AM »
I do hope that VATUSA takes a bigger stake at this issue of FNO's. You will hear a lot of "Let the ARTCC's decide what is best for us..." Well unfortunately its been that way for years and one ARTCC might do a good job, while another one does not resulting in many fluctuations of users experience from pilots to ATC. We are in a unique time period right now for us and we need to adapt, even if its temporary. I think sometimes we forget we are here to provide a service to the pilots (ATC) and we should all try and work together to make sure of a good pilot experience.

Looking forward to what you all come up with.

5
General Discussion / Re: Changes to FNOs for the time being
« on: April 11, 2020, 09:46:55 AM »
Hot take: lets just get rid of FNO. I've been on this network for a long time and the story is always the same, some FNO got jacked up, people are mad, how do we fix it, we don't, rinse and repeat. We bang the same drum every so often and nothing fixes it, what's the point? We've done regional FNO's, we've had crossfires, here we still are, it's not a solution. Either accept that these events draw a lot of traffic and something bad is bound to happen or get rid of it. It's that simple. Until we have the right traffic management tools and policies, and dare I say training, FNO will always be an unorganized free for all that leaves somebody with their panties in a twist.

Honestly....your right. The FNO is outdated, unorganized, and right now IMHO it is impossible to come up with a workable solution to the traffic levels. Cancel/postpone them to June 26th which will allow time to come up with a long term solution to this problem. Let the entire country staff up every Friday from now until then and just the pilots fly where they want to fly. I bet the traffic will spread out immensely, mini light up america every Friday.

6
The Control Room Floor / Re: ACARS - CPDLC
« on: December 26, 2019, 07:04:34 AM »
How are facilities handling ATC codes for now? In the RW its one logon for the entire country, KUSA. However for VATSIM purposes are we doing same thing?

7
Events / Re: [22 Nov 2019 2400-0400z] Boston-Detroit Turkey Trot FNO
« on: November 02, 2019, 07:19:10 AM »
Keep it carb free.  Turbines and fuel injected recips only!

Someone find me a Sailboat!

8
Events / Re: Atlanta Real Ops (KATL) {6/29 2200z-0300z}
« on: June 27, 2019, 10:25:42 AM »
Are you a XP11 simmer and suffer with low frame rates?? (unable to maintain 20FPS)

Do you want to fly in the event and not effect spacing of other aircraft!??

Well download this plugin!

https://forums.x-plane.org/index.php?/files/file/26517-autospeed/

9
Just make it so every controller can control anywhere per their GRP rating all across VATUSA. Then if you want a major airport checkout you seek out a instructor at that facility.

Frankly with the increased effort of the VATUSA training department, I think this is something that needs to be considered. I'd like anyone to show me valid information as to why an S2 in xxx ARTCC shouldn't be able to work a minor field in YYY ARTCC with a written SOP and a copy of airport charts in hand?

It's been suggested, but there are always a handful of vocal facilities that insist that their minor field is SO much more complicated that it couldn't possibly be worked without weeks of training. Maybe it's not a terrible idea if Division would take that under consideration with the training standardization and mandate minor field compliance with GRP...

In a perfect world all ratings would be equal, same knowledge, same experience, etc...
We both know this is not the case. I agree with you in principle but practically speaking it’s not that easy I believe.

The only issue I have heard about certain minors being “harder” then others is where complex airspace exists around the minor field. So in SOCAL/NORCAL and N90 are great examples of this just to name a few. It’s not necessarily working the tower position that is different, it’s underdtanding the airspace that surrounds it. Who do I have to call for release? What altitudes keep VFR traffic clear of a Bravo, etc...It’s much different then a minor airport with just a class C surrounding it that’s not busy, or a Class D airport with just center above. Everyone is so quick to say that would be a GRP violation but in my mind it’s not at all, there is some sense of local knowledge required for every position you work.

If my idea of work anywhere per GRP some serious thought needs to be put into what it takes to get a rating.

10
The Control Room Floor / Whats up with all these visiting agreements?
« on: April 30, 2019, 08:57:01 AM »
So recently in the past year I have seen the visiting agreements start to spring up everywhere all over VATUSA. Some of them go as extensively as allowing transfer of "Major Airport Certifications", others are just agreements for minor fields.

What is the point of being a member of a ARTCC then? If you can join one and visit 9 other places? Is this being used as a recruiting tool to say "hey join my ARTCC!!"??

I guess I am little old school in this but I say revert it back to the way it was done for years....
OR
Just make it so every controller can control anywhere per their GRP rating all across VATUSA. Then if you want a major airport checkout you seek out a instructor at that facility.



11
General Discussion / Re: New Nassau/ZMA Airspace Agreement
« on: February 03, 2019, 08:45:54 AM »


Thank you Matt.  You did touch on a couple of them, although it sounds to me that you guys are playing it by ear for the moment - sort of making it up as you go along.  I will tell you that I disagree with your assessment of the Special Center arrangement; the fact that the three of you decided it wasn't warranted so there is no reason to have to follow those procedures just doesn't seem right.  But it is what it is and if someone with a higher pay grade than mine doesn't make an issue of it who am I too?

I will add something that I left off my other message because i didn't realize it until the FNO Friday night, but you seem to have picked up some of the Miami domestic airspace as well.  Is that correct?  I know I was handed off from ZMO to Nassau and back to ZMA for my decent and I don't remember that ever happening before. Is that true?

Yea like I said I am not sure about the special use airspace or exactly where it came from. All I know it is there and in my opinion not sure if its actually needed.

The FNO this week created some insights to the new airspace arrangement and some errors were found. I am in talks with ZMA in order to make the necessary changes so that the end result is the best for everyone, controllers and pilots.

12
General Discussion / Re: New Nassau/ZMA Airspace Agreement
« on: February 01, 2019, 11:08:17 AM »
Hi Matt.  Interesting stuff.  Can I ask a few questions?  Miami Oceanic is listed as a Special Center in the Global Ratings Policy, thereby requiring separate certification prior to being able to control there. The Letter of Agreement doesn't say that Miami will be providing that training, so how will Nassau controllers work that airspace?  Did you and Fady work that out yet?

Also, doesn't the Miami SOP require CTR certification prior to being eligible to staff ZMO?  If so are Nassau controllers going to be required to go through the ZMA training program in its entirety?

On the administrative side of this change, doesn't a Letter of Agreement between Divisions need to be signed off on by the Regional Director?  So I am guessing that Mark and Leemar have sent it to Nic for his approval?  The copy you posted doesn't have any signatures on it so I couldn't tell.  I know that he knows that the Global Ratings Policy falls under the jurisdiction of the Executive Committee's Letters of Agreement involving Special Airspace so he will have to send the Letter of Agreement to the Executive Committee for their approval. Or has all of this been done already? 

Lastly, has this been coordinated with NY ARTCC at all? Judging from the map it appears as if we will have to change approach procedures into what was domestic ZMA airspace but now belongs to Nassau. I'm guessing there will be new frequencies  and hand off points as well since you have taken over a good chunk of the airspace east of KMIA. This looks like it will also affect flight planning for the next Cross the Pond, should KMIA be selected, but we can deal with that when the time comes I guess.

Anyway, I guess a "good luck" is in order.  I hope the answer to my questions help bring a little clarity to what is happening.


Ira,

Great questions!
First let me link you to the exact LOA signed off by both divisions here
https://nassau.vatcar.org/website/sopsandloas/VATUSA_VATCAR_LOA.pdf

Correct per GRP the ZMO Oceanic Sector is listed as a "special center" which is the equivalent of a Major Endorsement. It is my understanding this was done for the reason of ZMO_CTR working a large area and being able to provide ENROUTE services only (FL180-FL600, no top down service for Nassau or islands). To be honest I am not sure why it is even considered a Special Center since it is just enroute operations, perhaps ZMA can answer why it is a special center. After discussing this issue with Mark and VATCAR leadership we concluded that to work enroute airspace holding C1 rating per the GRP as standard that should suffice. Since Nassau Controllers would actually receive more training then ZMA controllers would, thus satisfying any doubt about the special center. Nassau Controllers are trained to work top down service, while ZMA controller's do not.

As per training the ZMO airspace is literally just a really big radar enroute environment, not a traditional "oceanic airspace" even though its called that. ZMA still owns, delegates, and controls that airspace. Just as the LOA states Nassau controllers only work it when ZMO is OFFLINE, thus providing in theory more ATC services for pilots when ZMO is offline, when they come online we automatically give airspace back to ZMO.

I am awaiting some talks with ZMA for a more detailed LOA to be made to address concerns of routing, altitude assignments, bordering FIR/ARTCC agreements, etc...But simply for now Nassau controllers are required to reference ZMA Enroute SOP's for their sector 58 and 62 which are the Oceanic sectors.

Hope this answers some of your questions for now.

13
General Discussion / New Nassau/ZMA Airspace Agreement
« on: February 01, 2019, 07:14:10 AM »
Apologize if this is not the forum area to post this, if you feel it needs to be moved please do so.

This is a FYI for anyone that flies/controls around the Nassau / ZMO Oceanic areas.


There's been some big changes that have come to the Nassau FIR and Miami Oceanic airspace. We've detailed these new changes on a post on the VATCAR website. Before your next flight around the Bahamas, check this post out to find out about these changes!

https://vatcar.org/website/changes-to-nassau-fir-miami-oceanic-airspace/

14
The Control Room Floor / Re: Mode C on the Ground
« on: January 30, 2019, 01:05:31 PM »
Matt, I was using our airports as an example because I didn’t want to call out specific facilities. DFW is the only airport that has ground radar, so it’s the only one that I would want my controllers ensuring that planes have mode C on and proper codes.

I’m more concerned with the fact that somebody at OKC calls for taxi at Atlantic (using OKC as an example to avoid calling out any particular facility), the controller’s first response shouldn’t be “squawk mode C”. They obviously don’t understand the purpose, and are doing this just because somebody told them to.

Perhaps I should’ve titled this differently. As I keep talking about this, it brings up a lot of other “VATSIMisms” that really need to go away. The only reason these actions continue is because people are taught TO do them, not WHY they’re doing them.

In that case I would strongly recommend filling out feedback to the facility that you see that happening. Chances are it could be a training issue the training department isn't aware of.

Or maybe a facility has adopted a blanket policy to simulate ASDE-X at all their fields for simplicity and ease of training. Never know until you reach out to that specific facility.

15
The Control Room Floor / Re: Mode C on the Ground
« on: January 30, 2019, 07:48:23 AM »
Mark,

As ATM of a facility you have the ability to dictate local procedures for what you feel is right/needed.

Example:
At ZTL a few years ago we came out with self installer VRC/VSTAR files that would not just install the software, also put all control positions set in as "profiles". So if you wanted to work ATL TWR you select that profile, if you wanted PDK_TWR you would select that profile.

So to answer your question a little more directly this allowed us to setup the radar modes, color profiles, everything to airport specific conditions. In ATL to simulate ASDE-X we would use ARTS as the radar mode for TWR with realistic data tag mode on. This would force our controllers to make sure aircraft were squawking right code and it was on when they called for taxi (on the ASDEX map). In order to "see" the callsign of the aircraft calling for taxi the plane would HAVE to be squawking mode C with correct code (QL function on). While simulating realism this also greatly fixed any issues of pilots taking off with wrong or no squawk code, it was a win-win.

For other small airports like HKY_TWR we would set the default to TOWER radar mode or something similar as they do not have ASDE-X.

My point is you can adopt a similar policy or standard if you want to simulated ASDE-X at DFW. Make it part of your training program to setup the radar in a certain way, make sure students know the difference, etc...And if you don't really care to much about the 100 other TWR airports in your airspace thats your decision to make there also.

Only other advice I can give you is never look at something "is it really that important?" If its done in the Real World do not underestimate the enjoyment from the pilots. If its something extremely simple like SWK MODE C that one little extra step of realism might make a pilots day. From my experience this has been proven time and time again.

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