Getting started

Welcome to the wonderful (and challenging) world of Air Traffic Control. This section is designed to help you get online for the first time so that you can observe how it all works. It assumes you want to control in the UK, and even maybe with the Essex RAM.

This involves:

Registration with VATSIM

Joining VATSIM-UK

Downloading the software

ASRC v1.1 - the recommended software (does not require Roger Wilco)         a) Installing and configuring         b) Observers guide

ASRC v1/Roger Wilco - legacy software         a) Installing and configuring         b) Observers guide

Registration with VATSIM

1. Go to www.vatsim.net and click on "Join now"
2. Complete the registration form, stating your preferred region as Europe
3. You will be given your CID (Controller Identification number) - write it down and don't lose it!
4. You will receive a verification message by e-mail, usually within a few minutes. Click on the verification link, which will confirm to VATSIM that your e-mail address is correct.
5. You will get immediate on-screen confirmation that your password has been sent. You will then receive your password by e-mail, usually within a few minutes. It is a number rather than a word, and you cannot change it yourself, so keep it safe!
6. The on-screen confirmation provides a link to select your division. You will need your CID and password to do this. Select the UK. (If you want to do this later you can do so on www.vatsim.net, by selecting "ID maintenance").
7. You are now ready to join VATSIM-UK. However, you will need to wait for your registration to be transferred to the Europe database, and this may take up to 48 hours.

Joining VATSIM-UK

1. Go to www.vatsim-uk.net, click on "Join" and enter your CID.
2. Select an ACC (Area Control Centre). This should be the area in which you want to start controlling. It is best to start with London, Manchester or Scottish. If you want to join the Essex RAM, then select the London ACC.
3. That's it! You are now ready to open ProController and log on for the first time.

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Downloading the software

To be an air traffic controller you need a program which will turn your computer into a radar and information screen, and allow you to communicate with pilots and other controllers. Vatsim controllers use ASRC (Advanced Simulated Radar Client), which closely resembles the real radar screens used by ATCOs in the USA.  I recommend using ASRC v 1.1, which was released in November 2003, as this has built-in voice capabilities as well as various other improvements.

The instructions for setting up previous programmes, ASRC v1 and ProController will remain available on this website for the foreseeable future.

Other programs you may want to use as well are Roger Wilco, ServInfo, and ATCA (Air Traffic Control Assistant)

All these programs are free and their authors have our heartfelt gratitude for this.

Step-by-step instructions for installing and configuring the controller software are available by clicking on the links.  Please note that the Roger Wilco configuration is different for ProController and ASRC.