The Side by Side ATC Podcast

In this episode, I talk about what you can expect from the fourth week of the enroute academy.

During this week, you will finish your lessons on separation( If you haven't already). You will learn how to read and forward the weather. You will have several "Part Tasks" and walk-throughs where you go through a scenario as a class. You will learn how to remote the scenarios and have a full day of remote practice in class. You will be surprised how much better you get in just 1 class.

After that, you are in the Non-radar Labs.

The scenarios will get harder and harder each day. They will follow a fairly manageable rate of increase initially. That rate of increase will get much more difficult starting in week 5.

At the end of week 4, you will get to watch one of your instructors do a demo for you. They will run a scenario and discuss what they are thinking during each step. This is a very good way to see how someone does this who has a lot of experience. Make sure you pay attention and:

ASK QUESTIONS!

There will be information in every scenario that you will need later. Make sure you get that information!!

The most important thing to remember about the non-radar labs is that you will never be able to get as good as you need to be by ONLY running scenarios in class. You will HAVE to practice at home with classmates. That is the only way to get good enough to be able to succeed on your evals!!

At the end of the episode, I give some of my thoughts on the news conference given by the Sec of Transportation, the Acting Head of the FAA, and the NATCA President.

Thank you all for listening!!

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to email me at [email protected] .

You can also go to the website at attrawell.com/sidebysideatccom . If you want to set up a FREE phone call, you can either email me or go to the website to set that up. I would love to talk about where you are in your ATC journey, and how we can get you to your goal.

In this episode, I talk about what you can expect in the 3rd week of the enroute academy.

During this week, you will have your MAP TEST! Yes, the first 2 points of the academy are there for you to take.

Aside from that, you will finish up lessons on Holding and Approaches. Then you get into all of the different ways to separate aircraft, such as:

• vertical
• lateral
• longitudinal
• visual

These are very important to at least begin to understand. Don't let your instructors escape if you have questions about any of this!!

You will also have a lesson on Non-radar lab procedures. These are the rules you HAVE to obey when doing the non-radar scenarios. This lesson CAN NOT be the only time you go over this information! You have to know this information better than the evaluators and that will not be accomplished by going over it once in class!!!!

One thing to mention: these lessons will be given in order, but may not take as much time as the class schedule indicated. Most Lead Instructors try to get ahead of the schedule so they can give you more time to practice in the classroom.

Thank you all for listening!!

If you have a question, email me at [email protected] . If I can't answer via email or text, we can set up a no-cost phone call to help you get where you need to be.

If you want to look into having my help through any section of the academy, go to attrawell.com/sidebysideatccom what you need.

Have a great week!!

In this episode, I talk about what you can expect from the second week of the enroute academy.

During this week, you will have a LOT of opportunities to study your map and prepare for your map test( which comes up next week!).

You will finish off a lesson from week 1 on coordination and what information to forward to other sectors and facilities. You will be going over your LOA's( Letters of Agreement) that you have with other facilities. You will have a lesson on General Control and then get into a very important lesson for non-radar: Board Management.

Now you start getting into the lessons that are so important to doing well in non-radar. They include: route assignments, altitude assignments, departure procedures, and holding procedures. All of these are very important for you going into the non-radar lab.

Now you are in the heart of the Academy. The information is going to come at you fast. Make sure you ask questions when you need to; and you will need to.

If you have questions after asking your Lead or A-Lead, let me know at [email protected] . I want to make sure you don't get to a point where you are stumped and don't know what to do next!

We can set up a time for a no-cost phone call so I can help you.

If you decide you are interested in a coach, you can get more information about my programs at attrawell.com/sidebysideatccom .

Thank you all for listening!

Have a great week!

In this episode, I begin a new series that will take us through the enroute Academy week by week.

S0, this week I start with week 1 of the enroute academy.

Your first week is all about the basics that you will need for the rest of the course, not just for non-radar. Included in the first week are an airspace lesson, a lesson on using the radios and lines to talk to pilots and other controllers, a lesson on the flight progress strips you will use in non-radar and how to record information on those strips. You finish with a lesson on how to forward information to another controller.

That is the first week. It may not sound like much, but you are also having to learn the airspace map in preparation for the map test that comes up in a couple of weeks.

This begins the balancing act you have to do for the rest of your time in OKC. Concentrate on each lesson, review each lesson, go over each lesson until you know the information inside and out, while also studying for the next test. Not an easy exercise.

Thanks for listening!

If you have any questions, please email me at [email protected] .

You can get information about my coaching program at attrawell.com/sidebysideatccom .

You can also arrange a free call where we can talk about where you are on your journey to becoming an air traffic controller and how I might be able to help, or how I can walk through this journey with you, Side by Side.

Have a great week!

In this episode, I finish my walk through John Maxwell's book "Success is a Choice." This episode is about Lean in to Teamwork.

If there is one thing that will always be needed by air traffic controllers it is teamwork.

I talk about Teamwork Truths:

• Teamwork divides the effort and multiplies the effect.
• Talent wins games, but teamwork wins championships.
• Teamwork is not about you.
• Great teams create community.
• Adding value to others adds value to you.

I then talk about:

How To Lean Into Teamwork

• Buy into the law of significance. I give you a challenge from John Maxwell's book. Email me if you have an answer!
• Include a team in your dream.
• Develop your team.
• Give the credit for success to the team.

I end this section with a quote from John's book: "A talented person who is part of a team-- in the right place on the right team-- becomes more than they ever could on their own. That Is What It Means To Be A Success."

I then spend some time reviewing what we have gone over in this series and gave my thoughts and vision for why we did this, what we can each gain from it, and my vision for each of you as you continue in your career as an air traffic controller.

Thank you for listening! Have a great week!

If you have any questions, comments, or answers to my challenge, you can email me at [email protected] .

If you want some information about my coaching program for students at the FAA Academy, the website is attrawell.com/sidebysideatccom .

In this episode, I continue our journey through John Maxwell's book "Success is a Choice."

This week the topics include:

• Cultivate Good Relationships
• Commit to Responsibility

First I look at cultivating good relationships and how that is so important when you are at the Academy.

I look at the impact that good relationships have as well as the impact that negative relationships can have.

I then look at the 5 signs of a good relationship:

• Mutual enjoyment
• Respect
• Shared experiences
• Trust
• Reciprocity

I then take a look at the need to commit to responsibility.

I start by talking about how responsibility helps your talent by:

• Providing the foundation of success
• leads to more responsibility
• Maximizes your ability and opportunity
• Builds a solid reputation

"It is priceless to find a person(student) who will take responsibility, who will finish and follow through to the final detail."

Then, I talk about responsibility in action:

• Start where you are
• Choose your friends wisely
• Stop blaming others
• Learn responsibility's major lessons
• Make tough decisions and stand by them
• Live beyond yourself

Remember- If you want your life to be a magnificent story, then realize you are its author. Every day you have the chance to write a new page in that story."

Thank you for listening.

If you have a question or comment, you can email me at [email protected] .

You can find information about the Side by Side ATC Coaching Program at attrawell.com/sidebysideatccom .

In this episode, I answer the questions: What is non-radar and how can I identify traffic using the flight progress strips?

Non-Radar is exactly that...you have to separate aircraft without using radar. There are rules you can use to make that happen. The non-radar section of the Academy is designed to take you from no knowledge to where you can work some fairly complex traffic.

How do you use the strips to identify traffic?

I talk about how you can use W-H-A-T to find the restrictions you need to get aircraft from where they are to where they want to be safely. I also talk about how you will want to write all of this on paper in case you get interrupted.

Then, we talked about your pre-plan checklist and how important it is to your success in non-radar.

If you have a comment or question, email me at [email protected] .

If you want more information about my coaching program for Academy students, go to attrawell.com/sidebysideatccom .

Thank you all for listening! Have a great week!

In this episode, I continue my talk about John Maxwell's book "Success is a Choice."

This week, I cover the topics: Become More Teachable

Develop Strong Character.

First:

Become More Teachable

Talked about the fact that teachability is all about attitude! If you desire to learn, YOU CAN!! If you continue to learn, you WILL continue to grow!

Truths about teachability-

• Nothing is interesting if you are not interested.
• Successful people view learning differently from those who are unsuccessful.
• Learning is meant to be a process not an event.
• Talented people can be the toughest to teach.
• Pride is the number 1 hindrance to teachability.

I covered the problems with pride and how to overcome pride.

Then, we tapped into teachability:

• Learn to listen
• Understand the learning process
• Look for and plan for teachable moments
• Make your teachable moments count
• Ask yourself: Am I really teachable??

"Everything we know we learned from someone else."- John Wooden

Develop Strong Character

The components of Character:

• Self-Discipline
• Core Values
• A Sense of Identity
• Integrity

Character Communicates...

• Consistency
• Choices
• Influence
• Longevity

Character protects your talent, and it also guards you from regret.

Building Character:

• Don't give up or give in to adversity
• Do the right thing
• Take control of your life

You have God-given talent; Develop it!

You have opportunity before you; Pursue it!

You have a future that is bright; Look forward to it!

But, above all else, you have the potential to become a person of character; Follow through with it!

Thank you for listening!

You can always reach me with a question or comment at [email protected] .

You can get information about my coaching program for Academy students at attrawell.com/sidebysideatccom . If you have any questions about the programs, you can set up a no-obligation phone call, or email me.

In this episode, I discuss the next chapters from John Maxwell's Book "Success is a Choice". I talk about how we can learn and use these ideas in our journey as air traffic controllers.

First, today, I talked about:

EMBODY PERSEVERANCE

I talked about the Principles of Perseverance-

· Perseverance means succeeding because you are determined to, not destined to.

· Perseverance recognizes life is not a long race but many short ones in succession.

· Perseverance is needed to release MOST of life's rewards.

· Perseverance draws sweetness out of adversity.

· Perseverance has a compounding effect on life.

· Perseverance means stopping not because you're tired but because the task is done.

· Perseverance doesn't demand more than we have, but ALL THAT WE HAVE.

I also talked about the enemies of perseverance-

· A lifestyle of giving up.

· A wrong belief that life should be easy.

· A wrong belief that success is a destination.

· A lack of resiliency.

· A lack of vision.

How do you multiply your perseverance?

· Purpose- Find one

· Excuses- Eliminate them

· Stamina- Develop some

Next, I talked about:

DEMONSTRATE COURAGE

"You can do nothing worthwhile without courage."

Why does talent need Courage?

Your courage will be tested when...

· You seek a truth that you know may be painful.

· When change is needed but inactivity is more comfortable.

· When your convictions are challenged.

· When learning and growing will display your weakness.

· When you take the high road even as others treat you badly.

· When being "out front" makes you an easy target.

· Whenever you face obstacles to your progress.

Where do you find courage?

· Look for courage inside, not outside, yourself

· Grow in courage by doing the right thing instead of the easy thing

· Take small steps of courage to prepare you for greater ones

· Recognize that a leadership position won't give you courage, but courage can make you a leader

· Watch your horizons expand with each courageous act.

Remember: The opposite of courage is not cowardice, it is conformity.

Thank you for listening!!

If you have a question, or comment, please email me at [email protected] .

You can find information about my coaching program at attrawell.com/sidebysideatccom .

Have a great week and remember that we are all on this ATC journey

Side by Side!

In this episode, I continue my talk about John Maxwell's book "Success is a Choice".

I am talking this week about:

• Value Preparation
• Why people fail to prepare
• Preparation principles

• Embrace Practice
• The power of practice
• The 5 Pillars of practice
• The Extra that makes people successful

I ended by talking about striving for excellence and how the only way to achieve excellence at the Academy is with purposeful and continued practice.

Thank you for listening!!

You can find more information about the Side by Side ATC Coaching Program at attrawell.com/sidebysideatccom .

If you have any questions, contact me at [email protected] . If you would like to schedule a no-obligation phone call, to talk about where you are in your ATC journey, email me. I'd be happy to talk to you.

It you want to find more of the amazing music I have on the show, he just put out a new album and you can find it at gregorianrock.com .