The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in collaboration with the National Air Traffic Control Association (NATCA), has formed a national workgroup to develop the No-Experience Direct Hire Initial Screen (NDIS) for New Hire Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs). This workgroup consists of core team members from the Office of Safety and Technical Training (AJI-2), NATCA, Technical Requirements and Forecasting Team (AJG-P2), and Air Traffic Facility Managers (AJT).

The purpose of the workgroup is to recommend and implement solutions to address the challenges of placing employees with no prior Air Traffic Control (ATC) experience into level 10 and above terminal radar approach control (TRACON) facilities. Due to their critical staffing levels and the impacts to the National Aerospace System, the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (N90) was chosen to be the first facility addressed.

The workgroup will be conducting activities on location at N90 to implement improvements to their training program, however, through gap analysis, the FAA Academy has been tasked to perform activities that are critical to the success of this initiative.

The FAA Academy’s Air Traffic Division (AMA-500) has closely collaborated with the NDIS Workgroup and is adding content and redesigning the Basic Terminal Radar Course (RTF), and the TRACON Skill Enhancement Workshop. In addition, AMA-500 is developing a new course to specifically add volume and complexities encountered at Large TRACON facilities. This course, the Ten Eleven Twelve Radar Assessment (TETRA), will provide training and the evaluation of candidates to identify successful performance in a high fidelity simulation. Course content includes:

• The RTF Course is being extended from 21 to 25 days to include chunk and apply learning with ascending volume and complexity. New and reinforced content will include Wake Recategorization, Wake Turbulence Mitigation, FUSION, Weather and PIREPs, Unmanned Aircraft Systems, IFR to VFR Conflict Resolution, Performance Based Navigation and Best Practices.


• The TSEW Course is being extended from 15 to 21 days to include additional training for satellite airport operations and departure operations. New content will include in-depth academic learning of Class B Airspace Services and Separation, Wake Turbulence Mitigation Application, Wake Recategorization Application and Performance Based Navigation procedures and phraseology.


• The TETRA Course is being developed as a 20-day course utilizing blended learning for academics and part-task training. It will include Refresher Training from RTF and TSEW, New Airspace Sectors, New Instrument Procedures, an additional airport and unique traffic flows around shelved airspace and prohibited areas. Candidates will receive simulation training on Departure sectors, Feeder and Final sectors combined and Satellite sectors. Assessments of the candidates’ performance will be conducted during the last two days of the course.

Working with aggressive timelines, AMA-500 is utilizing contract support to accomplish testing for all new and repurposed scenario development. In addition to testing, AMA-500 is also working closely with contract support management to ensure time is allotted for instructor training and certification as well as Remote Pilot Operators to accommodate the additional FY18 student quota for this initiative.

Abby Smith, Director of ATO Technical Training (AJI-2) commented, “AMA is doing a great job on problem development. Having a great round table at the end of the day provides valuable feedback to the developers.” Tom Adcock, Air Traffic Control Specialist (ESD-ZMA) who is also satisfied with the progress of development said, “TETRA is awesome; We all think so!”

A new classroom and lab are being built to accommodate up to 18 students for candidates on the TETRA training path. The Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center’s Office of Facility Management (AMP) is supporting this effort with classroom and laboratory preparation in the Radar Training Facility that includes extensive renovation including: carpentry, electrical work, lighting, painting and carpeting.

AMA-500 is receiving support from Technical Operation Training Division (AMA-400), and the National Airspace Technical Services Division (AMA-900) in the form of project planning, equipment installation and expertise, and graphics from the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) Elite to include in courseware.

The overall team effort for this project has been exemplary and the project is on schedule with the first delivery to begin on January 3, 2018. All FAA personnel in the Terminal Radar Training Unit (AMA-512) and support personnel from the Plans and Programs Branch (AMA-520) have been dedicating all available time to this project, including adjusting their work schedules, working 10 hour days a few times a week and one Saturday each month to meet deadlines.