Since 2014, training with VV Enroute has been a popular elective of PATTS Engineering and Technology Programs. Now with the adoption of Control Zone(tm) and cloud delivery, the future is even brighter.
In 2014, Engr. Lorenzo Naval Jr., Vice President (Academic Affairs) at PATTS College of Aeronautics in Manila, contacted Visual Vectoring to discuss the use of our technology as part of PATTS degree programs. Engr. Naval was seeking practical simulation training that would offer insight into the world of ATC and provide a unique experience for PATTS students.
Following an evaluation period, the Visual Vectoring team travelled to Manila and were welcomed by PATTS College President, Engr Jose Eduardo Valdez, who has taken a keen interest in the program. Following an induction of PATTS academic staff into the administration and delivery of our technology the program was launched in late 2014. Three new subjects were generated based on subdivisions of the VV Enroute course and offered as electives in the Engineering and Technology qualifications. Simulation was conducted on existing laboratory PCs with a ratio of about 20 students to one instructor. In the initial rollout, around 400 students made use of the technology.
At the request of PATTS’ academic staff, several customisations were made to the software related to grading, reporting of results, specific callsign telephonies and exercise difficulty. In 2018, the VV Management program was developed and provided to PATTS for better performance management and grade collation. During the COVID lockdowns, PATTS asked for the capability of remote delivery, which we were able to engineer and make available in 2021; first on a third-party Learning Management System, and then on the Control Zone. This served to enable remote access to lessons and exercises that augmented the discussions and demonstrations done on campus at PATTS.
Our contract with PATTS has now been renewed on two occasions and over 4,000 PATTS students have benefitted from Visual Vectoring training. Some have gone on to become Air Traffic Controllers, which Eng. Naval attributes to early hands-on experience: “VV Enroute has emboldened our graduates to qualify for the National Cadet Program for Air Traffic Controllers with encouraging results”.
We are proud to have partnered with an innovative and forward-thinking institution such as PATTS and look forward to continuing our friendship long into the future.