Velana Airport – ATC like nowhere else

Posted: 3 April 2025

As part of a short tour of the region, Visual Managing Director, Michael Rowland paid a visit to the AACC and Training Centre of Maldives National Air Traffic Service (MNATS) at Velana International Airport in Male (below).

In the past five years, the expert team at MNATS have implemented local training programs in Enroute/Area and Approach control that had previously been outsourced. Additionally, over this period, airspace and procedure changes have been promulgated to modernise and streamline arrivals procedures. This is evidence of a forward-looking and dynamic organisation.

The Approach Control environment at Velana is perhaps unlike any other in the world, given the intense seaplane activity into the adjacent seaport, operating alongside a busy international runway that connects the Maldives to more than 30 destinations across 20 countries.

Rowland with Mr Shahid Hussain

We extend our thanks to Mr Shahid Hussain (General Manager – ATS, pictured above) and his team for a warm welcome and an insightful discussion on the unique challenges of ATC training in this extraordinary environment.

Strengthening Partnerships in ATC Training Innovation: Visual Vectoring and CAUC

Posted: 14 January 2025

It is always a pleasure to meet with our long-standing partners at the Civil Aviation University of China (CAUC), with whom Visual Vectoring has collaborated since 2017. During our recent visit, discussions centered on the innovative new training system, TULIP (Task-based Ultra Learning Intelligent Platform), which is being implemented across universities and operational sites throughout China.

CAUC Staff meet with VV

TULIP is the creation of Master Yongxin Liu (pictured above second from left, alongside Teacher Brian Zhao, Visual Vectoring Managing Director Michael Rowland, and Ivy Liu from Beijing Connected Vision Technology). Master Liu shared insights into the platform’s development, explaining how his classroom observations revealed that younger students, accustomed to technology-driven environments, often struggled with traditional learning methods. Determined to address this, he spearheaded the creation of TULIP in collaboration with fellow CAUC academics.

The TULIP platform offers an adaptive community learning environment, leveraging a variety of data collection methods to tailor educational experiences to individual preferences. In the field of ATC training, TULIP’s associated technologies enable students to collaborate effectively and build meaningful connections with experienced air traffic controllers.

At Visual Vectoring, we are exploring opportunities to integrate our standalone training and simulation solutions with the TULIP API. We look forward to collaborating with Master Liu and the experts at CAUC to enhance aviation training experiences further.

 

CAFUC ATC Training on the move

Posted: 24 December 2024

Last week, the Visual Vectoring team met with Dean Yang Qichang and Madam Professor Wu at the Civil Aviation Flight University of China (CAFUC) in Guanghan, Sichuan Province. The meeting focused on the continued integration of Visual Vectoring technology into CAFUC’s air traffic control (ATC) training programs.

Pictured below (left to right) are ATC Instructors Mr. Guo and Mr. Zuo Haiqing, Visual Vectoring Managing Director Michael Rowland, and Dean Yang Qichang.

VV Meeting with CAFUC

 

CAFUC is in the process of relocating its ATC training delivery to a new, state-of-the-art campus near Chengdu Tianfu International Airport. This move will involve transferring all simulation and teaching resources to the new facility.

Visual Vectoring has been collaborating with CAFUC since 2011, and this visit is likely our final one to the iconic Guanghan campus (pictured below). We look forward to continuing our partnership and reconnecting with the CAFUC team at their new campus in Tianfu in 2025.

CAFUC Guanghan campus

 

Sharing training insights with Indian ATC experts

Posted: 2 October 2024

Visual Vectoring Managing Director, Michael Rowland, has visited the Civil Aviation Training College (CATC) at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India. The meeting was hosted by Executive Director, Mr Shri K Vasudevan and attended by senior management and ATC instructors.

The CATC is the primary institution for Air Traffic Control (ATC) training under the Airports Authority of India (AAI), offering a comprehensive range of ATC courses aligned with ICAO standards, including Aerodrome Control, Approach Control, and Enroute/Area Control. Trainees gain practical experience through cutting-edge radar and tower simulators, preparing them to handle real-world air traffic management with confidence and expertise.

During the visit, Visual Vectoring’s on-demand ATC simulator training technology was demonstrated using CATC’s internet connection, with a focus on the VVEnroute, VVStack, and VVCompSep courses. The CATC team provided valuable feedback on how Visual Vectoring’s training solutions could integrate into their impressive and inclusive courseware.

The visit also included a tour of the CATC’s modern campus, featuring advanced ATC labs and simulators. The campus boasts comfortable accommodation, a well-stocked library with extensive aviation resources, and recreational areas designed to support both learning and well-being.

Visual Vectoring would like to extend our sincere thanks to Mr. Vasudevan for his warm hospitality and invaluable insights during our visit to CATC. We look forward to future collaborations.

 

 

Meeting preparations in Colombo

Posted: 22 September 2024

The Visual Vectoring team is in Colombo to meet with training experts at the Sri Lanka Airport & Aviation Academy (SLAAA), the primary institution for training Air Traffic Controllers in the country. National elections are taking place this weekend, so the streets are quiet. There could be no better place to make our preparations than the stunning Galle Face Hotel.

SLAAA offers comprehensive air traffic control (ATC) training in alignment with ICAO standards, covering basic skills, surveillance and procedural control, aerodrome control, approach, and area control. Using advanced simulators, they provide practical training for managing real-world traffic and emergencies. SLAAA also offers refresher and on-the-job training to maintain high standards of ATC proficiency for experienced controllers.

The Chief Instructor for ATC, Mr. Thivanka Weerasinghe, will be hosting our visit, and we are excited to showcase our on-demand simulation capabilities, including both our foundational training programs and more specialized competency-based offerings.

 

 

 

Visual Vectoring travels to Hong Kong to discuss ATC surveillance training

Posted: 7 May 2024

Visual Vectoring has visited the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department’s (HKCAD) training center at the Chek Lap Kok International Airport to discuss an expanded role for VV technology in HKCAD’s Air Traffic Control training courses.

HKCAD was the earliest adopter of VV Approach (VVA), first using it in 2011. Since then, VVA has been regarded as an invaluable tool to equip trainees with the unconscious visual skills needed to achieve a rating on the extremely complex Hong Kong Approach airspace. During the meeting, hosted by Mr T.M. Wong (Senior Training Manager, HKCAD), discussions centered around suggested improvements to the program, as well as the potential implementation of other VV products in the Enroute and safety training areas.

Discussions of this sort underscore HKCAD’s commitment to optimizing their enviable ATC training programs. At Visual Vectoring, we are committed to contributing our expertise to enhance these capabilities further and we look forward to continuing our successful partnership.

Pictured, left to right, are Ken Lam (Training Officer Approach 2), Danny Tsui (Training Officer Enroute), Michael Rowland (VV Managing Director) and Steve Lo (Training Officer Approach 1).

Meeting with Academic Staff at PhilSCA

Posted: 13 March 2024

Following the recent renewal of the use of VVEnroute at the Philippine State College of Aeronautics, Managing Director Michael Rowland, met with Mr. James Albert G. Obispo, J.D. – Dean, Institute of Liberal Arts and Sciences (pictured below on the left) and Professor Marwin M. Dela Cruz, Ph.D. – College President, PhilSCA (right).

President Dela Cruz offered insightful suggestions on how PhilSCA could participate in preparatory training for the official ATC course offered by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. Further discussions with the academic team covered transitioning to cloud-based delivery, enhancing the speech recognition program, and expanding the VVEnroute program to make it accessible to a larger number of students.

We look forward to a collaboration with our local partner, Mr. Lioniel Ponce of CAME Techgroup, to support PhilSCA in maintaining its outstanding standard of aviation-focused education.

Discussing Future Directions at PATTS

Posted: 11 March 2024

It has been four years since the Visual Vectoring team has had the opportunity to visit our friends at the PATTS College of Aeronautics in Manila. PATTS students have been using our training technology for nearly ten years, and it is always instructive to meet with Academic staff as we are able to gain insights into the specific factors that contribute to the success of our partnership.

Present at the meeting (pictured below left to right) were Engineer Jose Eduardo Valdez – College President and CEO, Attorney Anna Katrina Cruz – Vice President for Administrative Affairs, Visual Vectoring Managing Director Michael Rowland, Engineer Joy Cosme Amores Junior – Vice President for Academic Affairs and Doctor Emelita Javier – Vice President for Student Affairs.

Following a discussion on the effective usage of our software, the benefits that the students have accrued and future opportunities, we took a tour of the Visual Vectoring lab, which has been set up with corrals to prevent background noise issues during simulation. Later, we enjoyed a delicious lunch of Filipino cuisine (including some interesting condiments). Another fantastic visit to PATTS – it will not be as long until our next one.

Training Capability at CAUC

Posted: 15 December 2023

On the final stop of our trip to China, we checked in with Master Liu (pictured below with Visual Vectoring Managing Director Michael Rowland) and VV specialist Brian Zhao to discuss the implementation of our technology. The CAUC academic team have devised innovative ways to use VV products and provided us with valuable feedback, including the use of the Speech Recognition system. We undertook to provide some assistance in this regard.

Master Liu was kind enough to provide us with a tour highlighting the impressive range of simulation options available to their students, including this tabletop simulator that provides basic (but effective) SME training at low cost.

Visit to CAFUC, Guanghan

Posted: 13 December 2023

The VV Team has been visiting our friends at the Civil Aviation Flying University of China in Guanghan for more than ten years. We are very proud to be supplying CAFUC with our VVApproach and VVEnroute courses and look forward to partnering with them as they transition to a new ATC training facility near Chengdu.

We owe particular thanks to Master Pan, who has been a steadfast supporter of our technology for a long period. Pictured below is Visual Vectoring Managing Director, Michael Rowland, with Ivy Liu of Beijing Connected Vision Technology and the CAFUC academic team.