Information for foreign ATCs

This page is created to give some information and rules for foreign air traffic controllers who intend to control in Finnish airspace.

Ivao Rules & Regulations state that the controller must be familiar with the local ATC procedures. All local (Finnish) ATCs participate in the multi-step ATC training program by Ivao Finland before starting to control in Finnish airspace. The training program has been created because we wish to offer a high quality ATC service with standard procedures and radio phraseology all the time and for all pilots, regardless of the controller in duty.

Thus we wish to bring the following rules and information also to foreign controllers who are interested in controlling here. Please remember that this information has been set only because we wish to guarantee a high quality service for pilots.

ATC Rules and Regulations - Finland

• We prefer to man all available ATC locations with local controllers (due to the reasons above). However if this is not possible, other controllers may also control in Finland, as per Ivao rules. However priority should be given to local (Finnish) controllers over ATC positions manned.
  
  
• FRA rating limitations may have been set for different positions. Please make sure you check these before your session.
  
  
• All our Finnish ATCs undrego a training program before they start to control. This includes for example information about the standard procedures and methods used. Although this is not mandatory by Ivao rules, we very highly recommend and wish you to contact our division's training staff before controlling in the Finnish airspace. Naturally in case of a urgent ATC need, and if you are an experienced controller, this may be omitted. But if the ATC duty is known well beforehand, please contact us first and we will arrange a short training / "check" session to make sure you have the information needed.
  
  
• Please note however that we cannot at this time offer any initial training for foreign ATCs due to the high number of local students. Thus we expect an ATC to be already trained to the position level (eg. TWR) he is going to control in and we will only brief the local procedures, differences and other relative issues. Due to the number of new local ATC trainees, and because all our training material is in Finnish language, we cannot offer any comprehensive training for foreign ATCs - please contact your own division for this basic training.
  
  
• ATC must be able to speak English, and preferrably also Finnish, due to the number of local pilots who are just starting their online flying hobby and may not be comfortable with English RTF yet. Official RTF languages in Finland are English and Finnish, so it is preferred that the ATC is able to use both languages.
  
  
• Please note that information and sector files available on IVAO HQ website (database section) are outdated - do not use these as reference material. Sector file for Finland can be found on the Finnish section of our site: ATC sector files.

If you need further information, please contact our division staff.