Helping Young Pilots Overcome ATC ‘Mic Fright’!

Air Traffic Controller Nick Forsman helped students learn about airport operations and flying patterns in a simulation. The students got to practice talking with ATC just like real pilots.‍

The flight simulator room at EAA Chapter 234 was filled with the sounds of pilots talking to air traffic control (ATC). Fourteen students who had never spoken with ATC before were learning how, with the help of Nick Forsman, a volunteer and experienced air traffic controller.

A month before, we were trying to figure out how to help our Young Eagles get over "mic fright." Mic fright is when pilots are nervous about talking to air traffic control.

To solve this problem, we created a special workshop. We used six connected flight simulators to create a learning space like the KTVC airport. This let students practice flying, navigating, and talking to ATC all at the same time. They also had to watch out for other students in planes, just like in real life.

Four key innovations made this workshop special:

1. 1. All six flight simulators were in a shared online "world." Each pilot had a unique call sign and could see the other pilots in the simulation. They could practice taxiing and doing touch-and-go landings.
   2. We invited Nick, who has 17 years of experience as an ATC, to work with the students. (Fun fact: Nick was once a Young Eagle himself!)
   3. We created a virtual air traffic control tower for Nick. He had a live traffic map and virtual views of the airport, just like in an actual tower.
   4. The same day, we took the students to visit the real ATC tower at KTVC to help them learn even more.

Unlike just visiting a tower or listening to a classroom lesson, this hands-on approach worked really well.

The students were very involved. More experienced Young Eagles helped the new ones. We gave them scripts to help them talk to ATC, which boosted their confidence. By the end of the 45-minute session, students were comfortable talking to Nick and asking questions about longer flights.

When we made fake emergency situations happen (like engine failures), Nick showed how ATC helps in those cases. Nick was impressed with the simulation setup, saying the map was even better than the one in the real tower.

Our experiment showed three main things:

1. Talking to a real air traffic controller in a classroom makes young people feel more comfortable with ATC.
2. Practicing flying and talking to ATC at the same time is the best way to learn at first.
3. Having multiple students fly in a shared simulation makes it more engaging for everyone.

This workshop worked better than just visiting the tower, having classroom lessons, using online platforms like VATSIM, or other apps. By making a supportive place where young people can practice flying and talking to ATC, we are helping the next generation of pilots become more confident.

EAA Chapter 234 extends heartfelt thanks:

• KTVC Air Traffic Controller and EAA 234 member, Nick Forsman, and Young Eagles Volunteers: Jim Sorbie, Byron and Dan Bolton, Fred Page, Bill Ross and Gary Ralston made the session work.
• Special thanks to FlightSim contributors: the Magiera Family, David and Maralen Goodenough, the estate of Bill Julian and True Course Simulations.
• We appreciate the support from developers, Steve Goldberg (ABC) and Alexander Barthel (Little Navmap), and other interested community members on X-Plane.org for helping us make a virtual ATC solution.
• Finally, we thank Legacy Aviation for providing a place for these activities.