CHAPTER
3. TECHNICAL TRAINING DISCUSSIONS
Chapter
Content Finder
3-1-1.
OVERVIEW
3-1-2.
DEFINITIONS
3-1-3.
RESPONSIBILITIES
3-1-4.
DOCUMENTATION
To
provide for the continuous enhancement of technical proficiency and correction
of any performance deficiencies in the air traffic workforce, individualized
training requirements for technical performance must be identified and
accomplished. FAA Order 3120.4
provides direction on technical proficiency training that shall be followed in
accomplishing the procedures contained in this chapter.
Technical Training
Discussions (TTD's) are intended to provide formal feedback from first-level
supervisors regarding an employee’s proficiency and to develop plans to
enhance their development as appropriate.
TTD's are not intended to be viewed as "pass/fail", "satisfactory/unsatisfactory", to discuss issues of
conduct, nor employee performance in areas outside of air traffic control.
TTD's are not intended to be based upon a single, "snapshot"
observation, but rather a summary of observations by the employee’s
first-level supervisor, the employee, or other supervisors/staff specialists
within the work unit, since the previous TTD. In preparation, supervisors
should document in their supervisory notes their own observations, along with
those forwarded by others, as well as formal documentation such as QAR’s, or
operational errors.
EXAMPLE-
Some
technical areas that may be addressed:
Phraseology, Interphone Usage, Emergency Handling, and Impact of Actions, Coordination,
Sequencing, Speed Control (ground speed vs. indicated airspeed), Application
of Visual Separation, Application of Visual approaches, etc.
a.
Proficiency: Knowing, understanding, and applying air traffic
procedures in a safe and efficient manner.
b.
Performance: The act of operating in a proficient manner.
a.
The first-level supervisor shall
accomplish the following for each of their employees who are certified on at
least one operational position:
(1)
Continuously assess the employees’ technical proficiency through
both direct and indirect methods. Think
of the TTD as a means of addressing not only performance deficiencies, but a
means of addressing performance improvement as well. Indirect
methods may include remote monitoring, tape reviews, Continuous Data Recording
(CDR) playback, Radar Audio Playback Terminal Operations Recording (RAPTOR),
the Systematic Air Traffic Operational Research Initiative (SATORI), and any
other playback tool that may be available.
NOTE:
SATORI/RAPTOR combines radar data recorded in the HOST/ARTS/STARS/EARTS
computer system and digital voice recordings for a visual and audio display of
information. This allows review of aircraft and air traffic situations within
requested time and airspace parameters. SATORI/RAPTOR may be used as a
"lessons learned" performance management tool to recreate the events
that contributed to an OE/OD, incident, accident, or other operational
scenarios.
(2)
Using the appropriate job
functions and indicators described in FAA Order 3120.4 as a guide, develop and
direct individualized proficiency training as appropriate.
NOTE:
Technical performance issues consist of areas of knowledge and application
that might benefit from training. These
issues are not necessarily areas of deficiency. An employee may demonstrate
overall acceptable technical proficiency, but might benefit from technical
training in the application of a particular skill or task.
(3)
At least once every six months,
conduct technical training discussions about the employees’ individualized
proficiency and any assigned training that has been accomplished, since the
last TTD, and/or will be conducted to address technical proficiency issues in
the near future. If no new
technical proficiency issues have been identified, a documented discussion
shall still take place to advise the employee of this and of regional,
national and/or facility trends. Additionally,
these discussions shall be conducted:
(a)
Whenever the first-level
supervisor identifies an area in an employees’ technical proficiency that
might benefit from individualized technical training.
(b)
No later than 6 months from the
employees’ previously documented technical training discussion.
(c)
No later than 60 days after the
first-level supervisor assumes supervisory responsibility for an employee who
has not had a technical training discussion documented during the previous 6
months.
NOTE:
TTD’s are
intended to provide first-level supervisors a formal process to address or
re-address identified proficiency issues and maintain a history of proficiency
discussions.
(4)
Ensure all technical training
identified is completed in a timely manner.
(5)
Ensure all discussions conducted
under this chapter are documented as described in paragraph 3-1-4,
Documentation.
b.
Certain first-level supervisors may
be unable to observe their employees’ technical proficiency on a regular,
on-going basis. An example of such
a situation might be supervisors who are not permanently assigned to the same
facility as their employees’, or supervisors whose span of supervision is so
broad as to prohibit routine, meaningful observations of all their employees’.
The ATD Manager may waive the TTD requirements for employees’ in such cases,
provided that alternative procedures are first established that ensure each
employee receives regular, meaningful observation and feedback on their
technical performance, and appropriate proficiency training. An example of such
a program might be a process for peer review between en-route operations
supervisors, with specific expectations for direct observations, feedback on
areas for improved proficiency, and coordination of results with their immediate
supervisors.
c.
Facility staff assigned quality
assurance responsibilities shall:
(1)
At least once every 12 months
complete a report, describing all technical training that was assigned and
completed through the TTD process. This
report shall be designed to allow the ATM to identify recurring and significant
proficiency training needs in order to develop effective future facility
training plans.
(2)
Notify the employees’ first-level
supervisor, in a timely manner, of any employees’ technical proficiency
issues, which they identify through routine QA initiatives.
d.
The ATM shall:
(1)
Identify, in writing, facility
proficiency training objectives and ensure those objectives are met.
(2)
Identify, in writing, facility
technical performance trends and ensure appropriate follow-up action is
completed.
(3)
Ensure that first-level supervisors
have access to employees’ training records, in the course of their official
duties.
e.
The Employee may:
(1)
Request and receive a tape of
his/her own session to facilitate and assist self-development activities. The self-critique, if discussed with the employee’s
supervisor, may be included in the employee’s technical training discussion.
a.
Each technical training discussion
shall be documented in the employees’ FAA Form 3120-1, Training and
Proficiency Record, in accordance with FAA Order 3120.4.
b.
A record of discussion documenting
the content of each TTD shall be retained in the facility's records for 1 year
from the date of the discussion. FAA
Forms 3120-25, -26, or -32 may be used as a guide and/or record of the
discussion. The record of
discussion shall contain the following:
(1)
Name and signature of the employee
and the first-level supervisor conducting the discussion.
(2)
A review of any operational error
and/or operational deviation the employee may have been involved in since the
last TTD.
(3)
Any QAR(s) the employee may have
been involved in since the last TTD.
(4)
Discussion of trends such as OE/OD,
facility evaluations, etc.
(5)
If no new technical proficiency
issues have been identified, a documented discussion shall still take place.
(6)
Date discussion was completed.
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