ATCMaroc Simulator

Welcome

Welcome to the ATCMaroc Air Traffic Control Simulator. You play the role of an approach/departure radar controller at one of three Moroccan airports. Your job is to manage both departures and arrivals — climbing departures out of your airspace on their SIDs, and descending/vectoring arrivals to the runway for approach clearance.

In short: you manage everything between takeoff and landing — altitude assignments, heading vectors, speed control, SID/STAR compliance, approach clearances, and separation between all aircraft.

The Radar Scope

The radar scope is the large dark area that fills most of your screen. It shows:

• Aircraft targets — small blips with data blocks showing callsign, altitude, and speed
• Video maps — lines representing airways, runways, and geographic features
• Fixes/waypoints — named navigation points (e.g., BAMRA, LACAD)
• Extended centerlines — the localizer path extending from each runway
• Airspace boundaries — the limits of your control area
• Terrain — elevation shading to help with minimum altitude awareness

Pan, Zoom & Select

The Command Bar

At the bottom of the screen is the command input bar. This is where you type instructions to aircraft. The basic pattern is:

[callsign] [command] [arguments]

For example:

RAM802 d 80        — descend to 8,000 ft
RAM802 t r 270     — turn right heading 270
RAM802 i 35L       — cleared ILS runway 35L

Autocomplete

The command bar has a built-in autocomplete system. As you type, suggestions appear above the input. Use:

• ↑ / ↓ to navigate suggestions
• Tab to select / commit a suggestion
• Esc to cancel

Chaining Commands

You can issue multiple commands in a single transmission. Just string them together:

RAM802 d 60 t l 180 - 210 i 17R

This tells the aircraft to descend to 6,000, turn left heading 180, reduce speed to 210 knots, and expect ILS runway 17R — all at once.

Understanding the Display

Data Blocks

Every aircraft on the scope has a data block — a 3-line text label connected to the radar target by a leader line. Here's how to read it:

RAM802  H        ← Line 1: Callsign + Wake Turbulence Category
370  320C        ← Line 2: Cleared FL + Current FL
B738  450  SAD   ← Line 3: Aircraft Type + Groundspeed + Exit Fix (departures)

Line 1 — Callsign & Wake Turbulence

Shows the aircraft callsign (e.g., RAM802) followed by the wake turbulence category letter when applicable:

• J — Super (A380 and similar)
• H — Heavy (wide-body jets like B777, B747)
• M — Medium (narrow-body jets like B738, A320)
• L — Light (small aircraft like ATR, turboprops)

Line 2 — Cleared & Current Flight Level

Shows two altitudes side by side, both in hundreds of feet:

• Left number — the cleared (target) flight level you assigned
• Right number + "C" — the aircraft's current flight level

Example: 370 320C means the aircraft is cleared to FL370 and currently passing through FL320 (climbing). When both numbers match, the aircraft is level at its assigned altitude.

Line 3 — Type, Speed & Exit Fix

• Aircraft type — the ICAO type code (e.g., B738, A320, AT76)
• Groundspeed — current speed over the ground in knots
• Exit fix (departures only) — the first 3 letters of the SID exit point, showing where the departure is heading (e.g., SAD for SADIC)

Violation Indicator

When a separation violation occurs, a flashing VI appears above the data block in a warning color. This means the aircraft is too close to another — resolve the conflict immediately.

Extended Label Window (ELW)

Click the ELW button in the footer bar to toggle the Extended Label Window panel. When visible, hover over any aircraft's data block and the ELW will display detailed flight information — aircraft type, assigned altitude, speed, route, and more — without cluttering the scope.

Scope Display Toggles

Click the scope display icon (circle with crosshairs) in the footer bar to reveal a submenu of toggles:

MVA Sectors

Click the MVA button in the footer to toggle Minimum Vectoring Altitude sectors on the scope. These show the minimum safe altitude you can assign to aircraft in each area, accounting for terrain and obstacle clearance. The altitudes are displayed as numbers inside sector boundaries.

Managing Departures

How Departures Work

Departure aircraft appear on the scope already airborne — the system handles taxi and takeoff automatically. After takeoff, the aircraft will climb to an initial altitude (set by the airport) and then wait for your instructions.

Your job is to:

1. Clear them on their route — confirm their filed SID with Cleared As Filed (caf)
2. Climb them — issue a Climb via SID (cvs) or a direct altitude assignment
3. Get them out of your airspace — via their SID exit point, using shortcuts (pd) if needed

Cleared As Filed (caf)

When a departure appears, its data block shows the SID it has filed. Use caf to confirm that the aircraft is cleared to follow its filed flight plan:

RAM802 caf

This tells the aircraft: "You are cleared to follow the SID you filed." The aircraft will navigate the SID waypoints automatically.

Climb via SID (cvs)

After clearing an aircraft on its SID, authorize it to climb following the altitude and speed restrictions published in the procedure:

Without cvs, the aircraft will stay at its initial altitude. You can also give a direct altitude assignment instead (c 150), which overrides the SID restrictions and climbs directly.

Altitude, Heading & Speed

You can control departures the same way as arrivals, using the basic control instructions:

RAM802 c 120          — climb to 12,000 ft
RAM802 fh 270         — fly heading 270
RAM802 + 300          — speed up to 300 knots

Use heading assignments to separate departures from arrivals or from each other. Altitude assignments help you maintain vertical separation.

Getting Departures Out of Your Airspace

Departures exit your airspace when they fly beyond the airspace boundary (or climb above the ceiling, if the "Allow departures via climb" setting is enabled). To speed up the process:

• Use Proceed Direct (pd) to skip intermediate SID waypoints and send the aircraft straight to an exit fix: RAM802 pd LAKAB
• Assign a higher altitude so the aircraft climbs out faster: RAM802 c 250

Controlling Arrivals

How Arrivals Work

Arriving aircraft enter your airspace from one of several entry points, following a STAR (Standard Terminal Arrival Route). Your job is to:

1. Descend them to appropriate altitudes
2. Vector them (give headings) to align with the runway
3. Clear them for an approach (ILS, direct final, VOR, or RNP)

Once cleared for an approach, the aircraft will automatically intercept the localizer, descend on the glideslope, and land — landing is handled by the system. You do not need to issue a landing clearance. Your job ends at the approach clearance.

Descend via STAR

The simplest way to manage altitude on an arrival: tell the aircraft to follow the altitude restrictions published in their STAR.

The aircraft will descend following the STAR's altitude and speed restrictions. After the last restriction, it will hold that altitude until you give further instructions.

Vectoring to Final

When the aircraft needs to leave its STAR route and be guided to the runway, you give radar vectors — heading assignments that guide it onto the final approach course. A typical sequence:

RAM802 d 40           — descend to 4,000 ft
RAM802 t l 270        — turn left heading 270
RAM802 t r 350        — turn right heading 350 (intercept heading)
RAM802 i 35L          — cleared ILS runway 35L

ILS Approach

The ILS (Instrument Landing System) is the most common approach type. The aircraft must be:

• At an appropriate altitude (usually below the glideslope intercept altitude)
• On a heading that will intercept the localizer at 30 degrees or less

Once cleared, the aircraft will automatically intercept the localizer, follow the glideslope, and land on its own.

Direct Final (df)

A shortcut to send an aircraft directly onto the final approach course without step-by-step vectoring.

The aircraft will fly directly to a point on the extended centerline and then fly inbound to the runway. The optional distance parameter controls how far out from the runway it will join the final (default is 10nm).

Other Approach Types

Sequencing Multiple Arrivals

When multiple aircraft are arriving simultaneously, you need to sequence them — establishing an orderly flow to the runway. Key techniques:

• Speed control — slow a following aircraft to increase spacing: RAM802 - 180
• Vectoring — extend an aircraft's path by giving a wider turn or longer downwind leg
• Altitude separation — keep aircraft at different altitudes until you can sequence them laterally
• Holding — in extreme cases, put an aircraft in a hold to absorb delay

Basic Control Instructions

Altitude

Altitudes are always given in hundreds of feet. To assign 8,000 ft, you say 80. To assign FL180 (18,000 ft), you say 180.

Heading

Headings are given as a three-digit magnetic heading (001–360). You can specify a turn direction or let the aircraft choose the shortest turn.

Speed

Speed is given in knots of indicated airspeed (IAS). Note that the scope displays groundspeed, which may differ.

The "resume normal speed" command (or the Normal Speed button in the popup menu) removes your speed restriction and lets the aircraft revert to its own speed management.

Combining Commands

You can chain any number of commands in a single transmission. This is faster and more realistic:

RAM802 d 40 t r 350 - 180 i 35L

This single command: descends to 4,000 ft, turns right heading 350, slows to 180 knots, and clears for ILS runway 35L.

Cross

Instructs an aircraft to cross a specific waypoint on its route at a given altitude and/or speed. The aircraft manages its own descent/acceleration to comply.

Routing & Navigation

Proceed Direct

Sends the aircraft directly to a waypoint that already exists in its flight plan, skipping intermediate waypoints.

If the aircraft is flying to fixes [A, B, C, D], issuing pd C makes it skip A and B, going directly to C then D.

Hold

Instructs the aircraft to fly a holding pattern over a fix. By default, it will use right turns, 1-minute legs, and the reciprocal inbound bearing.

RAM802 hold BAMRA                         — standard hold
RAM802 hold BAMRA left 2min 180           — left turns, 2-min legs, outbound hdg 180
RAM802 hold BAMRA right 5nm               — right turns, 5nm legs

Parameters you can specify (in any order after the fix name):

• left / l / right / r — turn direction
• [number]min — leg length in minutes
• [number]nm — leg length in nautical miles
• [3-digit heading] — outbound radial heading

Exit Hold

You can also exit a hold by assigning a new heading (fh 270) or a proceed direct (pd FIXNAME).

Route & Reroute

Route (insert)

Inserts a segment into the aircraft's existing route. If the new route shares a common fix, the FMS merges them automatically.

RAM802 route FESKO..RUFUS..BAMRA

Reroute (replace)

Completely replaces the aircraft's current route with a new one.

RAM802 rr LAKAB..BAMRA..LACAD.STAR1.GMMN

Route notation uses dots: single dot (.) links fixes within a published procedure, double dot (..) links fixes by direct routing.

SID / STAR Assignment

Say Commands (Queries)

Ask the aircraft to report its current or assigned parameters:

Click Popup Menu

Overview

Instead of typing commands, you can left-double-click on any aircraft to open a popup command menu. This is a graphical interface with buttons for all major commands.

Each button with an arrow (›) opens a submenu when you hover over it.

Submenus

Direct

Shows all waypoints in the aircraft's current route. Click one to issue a pd (proceed direct) command. Also has a manual text input for typing a fix name.

Altitude

Displays preset flight levels for quick selection. Click any altitude button to assign it immediately. Includes:

• A manual input box for any custom altitude
• An EXPEDITE toggle button — when active (highlighted), altitude changes will include the expedite modifier

Heading

Shows a compass rose of heading values to click. Also includes:

• FPH button — fly present heading
• A manual input box for a precise heading

Speed

Displays preset speed values (e.g., 160, 180, 210, 250, 280). Also includes:

• A Normal Speed button — removes your speed restriction and lets the aircraft resume its own speed management
• A manual input box for any custom speed

Approach

Lists available runways with approach types: ILS, DF (direct final), DIF (direct to IF), and SPOS (self-positioning). Click the desired combination to issue the approach clearance.

Say

Quick buttons for Say Speed, Say Heading, and Say Altitude queries.

Remove

Removes the aircraft from the simulation. Requires confirmation click.

Scope Commands & Tools

Switching to Scope Mode

By default, the command bar accepts aircraft commands. Press the ` (backtick) key to toggle into scope command mode. Press it again to return to aircraft command mode. In scope mode, you can type scope-specific commands like data block moves and scratchpad entries.

Move Data Block

In scope mode, use the numpad layout to position data blocks:

Position Map:    7  8  9       Example:
                 4  5  6       8 RAM802    — move data block up (north)
                 1  2  3       3 RAM802    — move data block down-right
                               5 RAM802    — center directly over target

You can also specify leader line length (0–6): 8/4 RAM802 — move up with length 4.

Projected Track Lines (PTLs)

PTLs are lines projecting ahead of an aircraft based on its speed and heading, showing where it will be in the future.

The increment steps are configurable in Settings under "Projected Track Line increments".

Range/Bearing Measurement Tool

An essential tool for checking distances and headings between any two points:

The tool displays the bearing (heading) and distance (in nautical miles) between the two points. If snapped to a moving aircraft, it also shows estimated time.

Traffic & Airport Setup

Available Airports

Click the Airports button in the footer to switch between airports:

You can also switch via the command bar: airport gmmn

Traffic Rate

Click the airplane icon in the footer to open the Traffic Setup dialog. Here you can:

• Adjust the spawn rate for each arrival/departure route (higher = more traffic)
• See the current wind direction and speed
• Click Default to reset rates to the airport's default
• Click Restart to clear all aircraft and start fresh

Runway Configuration

Inside the Traffic Setup dialog, you can change the active runway configuration. This determines which runways are active for arrivals and departures. The configuration should match the wind direction — aircraft operate into the wind.

Timewarp

Speed up time to fast-forward through quiet periods:

• Click the fast-forward icon (⏩) in the footer to cycle: 1x → 2x → 5x → 1x
• Or use the command bar: tw 3 (set to 3x speed)
• Type tw or tw 1 to return to normal speed

Pause

Click the pause icon in the footer, or type pause in the command bar. Click anywhere on the scope to resume.

Settings

Click the gear icon in the footer to open the Settings dialog. Available options:

Click the speaker icon in the footer to toggle speech synthesis — when enabled, pilot readbacks are spoken aloud using your browser's text-to-speech.

Separation Rules

As a radar controller, you must maintain minimum separation between all aircraft under your control:

If two aircraft come closer than these minimums simultaneously (less than 10nm and less than 1,000 ft), a separation conflict occurs. This is highlighted on the scope and should be resolved immediately.

Collision occurs when aircraft are within approximately 160 feet of each other — a catastrophic failure of separation.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Command Cheat Sheet

Aircraft Commands

System Commands

Scope Commands (press ` first)