In an effort to increase our membership base and provide increased ATC coverage within our airspace, the Virtual Denver ARTCC is recruiting new members to become controllers in our airspace. New members must be members of the VATSIM network and can be of any age (at least 13 per VATSIM regulations). Members of ZDV have a variety of backgrounds including those in many aviation related and non-aviation related fields.

The ideal member is a committed individual with strong self-discipline and a few hours of free time to dedicate to training and controlling per week. Given that virtual controlling does require a certain degree of precision in issuing instructions to aircraft and coordinating procedures with other controllers, new members should be prepared to accept constructive criticism from trainers as they work to obtain ratings and certifications. While no virtual controller will ever be perfect, ZDV prides itself on developing knowledgeable and capable controllers.

There are many benefits to becoming a controller at the Virtual Denver ARTCC. The first is becoming a member in a tightly-knit group of controllers. The meeting hotspot is our Teamspeak server, to which you will gain access upon joining us, where there exists a cameraderie among members almost every night of the week. The second benefit is the sheer value of our airspace. Controlling aircraft into and out of Rocky Mountain airports is both challenging and very fun. The weather has virtually no limitations in mountaineous areas -- there can be a snowstorm one day, clear blue skies on another, and a severe thunderstorm warning on the next. Every time you control, there will always be something new to consider. This geography is popular with VATSIM pilots, and on most afternoons and evenings, ZDV is within the top 5 most popular airspace in the United States. Finally, ZDV was the first VATUSA ARTCC to introduce the concept of a live event over 5 years ago. Each year during the summer, vZDV controllers meet at a location near Denver, Colorado to control large volumes of aircraft and enjoy each other's company face-to-face. This year's date for Denver Live is July 14th.

If you're sold on becoming a ZDV controller, please complete the following steps:

1. Go to vatusa.net/join.php. Follow the instructions at that link.
2. Study for the VATUSA Basic ATC test. All tests for controllers are open-book, and all material for this test is available on the VATUSA website.
3. Take and pass the VATUSA Basc ATC test. When asked which ARTCC you'd like to join, select Denver.
4. Await further instructions upon acceptance into the Denver ARTCC.

Photo courtesy of Noah Bryant.

Welcome to the Virtual Denver ARTCC!

We are a group that focuses on simulating the National Airspace System on the platform of the Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network (VATSIM). We operate under the authority of VATSIM's United States Division, known as VATUSA.

Here at ZDV, we value the importance of our controllers. We seek to provide the best training available within VATUSA, and we do it through the hard work and dedication of our experienced senior staff. We seek to promote the uniqueness of our Rocky Mountain airports among the pilot community, creating a diverse array of aircraft for our members to control. And finally, we seek to promote the concept of community. Through our active forum, Teamspeak server, and online presence, we are proud to have a vibrant community atmosphere.

Thanks for visiting!