Dear David,

It was a really good ADC training session with a lot of inbound and outbound traffic. Nevertheless, I would like to give you some tips and pieces of advice that should help you further when learning the basics of air traffic control on a tower position.

-- Prepare in advance all the points you would like to discuss and coordinate with the adjacent ATC position.
-- Be informed that the transition level (TRL) value can be easily calculated with the help of transition altitude and local QNH values.
-- Make sure that IFR pilots have the correct ATIS received prior startup.
-- Make sure that departure clearances for IFR traffic contain clearance limit, departure runway, initial climb altitude, local QNH value, transponder code assignment and instructions that pilots must follow after departure. Please do keep in mind that there are no '8' and '9' digits in aircraft transponder codes.
-- Please draw your attention to the flight plans check. During ADC training sessions you are expected to check flight rules, ICAO codes both for departure and destination airports, and the first waypoint of the suggested route. There is absolutely no need to check aircraft equipment, cruise TAS, cruise FL, EET, FOB, etc.
-- Keep all airport charts at hand and be ready to provide pilots with any information regarding the airport upon their request. If in doubt what to do with non-standard requests, simply ask the adjacent ATC position or trainer for the help.
-- Note that reduced aircraft callsigns may be used in some cases (for example, you can use callsign 735 instead of callsign RA-85735, G-CD instead of G-ABCD, Cessna-RS instead of Cessna F-KYRS). In cases where the aircraft callsign consists of the radiotelephone callsign of the airline and the flight number (for example, callsign SAS785), the callsign reduction is NOT allowed.
-- Do not use the 'standby' command without special need. But if you use it, do not forget to specify the reason and the estimated waiting time.
-- Please never ignore requests received from text-only pilots because their requests have always the same priority as requests received from voice pilots.
-- Keep in mind that taxiing procedures can be carried out with the usage of runways. Try to organise ground movements wisely at all time.
-- Observe aircraft non-radar separation minima based on the wake vortex phenomenon. Please do not issue takeoff clearances in violation of these minima due to safety reasons.
-- Remember that one of your responsibilities as tower controller is to separate the IFR aircraft from both VFR and another IFR traffic inside class C airspace. The lateral distance between the above-mentioned traffic within CTR boundaries should be 3.0 nm or more, the vertical distance should be 1000 feet or more.
-- Properly prioritize aircraft maintenance. For instance, traffic that uses runway has always a higher priority than traffic that requests departure clearance. Therefore, the former must be handled first.
-- If the pilots execute missed approach procedure, it is necessary to issue initial climb altitude and instructions that pilots must follow after that.
-- Flight strips must contain relevant information only. Do not forget to update them after issuing landing clearances or in case of a missed approach.
-- Takeoff and landing clearances must always include rounded wind information. In case of continued approach rounded wind information must be issued as well. Please do not forget to include information about RVR and dangerous atmospheric phenomena (for example, wind shear) to takeoff and landing clearances if needed.
-- Do not issue visual approach clearances if the pilots have not yet established visual contact with landmarks.
-- Do not issue takeoff or landing clearances if another aircraft was cleared to line up / to takeoff / to land / to cross the runway ahead. Please do not hesitate to issue 'continue approach' instruction where it is really necessary.
-- Remember the existence of special instructions that can help you in a difficult situation, such as 'expect late landing clearance', 'cleared for rolling takeoff', etc.
-- If VFR pilot has lost visual contact with the airport, you can issue him the command to proceed directly to any VOR/NDB located inside the aerodrome area boundaries.
-- It makes no sense to issue 'report on final' instruction for local VFR traffic since the final leg is the compulsory reporting point.
-- Traffic information should be always complete, accurate and both-sided.
-- Keep in mind different VFR delaying procedures and select the most suitable procedure in each case.
-- Conditional lineup clearances are expected to be used during the training session. But be informed that they can only be issued if the pilots have established visual contact with other air traffic participants.
-- Try to give clear and understandable instructions to pilots at all time. Save your time and the time of other people.
-- Feel free to refer to the Russian Federation Aviation Regulations and ICAO documents to get the most detailed information about general phraseology to be used. Please also pay some more attention to the radio transmitting technique.

Please improve the above-mentioned practical skills and next time they will be better. Please also feel free to take some more training sessions conducted by XR MCD Training Department Staff in order to achieve the best results. Good luck!