Oakland ARTCC on VATSIM

About vZOA

The Oakland ARTCC on VATSIM strives to be one of the most professional and realistic ARTCCs in VATUSA, and controllers are expected to know and learn a significant amount of information. Our mission here is dedicated to the highest quality ATC services delivered with a sense of friendliness, individual pride, and ARTCC spirit. Our airspace covers the harrowing Bay Area airspace including San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, as well as challenging mountainous airports like Reno, Lake Tahoe, and Mammoth Lakes. We've got something for everybody!

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vZOA News and Announcements


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Current ZOA Flights 33
  • San Francisco (SFO) 17
  • Oakland (OAK) 9
  • San Jose (SJC) 3
  • Sacramento (SMF) 3
  • Reno (RNO) 1
  • Monterey (MRY) 0
ZOA Operations
  • San Francisco (SFO) SFOW
  • Oakland (OAK) OAKW
  • San Jose (SJC) SJCW
  • Sacramento (SMF) SMFS
  • Reno (RNO) RNOS
  • Monterey (MRY) MRY28
Online Controllers
There are no controllers online.
Recent Promotions
Oct 11
Bob Somers completed the Oakland CD Knowledge Check!
Oct 06
Peyton Soper completed the Mountainous Terrain Endorsement Tower Exam!
Oct 05
Alexander Hyman completed the Bay Area Endorsement Ground Exam!
Oct 05
Alexander Hyman completed the Oakland CD Knowledge Check!
Oct 03
Peyton Soper completed the Bay Area Endorsement Ground Exam!
vZOA Top Controllers
Top Controller Monthly Time
jon japrapto "JJ" - 1610384 43:03 hrs
Giovanni Go "GO" - 1483188 23:07 hrs
Mason Kuhuski "MU" - 1730892 18:10 hrs
Zhenyu Mao "ZM" - 1292064 17:40 hrs
Ken Greim "KG" - 1652151 17:22 hrs
Top Facility Monthly Time
Oakland Ground 82:25 hrs
Norcal Approach 46:40 hrs
Oakland Center 43:13 hrs
Oakland Tower 25:56 hrs
San Francisco Tower 24:25 hrs
Top Controller Weekly Time
Zhenyu Mao "ZM" - 1292064 04:42 hrs
Dan Michael Bonaga "MB" - 1488243 03:12 hrs
Josh Glottmann "OK" - 1275389 02:51 hrs
Jackson Burow "JB" - 1487081 02:18 hrs
Rowan Young "RY" - 1385367 02:06 hrs
Top Facility Weekly Time
Oakland Center 06:03 hrs
Norcal Approach 05:27 hrs
Fresno Approach 04:42 hrs
Oakland Ground 04:33 hrs
San Francisco Radio 02:06 hrs
Top Controller All Time
Matthew Chicoine "MC" - 815543 3881:31 hrs
Brett Wells "BW" - 810036 3116:20 hrs
Dominic Nguyen "DN" - 1200795 2652:45 hrs
Michael Mund-Hoym "" - 1038942 2161:05 hrs
nick navarro "" - 1082318 2040:34 hrs
Top Facility All Time
Oakland Center 16794:54 hrs
Norcal Approach 14150:08 hrs
San Francisco Tower 6592:08 hrs
San Francisco Ground 4971:44 hrs
Oakland Ground 3541:24 hrs
Recent vZOA Feedback

Feedback for Noah Reif

Great guy, very friendly and gets his job done efficiently, and well, one of the most friendly controllers I have met in my vatsim career, and I believe he is an outstanding pick for controlling the Oakland airspace or really any. 10/10

  • Submitted by william wistar flying NKS2213
  • |
  • ATC Position: OAK_GND

Feedback for Josh Glottmann

Great job as NORCAL approach handling traffic into SFO, and great job being patient with the several pilots who were obviously unexperienced. Thank you

  • Submitted by Avery Lee flying UAL552
  • |
  • ATC Position: SFO_APP

Feedback for Brett Wells

Impressive command and control of top down at OAK - professional and friendly. 10/10 controller

  • Submitted by Caleb Henry flying JBU2735
  • |
  • ATC Position: OAK_CTR

Feedback for Giovanni Go

Very fortunate to have Giovanni as OAK_TWR controlling two of my flights into and out of Oakland, around 0000 to 0400Z august 12. My first flight with them was a FDX56 IFR arrival, where they pointed out a diamond aircraft slightly ahead of me approaching on a parallel runway as I was cleared to land. I really enjoy the spectacle of simultaneous parallel approaches and it was great to have extra situational awareness. Unfortunately my landing gear retracted just before touchdown (the FSS 727 seems to do it if spoilers are deployed when the wheels aren't all on the ground), resulting in a belly landing whereupon I had to disconnect. My second flight with them that evening was a VFR departure N23508. After Mason K had to unfortunately step away from OAK_GND after giving me departure instructions, Giovanni quickly took over to provide me taxi and takeoff clearance, as well as a bay flight's IFR clearance. I readback a right turn instruction for departure, but for some reason that evening I turned left. Giovanni quickly noticed I was making the wrong turn and had me make the correct right turn. In both instances Giovanni was at the top of their game, always keeping ahead of all Oakland flights and eager to step in and correct things when necessary while also being very kind and patient (even though I probably deserve a brasher warning for that left turn). I hope Giovanni's excellent controlling performance gets recognized by the Oakland ARTCC, and I hope other pilots will be as lucky to catch them as controller as well. Next time I'll tell my lefts from rights correctly and land with my gear down!

  • Submitted by KAMAL BALOOCHI flying FDX56 & N23508
  • |
  • ATC Position: OAK_TWR