My take on California Screaming V

[B777ER 2,485]

Man oh man! I did 3 flights, LAS-LAX, LAX-SFO, SFO-LAX. I feel like I have actually been at work for crying out loud!! This was supposed to be a day off. Great job by all controllers. You all did a great job. Lag and server problems with RW caused the most troubles I think, especially RW. I think there were many pilots that did not sign up that flew at the last minute. There was massive amount of traffic. My TCAS had aircraft on it for over 5.5 hours, it was never empty. Only 1 TCAS alert as well. The only thing I saw that was a concern with the controllers was some were just a little late on giving descent clearances around LAX. On my trip from LAS to LAX I had to go around due to this causing my other 2 flights to be delayed. But with so many planes it is understanable. For the amount of traffic, the controllers did a helluva job and all of you guys should be proud. Now, who is the next region to hold a massive fly-in like this? Once again, great job guys.

[Guest]

Then im sure I spoke to you enroute to LAS-LAX :) I was LAX_FE_APP. Allow me to teach you one thing, coming into LA from the NE it is not the controllers job to descend you. We have Profile descents that the pilots must follow. . . for example, coming from LAS, you may have filed the CIVET4, but did not print the chart, or understand the crossing altitudes on it. "DALXXX, Afternoon, Socal, Cross CIVET @ 14000, Descend via the CIVET4 Arrival, Expect ILS 25L Apporach, LAX Alti 2992"That instructs the pilot to descend via the arrival as published, the CIVET4, MITTS1, and PDZ4 arrivals put your right on the localizer / Glide slope if you descend properly. So then the handoff from Socal Feeder to LAX Approach would be before you reaching FUELR, and then our Socal LAX Approach controller would simply say 'Departing FUELR, Cleared ILS 25L Approach'So this is to all pilots who fly into LAX area via any of those arrivals listed, and ofcourse we have routes for noise abatement procedures that are also a profile descent. Read the chart, print it out, put it next to you. :) We enjoyed the traffic, and come back and see us every Friday evening, and most weekdays / weekends. Usually staffed 24/7 :)--Josh Hjemvick ZLA InstructorONT TRACON Lead - www.geocities.com/ont_tracon/

[Guest]

Let us also not forget that because of the limitations of the scenerey, the full ILS is not recievable until well inside of FUELR. However, when you receive the instruction "Cleared ILS Rwy 25L approach" you are cleared to continue your descent via the approach chart, which basically clears you to 5000 over GAATE and then down to 3,500 at at HUNDA. You should pick up the Glide slope by GAATE, and if you are at 5000 feet, then you should be able to start following the Glide slope.However, if you are told to Maintain XXXX cleared Localizer Rwy 25L, then you must maintain XXXX until cleared lower, and you can only join the localizer, not the glide slope. I don't know why you'd be told this, but it could happen, and hopefully you will have time to descend to catch the GS!Craig MoultonAAL203AVA-LAX Hub ManagerZLA Sr Controller

[B777ER 2,485]

Josh Hjemvick , Yes sir, I know how to fly the STAR's and yes I have the chart printed out. As a matter of fact I have every STAR, SID, and ILS approach charts for every major airport in the US and the majors over in Europe so I am very well prepared with 2 five inch binders of the stuff. Yes I believe I talked with you but here in is the problem. As I was approaching the HEC VOR I was told to go into a hold by LAS DEP, no problem. Then I was told to forget it and continue as filed. I was switched over to you and you had me stay at FL200 due to traffic in front of me (that was not up to speed on what to do judging by the radio traffic). You then handed me off to SOCAL. Now I thought that if the controller advises you to descend and maintain FLxxx for traffic, then he has to clear you to descend further? I never got that, was passed to SOCAL and was about 10NM from Civet and that controller said to descend and cross Civet at 14K for the Civet4 arrival. 6K in 10nm at 270 knots indicated when given the instruction in a 767 is not possible. By the way I was at 270knots due to traffic behind me (I was in the intitial surge out of LAS to LAX at the beginning of the event). Josh, I know how to fly STAR's and know the procedures (or I thought I did). That was what I was referring to. Trust me though, i am not knocking you or anyone else. You guys are some of the best on VATSIM and we all can look forward to LAX CTR being open every night and that is why a lot of guys fly there. I would just ask that you realize sometimes it is not the pilot's fault for messing up a STAR approach. I hope you see me on the scope Wed. night when I will be back out there flying to LAX. I should also point out that my first message was not clear as it should have been, I had to go around due to a Royal Air Force (of all things) still on the runway.