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Guest N2planes

Newbie to online VA

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Guest N2planes

Hello Ok I have dl all the progs. printed the manuals, and now that I cant see straight, where do I go from here? I have FS02 and I am not sure what to do to get online and fly. Which prog should I use all or one? where to file flight plans if any? Can I just listen in or watch flights & ATC in action? How do I change FS from starting me on the runway scene?Which manual should I read to answer these questions?What is a good VA to join that will help newbis to train and get airtime experince?Of course there is that thought that I am just not getting it and should stick to painting lines on the runways.....Thank you for your time.Karl/N2planes

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My Brother, Do not despair; I was pretty much in the same frame of mind myself at the begining, but today, even though I have done less than 10 online flights, I think I pretty much have the hand of it.The program you need, if you intend to fly is SquakBox. You would have to file your flight plan from the Vatsim web page.You can also have a look at the getting started section on Vatsim; there are very good tutorials there on how to make your experience worthwhile. And remember, it is a game, so even if you make a few mistakes, no one will crucify you, as long as you are ready to take corrections.I wish you good luck!

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Guest speedbird326

Hello,Welcome to the world of online flying. Hopefully I can elaborate on some of your questions:1. The only program you really need to fly with, as stated before, is SquawkBox. You can get that from the VATSIM website. I'd also recommend a program called ServInfo, that shows where ATC and traffic is in the world at any given time. I believe there is a link to it as well at the VATSIM website.2. You can file flight plans three ways (that I know of): the VATSIM website, inside of SquawkBox, or using PM Flight Planner (http://www.pmflightplanner.com, only for airline type flight plans)3. You can always just listen in, and that's the best way to get an idea of what's going on. You can put your plane at an airport, squawk standby, and just listen in. Make sure, however, that you don't put a routing in your flight plan, and in the "Comments" section, it's a good idea to write something like "Newbie--Just Observing." You can also download the controller software, ASRC, and log on as an observer to any sector, but that's a bit more complicated. 4. To start at a gate, when you select your airport, change the starting location box from "Active Runway" to either a gate or ramp area.5. http://www.vatsim.net/gettingstarted_2002.html This is an excellent tutorial and will guide you through the entire process, step by step. 6. Consider Meridian Virtual Airlines. http://www.flymeridian.com/We've really got a great bunch of folks and the training program is fantastic--you learn a lot, but progress quickly to bigger and faster aircraft! Online flying is great. Remember, if you ever have any questions, just post them here, or, if you're in the air, don't hesitate to ask the controller! Any ATC will be happy to help a new guy out!Good Luck,MarcMarc Gibson

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Guest flightsimmer

Karl,Q. Ok I have dl all the progs. printed the manuals, and now that I cant see straight, where do I go from here? Q. I have FS02 and I am not sure what to do to get online and fly.Q. Which prog should I use all or one? A. I recommend going to http://www.vatsim.net/Using JOIN NOW,from the Left Menu Bar, apply for membership. You must have an ID to logon to the network. You do NOT have to become a controller in order to fly on the network.Using GETTING STARTED, from the Left Manu Bar, read the tutorial on "Instructions on How to Use SquawkBox (SB) and FS2002 To Fly with Real-Time, Live sim-ATC "Q. where to file flight plans if any? A. There are two methods of filing flight plans. 1. Using FILE FLIGHTPLAN, left menu bar. 2. Using Squawkbox to Load and File a previous built f/p.Q. Can I just listen in or watch flights & ATC in action? A. Yes. Once you secure a VATSIM ID you may logon to the system and observe. There may be a time, when the system resources are maxed out, that you will be asked (or forced) off the network.Q. How do I change FS from starting me on the runway scene?A. At least three methods: (requird before logging on to VATSim) 1. Reset the starting position for the default FS. 2. Select an airport and starting location (except the runways) from the menu bar in FS-WORLD-AIRPORTS. 2. Start FS with the aircraft sitting on the runway, then SLEW to somewhere away from the runway. Q. Which manual should I read to answer these questions?A. Every one you can. There is a learning curve, all of us went through it.Q. What is a good VA to join that will help newbis to train and get airtime experince?A. Start looking for VA to join by clicking VIRTUAL AIRLINES, left menu bar. Your selection will bepend on your preferences. Many, many of the VAs listed offer training courses.FlightSimmer

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