VATSIM

[ShezA 176]

VATSIM/IVAO is the only way to fly in my opinion.I agree with all the posters here that it is a difficult proposition initially but the learning curve is steep and rewarding.I also agree that the biggest challenge for online pilots is the lack of ATC coverage. Here are tips to flying online and not let the lack of ATC coverage bother you,1) The obvious way to overcome this is to look for ATC covered areas to fly in, you could fly in the ATC covered area for your entire route (which may be a short flight of course).2) You may want to arrive with ATC support. This will require either looking at vroute for online bookings or just scheduling your ETA so that it meets the general coverage rule for the area you are arriving in to (i.e. North American ATC is usually active when Europe is closing down, and Asian ATC are active a few hours before Europe becomes active)3) You could choose to depart with ATC support. This will be easy as all you will need to do is check who is online and go.4) Always check how long the ATC has been online, if he has been online a long time most likely he will be closing down. Best to check on private chat how long he is likely online for or better yet check his ATIS for any coverage time limits.There is one trick for flying online and offline at the same time. If you have online coverage on departure and then your arrival is in an uncovered area do this,1) If you are filing a flight plan, also upload the plan to the FS GPS at the beginning2) As soon as online ATC terminates your radar service (thank him :)) and then turn off the multiplayer connection in Squawkbox (not sure if this is possible in FSInn)3) Open the FS ATC dialog box and ask for IFR clearance for the uploaded flight plan, FS ATC will happily give you a clearance in the air based on your flight plan (it takes into account the route already covered), and you will then continue to your destination under FS ATC control with AI traffic!4) If the online ATC comes up at your destination he will hail you and you turn on multiplayer and dial back into online frequency and you are away! Voila!One caution: always keep an ear on the advisory frequency for online traffic (122.80 or whatever), and also on the ATC monitor on SB/FSInn for active online ATC.Have fun!Shez

[Krister 51]

Since you are based in the UK you are in luck. The area from the UK in the west to somewhere around Austria and Poland in the east (excluding France unfortunately) has to be the best ATC covered area on VATSIM. If you are willing to adjust your departure and destination airport based on ATC coverage, you have no problem doing one hour flights with at least tower or ground, approach/departure and all radars in between covered by ATC. Seven days a week! In the program Servinfo you see during which hours ATC will be online, so it's easy to plan a flight with that information at hand. Now, a one hour flight might not sound very long but with all the countries in Europe and the short distances it will take you from Munich in southwest Germany to Heatrow and involving on a good day some 6-7 radar positions plus the coverage at the airport (EDDM ALWAYS has at least two positions manned as do many other Germany airports). Quite often when I fly EDDM-EGLL I talk to Munchen ground (apron), Tower and Approach and then over to Munchen radar, Langen Radar, another Langen radar, Brussels control, London control, and then usually Heathrow approach and Heathrow tower.

[simba_nl 34]

To avoid "cold water fear" start with VOXATC, Look in the forums and there website to learn more. In this case you can train yourself in ATC communications and is it only a small step to the real world communications in VATSIM or IVAO.Happy landings...

[Chuck_B 2]

simba_nl:Thanks for posting this. I recently bought VOXATC and 4 voices (the maximum number it can accomodate) hoping that it would help me be better prepared for when I finally get the cojones to jump to VATSIM, but I wasn't sure how much of a leap it would actually be. You've made me feel just a little more comfortable about my investment.BTW, VOXATC is a lot of fun, if a little hefty of an investment. I still use Radar Contact the vast majority of the time, but for shorter flights (2 hours or less) I really like VOXATC.

[monnie 1]

Hi, One of the things that bothered me was the ATC phraseology(sp) and having to repeat what I was hearing while I was trying to carry out tasks. It seems that the controllers speak very fast. Some do, but as you experience it more,the slower it seems to come.I found that it was good to use text, or ask the controller for text instructions. That way you can read it back knowing that you got it right. Fly short flight in one control space where there may be several small to medium traffic airports and one controller controlling all of them. Huston ARTCC for example, but there are others where that controller may have time to talk you through all phases of your flight. I found many of the controllers who are controlling you are pilots who understand exactly what you are going through because they had to go through the same anxiety:-) Don't be afraid to ask for a repeat of te instructions. It's real world. Don't be afraid to ask for a go around to get your composer. Don't be afraid to ask for Vectors out of the pattern to try to get it right.Don't be afraid to disconnect if you find yourself overwhelmed.Listening and responding to other peoples instructions off mic is great practice.Finally, go with an experienced pilot. Let them go first and you'll have someone to imitate since you'll know what is coming.Best regardsJan1,KINDWhen I push the button and it works, I'm happy:-)HP Media CenterPentium D 2.80 GHz Duel core2.00 GB RAMNVIDIA GeForce 6200SEConexant Falcon II NTSCXP SP2

[Kyprianos Biris 12]

>>>I know it's a "chicken or egg" situation as there would>probably be more ATC available if there were more flight>bookings, but they way I justify the way I do it, is that the>ATC services are easier to set up than a flight. Properly>preflight planning, pulling your charts and papers, setting up>the sim, wx, squawkbox and all can take a lot of time, which I>think is all wasted if you spend your time flying at empty>skies.>Indeed it's a chicken & egg scenario with VATSIM.Pilots activity brings ATC and ATC bring pilot activity.The connecting thing between them in order not to leave it to chance is the BOOKING ability for both pilots & ATC in VATSIM.I check weather and ATC bookings from ServInfo ("Eurobook" burron for bookings)http://avsim.com/hangar/utils/servinfo/I check Flight activity per destination and plan my flight plan with VROUTE http://www.vroute.net/In VROUTE I also book my expected ATC or Flight activity.Then I decide where I'll fly to. Sometimes its the (bad) weather, sometimes it's the ATC presence sometimes the flights presence at destination & en route.Indeed sometimes when I'm not into flight setting up (that well known half hour for those who want to do it realistic) mood I just login and ATC. In my controller info. (ATIS) I try to indicate an expected time of closure and I also book the session beforehand from vroute so pilots can see the expected occupancy time.When I ATC I try as much as possible to help newbies. Sometimes when there is a lot of traffic I am unable simply because I don't want to degrade the service to the live traffic at that moment.Kyprianos Biris :-cool[link:hvacc.org]Hellenic vACChttp://vateur.org/staff/vateur_m.jpghttp://online.vatsimindicators.net/810309/3.png