Flying on VATSIM may be one of the best leaps forward in your simming experience, just exceeding buying your first complex simulation. The learning curve is steep, and reading through the PRC is a necessity. Understanding the flow of ATC comms from any other ATC addon is also enormously helpful. As many others have suggested, it is best to connect on the ramp at a busy airport and just listen. You will be able to figure out the flow of the communications, and it is also a good time to figure out if your multiplayer session is working well (Some Firewalls inhibit it). Once you are comfortable with the ATC, you can make your first flight, preferably a flight you are familiar with and in an aircraft you know like the back of your hand. That will allow you to focus on doing what ATC is telling you instead of flying the airplane. Some tips:-Always have every chart you might need available, and use them. Controllers will appreciate this.-Aviate, Navigate, THEN communicate. Most controllers would rather see you execute their actions quickly than respond quickly-Get the ATIS if available. Controllers love it if you check in the ATIS/numbers. -Stay ahead of the aircraft! Tune in approach's frequency while you're still descending. Program your arrival runway based on the ATIS, instead of waiting for it to be assigned to you.-Also, many PMDG aircraft integrate the transponder with Squawkbox. Make sure you turn it on! (This got me on my first flight)-If you have ANY questions, feel free to ask. Almost everyone would rather have someone ask questions than just bumble about not knowing what they are doing.

And to add to the good advices from Joseph, once you try your first flight, choose a small airport with little traffic. Let the controller know you are new and ask him/her to take it slowly. Most controllers are more than willing to give you a helping hand and be patient. Having said that, you will also sooner or later run into controllers AND pilots whose social skills leaves something to be desired, but that is unevitable! :D

The skills on VATSIM and IVAO are both the same!"Cleard for Take Off" doesn't sound any different on VATSIM than it does on IVAO...Im a member on both. Its just the software they use that is different. IVAO is much more advanced with their software. VATSIM is using the old Squawkbox with ugly liveries or FSinn an improvement but you have to be a computer plummer to get yourself online for a lot off people trying to get in.Try both and decide for yourself what is best.Regards

Smokey, which I suppose isn't your real name, :DI deleted that part from my message (before you posted comment actually) because I guess it's those comments that does stir up the discussions! :D But I agree, try both is the best advice. Anyway, this discussion really doesn't belong in the PMDG forum I guess, but as long as it stays civil...

I used to fly on line a bit, but have lost interest in it. There are not enough planes in the sky, most of the airports I want to fly into are empty. I do not enjoy flying a B767 into O'Hare using Unicom.I mainly fly using Ultimate Triffic 2 and Radar Contact, but have RC set up where I have to tune the radios, turned off the pilot wavs so I say outloud the responses. Get the realife feeling of talking to ATC, and yet get a sky full of airtraffic.

I have UT2, and use it pretty much whenever i fly in the day.But there is a third group called Boston Virtual ATC. Its smaller than both IVAO and VATSIM, we only cover the NE-USA on a regular night, but the community is great. Every night you can expect at least 2 airports fully or nearly fully covered (CD is usually left to the Ground controller). BVATC does not require any programs to connect, you sign up and can fly right from FSX Direct Connect.Its a great place, and even better if you can't connect to the networks that require extra programs to connect.http://bostonvirtualatc.com/downloads/redirect/

To be honest I have tried both, I am a veteran VATSIM user but tried IVAO because a friend flies on it. The single biggest problem with IVAO is the software interface, IVAP really is very poor. I started flying with a couple of mates and their aircraft are all over the ground/sky when in reality they are static (at the hold etc). Squawkbox with VATSIM used to be a little unstable but with FSInn I would say VATSIM is simply superb. FSInn is very good with FSX too, giving you contrails etc. The software is superb, you can basically edit everything, whereas with IVAP you were almost stuck with the models that come with the program (which are very poor)In short IVAO/IVAP is ok, but very unstable, aircraft are unstable, the software has caused me to reinstall Flightsim twice, so I won't use it any more.FSInn is rock steady, has more features and is more "editable". If you have FSX & FS9 then one version will work for both. You need FSInn & FSCopilot, Version 1.3 & 1.7 if you have FSX (or FSX & FS9 together)Dean

I have never flown on VATSIM I was thinking about it but just too much stuff to download before you can start. But if you have FSX you can look into Bostonvirtualatc.com, I've been flying with them for about 3yrs and it's a great server. It's fun, the people are nice and it's about as close to real flying as you can get. We are always looking for simmers dedicated to maintaining realism, and a love for flying or ATC to join the community. Kevin W.

Try it. You won't be sorry. Register, download the software, find a populated airfield through a traffic viewing program (depends on which network you want). Load up a Cessna on the GA apron, tune your radio and just sit and listen to the communications for a while, file "just listening, newbie" or something to that effect in the flight plan. Then perhaps after a while file another flight plan and take a short VFR circuit. Take it gradually is my tip.