I started online flying in 2006 because I had to examine communications for my real world PPL-A and there was not enough time to find a proper training course in my area in such a short time so it was the only way to get familiar with real life ATC. The funny part of it was that the examinator asked me, were the heck I did my training course because the life session was very professional and he was thinking that I already was flying (illegal)to controlled airports without a proper license. (before 2008 it was possible to have a PPL-A without R/T communications in The Netherlands. Online flying with Vatsim is mainly based on IFR flights, I found some controllers in Germany who where willing to help me and since that time I'm a big fan of Vatsim and getting more and more familiar with the bigger airliners and spent a lot of hours on the Level-D 767 and recently with the Ifly 737.In Europe and more specific, UK, Germany and Austria is a lot of activity on Vatsim and I have a lot of fun in Virtual flying...Happy landings.

It is totally realistic to fly a 767 on a two hour flight OR cross the pond! That's the beauty of the 767, being so flexible!

In europe the 767 is hardly used for shorthauls.. With shorthaul i mean UK-NL or germany-france etc.

In europe the 767 is hardly used for shorthauls.. With shorthaul i mean UK-NL or germany-france etc.

Well, BA flies a 767 EGLL-EHAM which is pretty short haul. A while ago I also flew EGLL-ESSA in a BA 767 which was a 2 h flight - I guess it borders on being shorthaul,but still. Then you can always fly chartered flights shorthaul! But I understand your point, generally speaking a 767 is not used for short haul in Europe although you of course didn't mention you restrict yourself to flying in Europe. I just checked some 200 flight over Europe right now and just one being flown by a 767 (Thomson so probably a charter flight away from Europr)

A bit of a different perspective, since there isn't a poll option for my opinion.I fly FSX for a lot of reasons, but the #1 reason is I can do things in FSX that I can't do in 'real life' ( I am a RL pilot). Flying Vatsim is too regimented for me, with too many restrictions (having read there web info).I do fly in FSX default mulitplayer with a group, and once in a while I play 'controller' for the others, and that is fun, but not on a daily basis. To each their own!

I have some great VFR aircraft but those airports don't have online ATC.

What the heck does that mean? I hope you don't mean VFR aircraft are small aircraft such as Cessnas, Pipers, and Mooneys... Because you can obviously fly IFR with them too... Fly VFR in big cities if feel you can accept the challenge of navigating the airspace ;)

Flying Vatsim is too regimented for me, with too many restrictions (having read there web info).

Where do you fly IRL...??? fly out east or west coast and there's a TON more restrictions than vatsim will ever have LOL. I find vatsim lacking in realism sometimes - a lot of the students have no idea what they're doing... (in their defense niether do the 13 yr old pilots who load their 767 FMS routes and freak out when they're told to intercept a radial!!! ZOMGGG!!!

What the heck does that mean? I hope you don't mean VFR aircraft are small aircraft such as Cessnas, Pipers, and Mooneys... Because you can obviously fly IFR with them too... Fly VFR in big cities if feel you can accept the challenge of navigating the airspace ;)

Ehm..ye thats what I mean.. Caranado etc.Of course you can fly IFR with small aircraft. But the distance between two airports with vatsim ATC is at least 150nm. Do you expect me to fly over 150nm with a cessna? No fun.Also usually only the big cities on have vatsim ATC, and you can't really land your cessna on EHAm

Seen a couple posts regarding flying VFR on VATSIM.I fly VFR all the time on the VATSIM network and never have any issues. ATC gives you your VFR clearance and away you go...

Seen a couple posts regarding flying VFR on VATSIM.I fly VFR all the time on the VATSIM network and never have any issues. ATC gives you your VFR clearance and away you go...

The major airports here in europe don't even allow VFR landings (class 1). And ye you guessed it - it's these airports that mostly have ATC coverage

Ehm..ye thats what I mean.. Caranado etc.Of course you can fly IFR with small aircraft. But the distance between two airports with vatsim ATC is at least 150nm. Do you expect me to fly over 150nm with a cessna? No fun.Also usually only the big cities on have vatsim ATC, and you can't really land your cessna on EHAm

Well I thought you were talking about USA... what I like to do is fly between airports with enroute control, and then land (and usually depart) nontowered fields, it makes it more interesting. Of course I like to fly into airports with approach control and tower. But take the Orbx Lancair for example... that thing will do 250 true at altitude. 4+ mi/minute.. 150 miles doesn't seem that bad does it? :( Plus add in airways, some odd nonprecision approach and you've got your hands full :( It is fun, trust me.

Guys, we have to admit that some of us (including me) hijacked this thread to state this or that. Apologies to Bojote.His intention was to collect some poll based values to get a picture of the most common reasons for a "no online, please" and as most of us stated personal descriptions which didn't fit into the given templates, he might want to re-start this poll with another setup to get number values instead of large texts.But if I read correctly, the other intention still is to encourage people to try online flying. Some seem to have a very restrictive impression about it but I can't tell of any ATC facility rejecting uncommon or special requests and techniques. I even found the uncommon things to be more fun, for both sides. If the controller is to busy to proceed with your emergency or special need for help, he will tell you and you can disconnect. But most of the time, he will continue the "pilot talking to ATC game" for you of course, that's his reason to connect to the network.Every controller is happy about traffic in his area and as long as you can process some basic instructions and are aware of your plane and the correct handling of it, you can do almost anything there. IFR or VFR won't be a problem then.I wouldn't recommend to start any special attempts at dense online events but the normal operation has quite some room for new people or the ones with special wishes.There will be some real world restrictions because it is fun to simulate them and take care of. A monitored separation would be such a thing of course. But as we are all hobby pilots in the sim, together with hobby controllers (ok, some real guys on both sides, but those are a few when compared to the rest), we have some room to improvise of course. VFR at IFR only facilities? Well, if you aren't number 100 at this special day together with that intention, it will most probably work well and nobody will or has to reject this operation. All controllers are able to go IFR and VFR and as long as no other pilots are harmed or disturbed, everything is fine.So there's a large portion of freedom in the game and as long as everybody tries his best to enjoy the networked flying, everything will be fine. Five pilots in a row don't knowing what the controller is talking about or having trouble controlling their birds will be too much of course. But this is no new information to you and nobody expects professionals online but open-minded people with some patience and will to read one or two FAQ pages before pressing "connect" and thinking that the controller will do the rest for them (including thinking).

the other intention still is to encourage people to try online flying.

It's more like a way to 'encourage' discussion... again, I'm still wondering 'why' so many 'veterans' refuse to fly online ;) and like I said, I'm thinking of ways of persuading them. So, I think the topic/poll is still on track ;) no worries. I'm lurking in the shadows reading what you guys write lol.

I have both Vatsim and IVAO software installed. I use FSC to ascertain where the ATC is active. I live in Australia and depending on the time sometimes Vatsim has more ATC coverage and other times IVAO has more ATC coverage. Having both programs provides more flexibility IMHO.Andrew Dixon

I can only find the time to fly on vatsim when the wife and son aren't interrupting me which isn't too often.

This pausing isn't a problem at all when going online. One shouldn't do this at the approach or in dense areas of course but you won't get anyone in trouble if you go London - New York and pause/save midflight together with disconnecting and continuing on the next day or after doing all family business. We are flying a simulator and everybody's aware of this. So the stewardess isn't virtual, but she might be your wife and usually outplays the ATC instructions. So do your passengers, your kids, your cat on the keyboard and your dog barking. :smile:This pause thing usually is covered in some FAQs around the forums of the big networks and, together with using the time acceleration feature, shouldn't be show stopper if done correctly. There are some things to consider when doing this, but it's far away from being complicated.You would be surprised how many disconnects (intentionally and unintentionally) happen to your fellow pilots and ATC people. That's the simulator circumstance in this little world.

Thanks CoolIP, I am actually getting prepared to try VATSIM again, thanks to this thread. Will have to brush off all the old cobwebs! :)Thanks, Bruce.

Thanks CoolIP, I am actually getting prepared to try VATSIM again, thanks to this thread. Will have to brush off all the old cobwebs! :)Thanks, Bruce.