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derianc

I want to join VATSIM but...

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I can't tell if one is better than the other, maybe first check your network country website for example french VATSim is having many thing that makes it easier, tutorial, some Teamspeak Reunion to discover how it works to fly in network how you do it and all, and to finish with a flight with control on VATSIM. I do believe some countries might do it on IVAO too. After that I believe it is a little sad that there is this separation as one united way would be making things so great for a worldwide controled airspace ;) And I also believe that on IVAO like on VATSIM you must be able on filing your flight plan that your a newbie, and might disconnect if things gets out of control. I really think that the most important is to go slowly find a smaller airport with maybe just a control tower and doing things like VFR airport circuit, and going to do things more and more advanced which should make things easier, than going directly with some heavy metal jet for long flights with many controllers changes.

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OK, let’s not start a flame war on Online sessions (BVA all the way)To answer your question;For an IFR flight:Start by setting your active radio to the frequency of clearance delivery, or the controller acting as such position for your airport.You begin by requesting clearance to airport, "XXX requesting IFR clearance to XYZ"Controller responds, "XXX, you are cleared to XYZ via [the ABC departure,] radar vectors FIX, departure frequency 133.00 climb and maintain AAAA, expect FLAAA ten minutes after departure, squawk 4567."Readback, "XXX is cleared to XYZ via [departure] radar vectors FIX, departure is 133-solid, climb to AAAA, expecting FLAAA in ten, squawk 4567."Now set your transponder (the four-numbered thingy) to read your squawk code.Controller confirms, "XXX your readback is correct, information Foxtrot is current, advise when ready for pushback/to taxi."If the controller said pushback, call him for permission to push from gate, if he said taxi, push on your own time and call when ready to get rolling.When Clearance delivery tells you to contact ground, switch to that frequency on your radio.Tell ground ready to taxi, "Boston Ground, XXX is ready for taxi, with Foxtrot."And he/she responds, "XXX, runway 9(er), taxi via A, K, M, hold short runway 4L."Confirm, "Runway 9, taxi via A, K, M, hold short runway 4L, XXX."Now you taxi."XXX, contact Boston Tower 121.80, good night"Confirm Handoff, "Boston Tower, 121.8"Switch and talk to tower, "Boston Tower XXX is on taxiway K, holding short runway 4L."Tower, "XXX, cross runway 4L"You, "Cross runway 4L, XXX"When you get to the runway, the tower will most likely give you an automatic takeoff as an airliner, or wait for you to say you are ready as a GA aircraft. Make sure departure frequency is in the standby box.Tower, "XXX, wind 050 at 7 knots, runway 9, cleared for takeoff, fly runway heading"You, "Runway Heading, Cleared for takeoff, runway 9, XXX"Tower, "XXX, switch to departure [on 133.00], so long."Tower is not required to give the frequency to you, so I hope you wrote it down.You, "To departure, XXX"Switch, Boston Departure, XXX is climbing through 1700, for AAAA."Departure, "XXX, welcome aboard sir[, fly heading ABC]."If your departure gave you a heading, or departure wants you to keep flying straight, he won’t say the brackets. When he is ready, you will get a heading, when you get close to your altitude, he will (probably) get you higher.Departure, XXX, fly heading ABC, [proceed direct FIX,] resume own navigation."When you reach 10,000 or so, the 250 knot speed restriction is lifted so you may accelerate. Departure will also likely hand you off to a center controller. From there you just follow the controller instructions with standard readbacks, give back what they give you, or what seems appropriate so as not to clutter the frequency. When you get close to the arrival airport you will be told to descend and contact approach. Lets fast-forward to the approach clearance.Approach, "XXX, you are 3 miles from IAF, descend and maintain 1600 until established. Cleared ILS, runway 16L approach."Readback, "XXX, cleared for the ILS runway 16L."Approach, "XXX, contact tower, 123.45"Readback, "Tower, 123.45, XXX"You, "Tower, XXX is with you on ILS runway 16L [,4 miles out]."Tower, "XXX, good evening sir, runway 16L, cleared to land, wind 150 at 4, number 2 behind company 737."Readback, "Cleared to land, 16L, number 2, XXX"When you get on the ground, it’s pretty much taxi out, but in reverse. Ask ground for taxi to gates, you will get instructions, follow them, read them back, it’s a very repetitive process, not very hard to master. Good luck!Any other questions I would love to answer them. Just not as lengthly Big%20Grin.gif


Eric Vander

Pilot and Controller Boston Virtual ATC

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I can't tell if one is better than the other, maybe first check your network country website for example french VATSim is having many thing that makes it easier, tutorial, some Teamspeak Reunion to discover how it works to fly in network how you do it and all, and to finish with a flight with control on VATSIM. I do believe some countries might do it on IVAO too. After that I believe it is a little sad that there is this separation as one united way would be making things so great for a worldwide controled airspace ;) And I also believe that on IVAO like on VATSIM you must be able on filing your flight plan that your a newbie, and might disconnect if things gets out of control. I really think that the most important is to go slowly find a smaller airport with maybe just a control tower and doing things like VFR airport circuit, and going to do things more and more advanced which should make things easier, than going directly with some heavy metal jet for long flights with many controllers changes.
oh a united ivao + vatsim, would be absolutley beautiful

Alex Ridge

Join Fswakevortex here! YOUTUBE and FACEBOOK

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Guest dlrk
oh a united ivao + vatsim, would be absolutley beautiful
Yes it would. It's insane they're actually fighting over such a small audience.

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Guest 747-fan

Whoever made that decision to "screw this I'll make my own network"... well thanks a lot buddy. With your cowardice you've single handedly crippled what could've been a great community. Now we're having 6-800 ppl on two networks instead of 1400 on one. Thanks for the empty skies mate, appreciate it.BTW I've got an account on both networks and choose one or the other based on traffic/coverage where I'd like to fly that particular night. I've got no idea how this whole thing started. Does anybody know anymore?

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[...] I've got no idea how this whole thing started. Does anybody know anymore?
politics=--you know what guys,The idea of a merge has been thrown around in forums, but never tried..who is feeling like we should try and get a community together, to try and merge these two networks? website and everything is in order.whos with me?

Alex Ridge

Join Fswakevortex here! YOUTUBE and FACEBOOK

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I'm with you!Always wondered about a great big unique "virtual" sky.Just to prove that flying from an hub in Europe to the USA in "full ATC covered" situation is possible.I see only advantages in merging IVAO and VATSIM, more people, more ATC, more pilots....Big%20Grin.gifIt will be great...(but, i must admit, the project have also a lot of enemies in the respective forums...)Cheers

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Alright i'll go and check it out. Thanks for your help everyone.
I would also go check out www.liveatc.net... They have free real world feeds from just about anywhere you like... You'll get a feel for the "flow" of the conversation... I would listen to live atc during my RW training and it helped tremendously.... Also, If you can find a busy tower on Vatsim... Just park on the ramp and listen for a bit... Hope this helps!Cheers!Buddy Morgan

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IVAO client sounds good.How about VATSIM starts using that client, IVAO and VATSIM can still exist just use the same client so we can all fly together.I'm really not impressed with the SB4 or FSINN but continue to fly with VATSIM, for Australia anyway it seems to have the most coverage.So one day they say, we are now going to use the IVAO client and VATSIM servers will be shutdown.

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In response to how to respond to ATC and what is important, read back anything that is a clearance. Any instructions should be read back (interestingly, the altimeter setting is part of an altitude clearance, as it is the only way the controller can ensure that everyone is using the same reference for altitude). Information, such as traffic and winds, etc., do not need to be read back, unless you have been asked to sight the traffic.

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For what it's worth, VATSIM's controllers are the most patient bunch of gents. Although the protocol is extremely realistic, no one gets in trouble for being a beginner.One suggestion is to listen in on real world ATC. There's lots of websites that stream ATC. Your ears and mind adjust to the pace and terminology relatively fast.VatsimTrack IRGood Yoke / PedalsGood Hardware______________A+ FS Immersion Best of luck.


Bob Donovan - KBOS

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Euroscope is much better in my opinion, and I think we should merge, but there will be conflicts between both training systems etc...But I would like to see a merge one day...VATAO?:PBack to topic : If you need help with VATSIM specific procedures, just ask, we're all happy to help out!

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In response to how to respond to ATC and what is important, read back anything that is a clearance. Any instructions should be read back (interestingly, the altimeter setting is part of an altitude clearance, as it is the only way the controller can ensure that everyone is using the same reference for altitude). Information, such as traffic and winds, etc., do not need to be read back, unless you have been asked to sight the traffic.
The point about traffic is true, but the altimeter setting information is not that simple. It is not required to be read back per the 7110.65 and I don't recall it being mentioned in the FAR/AIM. All we really want to hear is that you got the altitude right.To be honest, radio frequency congestion is one of the biggest frustration of controllers online if they are busy. If I am working the center level and have several aircraft to pay attention to and issue instructions to, the last thing I need is to have someone read back more than I need them to read back. Most of the time, it's not too busy, so I will point it out to them very briefly that everything they said isn't necessary, just x, y and z.Two of the biggest examples of pilot-controller interaction errors are the following (VATSIM/online, not RW):#1[Aircraft gets handed off from another controller]"Good evening, DC Center [sic], Weedwhacker 123 with you 25NM northwest of Kessel VOR, Flight Level 220."Weedwhacker 123, Washington Center, roger. Position reports aren't necessary when you get handed off - just altitude - but thanks anyway. Desecend and maintain...#2[i send a 'contact me' request to the pilot flying IFR who is about to enter my boundary]"Washington Center, Weedwhacker 123 with you, FL360."Weedwhacker 123, Washington Center, good evening. Reset transponder, squawk 5642."[Pilot resets transponder and hits the IDENT button]Weedwhacker 123, IDENT isn't required unless specifically requested, but it's not a problem. Radar contact, 50NM south of the Wilmington VOR, FL360.For scenario #2, I can half understand the problem because many controllers incorrectly require both a squawk change and an IDENT when you first call, but only one of the above is required for radar identification. I can't tell you how often ATC gets this wrong in the sim realm. If the person is on 1200 or 2200, a squawk change is necessary and all that's required. If a discrete code has been assigned, and that aircraft is squawking that code, all that is required is an IDENT. It is acceptable for them to ask for both, but in most cases it really isn't necessary.I will say, though, that if you're new, most controllers understand (and can probably tell - but throw "first flight" in the flight plan anyway, for good measure) and won't get too upset, but do try your best to be on point. If you don't know, ask via chat rather than on the frequency if it's busy. One, it keeps the frequency open and two, it avoids the embarassing feeling of being new. Avoid busier airspace at first (NY and LAX are known to be busy - but if you look on VATSpy/dolomynum/ServInfo and there aren't a ton of aircraft shown on the map, you're fine). It's a courtesy to the controller, and it'll help you more in the end because a busier controller won't be able to help you as much should you need it.LiveATC.net is a great resource to listen to how they do it in the real world.Lastly, please don't ever come on to the controller's frequency and point out "Well Flightaware shows that they are using runway 1R, not 19L, what you're using." One, I strive for realism (and in this case, I can probably direct traffic from my apartment balcony with a better vantage point than Dulles Tower for Runway 1R/19L, so I can see what's going on without even using Flightaware), but in the real world, if the runway configuration changes, they normally finish bringing in a group of aircraft and then switch it up as soon as they can. Online, we don't have the same traffic levels, so the runway configurations are usually very quick changes (I don't have to wait to bring in the last of the aircraft already landing to the south before switching to a north operation because sometimes, I just don't have traffic to bring in). If you want a particular runway, request it. It doesn't mean I have to approve it, but if I see no reason not to, I'll most likely give it to you (and don't argue with me at Roanoke - in the battle of terrain versus aircraft, terrain always wins, sorry).Rant over. Basically, if you have questions, ask.

Kyle Rodgers

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