I don't fly online, for several reasons. I first tried to install all the necessary programs to fly VATSIM on my computer, found it too complex so gave up. I then went to a friends to try it out, and immediately I got some high and mighty arsehole controller telling me I was doing things wrong. I begrudge this, I am a commercial pilot in training with all the comms  qualifications and several hundred hours of real RT under my belt, it annoys me when somebody with no formal training (most likely) tells me I'm doing things wrong. I was eventually kicked for disputing this, that was the last time I bothered to try.

 

Pretty much exactly why I don't bother with online ATC either. In real life ATC serves the purpose of improving flight safety and I've always felt that it's nice to know someone is there on the other end if something goes wrong. In flight sims however it's something I'm happy to not having to deal with.

 

If there was a good way to fly with friends, for fun, in formation or just mucking about, I'd be all for it, but not what I experienced on VATSIM a while back.

If you like flying small props you might wanna log onto the AVSIM teamspeak server and join the Back Country Prop Club room. There are people online most days, mainly when it's evening in Europe.

Just FYI, if you go to the FSInn site, you will see server software and you can set up your own online server. Then you just invite your friends to fly with you and do what you want. I do this daily and its the only way I fly online any more.

Started with Ivao last summer and lovin' it ever since. I only fly offline when playing around with GA aircraft at St Barths etc. or when trying out new aircraft   Only downside is flying in the US because there's no atc coverage but VATSIM got the US covered so I guess it's ok

 

Pretty much exactly why I don't bother with online ATC either. In real life ATC serves the purpose of improving flight safety and I've always felt that it's nice to know someone is there on the other end if something goes wrong. In flight sims however it's something I'm happy to not having to deal with.

 

 

If you like flying small props you might wanna log onto the AVSIM teamspeak server and join the Back Country Prop Club room. There are people online most days, mainly when it's evening in Europe.

 

Exactly! Real life ATC is very much a "relationship" between the pilot and the ground, even for a short while, but one can't work without the other. It seems like some of the VATSIM controllers think they rule everything. What they forget is that a pilot can fly without a controller, but a controller can't control without any pilots

 

Maybe I got unlucky, but every single real world controller I've spoken to (and I've pressed that red button tens of thousands of times) has been nothing but helpful, forgiving of mistakes and generally there to help traffic flow, safety and communications, perhaps some internet warriors should learn from what they're trying to replicate.

 

 

Maybe I got unlucky, but every single real world controller I've spoken to (and I've pressed that red button tens of thousands of times) has been nothing but helpful, forgiving of mistakes and generally there to help traffic flow, safety and communications, perhaps some internet warriors should learn from what they're trying to replicate.

 

A British Airways 747 was approaching the Frankfurt Airport one afternoon. The pilot radioed the tower for landing instructions. The arrogant German air traffic controller quickly gave the pilot instructions and told him which gate to taxi up to. The pilot asked for more detailed instructions. The air traffic controller replied, "Don't you know your way around here? Have you not ever been to Frankfurt before? The British pilot replied, "Yes, I have. Twice in 1945 but I didn't land!"

 

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