IFR or VFR?!

[Superpilotv2 2]

Hey guys, just a short question. How do you fly with your NGX, IFR with ATC (like in RW) or VFR and the FMC doing all the work?!I found flying VFR with FMC and AP from take off till approach is the most realistic way, but then the ATC has to be on VFR and that's not realistic. On the other side IFR is a lot more realistic but the approach phase is highly unrealistic. I know that there are other things like Radar Contact but I'm pretty hooked on the default ATC. So what do you do on your flights to overcome this issue?

[Mean Aerodynamic Chord 269]

VATSIM.

[mkaygigity 0]

VATSIM.

+1

[NoahBryant 26]

Wouldn't flying VFR with the FMC doing all the work defeat the purpose of flying VFR?

[ohsirus 241]

MCE/RC4 combo

[ZachLW 37]

A combination of the two. ATC will always be there, but the FMC makes complying with them easier.VATSIM is fantastic for that, but I find their coverage inadequate at times. There's also a steep learning curve for newbies and non-pilots. I've heard good things about Radar Contact 4, but I have never used it. Perhaps you could look into that?Being in the system is fun and rewarding. Besides, when would an airliner ever be VFR?! (save for a few cases, nitpickers stay away from that rhetorical question)

Edited January 3, 2012 by ZachLW

[xxJohnxx 21]

I like to fly IVAO. Okay it has a poor covarage, however it makes fun!Yesterday evening I flew with the MD11 from London to Vienna. In London I had an controller, but until germany nobody controlled me. When I was climbing to FL350 I head to stop my climb because the slowly climbing Airbus on the same Airway as I came closer and closer. Around Munic several conrollers were online. But for the last few miles to the Austrian Border I had to switch to UNICOM again. Then shortly after I contacted vienna radar. However I passed me over to approach reay quickly. Approach wanted me to cantact radar again, but after discussing a little bit he advised me to do a holding NERDU. As i figured out the approach controller was a student controller who was doing his exam right now. And maybe one of the examiners (or maybe only an other pilot) had an emergency and had to return to the airport. So about nine approaching airplanes where flying holdings while the airplane with the emergency slowly back to the airport flew. While I was doing holdings I started to ger low on fuel. I have used an online fuel planner, however it gave me only a slight ammount of reserve time (which was probalby my fault, as I entered some data wrong...). While I was in cruise my FMC calculated 7.5 tons of remaining fuel at LOWW. However as I was advised to leave the holding I had only about 5.9 ons fuel in my tank. However the approach controller did a good job and brought me to the airport quickly. The starting aircraft infront of me could clear the runway quickly enought and tower cleard me for landing. Ground seemed not to talk to me so I tried over the chat. Somehow I got to the cargo ramp and there I had about 4.7 tons of fuel remaining, and 3 times a mastercaution...Was an asome experience. I deffinatly recomend IVAO and VATSIMJohn

[AirbusCG 52]

Hey guys,just a short question. How do you fly with your NGX, IFR with ATC (like in RW) or VFR and the FMC doing all the work?!I found flying VFR with FMC and AP from take off till approach is the most realistic way, but then the ATC has to be on VFR and that's not realistic. On the other side IFR is a lot more realistic but the approach phase is highly unrealistic.I know that there are other things like Radar Contact but I'm pretty hooked on the default ATC. So what do you do on your flights to overcome this issue?

I'm flying online all the time. First of all when there's ATC online I'm of cause flying IFR, but when there's no ATC I fly the same way than you, but still online. I would defnatly recommend onlineflying as it is without any doubt the most realistic way of flying. If you can't fly online you can still use radar contact 4. It is still miles better than the default "ATC". It gives you far more possibilitys when it comes to emergencys, but also it lets you fly SIDs and STARs. So if you don't want to fly online you can still use radar contact. Or for the time with no online ATC you can also use a combination of both. That would be best I think.

[Superpilotv2 2]

To this online flying thing I have to say that I was about to fly IVAO one time when I got my Headset but I was afraid of all these phrases and that they wouldn´t understand me, so I let it and never tried again. Well, but this was about 2 years ago and my english has increased a lot since then. Maybe I´ll make another try.

[Benji 3]

To this online flying thing I have to say that I was about to fly IVAO one time when I got my Headset but I was afraid of all these phrases and that they wouldn´t understand me, so I let it and never tried again. Well, but this was about 2 years ago and my english has increased a lot since then. Maybe I´ll make another try.

Give it a go Steffen. You can enter comments on your flight plan to say you are a newbie or don't have English as a first language.I have always found controllers on both networks to be very patient and helpful.

[AirbusCG 52]

To this online flying thing I have to say that I was about to fly IVAO one time when I got my Headset but I was afraid of all these phrases and that they wouldn´t understand me, so I let it and never tried again. Well, but this was about 2 years ago and my english has increased a lot since then. Maybe I´ll make another try.

If you want to I can help you with your first online trys. But you could also join the VATSIM flight school. They'll teach you how to fly online there. Don't worry it's all in all not that difficoult. Also understanding is not that difficoult because you'll only use standart sentences and so even though you don't understand the other guy you can still imagine what you've said. No problem beleave me.

[Thunderbird8 1]

You don't fly an airliner VFR. The FMC by default uses IFR (airways, SIDS, STARS etc), what you mean us flying without ATC. Definitely join an online flying group such as Vatsim. You'll enjoy it I expect.

[jbassue 181]

With VATSIM Steffen, (i'm not sure of IVAO) if you aren't comfortable with voice as yet, you can request text, where the contollers will type their information to you, and in return yo type back

[Fabo 213]

You can use text on IVAO. Or German if you stay within Germany and Austria, usually. Any case, get in touch with your division training staff, I bet they will gladly help.

[scandinavian13 5,192]

To this online flying thing I have to say that I was about to fly IVAO one time when I got my Headset but I was afraid of all these phrases and that they wouldn´t understand me, so I let it and never tried again. Well, but this was about 2 years ago and my english has increased a lot since then. Maybe I´ll make another try.

Germany has an amazing online presence on VATSIM, and most of the guys who staff there are German and would be able to work with you in German and English. Aviation English, being the international standard, is encouraged, but as German speakers themselves, it shouldn't be a big deal.On the VFR note, these planes are built for IFR flight. As for-profit, passenger carrying (commercial) flights are required to on IFR plans, the whole idea of the FMS is to manage that type of flight. You'll see VFR from time to time on ferry flights, because there are no passengers and they generally stay low (below the altitudes where IFR flight is required).You may want to do some research on VFR versus IFR online. It seems like you're basing your understanding on what Flight Sim has "taught" you instead of what's really going on.