Just for another perspective, if you enjoy the default ATC and aren't quite ready to dive head-first into online flying, Radar Contact might be perfect for you. It's vastly more realistic and nuanced than the default ATC, and provides a decent training ground for graduating to real flesh-and-blood controllers online. I've used it off and on for years, and I highly recommend it.

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.

I think that's what had me confused about the post. I absolutely love flying VFR with the J41 but I think it's just easy in the NGX.

Without getting too much into defining VFR vs IFR, we can kind of get the gist of the OP.In this particular context, the OP refers to IFR and obviously means "in the system" with ATC.

IFR with RC4. I have Proflight Emulator but its so complex to use.

Since we're on the topic of ATC:You know, for the record, ATC isn't out to get you, and they're not the cops of the sky. I know not everyone has that stigma assigned to them, but I feel that a lot of people don't try VATSIM or IVAO because they're afraid ATC is going to yell at them or something.I've had someone load up on VATSIM at an airport under my control, claiming that he was in a space simulator, on Mars, flying an X-Wing. No joke.I didn't even yell at that guy, either.Rule of thumb for understanding most of us (controllers): try, and we appreciate the traffic; don't try/listen/learn/etc and we might get a little agitated. It's worth a try. Everyone's new at one point.

Edited January 3, 201214 yr by scandinavian13

All Part 135 flights (USA) are conducted under IFR. The pilot can fly visually e.g. on approach, but to fly visually the rest of the way would be either very inconvenient (e.g. oceans) or down right dangerous (imagine all traffic flying visually in NY airspace). Flying instruments and set airways/procedures brings order to chaos.Best regards,Robin.

Well guys, I know that these commercial planes fly always under IFR but it's lot easier to make it as VFR cause the inbuilt ATC fails on approach with STAR's and so on. I think I'll try online flying when I'm back at home. (null)

...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?...

Coverage can be sparse at certain times of day or even certain days, but it can also be awesome. I took this screenshot last night, an ordernary monday night. Almost every single ARTCC in the US had a center controller on!

Almost....but we at ZDC were slacking :(

Since we're on the topic of ATC:You know, for the record, ATC isn't out to get you, and they're not the cops of the sky. I know not everyone has that stigma assigned to them, but I feel that a lot of people don't try VATSIM or IVAO because they're afraid ATC is going to yell at them or something.I've had someone load up on VATSIM at an airport under my control, claiming that he was in a space simulator, on Mars, flying an X-Wing. No joke.I didn't even yell at that guy, either.Rule of thumb for understanding most of us (controllers): try, and we appreciate the traffic; don't try/listen/learn/etc and we might get a little agitated. It's worth a try. Everyone's new at one point.

Agree with this. Vatsim isn't scary at all and the controllers are on the whole very patient. After all, where would they be with no traffic??!!

Edited January 3, 201214 yr by Thunderbird8

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.

First of all, since you are from Germany I advise IVAO instead of Vatsim, since IVAO has better coverage in Europe (except the UK).For the first start this might help you (for other readers, this is in German) http://www.ivao.de/mitgliedschaft/erste-schritte.htmlYou can contact the German training staff (www.ivao.de) or ask questions in the German part of the forum (http://de.forum.ivao.aero). There also is a very good training part on their site, you might just want to go trough it if you are interested. http://training.ivao.de/trainingsunterlagen.htmlFurther, if you indicate in your flightplan remarks that you are a new pilot, most controllers will be happy to help you out. Just don't start at Frankfurt or Amsterdam on a busy night since they won't have time then, but on other nights at other airports you should be fine. I did not notice controllers who got irritated because someone made a mistake in trying to learn everything. Controllers only get upset if someone is just messing around not trying to learn and just ruining everything for everybody.Try to start with voice. Text can be of help when something isn't clear but in general voice works much better. It's easier to ask things and it works faster. And often you simply don't have enough time to ask a lot of things.The first time is something you just need to go trough. After a few flights you are addicted!Dion mollert

Germany has awesome coverage on vatsim in my experience.

Almost....but we at ZDC were slacking :(

As was ZTL, as usual.

Yes, I'm from Germany but I seldomly fly in Europe at all. I don't have much addon sceneries there and I just love the United States. But I think it can't be wrong to get into flying in Europe again. (null)

(null)

????????