I am actually registered with VATSIM but haven't taken the time to join a VA and learning all the rules.  Seems like its the way to go for most realistic ATC simulation.

You don't need to be in a virtual airline in order to use VATSIM.

You don't need to be in a virtual airline in order to use VATSIM.

Goes to show how much I know about it.  How does VATSIM handle AI?  I use UT2 but I guess that won't be needed in a "virtual" world. 

 

 

5d. Your APU on a twin engine needs to be on from entry to exit of the NAT track.

 

Thanks for the post.  Very informative.  What is the purpose of the APU on while crossing a NAT? 

Goes to show how much I know about it. How does VATSIM handle AI? I use UT2 but I guess that won't be needed in a "virtual" world.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the post. Very informative. What is the purpose of the APU on while crossing a NAT?

There is no AI at VATSIM, all traffic is human driven.

 

I believe that about APU is not general rule, but might be a requirement for some aircraft. And if exist, such a rule is not applied to NAT , but to ETOPS.

5d. Your APU on a twin engine needs to be on from entry to exit of the NAT track.

 

really ?? never heard about that ! can you add us some informations about that rule ??

 

 

some shots of a CBT about ETOPS :

 

 

Critical Fuel Scenario

 

Forecast Weather Conditions

 

Time window for the alternates weather forecast wich need to suit the ETOPS conditions

 

Entry Points

 

Equal Time Points

 

Briefing Package with ETOPS points

Goes to show how much I know about it.  How does VATSIM handle AI?  I use UT2 but I guess that won't be needed in a "virtual" world.

Before I answer this question, I should probably explain the point of VATSIM in the first place. The main purpose of VATSIM is to provide an air traffic control service to pilots all around the world. Controllers aren't on all the time, but when VATSIM has events, which can be found on their website, you'll be more likely to find controllers as well as other pilots, so the traffic levels you see will depend on the number of pilots online. There is no AI in the sense that you are thinking where the computer controls the planes. Rather, the "AI" you will see are actually other pilots who are flying on the server, and those planes are controlled by actual people. The reason I put AI in quotes is that the aircraft you see are going to be of AI quality. Of course, having detailed models isn't possible because your simulator would quite likely crash if there were too many of them.

 

You can choose to fly whatever you want. You could use either Squawkbox or FSInn for your method of communications as well as the aircraft type selection. The aircraft type selection in either of these clients is strictly for ATC identification purposes as well as allowing the other pilots to see the proper aircraft. I mostly fly IFR, as I fly the large jets, however, my friend has flown both VFR and IFR, having flown something as small as the Cessna 172 to something as large as the ERJ-145 (I've yet to see him fly anything bigger).

 

If you go on the VATSIM website, you can see what events are available. Some events will be based at a specific airport, while others can involve flying between A and B. For instance, two weeks ago, there was an event in the New York area, where controllers were available all over the New York area. People were flying in and out from all over the place. The night before that one, there was an event that took place where you would get full ATC service between El Paso to Phoenix and vice versa or Albuquerque to Phoenix and vice versa. Of course, that doesn't mean you can't fly anywhere else, it just means full ATC service isn't guaranteed.

 

I know that was a lot to read, but hopefully that gives you a better idea as to what VATSIM is and what it does.

 

Thanks for the post. Very informative. What is the purpose of the APU on while crossing a NAT?

 

The concept is that APU's have not historically been reliable at starting in the thin high altitude air at cruising altitude.  As such, the reasoning was that it was better to find out you couldn't get your APU started over land than over water in a failure.

 

 

I believe that about APU is not general rule, but might be a requirement for some aircraft. And if exist, such a rule is not applied to NAT , but to ETOPS.

 

I'm not an expert on these rules, so I did a little googling and turns out you are correct.  The APU requirement is part of the aircraft specific ETOPS certification and some newer aircraft only need to prove their APU can start at altitude once a month or so.  Most of the rules I posted above are actually ETOPS and not specific to the NATs.

Goes to show how much I know about it. How does VATSIM handle AI? I use UT2 but I guess that won't be needed in a "virtual" world.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the post. Very informative. What is the purpose of the APU on while crossing a NAT?

There is no AI at VATSIM, all traffic is human driven.

 

 

I believe that about APU is not general rule, but might be a requirement for some aircraft. And if exist, such a rule is not applied to NAT , but to ETOPS.

 

I think as many people have said the APU is for ETOPS mainly. Why they use it might be because if for whatever reason the engines fail and shutdown, you will never loose power to the aircrafts system. That being said APU's have been known to sometimes not want to start at those altitudes, so I guess it depends. A year ago I was on an Air France flight KJFK-LFPG operated with a 773 and I got a chance to go into the cockpit during preflight and during the flight and I recall them turning the APU on as normal to start up, then they turned it off at 2000' agl until FL180 when they turned it back on and kept it on until reaching the coast of France.

 

Fuel is should be a very big part of your planning process, if you want to do it realistically.

 

 

Remy Mermelstein

777-300 FS Pilot

 

Targeting Risk Within The Shanwick

@@kenz

Appreciate the video post. Very informative I must say.  Gonna try and download it from youtube....

Thanks!