Curious to see how many online FSX users

[bennyboy75 91]

ATC is still the one thing that isn't properly done in FS, either live or canned. The ATC programs have their own limitations and as we've discussed live ATC coverage is far from perfect. Pilot's Edge have the right idea in the US, with daily coverage from Vegas across to LAX and all points in between, giving you a good mix of big and small fields to have a go at with a proper live controller. If that could somehow be replicated in Europe that would really be something.

[LeeL 272]

Yeah I know what you mean.

 

I think a long time ago UNICOM used to be voice , but there were a couple of problems. One was that people were misusing it, and the other (I think) was that the range was too large, so you could hear people far away, although you'd think they could fix that somehow.

 

Also there are pilots who can only use text, for whatever reason, or pilots that can't hear so you'd have to type anyway, those are the rules in Oz.

 

 

Maybe things will change with the new client, maybe they can do a voice to text thing so if the user selects an option others people's voice is turned to text, but that's probably a nightmare to code.

[Chrjs 61]

It could be so easy to get more online-users and atc if the two biggies would just merge (again). I still think it is so ridiculous to have two competing online-communities for such a small amount of simmers, even more since both seem to follow (almost) the same goals. But i guess to say this is just like saying "jehova" - you will be stoned immediately - too many egos that are not willing to compromise..... ok, i said it - no go ahead and throw the first stone (she said it, she said it....... he said it, he said it.... )

[simpson2 3]

I just can't bring myself to online flying. Maybe it's that I'm shy but being in a VA is enough for me.

[LeeL 272]

I just can't bring myself to online flying. Maybe it's that I'm shy but being in a VA is enough for me.

Well if you ever want to get into it, there's tons of help here and at Vatsim, everyone was new at some point

And it all depends where you fly, most nights it's really really busy in Europe, the weekends even more so.

 

I don't chase ATC but I seem to find some 85-95% of the time

[flyingnoob 25]

It's hard work being a controller on VATSIM.

 

When I first joined, I manned EGPH constantly, even got iron mics single handedly, gets very tedious just having 4 or 5 A/C in an 8 hour period week after week - granted there are other things that you can do while waiting on traffic, but even at that - there are only so many youtube videos that one can watch etc etc.

 

They say "build it and they will come" but "it never came" really.

[LeeL 272]

It's hard work being a controller on VATSIM.

 

When I first joined, I manned EGPH constantly, even got iron mics single handedly, gets very tedious just having 4 or 5 A/C in an 8 hour period week after week - granted there are other things that you can do while waiting on traffic, but even at that - there are only so many youtube videos that one can watch etc etc.

 

They say "build it and they will come" but "it never came" really.

Lol too true, I just moved to where the traffic was

[Chrjs 61]

It's hard work being a controller on VATSIM.

 

When I first joined, I manned EGPH constantly, even got iron mics single handedly, gets very tedious just having 4 or 5 A/C in an 8 hour period week after week - granted there are other things that you can do while waiting on traffic, but even at that - there are only so many youtube videos that one can watch etc etc.

 

They say "build it and they will come" but "it never came" really.

Did you book your station so that everybody could see when and for how long you were controlling (this is something i completelly miss in the USA)? I know UK-controllers do a great job, but unfortunatelly there seems to be no or only little coordination besides the regular events. A tower here and an approach there....

I can only speak for Germany. We have regular Online days (Monday eg Dusseldorf, Berlin and Nuremberg, tuesday EDDK, Wednesday EDDM and EDDG, Thursday EDDH and EDDP, Friday EDDF and EDDW) and we have lots of traffic at these places on these days. It works in Switzerland and Austria as well. Why doesn't the UK have something like that?

[flyingnoob 25]

Did you book your station so that everybody could see when and for how long you were controlling (this is something i completelly miss in the USA)? I know UK-controllers do a great job, but unfortunatelly there seems to be no or only little coordination besides the regular events. A tower here and an approach there....

I can only speak for Germany. We have regular Online days (Monday eg Dusseldorf, Berlin and Nuremberg, tuesday EDDK, Wednesday EDDM and EDDG, Thursday EDDH and EDDP, Friday EDDF and EDDW) and we have lots of traffic at these places on these days. It works in Switzerland and Austria as well. Why doesn't the UK have something like that?

Yes I always pre-booked tower, - daft not too (no offense it does give pilots a good idea whether they will make it to my airport "on time" or not.

 

But yes, I would be on it pretty much full time - I even done a few "all nighters" which the wife was not too pleased about.

 

The uk do/did have regular-ish events, but I cannot speak for them now/lately as I have not been near vatsim for around 4 years+ due to my daughter being born(also because I got bored I guess, but mostly the daughter)

[UAE77L 153]

It would be nice if Vatsim and IVAO merged. Why am I suggesting this? If you have a look the average traffic in vatsim on a typical day(excluding events) it varies from 200 to 400 pilots and 30 to 70 ATC. IVAO on the other hand have roughly the same figures. Now here's the big deal.... Merging these two networks to become one big and busy network would actually take flight swimming to another level. On top of that, we could end having a minum of 800 pilots and 150+ ATC on a typical day.

 

In big events like cross the pond, we could see 3000+ pilots online. Heathrow OPS event would closely replicate what goes on at the actual airport in real life. You would have to wait in a stack for 30 minutes or so and then land at EGLL which is obviously a good thing because that's what actually happens in real life.

 

Flying on Vatsim in the Middle east and the far east is completely dead!!!! There is practically no traffic or ATC coverage down there. I generally fly on Vatsim and I am aware of the good traffic and ATC coverage IVAO offers in the Middle east, Asia, south America and Africa. When it comes to Europe and North America though... nothing beats Vatsim.

 

Merging Vatsim and IVAO would not just bring the whole of FS world alive, but also fixing a few flaws and issues (some discussed in this thread) would create one of the most realistic environments to fly in.

Just imagine not having to take a look at Vatspy( or the IVAO equivalent) to see which airport and airspace is active and busy. Get a flight plan used in the real world and just fly to and from anywhere you want. You wouldn't have worry about ATC coverage or empty airports

[klamal 283]

 

 

Merging Vatsim and IVAO would not just bring the whole of FS world alive, but also fixing a few flaws and issues (some discussed in this thread) would create one of the most realistic environments to fly in.
Just imagine not having to take a look at Vatspy( or the IVAO equivalent) to see which airport and airspace is active and busy. Get a flight plan used in the real world and just fly to and from anywhere you want. You wouldn't have worry about ATC coverage or empty airports

 

I still think that even with the numbers talked about here that there would be plenty of time with no coverage.  It would be better, that's for sure.  But, especially for situations like mine(6-8 hour time zone difference), we would still experience too much lack of coverage.

 

It's great that this is free.  But, I wonder what would happen if it was a pay thing.  Pilots would pay "landing fees" that would then be given to controllers for their time.  Maybe that would entice more ATC coverage more of the time?  Obviously it couldn't be a lot of money because we just wouldn't pay that much but at least some amount to make it worth ATC controllers trying to give more of their time.  Just a thought.

 

As has been said here before, when it's on, when you have ATC coverage, there is NOTHING BETTER or MORE REAL!!  It is amazing the level of realism that exists here.  It's just how can we make it so it's not the exception but rather the norm to have ATC coverage?

[Chrjs 61]

It would be nice if Vatsim and IVAO merged. Why am I suggesting this? If you have a look the average traffic in vatsim on a typical day(excluding events) it varies from 200 to 400 pilots and 30 to 70 ATC. IVAO on the other hand have roughly the same figures. Now here's the big deal.... Merging these two networks to become one big and busy network would actually take flight swimming to another level. On top of that, we could end having a minum of 800 pilots and 150+ ATC on a typical day.

 

In big events like cross the pond, we could see 3000+ pilots online. Heathrow OPS event would closely replicate what goes on at the actual airport in real life. You would have to wait in a stack for 30 minutes or so and then land at EGLL which is obviously a good thing because that's what actually happens in real life.

 

Flying on Vatsim in the Middle east and the far east is completely dead!!!! There is practically no traffic or ATC coverage down there. I generally fly on Vatsim and I am aware of the good traffic and ATC coverage IVAO offers in the Middle east, Asia, south America and Africa. When it comes to Europe and North America though... nothing beats Vatsim.

 

Merging Vatsim and IVAO would not just bring the whole of FS world alive, but also fixing a few flaws and issues (some discussed in this thread) would create one of the most realistic environments to fly in.

Just imagine not having to take a look at Vatspy( or the IVAO equivalent) to see which airport and airspace is active and busy. Get a flight plan used in the real world and just fly to and from anywhere you want. You wouldn't have worry about ATC coverage or empty airports

He said "Jehova"......

Seriously, im totally with you. Even though the traffic might sometimes even overwhelm airports like LOWI which already gets more traffic than their real counterpart - but it could be handled by providing/having to book slots just like in real life....

 

Btw: There is a new group of controllers that brought OMDB back to life. That had a big fly in a few weeks ago and now have regular online evenings every tuesday - so go ahead and generate traffic!

[Tom Allensworth 1,532]

It's great that this is free. But, I wonder what would happen if it was a pay thing. Pilots would pay "landing fees" that would then be given to controllers for their time. Maybe that would entice more ATC coverage more of the time? Obviously it couldn't be a lot of money because we just wouldn't pay that much but at least some amount to make it worth ATC controllers trying to give more of their time. Just a thought.

Unless the code for Joe and Marty's Squawkbox and ATC clients and the server itself have been COMPLETELY re-written and do not use any of that legacy code, paying for access can never happen. It is precluded in the licenses for those three systems.

 

The last time I was on one of the systems (to be unnamed), I used a European route with a flight plan taken directly from FlightAware for the exact flight that I wanted to fly. I put that into my flightplan and submitted it. I was promptly informed by the controller that is was not a proper flight plan because the route was "not approved". By whom? Anyway, that was the last time I logged on for "real" ATC control. I don't have the time to screw around with that kind of stuff, and if I were asked to pay to be dealt with that way, I would not bother, even if the licenses allowed it.

[Trans_27 Pilot Chase 59]

If there's no traffic, I skip Unicom completely unless I see traffic actually being a factor. I'm focused on flying, not typing. When they want to put up a voiced Unicom that can only be heard by those within a reasonable difference, then I'll utilize it like they expect.

 

But sorry, when I'm flying an approach or on final, I'm too busy flying my aircraft and I skip typing anything on Unicom unless 3 miles or less in separation.

[UAE77L 153]

Pilots would pay "landing fees"

 

That made my day...

 

Heathrow tower: Speed bird 40F surface wind 240 degrees at 11 knots, cleared to land 27R... £5 please!

 

Speed bird 40F: What!!... 5 quid? That's it, I'm diverting mate!

 

Any ways... Microsoft Xbox eg charges their users something like 30 quid a year to play online. I myself wouldn't mind paying a small subscription flying in an ultra realistic environment that's always available, but hey... At least it's free for now so enjoy.