Hey guys

Many times I have seen that people flying on vatsim gets full atc facility. However, when I connect to vatsim, I hardly get atc coverage at the departure airport. I want to experience full atc as well. I know that we get full atc in vatsim events.But not sure how to book a flight. And is their any fix time when we get full atc coverage? Also help on booking a flight in event will be appreciated.

Thanks

I use Vattastic to check where ATC is active.

www.vattastic.com

 

It looks like this:

 

It shows you a big map, with active ATC marked by big purple/blue circles. Like you see on this screenshot, ATC at EGMC and ENGM is active.

Try it yourself

But in case you're new, read the tutorials first. Vatsim is not a simple ballgame.
I'm still making errors and putting myself to shame often

Thnx domini99 but I am unaware of unicom talking. I don't know wen how and wat to say on unicom.

A help with tht would be greatful

Thnx domini99 but I am unaware of unicom talking. I don't know wen how and wat to say on unicom.

A help with tht would be greatful

As far as I understand, (someone correct me if i'm wrong) when there's no ATC coverage you have to say what you're doing on the unicom.

Like when you're approaching the airfield, which runway you're landing, i'm not a Vatim professional at all, i'm far from!

I started a couple of months ago with my Cessna, just flying VFR and listening what the ATC is saying to other planes.

When you're flying at only 2000 feet you won't bother anybody so ATC doesn't say a lot to you.

 

About the unicom, i haven't even had contact back on the unicom even once.

 

 

I'm planning to try to get my Boeing on vatsim after i finished studying every function of the FMC and can operate it fluently.

Right now often the approach legs gets screwed up and the autopilot quits.

Nobody will notice as the legs are still displayed on my screens, the Lnav function on my autopilot just quits working and i have to switch to heading hold.

Well vatsim / ivap ATC is on user time. Hence not all ATC personal shall be active.

 

I have seen the German branch to be highly active. Always check vatview.com or webeye.ivao. That's what I do.

 

Non ATC will give you  G Class IIRC airspace. But announce on Unicom about your intentions and always file a Flight Plan.  

 

Europe goes bonkers late in the evening. So does NY

I learned by connecting at a busy airport parked out of the way on a ramp listening to the active frequencies and watched what was typed on the UNICOM channel.  As far as I know you are only permitted text on UNICOM.  

 

Read the manual and look up some vids on youtube as to how to converse with controllers.

 

Good luck.

 

Robert

Use Vatspy or similar software that let's you check out the activity and where it's at before you get online.   If I see that it's a slow do I will fire up VoxATC instead and fly offline with AI traffic.

Like others have already suggested UNICOM is only for text and you'll use it to announce your intentions when there's no ATC online such as what arrival and approach you're planning to shoot.

 

There's lots of videos on YouTube you can watch and I've uploaded lots of online flights on Vatsim myself some of them in Swedish though but also lots of clips in English. Do a Google search for my full name (Richard Åsberg) and you should be able to find my YouTube channel.

 

As for ATC coverage you can check out the Vatsim site and look for planned events but in general in Europe both Germany and UK are mostly very active but also Scandinavia. Not sure about other parts outside Europe since that's where I do all my flying.

 

See you in the virtual skies ☺

Thank you guys and one last thing. As I mentioned earlier, I also wanna know about booking a flighton vatsim events.

Webmaximus Ill definitely go through ur vids and hope I get my ans there. Thank you

.

To book a flight in a Vatsim event, you'll normally find a Vatsim event banner, click it and get passed through to the website with flight charts and booking facilities. 

 

e.g.. 

 

http://ctp.vatsim-uk.co.uk/

 

or 

 

http://www.vatsim.net/news-details/dublinheathrow-overload/7dfc9311de/?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=5

 

There is one serious amount of stuff to learn on Vatsim, and you don't want to put yourself in an event with only basic Vatsim-knowhow. 

 

Don't let this put you off and keep logging in to listen to other pilots and controllers. 

Why don't go with a training on Vatsim, there are many ATO, and  you will certainly have more fun.

http://ptd.vatsim.net/atos

I've mentioned this in another thread...

 

IVAO has about a 10% mix of GA in their flights...the rest being heavy metal.  Curious as to why VATSIM doesn't have the same.  Seems more like 1% when I look.  Being a GA flyer, mostly, I wonder why.

As an example, on Vatsim, in UK Airspace, Gloucester (EGBJ) is open most Tuesday evenings supporting GA traffic. The CIX VFR Club only fly VFR and will arrive or depart from EGBJ. If you're part of a group or that group, you'll have more say in asking for an airport to be opened for your flight. 

 

I've seen that London Control covering all UK Airspace will operate on Weekend mornings. They will give you full ATC from stand to stand in the UK.  

The ATC at Schiphol helped me a lot. They are usually ON later in the day most of the week.  You ask the ATC to help you which they will if there is not much traffic.

 

Both are good vatsim and ivao but there is more traffic on vatsim and usually heavies. 

I think you could get great help from Swedish ATC as well and I often hear GA traffic on the radio.