CactusDx

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SO-CAL - Update 2245ZAll SO-CAL airports remain in a ground stop with an update at 2300Z. ZLA is handling diverted traffic and internals first. LAX is expected to transition out of ground stop and into a ground delay program at 2300Z. Flights will be released on EDCT's. Expect 30 miles in trail. SO-CAL personnel are en route to regional airports to begin working approach control from their respective towers. Estimates for personnel in place with equipment functional is 6-8 hours. Thoughts are with those that have lost lives and property. Hopefully fire professionals will be able to contain the blaze soon..M. CollierDispatcher/SOCAmerica West AirlinesKPHX

Brush fires have pushed to within 2 miles of SOCAL TRACON. Controllers have now evacuated the TRACON and all flights to the SOCAL region are now ground-stopped. ZLA is now in the process of assuming responsibility for approach control - expect significant miles in trail restrictions when operations resume. Updates to follow..M. CollierDispatcher/SOCAmerica West AirlinesKPHX

Boy, I guess you really broke the rules! ILS to rwy 09 at KSAN requires 350 and 1 mile for higher than standard CAT I mins with no CAT II/III approaches available. Rwy 27 is in fact a localizer approach only. No glide slope available. Looking at Lee's post regarding KSAN Metar reports there weren't any winds reported greater than 5 knots. The value after the "A" references altimeter setting and not wind speed. :7:-waveMike CKPHX

All the above is fine, except when the runway available is close to the runway required Even with short runways (Orange County California/KSNA comes to mind) we can't plan to takeoff at a weight greater than what would allow a full stop within 60% (+15% if its expected to be wet) of the effective runway length at the destination airport (FAR 121.195).But, at any rate I would tend to agree that carrying extra airspeed above Vref isn't always desirable. Mike CKPHX

Greetings Avsim Staff,Being that it's so soon after this years conference you may not have the info, but I'm trying to coordinate some of my vacation time around the 2004 conference. So, if you at least know the dates for next year (location isn't that important, I'll get there!) I would appreciate a reply in order to attend in 2004.Thanks in advance! Mike CollierDispatcher/SOCAmerica West AirlinesPhoenix, Az

Luigi,Sounds like you're maybe making it all much harder that it really is. A STAR, or Standard Terminal Arrival Route is nothing more than a series of navaids/fixes that they've grouped together and assigned a name. The whole purpose of Departure Procedures(DP)and Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STAR) is, by definition, to SIMPLIFY ATC CLEARANCES, nothing more. If you have your route programmed into the FMC then there is no need to disengage LNAV mode until you start receiving vectors from the approach controller for sequencing. One thing to keep in mind when arriving on a STAR is that you'll only fly as much of the published arrival procedure as the controllers deem necessary based on traffic volume. Once you start getting vectors off the published STAR by approach control THEN you can disengage LNAV and go to HDG mode. Which is the correct handling of the entire thing? Using the words "correct" or "incorrect" to describe how a procedure may be handled would not necessarily be accurate. No two flights over the same route will ever be identical due to the dynamic nature of weather and traffic volume. ATC has to react to the changes in real time and provide services accordingly. So, if ATC has to keep you up higher a little longer than would be typical on an arrival it's not "wrong", it's just what's needed at the time. Use the aircraft automation to assist you but be prepared at any given time to do what's necessary to comply with ATC instructions.If this didn't help let me know or send me a private message and I'll try again!Mike CollierDispatcher/SOCAmerica West Airlines

1.)I buy a Pick-up Truck (Variable-X)2.)I purchase a camping trailer/fishing boat etc.. (Variable-Y)3.)In order to get Y to function with X I must now purchase a hitch from another vendor (Variable-Z).If I want to get my flight sim to continue to "tow" my add-on's I'll simply need to buy the FSUIPC "hitch". I don't remember seeing any gaurantees anywhere along my 17 year flight sim career that this was going to be a cheap or free hobby. Mike CollierPhoenix, Az

Chris, I'm on the west side of Phoenix and spent a little time last week on a search with no results as well. Ended up ordering from Provantage Thursday morning and had the tin-box version in my hand when I got home from work Friday afternoon. :7 Mike CKPHX

these both card do not support fs2004 correctly and may have trouble. Oh. I'm running FS2004 with Windows 98, 256MB of system RAM and an "old" GeForce 2 GTS 32MB video board and I've been pleasantly surprised on how well it runs and looks. I think I'm still using the 21.83 drivers too! :-lolI won't tell my machine that it's really not supposed to be supporting FS2004. hehehe :7Mike CKPHX

Hi John, Are you experiencing any Win98se related issues? I'm still using 98se myself! (I can hear the rest of the forum groaning..) :7Mike CollierDispatcher/SOCAmerica West AirlinesKPHX

Has it been lengthened out to a more realistic, say, 25 or even 30 miles? I don't have FS2004 but I can say from real world experience that when flying into major metro areas you certainly don't see runway lights 25-30 miles out. Phoenix Sky Harbor sits amongst quite a few city lights and you're lucky if you can make out any runway lights at all closer than 6-8 miles out. Due to terrain and other lighting the same holds true of many other metro areas. I've always been of the opinion that the runways in FS are too EASY to spot at night due to unrealistic levels of lighting. M. CollierDispatcher/SOCAmerica West Airlines

Stuart,You didn't get any glideslope indications for 04L because there isn't one! :-)Referencing the approach plates for KORD there is a full ILS to 04R but 04L is localizer only, which makes it a non-precision approach. The final approach fix (FAF) is located at LAPPS at an altitude of 2400'. The minimums, providing you are able to identify RACCY intersection, are 401 / 1 1/4 for straight in category C aircraft. If unable to identify RACCY the mins go up to 601 / 1 3/4.Give that approach another shot as localizer only and I think you'll be fine.Mike CollierDispatcher/SOCAmerica West Airlines

Reed,Nice find! You're right, it does appear that some sort of frontal system is approaching! Mike CollierDispatcher/SOCAmerica West Airlines

So, to answer your question, tops above FL350 are possible. That's the answer I wanted to hear! :7Shots look great by the way. We'll actually have some thunderstorm activity that will require route deviation to circumnavigate. Thanks for the input! :-waveMichael CollierDispatcher/SOCAmerica West Airlines

Hi Reed, thanks for the reply!I agree, having to navigate around this type of weather can be a huge challenge in the Spring and Summer months. It does look like FS2004 will be supporting frontal systems so my biggest question is whether or not the weather engine will generate volumetric CB clouds above FL350. As we all know it's certainly not uncommon to see thunderstorm tops in the 45,000-70,000 foot range if the conditions are right. If FS2004 will in fact generate/display this type of thunderstorm then having a working weather radar will almost become a neccessity! :7:-waveMike CollierDispatcher/SOCAmerica West Airlines

Hey Ryan!we're actually going to end up with true weather situations that will require deviations off course, alternate routing etc...Ahhh, I can only dream! :7 It would be great to be able to look out and see a squall line on the horizon with tops above FL450, and as we approach the line having to deviate left and right of course to pick our way through. Or, if it's bad enough, having to deviate a hundred miles or more from the orignal route to get around it. Now THAT'S some spring and summer flying! :7I need to start flying for MCA again by the way - I haven't flown since we switched from AWVA... darn real life getting in the way! Yeah, I hate it when that happens! :-lolC'ya :-waveMike CollierDispatcher/SOCAmerica West Airlines

(Homer Simpson voice)Mmmmmm...Suuuupercells... :9Michael CollierDispatcher/SOCAmerica West Airlines

Greetings!Question for those with the press beta. If the terms of the NDA allow, will you comment on whether or not the new weather engine will allow for thunderstorm tops above FL350? It would be great to see supercell thunderstorm activity as it forms along the drylines in west Texas and Oklahoma. I'd like to see volumetric thunderstorms with tops from FL350 to FL550-600.Thanks in advance if anyone cares to confirm this.:-waveMichael CollierDispatcher/SOCAmerica West Airlines

If you want a real "quick and dirty" no brainer low math method a good general rule of thumb is that it will take you 3 miles to descend 1000 feet. Scenario: You're at FL350 and you need to make a published crossing restriction at FL240. 35,000 - 24,000 = 11,000 feet. Drop the zero's and multiply times 3: 11 x 3 = 33 miles. That will give you a DME fix, give or take a mile or two, as a point where you need to start down to make your crossing. Using this method will generally give you a descent rate of around 2000 fpm, however don't get in the mind-set that a descent rate of greater than 2000 fpm is "wrong". Depending on traffic or other considerations ATC may make requests that will yield descent rates of 3000-4000+ fpm.Enjoy!Michael CollierDispatcher/SOCAmerica West Airlines

Yeah, we're an unruly bunch! :-lolI'll catch you online and put you in touch with that guy for the 727 fuel info.Mike Collier

I wish my fleet at work had that option!! No kidding..would certainly make my day progress a little more smoothly!Mike Collier

...those pain in the neck dispatchers. Whoa, eeaaasy there! :-lol:-waveMike Collier

Hi Dave,I know a Dx with Pan Am. I'm sure he could get you the data you're looking for.Mike CKPHX

Hmm..I must be looking in the wrong place. I don't see any shots of KJFK at all.Regards,Mike CollierKPHX