CactusDx

Good Day,Due to the ever increasing amount of activity and events sponsored by VATSIM, the administrative staff at AWVA have decided to implement a new position. This position is Air Traffic Control Coordinator. Initial duties and responsibilities include, but are not be limited to:Establish and maintain regular contact with the VATSIM VA Liaison.Establish and maintain regular contact with a representative from each VATSIM ARTCC.Provide updates to pilots regarding air traffic events sponsored by various ARTCC's.Monitor all available standard operating procedure boards on the ARTCC web pages to ensure AWVA is in compliance with all requested Air Traffic Procedures. Assist dispatch in providing oversight for ATC routings (e.g. SUNSS3 is now the SUNSS4) and assist with ATC route database maintenance if required.Assist pilots that may be having difficulties using the VATSIM system.Other duties as assigned by Flight Operations.Preferred requirements for this position: An active AWVA pilot.An active, experienced VATSIM Air Traffic Controller. Above average communication skills.Ability to function well in a goal-oriented, team environment.Sufficient free time to devote at least one hour per day (or as required) monitoring ARTCC pages, responding to Email, and providing update posts to the AWVA NOTAM board. Successful candidates will also possess an enthusiastic attitude, as well as a dedication to develop and successfully administer the position. Letters of interest should be emailed to pres@awva.net by no later than 0000Z Tuesday July 2, 2002. Selection and notification will be made no later than 0000Z Friday July 5, 2002.Good luck to all and we look forward to launching this new position!America West Virtual Airlines Flight Operations

Richard,I don't see why not. You can set FS Sky World to randomize your cloud sets at a specified interval. I normally set it to change out cloud sets every 20 minutes on my airline-type flights. That's the only thing FSSW will do for you. It's not a weather generating engine of any type, so it will only display cloud sets for whatever weather is available. It shouldn't make any difference if it's the default FS generated weather or FSMeteo "real time" weather. Mike

To my understanding, FS will only use one set at a time, but if you have all the sets available then FS Sky World will have a "library" of cloud sets to choose from to give you some nice visual variation.That's what I meant by "installing them all". I have all of the available sets on my hard drive and FS Sky World happily randomizes the sets for me as I fly along and FSMeteo provides the engine to generate the Wx. Mike CKPHX

Why choose? Just load them all, they're outstanding!Mike CKPHX

Scott,Wow! I'm glad I wasn't flying right seat with you on that one! :7I actually wasn't thinking in terms quite that detailed, but I can certainly see how FS would be a limiting factor in something like that. Actually, all I was thinking about was if the winds at the airport of intended landing were stronger than "X"-knots, and/or gusting wind conditions were present, that would "trigger" the tower controller to give windshear advisories. Did you happen to read my last response to you on that DP/STAR thread that was going a few days back? Just wanted to make sure that I hadn't offended you in any way and to let you know that I wasn't trying to come off as a "know-it-all". I keep finding that there's too much I don't know to be one of those! :7Cya! :-waveMike CollierKPHX[table border=1 bgcolor=#eeeeee][tr][td rowspan=2] http://avsim.com/flightdeck/images/Radar_small.gif[/td][td]http://www.dispatcher.org|Dispatcher' target="_blank"> America West Airlines and proud to be a Beta Tester of[link:www.jdtllc.com]Radar Contact]The premiere ATC adventure add-on for FS

Howdy guys,Just me with another "bright idea". I can hear the groans now! :7I always seem to get these flashes of inspiration as I'm working my flights. I realize that this is probably a day late and a dollar short for the suggestion box but you can always file it for the next version. Was just thinking about the possibility of the tower controller issuing wind shear advisories if conditions warrant.Mike CollierKPHX[table border=1 bgcolor=#eeeeee][tr][td rowspan=2] http://avsim.com/flightdeck/images/Radar_small.gif[/td][td]http://www.dispatcher.org|Dispatcher' target="_blank"> America West Airlines and proud to be a Beta Tester of[link:www.jdtllc.com]Radar Contact]The premiere ATC adventure add-on for FS

Alec, If you use FS Sky World, select your cloud set and start the sim via FS Sky World. Once you are up and running simply start FSMeteo and you will be all set. FS Sky World will randomize your installed cloud sets for you as you fly to give you some nice visual variations, and FSMeteo will generate the actual wx conditions. They function flawlessly together.Mike CKPHX

JTS,Here's a pretty decent Airbus site. Maybe you can find something useful here to help with your discussion.http://www.airbusdriver.net/:-waveMike CollierKPHX[table border=1 bgcolor=#eeeeee][tr][td rowspan=2] http://avsim.com/flightdeck/images/Radar_small.gif[/td][td] America West Airlines and proud to be a Beta Tester of[link:www.jdtllc.com]Radar Contact]The premiere ATC adventure add-on for FS

(Virtual dispatchers RULE!-or help us bend them)How 'bout us real dispatchers? :7Mike C

Howdy Scott,Hey I hope I didn't offend you in any way with my previous post. I didn't mean for that to come off as a "you're wrong and I'm right" type of a response. I'm certainly NOT the end-all-be-all of aviation knowledge! It was intended to be more of a "day at the office" type of thing, with a snippet of info as to how I'm planning and filing the real world stuff and how ATC handles it after it's filed. The Flex DP sounds like an excellent way to handle the area departures. Looking forward to getting back in the fold with the testing group sometime soon. (Was that too subtle?) :7Mike CollierKPHX[table border=1 bgcolor=#eeeeee][tr][td rowspan=2] http://avsim.com/flightdeck/images/Radar_small.gif[/td][td]http://www.dispatcher.org|Dispatcher' target="_blank"> America West Airlines and proud to be a Beta Tester of[link:www.jdtllc.com]Radar Contact]The premiere ATC adventure add-on for FS

It is unrealistic to file a DP when you have no clue what the winds will be or which runway is active.Why not? I did exactly that about 36 times today! :-lolWe're planning the flights and transmitting the release paperwork a minimum of two hours prior to departure time. The ATC strip gets filed at that point as well so it's in the system with the appropriate center well in advance. Normally the terminal forecasts are close enough to being correct that we can tell which runways SHOULD be in use for the scheduled departure time and plan accordingly. Since most DP's aren't runway specific this typically isn't a problem. However, the DP's that ARE runway specific generally aren't a problem either. Take the CHEZZ DP out of KPHX for example. It's valid for an East configuration only, off of the 7's and 08. During the morning hours KPHX is normally in an East configuration changing over to a West config around noon. Again, since we plan and release a minimum of two hours prior there may be some flights that are still filed for the CHEZZ when they turn the airport around. If that's the case, Albuquerque Center and the KPHX TRACON specifically told us that we wouldn't need to re-file the strip, and that any flights with a CHEZZ DP in the strip would be automatically given the DRYHT DP instead.Often times, especially this time of year, the enroute weather will determine what DP you'll need to plan based on route constraints published in real time by the Air Traffic Control System Command Center. I'm sure Doug can attest to how rapidly things can change when several of the Coded Departure Routes (CDR's) are being utilized.A line of level 6 thunderstorms are moving through ZID airspace and they're shifting all the Westbound traffic down over the J6 Panhandle playbook route, and the Eastbounds are shifted down over the Vulcan playbook route. Gee, did I have a point to any of this?? Oh yeah. I just check the weather first and THEN plan the Radar Contact flight since it doesn't take that long to generate. That way I know the ATC I get will be based on the latest conditions. Ok, I'll shut up now. :7Mike CollierKPHX[table border=1 bgcolor=#eeeeee][tr][td rowspan=2] http://avsim.com/flightdeck/images/Radar_small.gif[/td][td]http://www.dispatcher.org|Dispatcher' target="_blank"> America West Airlines and proud to be a Beta Tester of[link:www.jdtllc.com]Radar Contact]The premiere ATC adventure add-on for FS

Kurt,According to the 757 AFM under the normal profiles section the missed approach/go-around procedure is outlined as follows:PF = Pilot FlyingPNF = Pilot Not FlyingPF - Push GO-AROUND switch and call "Go Around Thrust, Flaps 20"PNF - Select Flaps 20, verify rotation to go-around attitude (15 degrees) and thrust increase.PF - After positive rate of climb established, call for "Positive Rate, Gear Up"PNF - Position gear lever UPPF - Select/Call for LNAV or HDG modePNF - Set MCP as appropriatePF - At flap retraction altitude (1000 above field elevation), select/call for "Climb thrust, VNAV", or "Climb thrust, FLCH, Vref+80"PNF - Select CLB thrust mode, Set MCP as appropriatePF - Call for "Flaps____" according to flap retraction schedulePNF - Position flaps as directed. Verify missed approach route being tracked and missed approach altitude captured.PF - Call for "After takeoff checks"PNF - Accomplish after takeoff checklistConsiderations:If the flight directors are off, pushing the Go-Around switch will engage the FD "auto-on" feature. The FD will engage in the go-around mode. FD will remain engaged until a mode change (i.e. altitude capture) or the FD ON/OFF switch is cycled.If the autothrottle is armed, the autopilot increases thrust as required to establish a 2000 fpm climb with go-around reference thrust as a maximum.So anyway..it looks like you've got most of it going except selecting LNAV or HDG mode after establishing your positive rate of climb.Hope this helps you out, and congrats on making check airman! :7Mike CollierKPHX[table border=1 bgcolor=#eeeeee][tr][td rowspan=2] http://avsim.com/flightdeck/images/Radar_small.gif[/td][td]http://www.dispatcher.org|Dispatcher' target="_blank"> America West Airlines and proud to be a Beta Tester of[link:www.jdtllc.com]Radar Contact]The premiere ATC adventure add-on for FS

Pete,You should consider joining us over here, it's a heck of a lot of fun!We DO operate realistically in accordance with FAR part 121, but I think that's a lot of what makes it fun. Pilots get a pre-planned release courtesy of yours truly with fuel requirements and routing already specified. Heck, I even toss in MEL and CDL items sometimes too just to keep things interesting! :7Honestly, I don't get much stick time in these days either. I'm lucky if I can squeeze in three or four hops per month. I'm about like you I think, I get just as much enjoyment doing flight planning and making sure AWVA runs as realistically as possible as I do out of actually FLYING! :7At any rate, we certainly appreciate all of your hard work creating those absolutely GORGEOUS 757's with the AWE paint jobs! Rest assured that your efforts are traversing the virtual jet routes on a daily basis! Mike CollierKPHX[table border=1 bgcolor=#eeeeee][tr][td rowspan=2] http://avsim.com/flightdeck/images/Radar_small.gif[/td][td]http://www.dispatcher.org|Dispatcher' target="_blank"> America West Airlines and proud to be a Beta Tester of[link:www.jdtllc.com]Radar Contact]The premiere ATC adventure add-on for FS

Hey Robert!Thanks for the kind words, I think you're pretty ok yourself! :7Sorry I haven't dropped you a line recently but I lost your Email address when our MS Outlook address books at work went Tango-Uniform. :'(Thanks to the efforts of Kurt Kalbfleisch, Tony Cervone, and Bob Lyddy (sorry if I forgot anyone) we're starting to ramp up the support for the crews using the PMDG 757-200. We currently use a fully functional ACARS unit programmed by Keith Lovell for the MSFS sim. This captures the OUT time at brake release during pushback, the OFF time when the wheels come up, the ON time at touchdown, and the IN time when the brakes are set again at the gate. This in turn is transmitted to the America West Virtual Airlines web site where the times are posted in REAL TIME to each pilots online log book. Provided that we can garner some information on some of the inner workings of FLY! we hope to be able to adapt the ACARS unit for use with the PMDG 757 and FLY! This will finally allow the 757 Fly!-ers to be on the same page with the MSFS crews for real time flight times reporting. Fun Stuff! :7Most simulated air carriers on the web tend not to utilize the capability of FLY!, which leaves a lot of people without a structured airline environment in which to enjoy flying their shiny new aircraft!AWVA is working hard to create the tools and the outlets to provide a quality, realistic airline experience for ALL pilots, regardless of which simulator they use. I think we'll get there eventually! :7I hope the weather and ground delay programs out East haven't been beating you up too badly. They've been kicking MY butt! :7Talk to you soon! :-waveMike CollierKPHX[table border=1 bgcolor=#eeeeee][tr][td rowspan=2] http://avsim.com/flightdeck/images/Radar_small.gif[/td][td]http://www.dispatcher.org|Dispatcher' target="_blank"> America West Airlines and proud to be a Beta Tester of[link:www.jdtllc.com]Radar Contact]The premiere ATC adventure add-on for FS

Howdy All! :-waveHey, whatever happened to the "Bob's Pilot School" series of posts? I got to where I was really enjoying those! Maybe I should start a "Mike's Dispatch School" series? Ok, maybe not... :-lolMike CollierKPHX[table border=1 bgcolor=#eeeeee][tr][td rowspan=2] http://avsim.com/flightdeck/images/Radar_small.gif[/td][td]http://www.dispatcher.org|Dispatcher' target="_blank"> America West Airlines and proud to be a Beta Tester of[link:www.jdtllc.com]Radar Contact]The premiere ATC adventure add-on for FS

Hi Eric,I still have it. Send your Email to collier0590@msn.com and I'll send it out to you around 2230 Zulu today when I get home.Mike CKPHX

Howdy,I don't see any messages here that would imply that anyone is "going through the roof". Several of these replies are simply correcting your misinformed statement in a previous post.See above: That is not an accurate 737-300 panel. The 300s series is an all glass cockpit Regards,Mike CKPHX

We still operate some "hardball" 737-300's with the analog gauges.Michael CollierAmerica West AirlinesKPHX

Geert,To my knowledge the FSClouds package isn't compatible with FS2002.As far as contrails go, FS2002 should be generating its own jet contrails. If you're looking for replacement cloud sets I'd highly recommend the FREEWARE! cloud sets produced by the Flight Sim Works group (FSW). They also have an excellent freeware utility called FS Sky World that will randomly select cloud sets for you at a time interval you specify. Nice thing about using FS Sky World is that you will get some nice cloud variations as you fly along. It works flawlessly with FSMeteo and they do not impact the frame rates.I used, and still have, the FSClouds package for FS2000 and I can honestly say the freeware clouds produced by FSW are head and shoulders above any flight sim cloud sets I've ever seen. Rush over to FSW and get em' all! http://fsw.simflight.com/Mike CollierKPHX[table border=1 bgcolor=#eeeeee][tr][td rowspan=2] http://avsim.com/flightdeck/images/Radar_small.gif[/td][td] America West Airlines and proud to be a Beta Tester of[link:www.jdtllc.com]Radar Contact]The premiere ATC adventure add-on for FS

Hi Rob,It worked fine for me..Mike CollierKPHX[table border=1 bgcolor=#eeeeee][tr][td rowspan=2] http://avsim.com/flightdeck/images/Radar_small.gif[/td][td]http://www.dispatcher.org|Dispatcher' target="_blank"> America West Airlines and proud to be a Beta Tester of[link:www.jdtllc.com]Radar Contact]The premiere ATC adventure add-on for FS

Looks like the weather radar display is limited to the Avidyne FlightMax unit itself though yes? I think Terry was interested in having it display on say, the DreamFleet 737 or 767 PIC EHSI. I'd be interested in that too of course! :7Mike CollierKPHX[table border=1 bgcolor=#eeeeee][tr][td rowspan=2] http://avsim.com/flightdeck/images/Radar_small.gif[/td][td] America West Airlines and proud to be a Beta Tester of[link:www.jdtllc.com]Radar Contact]The premiere ATC adventure add-on for FS

..I would do a naked handstand down my main street at midday for scenery like that..:-lolHow's that old saying go?..Careful what you wish for, you just may get it! :-lol:-waveMike CKPHX

Hi Dan,It's more than good, it's absolutely stunning. (In my opinion anyway):7Enjoy and let us know what you think after you see it.Mike CollierKPHX[table border=1 bgcolor=#eeeeee][tr][td rowspan=2] http://avsim.com/flightdeck/images/Radar_small.gif[/td][td] America West Airlines and proud to be a Beta Tester of[link:www.jdtllc.com]Radar Contact]The premiere ATC adventure add-on for FS

Hi James,I had a chance to speak with one of the creators of the CVR project after the performance. He mentioned that they had just returned from Australia. Their website has an area to inquire/request performances. Perhaps you could contact them and inquire about upcoming performances in your area?Mike CollierKPHX[table border=1 bgcolor=#eeeeee][tr][td rowspan=2] http://avsim.com/flightdeck/images/Radar_small.gif[/td][td] America West Airlines and proud to be a Beta Tester of[link:www.jdtllc.com]Radar Contact]The premiere ATC adventure add-on for FS

Good Day Everyone,I have just returned from one of the most amazing theatrical performances I believe I have ever seen or will likely ever see. I am referring to a performance of Charlie Victor Romeo.This text is taken directly from their website: http://www.charlievictorromeo.com/One of the most unique and riveting theatrical experiences to hit New York in seasons, CHARLIE VICTOR ROMEO (CVR) is a live performance documentary derived entirely from the "Black Box" transcripts of six major real-life airline emergencies. Allowing the audience into the tension-filled cockpits of actual flights in distress, CHARLIE VICTOR ROMEO is a fascinating portrait of the psychology of crisis and a testimony to the ability to live to the last second of life. What is going on up there behind the door in the front of the airplane? Who are these people we trust our lives to, and what do they really do when things go horribly wrong?Embraced by the aviation community for its unsparing truthfulness and dedication to its non-sensational approach, CHARLIE VICTOR ROMEO has been filmed by the US Air Force as a training video for pilots and has been observed by West Point cadets enrolled in courses studying engineering psychology and human error. It is estimated that over one-third of the production's audience have been members of the aviation community.The performance reconstructs six significant accidents. They are:American Airlines Flight 1572MD-83East Granby, ConnecticutNovember 12, 1995Simmons Airlines (American Eagle) Flight 4184ATR-72Roselawn, IndianaOctober 31, 1994AeroPeru Airlines Flight 603B757Lima, PeruOctober 12, 1996United States Air Force Yukla 27Boeing AWACS E-3Elmendorf,AlaskaSeptember 22, 1995Japan Airlines Flight 123B747-400Mt. Osuka, JapanAugust 12, 1985United Airlines Flight 232DC-10Sioux City, IowaJuly 19, 1989The total experience of this production is virtually beyond words. With a complete surround sound set-up you literally feel like you are riding in the jumpseat. The intensity with which each reconstruction is delivered will leave you unconciously gripping the armrest of your seat and clenching your jaw so hard your muscles will be sore afterwards. As an aviation professional myself, I highly recommend watching their web site for a performance near you. You will not want to miss this!Mike CollierKPHX[table border=1 bgcolor=#eeeeee][tr][td rowspan=2] http://avsim.com/flightdeck/images/Radar_small.gif[/td][td]http://www.dispatcher.org|Dispatcher' target="_blank"> America West Airlines and proud to be a Beta Tester of[link:www.jdtllc.com]Radar Contact]The premiere ATC adventure add-on for FS