New VATSIM Member UK

[Andrew McCabe]

Hi,

 

Sorry, I've copied this from my original post on the main forum, Didn't realise there was a UK thread to the forum ops ( thanks Ruth )

 

I have pottered about with FS 2004 a few times, but to be honest I soon lost interest mainly due to my own lack of ability to even master the basics. But I recently had a bit of time on my hands and "discovered" VATSIM. What a find !!! This is a great set up and what I've experienced so far has really impressed me ( and amazed me ).

 

I joined three days ago and have spent the last few days reading, observing and asking questions on here and online. Everyone has been great and very helpful, so thanks to all. I have also signed up in the Pilot Resource Centreand been working through the VATSIM modules - I wish I'd found them earlier because they would have helped me no end getting the software up and running. The modules are really informative and in plain english, so if there are any other newbies out there who haven't used them I'd certainly recommend them.

 

Tonight I listened in to the controllers at Manchester and London City to atrt to get an idea of how ATC works. Have to say it was a bit overwhelming - all too fast :-0, but after a while I started to follow what was happening. Again I asked a few questions when controllers where quite and they were really helpful. I could also hear that they did cut a bit of slack when pilots didn't get things qyite right Wink So, maybe I'll give it a try shortly, but at a quiet airport where the controller can maybe give me a bit of time.

 

Anyways, I wondered if I could get a bit of advice on a few things :-

 

Aircraft

I've got to like the Learjet 45 in FS 2004. It seems fairly easy to control and is not too complex. I tried a 737 but ended up as twisted metal on the runway Laughing But, thinking ahead, I'd probably like to try an VA and wondered if the LJ will be of any use, or would I be better trying to "master" a more popular p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]enger aircraft ?

 

Flight Plans

I read that although I may file a fp ( I use FSNAV ) a controller may ask me to deviate from it. If so, do I reprog my fp in flight or do I just follow the controllers instructions for the rest of the flight ? Not sure I could re prog my FP in flight without pausing !

 

SID's / STAR's

I've looked at some of these and frankly I'm lost. I used FSNAv to plan a flight into Glasgow (EGPF) using STAR's and to be honest I could not see any similarity between the fp and the STAR chart. Is there something that explains STAR's in plain english ?

 

I'm sure there will be other question, but meantime can I just say thanks to those who have helped me so far.

I think I'm hooked ))

[Marc Lennox 929239]

Good Idea to read the training and do the modules before taking to the skies. I would always recommend starting off with something like VFR circuits, there easy to perform and probably the easiest way to get used to ATC chat.You need to pick somewhere with not much traffic though and im sure the controllers will give you a hand!

[Alex Whitaker 913539]

Hi,

Tonight I listened in to the controllers at Manchester and London City to atrt to get an idea of how ATC works. Have to say it was a bit overwhelming - all too fast :-0, but after a while I started to follow what was happening. Again I asked a few questions when controllers where quite and they were really helpful. I could also hear that they did cut a bit of slack when pilots didn't get things qyite right Wink So, maybe I'll give it a try shortly, but at a quiet airport where the controller can maybe give me a bit of time.

Last night I was the controller on egcc_s_app I belkieved you were asking me about ROSUN.I wouldn't say we cut a bit of slack very often, but if we do, it is just because controlling can become very stressful! Some of the main reasons which annoy us are clmbing above initial altitude, not knowing the difference between FL and alt (eg descend to FL4500 QNH 1010) and also pilots which have no idea of navigaiton. However as you are reading all the training docs, you should soon pick it up.

 

 

Aircraft - basicly you can fly any aircraft on vatsim if you have FSNAV, program the rte and hit fly flightplan. If you want some training with aircraft, EuroManx Virtual airline has a fantastic training centre, if you join the virtual airline, you can then be guided right through everything with our fasntatsic training department.

 

Flight Plans - yes you do need to file a FP, and we do ask you to deviate from it sometimes. However deviate doesn't mean you flying a rte with 50 airways and give you a brand new one! Basicly it will be fly this radar heading, which will be for separation and also sometimes you may be told to go direct to 1 waypoint, to save time.

 

SID's / STAR's - chris dobison has made a huge post on the forum somehwere about sids and stars but i can't find it! Basicly a sid is a departure route (a way of getting to he motor way) and a star is an inbound rte (a way to get from the motorway back home). If in fsnav you go to options and then download sids/stars it will download them all and generate a sid or star for you,

[Chris Denton 944775]

Some useful posts in this particular forum. Thanks. Probably most appropriate for me to visit here since I'll probably be mostly flying to and from virtual EGLL.

 

With regards to direct routings to particular waypoint, what is the convention when one can not accept a particular route (because it would overfly or be too close to land, or a populated area). I'm looking at a British Airways flight plan with the warning:

 

"CAUTION: BEFORE ACCEPTING DIRECT ROUTINGS BY ATC CHECK CLEAR LAND BY AT LEAST 20NM"

 

That's to do with boom clearances. (usually 20 or 30Nm).

 

Also, with regards to sids/stars, sids I find no problem with them, provided I can get lat/lon co-ordinates, or at fly particular headings from an initial point (and watch distances etc on DME indicator like on old IGS13 Kai-tak approaches). I don't use FSNAV, but rather the INS (for realism) so I've usually got the whole plan programmed before departure (along with DME update fixes), with the exception of flights with more than 9 waypoints then I'll be doing some reprogramming mid-flight. SIDS/STARS are fine as long as I'm not having to go through a wierd or particularly strange one consisting of heaps of non-VOR waypoints.

 

And since some controllers have replied here, I want to ask, what is the convention for Concordes when we wish to accelerate above Mach 1 and cruise-climb? Considering a Heathrow depature, I'd put a point in the flight-plan called UPGAS (N51° 24.0', W003° 50.0'). What happens when I reach that point? Request clearance to cruise climb and then continue on out to the Sierra-Mike NAT via MERLY and LESLU?