To the newbie - First Time Jitters

[Robert Shearman Jr]

On 1/10/2022 at 2:29 PM, Sunil Hans said:

the guy sounded like a real controller

It's possible he was, but, it's also probable he was not.  VATSIM controllers are, on the whole, well-trained relative to the fact that we're amateur volunteer hobbyists.  It certainly can be intimidating.  Picture the dude on the other end in his PJs sipping a coffee or an adult beverage while he controls and it's a bit easier on the mind.  🙂 

[Don Desfosse]

4 minutes ago, Robert Shearman Jr said:

Picture the dude on the other end in his PJs... and it's a bit easier on the mind.  🙂 

Or the most terrifying thing you can imagine LOL! 😉 😉 😉

[Robert Shearman Jr]

Just now, Don Desfosse said:

Or the most terrifying thing you can imagine LOL! 😉 😉 😉

I was going to go there but decided to tame it down... 😉 

[Sunil Hans]

7 hours ago, Robert Shearman Jr said:

I was going to go there but decided to tame it down... 😉 

Better than picturing a naked audience. For some reason that one never helped me. In my case, it's a lack of confidence in my setup at the moment, Yoke/pedals are still buggy or MSFS is. Also, need to get used to the G1000 and knobster which I finally configured today but I might just put on a Cessna panel and go old school six pack and VFR.

[Kevin Reynolds]

Hi.  I'm new to Vatsim - I haven't flown yet.  Right now I'm going through the IFR Communications Manual to learn everything I can.  I was wondering if it's possible for me to go online and practice just one aspect of getting clearance, and then disconnect.  For example, getting IFR clearance via clearance delivery and then logging out, without taxiing or taking off.  Would doing this cause any problems?  I'm assuming the answer is yes, and I would I be expected to complete my entire flight as filed.  I'm asking because I'm concerned that by jumping in feet first I'll get overwhelmed.  Alternatively, would be better if I start out in a class D or even C airport first, and practice, and then work my way up from there?

Edited January 14, 2022 at 12:51 AM by Kevin Reynolds

[Robert Shearman Jr]

Getting a clearance and then disconnecting is fine, jf that's what will help you feel more comfortable.  Pilots disconnect all the time and the circumstances don't always permit advance notice or explanation.

As for starting at a C or D -- it may not matter, due to the way top-down staffing works.  So I say, start where you're most familiar so you're focusing on one new aspect of the operation at a time.  Just make sure traffic levels are light and the controller isn't overwhelmed by the workload.  You'll have a better experience by working with a controller who is able to slow down, repeat, and explain as necessary.

[Kevin Reynolds]

12 hours ago, Robert Shearman Jr said:

Getting a clearance and then disconnecting is fine, jf that's what will help you feel more comfortable.  Pilots disconnect all the time and the circumstances don't always permit advance notice or explanation.

As for starting at a C or D -- it may not matter, due to the way top-down staffing works.  So I say, start where you're most familiar so you're focusing on one new aspect of the operation at a time.  Just make sure traffic levels are light and the controller isn't overwhelmed by the workload.  You'll have a better experience by working with a controller who is able to slow down, repeat, and explain as necessary.

Thanks for the tip!  Will do...

[Kevin Reynolds]

Hi there.  I  have another orientation question.  Very shortly, I'm going to practice my clearance delivery communication and I just want to make sure I have this right.  It would be greatly appreciated if anyone could tell me.  I'll be departing VFR from a class C (I think - or at least B) airport CYYZ (Toronto) to a class D airport (Guelph)

My ICAO will be WAKE - I'm not with an airline so I think that's the correct format

----------------------------------------

ME:

Toronto Clearance, Whisky Alpha Kilo Echo.. VFR to Guelph. Information [ATIS Phonetic code]. 

CLEARANCE DELIVERY CONTROLLER:

Whisky Alpha Kilo Echo cleared to Guelph Municipal Airport as filed. Maintain xxx thousand, expect xxx thousand xxx minutes after departure. Departure frequency xxxx. Squawk xxx.

ME:

Cleared to Guelph as filed. Maintain xxx thousand, expect xxx thousand xx minutes after departure. Departure xxx. Squawk xxx. Whisky Alpha Kilo Echo.

CLEARANCE DELIVERY CONTROLLER:

Whisky Alpha Kilo Echo, readback correct. Contact Ground xxx when ready to taxi.

ME:

Whisky Alpha Kilo Echo

--------------------------------------

A few questions; is this correct?  Also, do I have request to start my engine, and if so with whom (Ground I'm guessing).  And do i let Ground or Clearance know where I'm parked? (I'm guessing Ground)

Edited January 14, 2022 at 09:56 PM by Kevin Reynolds

[Andreas Fuchs]

Is "WAKE" a typical registration or callsign in Canada? You should either use the aircraft registration when simulating a general aviation flight (e.g. C-WAKE = CHARLIE WHISKEY ALPHA KILO ECHO) or an airliner/operator callsign plus a flight number.

For your IFR clearance don't forget that you will most probably get some kind of "departure procedure" assigned and not just "as filed".

[Kevin Reynolds]

1 hour ago, Andreas Fuchs said:

Is "WAKE" a typical registration or callsign in Canada? You should either use the aircraft registration when simulating a general aviation flight (e.g. C-WAKE = CHARLIE WHISKEY ALPHA KILO ECHO) or an airliner/operator callsign plus a flight number.

For your IFR clearance don't forget that you will most probably get some kind of "departure procedure" assigned and not just "as filed".

Thanks for the info. My first flight will be VFR I think....Will that make a difference?  And by departure procedure, do you mean an SID route (standard instrument departure)?  If so does that mean they will let me know of the departure route, which will then supersede whatever I've filed? 

Yes, this is my mistake - it should be C-WAKE for me in Canada (and everywhere as far as I know)

Edited January 14, 2022 at 11:53 PM by Kevin Reynolds

[Sunil Hans]

1 hour ago, Kevin Reynolds said:

...And by departure procedure, do you mean an SID route (standard instrument departure)?  If so does that mean they will let me know of the departure route, which will then supersede whatever I've filed? 

If I may add? That's a good question and if that is the case, does that mean you must refile and/or change these settings in your flight computer (say G1000)?

[Andreas Fuchs]

Okay, if you are going to fly VFR, you will not have a SID/DP assigned, since these are IFR-procedures. Some airports will still have designated arrival and departure routes/corridors for VFR traffic. I could not find anything of this kind for Toronto/CYYZ, but it's always worth checking for such charts.

What you quoted in your first post looks more like a standard IFR clearance in North America. For VFR traffic, ATC will usually take care of how you'll leave the controlled airspace of the departure airport and issue a clearance accordingly, e.g. "departure runway XY, left turn out, direct [location name]/follow [route](e.g. coastline eastbound), maintain xxxx feet, squawk 1234.".

Our local controllers from Canada/Toronto will hopefully add to this and correct my inaccuracies.

 

14 hours ago, Kevin Reynolds said:

it should be C-WAKE for me in Canada (and everywhere as far as I know)

Yes, if you choose to operate your virtual Canadian registered aircraft, you use that callsign/registration. Please also note that when logging on to VATSIM, omit "dashes" in callsigns and registrations (CWAKE vs. C-WAKE). In other words, "CWAKE" it would be for you.

[Kevin Reynolds]

3 hours ago, Andreas Fuchs said:

Okay, if you are going to fly VFR, you will not have a SID/DP assigned, since these are IFR-procedures. Some airports will still have designated arrival and departure routes/corridors for VFR traffic. I could not find anything of this kind for Toronto/CYYZ, but it's always worth checking for such charts.

What you quoted in your first post looks more like a standard IFR clearance in North America. For VFR traffic, ATC will usually take care of how you'll leave the controlled airspace of the departure airport and issue a clearance accordingly, e.g. "departure runway XY, left turn out, direct [location name]/follow [route](e.g. coastline eastbound), maintain xxxx feet, squawk 1234.".

Our local controllers from Canada/Toronto will hopefully add to this and correct my inaccuracies.

 

Yes, if you choose to operate your virtual Canadian registered aircraft, you use that callsign/registration. Please also note that when logging on to VATSIM, omit "dashes" in callsigns and registrations (CWAKE vs. C-WAKE). In other words, "CWAKE" it would be for you.

Great - thanks for the help!

[Tobias Dammers]

On 1/15/2022 at 2:26 AM, Sunil Hans said:

If I may add? That's a good question and if that is the case, does that mean you must refile and/or change these settings in your flight computer (say G1000)?

You do not need to refile - if you're VFR, then the flight plan isn't even binding, you basically do what you want (within the constraints of the law and the airspaces you operate in and all that). If you're IFR, then your flight plan is binding, but ATC clearance trumps flight plans (a.k.a. "fly the clearance, not the plan"), so if you filed the FUBAR1 departure, but ATC clears you for the EXMPL6 departure instead, you fly the EXMPL6, not the FUBAR1, but you do not need to refile, ATC will communicate the change to other controllers as needed.

How you achieve flying the procedure is up to you, but typically, when you're recleared for a different departure, you would change things in the flight computer, especially when you're still on the ground and there's no immediate time pressure.

[coenraad van dee]

Hello awesome community 

I did my first full vatsim flight today from EHAM Amsterdam to EGKK Gatwick.

And it was amazing I wana thank all the ATC on the job.

Was abit nervous and i even had a blackout but atc was helpful and gave me the best and realistic experience so far I know I have to work on my (work flow) and to plan ahead 

Thank you so mutch 

Kind regards 

Coenraad van dee

[Malcolm Fernandez]

My first few times on vatsim were me in fighter jets doing VFR....thankfully I learnt how to actually fly on the network....my first controller was a ground who was like "your new?" 

"yes"

"VFR or IFR"

"VFR"
"Ok,(clearance)

I had a nice flight (or I thought) then I got walloped for...Screaming on NY_APP (not my proudest moment)

 

My advice for newbies is Watch YT videos and study phraselogys

[Alistair Thomson]

1 hour ago, Malcolm Fernandez said:

My advice for newbies is Watch YT videos and study phraselogys

... And No Screaming!! 🙂

[Malcolm Fernandez]

9 hours ago, Alistair Thomson said:

... And No Screaming!! 🙂

That time was....c172 trying to land straight in...

 

Me: N1350JS REQUESTING LANDING CAN I LAND 

ATC: N1350JS,Say intenions

Me: We are planning to land at JFK on rwy (idk what),JS

ATC: N1350JS make Right base for (i dont rember  what RWY)

ME: unable,landing STRAIGHT in

ATC: N1350JS,Turn right heading 90

ME: JS,engine isnt working

 

Lets stop here

Edited August 25, 2022 at 02:39 AM by Malcolm Fernandez

[Alistair Thomson]

1 hour ago, Malcolm Fernandez said:

Lets stop here

Correct. It seems from your description of the flight that you really, really need to spend some time learning stuff. Like standard basic ATC communications, procedures for flying in the circuit pattern, how emergencies are handled in VATSIM, how to follow ATC instructions and probably more. It's all available in myVatsim, so go there, please, and if you try to learn some of what's there, you will find that your flights on VATSIM will be better for you, and for ATC.

Edited August 24, 2022 at 09:42 PM by Alistair Thomson
Added more essential knowledge requirements

[Malcolm Fernandez]

Roger

Edited August 25, 2022 at 02:42 AM by Malcolm Fernandez

[Nikola Saev]

Hello, fellow colleageus!

 

I am a new member, going ot try flying on VATSIM for the 1st time in the recent days, when I overcome the stress 😄

 

I was wondering about the Call Sign that I must choose. I read the rules during the Initiation Training. I would like to choose a Call Sign that will stick and not to change it everytime I choose different Livery for example. Is this good approach or I should match the Call Sign with the respctive plane and airline? What is the best approach? I was thinking of a Call Sign with my initials, this would be very easy for me to pick up on the radio when I am being contacted. I wouldn't start before hearing some advices first, though.

 

Thank you all in advance!

[Torben Andersen]

When flying an airline I find it best to use a callsign associated with that airline. There might be some confusion, when other pilots see you at the ground, if your callsign doesn't match the livery. But it's all up to you. As for flying light aircraft I use my initials after the country code, e.g. OY-TJA. But remember, others are free to use these callsigns as well.

[Robert Shearman Jr]

On 12/23/2022 at 6:01 AM, Nikola Saev said:

I was wondering about the Call Sign that I must choose. I read the rules during the Initiation Training. I would like to choose a Call Sign that will stick and not to change it everytime I choose different Livery for example. Is this good approach or I should match the Call Sign with the respctive plane and airline? What is the best approach? I was thinking of a Call Sign with my initials, this would be very easy for me to pick up on the radio when I am being contacted. I wouldn't start before hearing some advices first, though.

It's always preferable that you fly under a callsign appropriate for the type of flight you're doing, meaning, an air carrier callsign for an airline flight, a General Aviation callsign for a GA-style flight, etcetera.  As always, there is a ton of gray area there.  People do privately own airliners, for example, and some edge-case air carriers do trips in what are usually considered GA planes.  And there's nothing which mandates you fly a real-world route -- flying a domestic trip in the UK under a Southwest callsign in an A320 might garner a few eye rolls but there's nothing against the rules about it.

This tutorial might give you some guidance.  It's certainly not exhaustive (particularly with respect to the format of GA callsigns outside of North America and Europe) but the advice herein ought to be enough to give you a nudge in the right direction.

 

[Andrew Crowley]

When it comes to airliners, your call sign determines livery matching for others on the network.  So if you always file as DAL123 and are flying a 737, everyone on the network will see a Delta 737 regardless of which livery you're actually flying.