To the newbie - First Time Jitters

[Wycliffe Barrett]

Scott Main 928380 wrote:

Wycliffe Barrett 895867 wrote:

 

 

 

Rumble down the rwy and up she goes woohoo, best job in the world, positive rate of climb, LG up, flaps up by the numbers.

 

400 ft engage autopilot, ( man I'm hot)

 

Egress on RWY HDG, in the pipe 5x5 (Aliens quote)

 

So I pick up my Radio Phraseology handbook just to check on something a moment and I look back to the screen and I'm in a death dive to the dirt. What the heck is going on, quick scan of the COCKPIT, everything seems ok, but I'm still falling out of the sky.

 

Crash Bang Wallop, I hit the dirt just outside Cowbridge, possibly ten miles from CArdiff Airport.

 

Talk about embarrasment. Log off, slinkdownstairs, watch TV, go on TEAMSPEAK 2 hrs later and apologise to the controller.

 

 

 

I had a similar experience when I was still at about 90 hours online. I decided to do my first extra-long flight, from VHHH-EGLL. Right after takeoff, I was clrd direct to some isec whose name escapes me. Pop open FSNav to find the bugger and when I close it again, the plane was careening down TAIL-first! And what had caused this.....? I forgot that a 747 carrying fuel for a trip from Hong-Kong to London and observing a 250 KIAS speed restriction can only maintain a 2000ft/min climb for so long - unfortunately as the airspeed dropped the AP just kept lifting the nose in an attempt to climb.

 

I think this problem or should I say my original problem has cause so mqany problems just lately for a lot of people. Do you know what it was. The Pitot Heat switch being off.

 

It s the cold weather here in the northern hemisphere that is causing this. Since I have been switching this on, I have had no problems whatsoever.

 

[Wycliffe Barrett]

Will this eve be made into a sticky.

 

I think this should become a PRC addendum.

[Kim Gowney 951309]

Cheers Wycliffe!

 

A breif description of my first fully (almost) controlled flight. Flying a Westwind VA CRJ-200.

 

Posted here because after all, its the controllers who make it an experience!!

 

Flight was from KORD to KJFK late afternoon T/O, at first there was no control at ORD but just as I announced taxi intentions, up pops a PM, contact me on 133.000 Chicago Approach had suddenly appeared!

I went from reasonably calm to highly not calm in a very short space of time!

So, trying hard to remember what I should say, I said "Westwind 9828, ready to copy IFR to JFK"

I was pretty chuffed I got this sentance out without choking, not for long.

"Sir, you need to file a flightplan, no private IFR flying allowed"

ARRGGHH, I had forgot to send the damn thing, stay cool, "Sorry app, will sort it in a couple of minutes,"

Plan was ready but I just wanted to double check, so I made the most of my 2 mins and it all looked OK, sent it.

I repeated my transmission, got the clearance, "Call when ready to taxi" Which was pretty much straight away as I had already started.

"Cleared to taxi, rwy 22L call at the hold" (I think he said that anyway?)

So I made my way from the penalty box to 22L, called ready and App cleared me for T/O with vectors to the filed plan.

"Cleared for Takeoff, Westwind 9828"

I lined up, pushed the throttles open, released the brakes and the little jet rushed down the runway to V1, V2 and airborne before I had time to realise it had happened, Gear up, flaps up. AP engaged.

Followed App vectors to first WP, ELX VOR.

After that it was pretty smooth, but my pulse was racing!!

Trying hard not to screw up, and hear, and repeat back, AND!! Most important of all, to sound calm, bloody difficult that last one!

 

before too long I was saying goodbye to chicago App (Alex Goldstein, thaks Al, it was great!!)

 

As I cruised across the slowly darkening landscape, I flicked on the internal CD player and enjoyed a little music, and about a half hour later, I enjoyed a fantastic sunset!

 

No time had p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ed, and a message pops up telling me to cantact the NY Ctr so I tuned to the freq and contacted as requested

"Westwind 9828, at your discretion you can descend, looking to cross LENDY at FL190 and 250 knots"

I repeat the instructions and set up for my descent into the STAR

I was amazed at how quickly time p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ed, I crossed the LENDY intersection and App vectored me to a new heading and "dec 16000"

Next thing he is handing me off to NY App, this is where it got a bit more complex, as I had absolutely no Idea where I would be sent, although I knew that the rwy was 22L, however I soon picked up the pattern as I was vectored to a 130 crosswind leg.

An AAL plane was about 5 miles ahead of me and I hoped it stayed that far ahead, I did not fancy having to deal with wake turbulence on this approach!

I hear the AAL guy call established and soon I am on the base leg and being vectored into the intercept course for the 22L ILS.

 

I got to admit, I have had a couple of dodgy landings online in the last couple of days, so I was really watching the whole game like a hawk on this one!

My vigilance paid off, a very smooth landing, got me off the runway onto Bravo taxiway and approach sends me off to park.

 

To old hands this is all old hat no doubt, and I have been in this boat before when I first flew in a Vortual Fighter Squadron (185th RD's)

But it was great to experience the real thrill of doing it right and making a success of the trip.

Many thanks to Alex in ORD and Robert Ross the JFK App controller for great ATC and a fun trip.

 

 

 

Since I posted this message I have had quite a few more Online experiences, some have been quite amusing, but as usual I never made a note, I will next time and post them up.

I am enjoying the VATSIM experience very much, even more now with my new F1 ATR!!

[Terrell Jones 919286]

edit :didn't mean to post

[Jeremy Moser 949051]

The first time I "attempted" a flight on VATSIM I had read back my clearence and it was wrong so I got scared and disconnected. I almost had a heart attack I then did a flight the next day and even though contacting departure and center was delayed I made my first flight on VATSIM, it was a great day.

[Ron Priever 819415]

Although my first VATSIM flight (today!!!) was pretty bad, at least I seem to be in good company.

 

My travails: I flew (or attempted to fly) from LGA to BOS. Flied my simple flight plan. KLGA LGA9.BDR RAALF.ORW3 KBOS. I was as nervous hitting the "talk" button to get IFR clearance as I was many years ago as a teenager, losing my, er, "mind". The clearance delivery controller read it to me, but changed it!!!! Nice way to start. He changed BDR to MERIT intersection. I wasnt sure if I should re-program the MSFS FMS, so I just waited for vectors from the departure controller. I took off rw 31 ok, but messed up a few times when the controller gave me new headings and altitudes. I should have programmed the new info on the autopilot first, then read back the info. Anyway, I got to MERIT, and figured the controller would tell me to go to the next waypoint. 5 min after p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ing MERIT, he told me I was off course. Maybe he told me earlier to p[Mod - Happy Thoughts] MERIT then procede on course, but I cant remember. Oooops. So, I proceeded to ORW, and PVD. Then Center told me to ctc BOS approach. This is easy, I thought. I tuned to the new freq, and heard......automated ATIS!!! uh-oh....now what do I do? How can you talk to a recording? I switched back to center, and the cntrl guy told me I should be talking to appr. Now I'm totally confused. I didnt realize that there actually was an approach controller, and he talked over the ATIS. Soon, the center guy gave me text instructions to decend to KBOS. So, I'm trying to text msg him, while figuring out the approach to the arpt. He gives me headings to rw 27, but I didnt know that once you've intercepted the localizer you can make the turn to the r/w heading. I kept flying past the LOC, expecting the controller to tell me to turn. D'OH!!!!! He then told me to ctc tower. The tower cleared me to land, but then I realized the arpt was 3 miles in front of me, and I was still at 3000ft. I did a go-around, tried it again, but was still concentrating on ATC that I forgot rule #1. Fly the plane first. I actually bounced onto the runway, but then kinda did a Southwest at MDW and the rest is history.......

[Garret Myers 949554]

I DID IT!!!!! Last night I made my first real VATSIM flight. Actually it was just some patterns but I count that. I was in a 172 @ KSEA. My thanks to the controllers...Aaron Doyer and Julie Carico. They were awesome and made me feel at ease. I used voice too. no more of the typing for me (unless I need too). I was shaking so hard right before I pressed the CTRL key to transmit. But after just about a min or so, Aaron told me if I needed any extra help with anything to let him know.( I had put in the remarks section that I was a beginner) Boy that really helped me feel better. I didn't feel like ATC was going to shoot me down or anything after just those few transmisions with Aaron. Thanks again Aaron. I am not a real life Pilot YET, so pressing down the CTRL key was my first big step I think: ) VATSIM Is really going to help me get my Private Pilot Certificate faster....I am so excited and "ADDICTED" now. Thanks to All the poeple behind the scene's of VATSIM that make it possible too.

 

VATSIM user for life

[Isaac Niedrauer 947516]

Okay, my story...

 

One night I saw a link to Vatsim from another site. I went to Vatsim and thinking it was interesting, made an account for myself. I then downloaded SB. I logged in on the active rwy of KSEA. No ATC was currently there but I was clueless about SB so I didn't know it. I just typed into the chat (which by default was on freq 122.95) and I said, "Hello?". I got no reply so I wrote, "Anyone there?".

 

Finally someone wrote and said, "Yeah, I'm here". I asked whoever it was, "How do I talk to ATC?". He said, "I'm not sure, I haven't figured this out yet".

 

Anyway I was pretty frustrated. I thought it was just an empty/little server so I left. I didn't come back for at least a month. I thought everyone made a big deal of nothing because Vatsim was talked about everywhere.

 

So one day I just was determined to figure it out. I went back and there was someone online! I contacted him (It was BOS TWR) and requested "taxi to the active". I was a total newbie to ATC as the only place a got familiar with it was the default FS ATC.

 

Anyway the guy on BOS TWR walked me through a flight plan and I remained in pattern. It was the best Sim experience of my life! I'm not sure who he was but I think he'll remember me...I'm that guy who had the terrible habit of saying "over" after every transmission .Day after day, I flew remain in pattern flight around KBOS. Then I wen't to KDFW and thus started my addiction .

 

It's weird, but at first on Vatsim I needed to go over exactly what I was going to say in each transmission about two or three times before I actually said it to ATC.

 

Oh, Garret, congrats on your first flight! It's great!

 

- Isaac

[Eric Stern 835179]

Hello all...

Wow, I am glad to see I'm not the only one who could barely hold the stick straight on my first flight. I followed the prescribed requisite for transitioning to VATSIM. I read everything and logged on in an area (D/FW) that I knew like the back of my hand. I still can't remember being so nervous as I prepared to communicate via voice with the controller. But once airborne, the apprehension seemed to vaporize into thin air. What a great experience! I know now why this is such an addictive hobby. I have since logged flight hours in various places such as cle_ctr, alb_ctr, bos_ctr etc. Even now, after gaining the experiences needed for good confidence, the buttterflies still kick in, but now insted of fear it because of excitement of interaction with other PEOPLE (not cpu traffic). I want to thank ALL of the vatsim staff for their dedication to flightsimming and helping others like me learn to enjoy vatsim as it was meant to be. Newbies, fear not! If I can learn it you can, too!

 

Eric Stern

N711GR

KDFW

[Wycliffe Barrett]

back to the top you go.

 

Actually might aswell tell you of the debacle of Sunday evening (last)

 

So here am I, 5 months into VATSIM supremely confident, can fly my 737 as if its a part of me. I have completed several scary landings in low vis. My comms is as good as it gets.

 

Controllers say hello sir, good evening sir, would you like a gin and Tonic sir, when they see me come online.

 

Fellow pilots hunt me down at the times they know I tend to fly, for a chat, life is sweet, it's a new year and I've just bought a 42" LCD so I can watch Starwars from any angle in my lounge, does life get any better.

 

Woohoo I have sometime to spare lets fire up FS9 and get in a quick hour of flight time.

 

This is where it all goes wrong!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Like an idiot and because I can land the 747 at Princess Juliana on a setup: straight in approach, I decide to fly the 747 from Cardiff to Glasgow, I see my good buddy is on ATC at Glasgow, lets get going.

 

I blast out of Cardiff in an empty 747 like Han and the gang out of the hangar at Mos Eisley. It's all going ok, quite an uneventful flight.

 

I arrive at Glasgow via the LANAK 1A Star which will take you to the right of Glasgow for an approach onto rwy 23.

 

As start to turn onto finals and the LLZ I realise things are not going to plan, I'm losing altitude and fast. Hit the throttles get some power under me, arrghhh no I'm still going down.

 

It aint going to be pretty, I'm thankful I have no p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]engers they would be bouncing all around the cabin by now.

 

I'm in a 40deg plus attitude nose up tail down its all going wrong.

 

Next thing crash bang wallop I'm in the dirt it takes me five miles to stop ploughing the fields.

 

Glasgow Twr Announces " I thought that projected turn was a little tight for the 747, Wycliffe"

 

Cheers mate.

 

So once again a mess up, the moral of the tale, learn to fly your aircarft offline first, and I will stick to my 737.

 

VATSIM still rocks.

[Robin Frank 938753]

I'm starting to do some VFR GA flying and yesterday, when I land , the controller at Los Angeles center tells me that it is the first time he's ever seen a plane below sea level. KTRM is minus 120 ft. When I wonder what it liiks like on the radar he offers to send me a screenshot. We're arranging that as I am taxiing to parking when I notice my plane is on fire. Sent him screenshots of that. Here's one. Online flying isn't as scary as I thought, but my insurance premium is going to be high.

 

[Wycliffe Barrett]

We have loads of new pilots sinc ethis thread was started, lets hear your stories for the enjoyment of all.

[Joseph Soter 939877]

I must have put in about three hours of just sitting at LAX just trying to see what the heck was going on. Then one night I saw that John Wayne tower was online, and I thought that this would be a great place to start because I actually live no more than two miles away from it. So I hopped into the Centurion, and I was ready for a flight to San Diego in VFR. No controllers along the way, but oh well.

 

The tower seemed really bored, and he didn't respond to my text at first for about two minutes. But he lines me up on 19L and before I knew it I was off to Unicom. I set the autopilot and then noticed that my joystick was covered in sweat, and I was flushed, as though I was embarrased.

 

I was flying VFR, but about half way down to San Diego, I saw this thing on SB pop up that said "Weather Updated at some airport." My framerate stopped momentarily, and when I started moving again I was in overcast clouds and it was raining. Since there was no controller, I had to continue without going IFR. I still thought it wouldn't be that bad considering that there weren't any planes calling out intentions for San Diego. But as I reached p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ed San Onofre area, I got a private message that said please contact me on "xxx.xx". I tuned to the channel and the controller said "N61906, say your intentions." I responded about ten seconds later with typing "VFR to San Diego." The controller then said something like "in this weather?" But he told me to make right downwind to RW27 and so I puttered along on the downwind leg about five miles out. I came below the ceiling and noticed that San Diego must have had something like twenty planes on the ground. I then noticed two others coming straight in for RW27. I had already disengaged the autopilot when the controller said something really long and I didn't get it. He then sent it in text and then when I was trying to type it fast while my plane started to dive because I wasn't holding the stick he said "did you copy?" I got so frustrated that I was about to crash the plane on purpose, but then I decided not to and pulled out of the barrel roll.

 

I came in on final approach, and SB decided to update the weather again on me. Now I had about one mile visibility and a crosswind. And knowing me I had autorudder on. So I came in all crooked and was swaying side to side but I was determined to put it down. about 10 feet above the ground, the wind decided to blow me off the runway. Of course I had about 8,000 feet left of runway, so I brought her back over and set her down pretty nicely. But since I was coming in crooked, I ran off the side of the runway, p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ed in front of a taxiing 737, and ended up in a parking spot. I immediately disconnected and didn't come back on for a week.

 

About a week later I came online again at Long Beach and after about an hour of taxiing, I had a great sunny flight to Catalina, and I was controlled by Socal Approach. He even helped me figure out what mode C was versus standby, That was much better than me trying to bail out on a barrel roll.

[Jason Pratt 830593]

My first flight a few weeks ago was from KCLE to KDTW and I was nervous as all hell. I sat at the KCLE parking spot in my B1900D and just listened for a bit (I had done alot of sitting and listening at various airports before). I then decided it's time to file the flight plan and do my first contact with real ATC. I took out my printed VATSIM tutorial from the new pilots section and read thru requesting clearance for taxi and IFR. Ok nervously I clicked the button and started my conversation... got the info from tower and was totally confused I tried writing it down but man I couldn't keep up and couldn't understand a few of the things he said. Ok.. um Cleavland Tower and you repeat that last broadcast... there he goes again. Man oh man I"m in trouble Kindly he asked me to readback to him what I had so far and advised that I don't write everything verbatim... I read back what I had which I didn't think was enough but he cleared me to taxi to 24L. I thought ok cool took out my chart for the airport and all is good. I hold at 24L engage my parking break and look thru the VATSIM tutorial again and find what I'm looking look up at the monitor and what the heck.. I'm on the runway, I"M ON THE RUNWAY!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!. I quickly push the pushback keys and slowly begin to move backwards. I switch to my external view just quick enough to see an ERJ on final crash into my plane.. Disconnect...

 

Man that was the worse feeling after I had caused an accident on the runway..

 

That was my first VATSIM experience, the next night I went back filed the same plan and KCLE Departure and Tower helped me a ton getting to my final destination...

 

Thanks again to KCLE!!

[Wycliffe Barrett]

See I knew we would get some new stories excellent.

[Thomas Parker]

Isn't it amazing how nerve-wracking it can be?!!

[Isaac Niedrauer 947516]

The thread comes back to life, wow!

[Jason Pratt 830593]

Isn't it amazing how nerve-wracking it can be?!!

 

It is .. especially when you think about it, it's a game. You're not really flying a plane you sitting at your desk looking at a monitor and listening to headphones. It's pretty crazy really...

[Ben Zwebner 906832]

It is .. especially when you think about it, it's a game. You're not really flying a plane you sitting at your desk looking at a monitor and listening to headphones. It's pretty crazy really...

 

Uh Oh, you did it now!

 

I would dig a bunker If i were you, LOL

 

(even tho some may agree, Like Me... but my bunker is ready and stocked )

[Jason Pratt 830593]

It is .. especially when you think about it, it's a game. You're not really flying a plane you sitting at your desk looking at a monitor and listening to headphones. It's pretty crazy really...

 

Uh Oh, you did it now!

 

I would dig a bunker If i were you, LOL

 

(even tho some may agree, Like Me... but my bunker is ready and stocked )

 

Bunker is now dug and sandbags are a plenty... I understand some think of it as more but in all reality it is... When I am flying on FS9 I take it and feel like I'm flying a real plane (well because I hope to get a GA Pilots license at some point in my life), but in all actually it's a game, a simulated experience.

 

If I hit a nerve with anyone.. I didn't really intend too...

[Wycliffe Barrett]

Oh my GOD he says it's a game, does this mean my dreams are just that, dreams and not reality, and there are no fairies or mermaids or Unicorns or Father Christmas and Rainbows dont have a pot of gold at the end, and In God we Trust on the back of a dollar bill is a load of baloney.

 

 

As Charlie Brown would say (but he is only pen and ink) GOOD GRIEF.

[Wycliffe Barrett]

Hi All

 

It took me awhile to find this thread, buried back on page 7 I think. Anyway its still one of the best and most entertaing threads on this here forum so lets make it a sticky.

 

Also all new pilots read this have a laugh, your not alone and the old pilots lets get this made a sticky, this thread needs your support.

[Paul McMahon 959438]

first time post and a complete newbie to VATSIM.

 

first off on VATSIMs main page they should have in big red letters

 

"FS ATC IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TO FLYING ON VATSIM"

 

oh man when i first logged on i had read the PRC and parked my butt in a Cessna 172 in a GA parking area of EGLL. Honestly i could not believe now REAL it feels and also how real it sounds. My hats off to every single controller on VATSIM , you guys do an amazing job and without your help and professionalism (though one controller couldnt hear a pilots call because he had background music on?? hmm ) VATSIM would not exist.

 

i tuned into EGLLs tower and immediately picked up an aircraft that was on final. Using my DBS walk and follow i moved the camera over to runway 27R and positioned it to get the best view of landings. Aircraft after aircraft, VA after VA landing and departing and i had to re[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ure myself that this is a SIM! I filed a flight plan stating i was a newbie and listening into ATC communications. Next came stupidity, i logged off and fired up a PMDG737 and ventured on a flight from EIDW to EGLL.. there was nobody in ATC at EIDW so i filed a plan and set off on my maiden voyage to what i realise is the worst possible place a beginner could go..EGLL!

First of all i was too high ,FL330 if i remember(what was i thinking ) and i could not descend when the controller asked me too (again no aircraft control because i was panicking!) so i tried my best to go into a m[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ive nose dive and got a command to "slow to 210knots" AAHHHH i was in a nose dive i cant slow down! so i completely bottled it and logged off...

 

 

My first flight was doomed from the pushback..i did not read any manuals or study charts or even bother to learn which taxiways to use. i am currently deep into reading all of the VATSIM manuals and also im studying charts on my local airfield EIDW and also some UK airports where i will eventually be flying too.

 

I am now confident i can fly EIDW-EGLL without a problem because i took time out to properly study my route and look at all eventualities that might pop up at my destination. My first experience was a pathetic attempt at thinking i knew everything and could do everything based on my flights with FS9 ATC...ha how wrong i was! lesson learned and a good learning experience!

 

 

 

____________

 

Paul

Dublin

[Wycliffe Barrett]

I've been on VATSIM since October last year and I still wont fly into or out of EGLL. I'm mad but I'm not insane.

[Thomas Parker]

first off on VATSIMs main page they should have in big red letters

 

"FS ATC IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TO FLYING ON VATSIM"

 

ROFL.

 

It's a pretty rude awakening, isn't it.. No need to worry though. Eventually, it all comes together and VATSIM becomes so addictive, you can't let it go.

 

Tom