Newbie Question

[Noel Berkowitz 1091070]

Hi all

How do I know what airports and sectors are currently being staffed by Vatsim ATC?

 

Let's say I want to do an IFR flight from caldwell NJ KCDW to Marthas Vineyard KMYR.

 

I would file my IFR Flight plan, then connect up on the ramp at KCDW and tune my com1 to clearance delivery on 121.1 to get my clearance. But what do I do if ATC does not answer?

I'm sure not all airports/frequencies are being monitored? Am I limited to certain airports for departure?

 

Thanks

[Ernesto Alvarez 818262]

nope, you arent limited to just staffed airports. you can fly anywhere you want even when theres no ATC.

 

if you havent already, make sure to check out the PRC, it will answer this and more.

http://www.vatsim.net/prc

 

on VATSIM we have whats called top down service. meaning even if theres no ground, or tower. the controllers manning the radar overhead will be handling those duties. i dont remember which ones cover Caldwell, but if you check the controller info for NY Center or one of the departure/approach controllers, they should mention what they cover.

 

when in doubt, just tune in to the controllers frequency and ask. theyll help you out.

 

to see what airspaces are currently active, download one of the many online map displays. VATSPY, servinfo, and several others.

 

when there are no controllers online, or when a controller isnt serving your airport/area, you dont need to tune to a non active ATC frequency. you basically use 122.80 (Unicom) to announce your intentions to traffic around you. there is no controller on this frequency, its pilot to pilot advisories. On VATSIM, 122.80 is a global unicom frequency.

[Keith Smith]

Hey Noel, fancy meeting you here!

 

This is the specific part of the PFC you'll want to check for the answer to your question of who to call: http://www.vatsim.net/prc/prc-genlession/airport-atc-procedures/

 

Your job, as a VATSIM pilot, is to work out which controller is working the role that you're trying to reach. For example, if you're trying to reach someone who can handle the role of Caldwell Delivery, you'd search for CDW_DEL. Failing that, you'd search for CDW_GND, then CDW_TWR, then an overlying departure controller, overlying approach controller, or overlying center (in that order, typically). HOW do you know who THE overlying dep/app controller is? It can get tricky. If the facility name matches the airport, that's nice and easy, but in many places, that will not be the case. Your best bet is to use an online monitoring tool (as Ernesto mentioned), or simply take your best guess, try their freq, and ask if they provide service at Caldwell.

 

Once you have some experience at a given field, you'll start becoming familiar with which controllers to call. Bear in mind, you must tune THEIR frequency, not the r/w facility frequency (ie, you won't be automatically sent to the right controller). I know you're a r/w pilot, so that's the part that is going to take some getting used to.

 

That, and there is no standardized voice CTAF. So, if you go to Blairstown and tune the CTAF, you won't hear anything. You'll need to announce your intentions via text.

[Daniel Hawton]

You can also look up the airport on airnav.com to determine which en-route facility and departure/approach facilities to look for.

[Keith Smith]

Daniel,

 

Perfect for real world, but rarely works on VATSIM. The chances of the specific facility being online (matching the real world) are slim.

[Daniel Hawton]

Daniel,

 

Perfect for real world, but rarely works on VATSIM. The chances of the specific facility being online (matching the real world) are slim.

 

So you're telling me that if it says Departure is Orlando Approach, that the chances of Orlando Approach actually being on are slim to none? You are correct, HOWEVER, it DOES tell you what Approach/Departure sector to look for. Which is what I'm getting at.

 

You're at KXXX... XXX_TWR is not online... who do you look for next? XXX_APP? What if XXX isn't the primary airport and it falls under XYY's airspace? So you'd go look up to see what approach/departure facility handles it. Ohhh... it's Super Awesome Approach/Departure and you know Super Awesome is KXYY (or you use airnav's airport search for the name and it shows you what the ICAO and IATA are) so that you know approximately what approach/departure to look for prior to checking for center.

 

This way also tells you what center controls the airspace so you're not calling "DC Center" for clearance at KPHL, or Miami for clearance at Orlando.

[Ryan Geckler]

This way also tells you what center controls the airspace so you're not calling "DC Center" for clearance at KPHL, or Miami for clearance at Orlando.

 

Washington Center... Washington.

[Keith Smith]

Daniel, I agree that you can work out the Center to look for. That works great.

 

I can tell you that an attempt to derive the correct approach controller will fail as often as it succeeds in many of the places that I've flown on VATSIM.

 

Case in point, you're at Palomar (CRQ) in the Southern California area. You see the following controllers online:

SNA_APP, LAX_APP, LAX_CTR. Who do you call?

 

I'm a ZLA controller at that facility, and _I_ cannot give you the correct answer. Why? It depends if the guy working SNA_APP is also covering the San Diego area (based on his qualifications, and what he's coordinated with LAX_APP). If he is, then SNA_APP is the guy to call. Otherwise, LAX_APP covers the entire TRACON, so that would be the guy to call.

 

How is a pilot to know any of this? ZNY has a similar system, and does ZOA. There may well be others, too.

[Mark Bott 1100894]

First step would be to check controller information.

 

In ZNY, we are required to list the facilities (in our controller information) we are currently providing service for, as do most ARTCC's.

[Daniel Hawton]

I can tell you that an attempt to derive the correct approach controller will fail as often as it succeeds in many of the places that I've flown on VATSIM.

 

Must not get out much. ZOA, ZNY and ZLA are 3 ARTCCs within a group of 22. 3 / 22 have combined TRACONs (NY, NCT and SCT)... so I beg to differ that airnav is not a viable source to check.

 

Using your "case in point", you check airnav and you see it's controlled by SoCal TRACON... so you know that it's SoCal TRACON. You look and see that, hey, a sector of SoCal TRACON is on. Call them up "Hey, are you controlling Palomar?" or you check their controller info and see they're controlling the SAN area. If they aren't, they'll direct you toward the right controller or check any other SoCal sectors that may be on. But you still checked with a SoCal TRACON controller because that's whose airspace Palomar falls under and you'd know that by: charts and airnav. Without it, who would you call? Center? Center in LA is busy, easier/faster to check with the approach/departure controller.

[Keith Smith]

Fair enough. I think it's a bit of a stretch to expect a typical pilot to make some of these leaps, but you make good points.

 

Btw, I didn't say it wasn't viable...I said it that fails as often as it succeeds (at least in my experience, but then, as you pointed out, I don't fly in many places).