Questions for Portugal vACC About P3 Training

[Randy Tyndall 1087023]

Miguel/Duarte/Friends,

 

Been doing some preparatory work, reading, and offline flying to get ready for starting the P3 Training offered by your vACC. In the process I have some questions.

 

I thought the Portugal vACC Forum would be a better place to post this but it says for "ATC Staff Only" and I didn't see one for pilots.

 

I am a registered pilot with the vACC and show up on the list of pilots.

 

I have registered for your TeamSpeak channel at ts.portugal-vacc.org and have successfully logged in (no one was home, but it was early. ).

 

I have downloaded and printed out the VFR Manual, Charts, and applicable portions of the AIP...some "numbing" reading there...

 

I have installed the various Portugese addon freeware sceneries for FS2004 and flown from Santarem to Cascais and then from Cascais to Evora several times offline during daylight hours. I have PlanG and the routes saved, including creating the various Tunnel Entry/Exit Points and Visual Reporting Points. I hope whoever the examiner will be can forgive me when I have to minimize FS2004 to view the PlanG screen periodically. "Pause on Task Switch" is unchecked so while I may "wander" a bit, the plane will keep flying. I have flown using simple headings for the different PlanG tracks and visually watching out the windscreen and the sceneries I have installed do a marvelous job, so the reporting points are fairly easy to spot. Minimizing FS2004 should not be an issue.

 

Now for the questions:

 

1. I don't see anywhere on the site to actually "enroll" in the training. Is it simply "show up" and hope an examiner is able to evaluate my flight? Weekends are a "no go" for me since I work weekends. I have Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday off each week and live in the Mountain Time Zone of the United States. I would prefer to fly "real time" and "real weather". I can only start a flight no earlier than 1600Z and must be "wheels" on the ground" finished no later than 2100Z (so I can pick up my grandkids at school...except for December 29, 30, and 31 since they are on Christmas Break).

 

2. During the flight from LPCS to LPEV I noticed on the various tunnels there are different altitudes listed. Obviously for separation of North/South and East/West traffic, but each leg seems to have a different set of minimums. The VS1/VS tunnel that runs from Trafaria to Lagoa looks like there is a minimum enroute altitude of 1000 feet. On the VE1 from Lagoa to the dam at Venda Novas the minimum east altitude starts at 1500 feet, but changes to 2000 feet at the Port of Sebutal. Flying the minimums is not the issue here, but rather filing the flightplan so ATC knows what I am doing. Would the following be the proper way to submit the FP if I want to fly the minimums?

 

Submit the plan for 1000 feet, with the following routing...VS1 VS LAGOA/N0120A015 VE1 SEBUTAL/N0120A020 VE1 DCT VALVE DCT (I'll be using a Cessna 182 for the exam).

 

3. Also during the flight from LPCS to LPEV once on the VE1 Tunnel I noticed something. TRA4, which I'll be crossing enroute from Lagoa to Setubal is restricted from the ground to 2000 feet. You mention this in your P3 syllabus as not being a problem since "we will be flying overthat altitude." The minimum tunnel altitude listed for eastbound is 1500 feet? Won't I be violating that restricted airspace?

 

That's all for now. Can't wait to get started and I'm probably putting more into this than I should, but I want to do it right.

 

Thanks

 

Randy

[Duarte Folgado 1106197]

Hello Randy,

 

First of all thanks for choosing Portugal for your P3 exam, I'm sure it will be an enjoyable experience.

The Portugal vACC forum (http://www.portugal-vacc.org/smf/index.php) is suitable for any member of Portugal vACC either pilot or ATC. Since you probably are not registered you can't see all the topics and boards correctly.

 

We offer also for non-Portuguese pilots the possibility to have all the necessary questions and doubts explained in brief TS3 chat any days prior the exam. Since you have done a quite good job in the preparation probably there aren't too many of them. However, you can contact directly our PTD for any matter in this email: [email protected] . The email is [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igned to more than one person so probably it will reduce the response time.

 

Regarding the using of Plan-G and minimizing the FS2004 for a brief seconds I think it should be not a problem.

 

Regarding the questions:

 

I) Although our "internal pilot ratings" exams are in a "show-up and fly" basis if a listed examiner is online (Similar to the ZLA ARTCC program), the VATSIM ratings are a little different because it's required to book an examination prior the exam via email. I suggest that you send your availability to [email protected] .

 

II) The altitudes listed on the tunnels are not minimum, they are mandatory . I know it can be a little tricky to explain but here it goes:

Regarding the FP you are not required to enter the ICAO speed and altitude changes because the ATC knows that in a specific tunnel you should be at a specific [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igned altitude (published in the charts). VS tunnel is more often used for inbound flights to LPCS. Since you're departing from LPCS I suggest use "COVA DO VAPOR" as first waypoint and then proceed via VS1.

Basically you only need something like this: "DCT COVA DO VAPOR VS1 VS VE1 DCT (...)"

 

You may start wondering know: "Ok after departure I must climb 1000ft to COVA DO VAPOR but what I have to do in order to comply with the published mandatory altitudes?. There is a local phraseology for that. When you are reaching COVA DO VAPOR you will be enter under radar surveillance. The ATC will identify your aircraft, p[Mod - Happy Thoughts] the QNH and in some way "clear" you to the tunnel like this: "N123, Identified, QNH1016, fly route and profile to Évora".

 

At this point the ATC is telling you that you can fly the tunnel (route) and climb to the correct altitudes (profile) in each specific visual reference. For example, after reaching "Lagoa de Albufeira" at 1000ft you can climb to 1500ft and you do not need to report or notify that ATC for that. The rest of the altitude changes are similar.

 

III) This one is more simpler: TRA4 was withdraw a short time period ago. The briefing was done at the time the TRA4 was active. No need to worry about this one, just enjoy the lovely views of the coastline and Setubal Harbor.

 

I hope I had helped in someway. For any doubts and for the examination booking please contact us on [email protected]

 

Kind Regards,

 

Duarte

[Randy Tyndall 1087023]

Duarte,

 

Awesome. Thank you for that very thorough explanation and excellent answers.

 

I will register for the forums and contact someone at the Pilot Training Division soon. After the P3 then it will be on to the P4, again with Portugal-vACC.

 

Thanks again.

 

Randy