Welcoming BVATC to VATUSA

[Don Desfosse 33]

I'm pleased to announce that the membership of the Boston Virtual ATC organization has decided, as a whole organization, to join and migrate to VATSIM. We anticipate that this will bring approximately 35 new controllers and nearly 1000 new pilots to VATUSA/VATSIM.

 

I could go on for pages, but in the interests of a Reader's Digest summary (Seeley is now saying, "this is brief??!!??"):

 

BVATC operates mainly (though not exclusively) in the ZBW area, and currently uses exclusively the FSX multiplayer platform and TS to operate and communicate. With the introduction of FSX:SE and P3D, BVATC realized that the user base that relies only on the FSX (think boxed-version-only) platform is diminishing, and precious few new members would be seeking out the FSX boxed version vs. newer/other options.

 

BVATC ATC members are highly trained, much like VATSIM, and their training/operation is very clearly based in the 7110.65 and RW SOPs. Their ATC certification program has ratings that are very much akin to what VATSIM already uses. From what we've seen of BVATC controllers that have already dipped their toes in VATSIM waters, testing it out before their formal vote, many/most BVATC controllers are either at or near GRP standards already, so ZBW has been able to perform some training on the VRC client and differences training, and then a quick checkout akin to what one might expect to give a visiting controller or transfer.

 

BVATC, by definition, is based in Boston/ZBW. As such, I imagine ZBW will see the biggest benefit. However, legacy BVATC members are excited about the prospects of flying around the country, and the world, and receiving plenty of ATC while doing it both during and outside of events.

 

BVATC is a very tight-knit community of both pilots and controllers. Their existing culture highly values both. They focus a lot more on GA than we normally see in VATUSA (/VATSIM), so adding a bunch more GA ops will only add to our effective simulation of Virtual Air Traffic, and the addition of a lot more airliner/freighter/etc. traffic is exciting to the BVATC folks. By combining the airline traffic common on VATSIM with the general aviation-focused traffic on Boston Virtual ATC, ZBW airspace (and beyond) will offer a more realistic mix of traffic in a more routinely busy environment. The increase in general aviation and internal ZBW traffic, including from Cape Air Virtual, will give controllers new opportunities to practice their craft, and pilots more ATC to enjoy. Controllers will train and work together to manage what will become one of the busiest airspaces on VATSIM. Meanwhile, the combined ATC training staff will be larger, allowing controllers to benefit from more training opportunities and staff who have a multitude of experiences on various networks.

 

BVATC folks have a very highly defined culture that they value very much, and one of their major concerns is they are able to keep their tight-knit community culture largely intact. One the challenges of any merger of organizations is valuing the people and culture while new, aligned norms are determined and adopted. ZBW leadership, BVATC leadership and I are committed to ensuring that the combined ZBW/BVATC organization can morph into a culture that is highly effective and prized for the entire membership.

 

Because BVATC, though based in Boston/ZBW, has hosted events outside ZBW in the past, and their membership highly values that flexibility, I anticipate that the legacy BVATC community will likely either start approaching ARTCCs and requesting ATC for their flying events (think of their community as part-VA), or perhaps even asking that some of their controllers be granted visiting controller permission, either as a "regular" visiting controller or for short-term stints (maybe even just one evening) to support their event. I'm going to ask ATMs and facility staff to consider the possibility of keeping an open mind and allowing some short-term or event-only visiting privileges. At worst, maybe your airspace sees a little extra traffic for a small-scale event. At best, more facilities pick up more reasonably-well-qualified visiting controllers. In either case, I recognize that a request for a one-time allowance of visiting privileges to facilitate an event will be weird in legacy-VATUSA norms, but would encourage ARTCCs to be open-minded and either offer to use your own staff to staff the event (much like you'd do for any VA's event), allow them to control themselves with short-term visiting privileges, or (best of both worlds) both! And then let me know how it works out!

 

A transition team has been developed between ZBW and BVATC to determine best practices with respect to training/certification, SOPs, etc. This will take some time to get nailed down (think several months), but the leadership from both organizations are committed to mutual, ergo combined, success.

 

The fact that BVATC has chosen to come join the VATUSA/VATSIM community is new (announced just a few hours ago), and there are a lot of details that still need to be worked out. The fact that VATUSA is welcoming hundreds of additional good controllers and pilots is great for our community and hobby. The key is that the combined leadership of ZBW and BVATC is committed to mutual success, as is VATUSA and as am I. Please join me in welcoming the members of the Boston Virtual ATC organization, controllers and pilots alike, to VATUSA.

 

--

Don Desfosse

Director, VATUSA

[Jean-Francois Desrosiers 0]

That is excellent news!! Well done VATUSA!

[Sebastien Bartosz 6]

That is good news! Being a controller at ZNY, I hope this will bring a lot more pilots to the area and adjacent controllers too!

[Tim Barber 29]

Excellent news. A hearty welcome to our new members!

 

I like that they had a 20 question pilot exam for new members on their website...

[Brian Pryor 810138 0]

Good to hear!

[Matthew Bartels 74]

Excellent news. A hearty welcome to our new members!

 

I like that they had a 20 question pilot exam for new members on their website...

 

 

Wait. They had a 20 question pilot exam and still had 1000 pilots on their network? Sounds like a basic pilot quality exam isn't a huge barrier to entry after all.

[Bradley Grafelman 1]

Wait. They had a 20 question pilot exam and still had 1000 pilots on their network? Sounds like a basic pilot quality exam isn't a huge barrier to entry after all.

+1. I like how they put it (emphasis mine):

 

BVA requires members to complete an application, and we don't accept everyone who p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]es the initial multiple choice exam. It isn't difficult to become a member, but even this simple application process helps us ensure that the people who become and remain BVA members are here because they know what they are doing, or they are willing to learn.

Honestly, the blurb on their "Our expectations" page makes me think their interests very closely align with those of VATSIM... if not exceeding them (which might mean some turbulence for them, not us, as they downgrade their expectations a notch or two or seventeen).

[Camden Bruno 0]

 

Updates regarding Project Vector, BVAs transition to VATSIM and merge with vZBW, can be viewed here.

 

Thank you,

[Rick Rump 0]

So wait, no expansion draft?!

[Kenneth Bambach 1008842 0]

How about a lottery system to where their guys get [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igned? At the current numbers of [Mod - Happy Thoughts]imilation, ZBW will surp[Mod - Happy Thoughts] ZLA with a mega roster!

 

Seriously though...welcome BVATC crew! If you never had a chance to work an AF1, your in for a treat

[Florian Harms 1]

Very good, they are more than welcomed...

 

Flo

[Divya Patel 1166375 0]

Welcome to VATSIM

[Colin Schoen 0]

Fantastic news.

 

Warm welcome to all of the members and I look forward to seeing you on the scopes and in the skies.

[Lance Williams 6]

Looking forward to, hopefully, being able to fly more GA on the network now. Good news!