[02SEP 2300z-0300z] VATUSA and VATPAC FNO Down Under

[Matthew Bartels]

2300 - 0300z (0900 -1300 AEST)

 

 

On September 2nd 2016 2300z, Sydney and Melbourne in Australia welcomes VATUSA to Friday night Ops.

At 2300z, the sun will be up on an early Spring Saturday morning as Melbournians and Sydney-siders go about their weekend.

 

With Vatsim's VATPAC (Vatsim Pacific) division manning the airspace between Sydney International Airport "YSSY", Melbourne International "YMML" airport in Tullamarine, and Adelaide Airport "YPAD" we invite you to fly between the 3 airports. Allow approximately 1.3 to 1.8 hours flight time for jets between any given pair. (Mach 0.73 - Mach 0.84 [Mod - Happy Thoughts]umed)

 

Scenery

- YSSY Sydney

Payware FlyTampa YSSY

freeware FSX YSSY

freeware P3D YSSY

Vista oz YSSY for FS2004

YSSY for Xplane 10

 

YMML Melbourne

Payware Orbx YMML

Freeware FSX YMML

Freeware FS2004 Vista Australis

Xplane 10 YMML

 

YPAD Adelaide

Payware Auscene YPAD Adelaide

Freeware FS2004 YPAD

Xplane

 

Flight Planning

 

In Australia, flight plans are filed in the ICAO method, with the SID/STAR not included with the initial filing. This will be provided by ATC on contact with clearance delivery (for departure) and with Centre, usually just prior to initial descent clearance.

 

In Sydney each different runway has it's own set of SID's, which can be hard to predict ahead of time. Due to this, the outbound route should start with "TESAT". TESAT is an RNAV waypoint located on the airfield, replacing the old VOR "SY" which has since been decommissioned in the real world as part of the Navigation Rationalization project which removed 179 ground-based navigation aids on the 26th of May 2016, meaning GNSS is now the primary means of navigation for all instrument flight rule aircraft and flight plans.

 

An IFR Aircraft flying from Sydney to Melbourne will file TESAT H65 RAZZI Q29 ML regardless of the runways in use. Indeed some aircraft may well be [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igned the WOL9 departure from runway 34L, and others the MARUB5 departure from runway 34R given northerly prevailing winds. Both of these departures join the H65 airway at WOL (Wollongong), however the SID tracks are very different, with one starting with a Left turn off runway 34L, and the MARUB5 departure from runway 34R starting with a Right turn.

 

[shadow=red,left]Note: PFPX may not produce a valid flight plan in some cases without the user editing the flight route![/shadow]

 

Knowledge about deleting waypoints and closing route discontinuities in your FMS will be useful. Cheats include knowing the 2nd waypoint along the initial airway. Additionally be aware that ATC is likely to ammend the text of your route when giving clearance in the same manner as the Electronic Flight Strip is used in the real world. Once you file it, it's theirs.

 

 

To help with filing your flight plan, VATPAC provides the Pilot [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ist Website at http://operations.vatpac.org/[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ist/?pg=pilot[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ist

 

Simply plug in the ICAO code of your departure and arrival airports, and choose the aircraft type you will be using (options: Jet or Prop/turboprop).

 

Additionally the real world Air Services Australia website provides charts for all airports in Australia, free of charge, on their Aerodrome and Procedure Charts website

http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/aip/current/dap/AeroProcChartsTOC.htm

 

For reference a chart of the airports featured for this event, and the routes for Jets between them is included below. Note the airways between Australia's State Capitals are single direction airways to separate inbound and outbound flows. The real world Sydney - Melbourne sector is among the top 5 busiest air routes in the world.

 

 

 

YSSY Sydney airport ground chart, and the areas various airlines typically use.

Note: International on the west (left) side and Dometic on the east (right) side, including freight.

In most FSX sceneries (including default) the Domestic side gates start with the letter "D", and the international side has no alphabetic prefix.

 

 

YMML Melbourne airport ground chart, and the areas various airlines typically use.

 

YPAD Adelaide airport ground chart: Note, all airlines other than GA and Freight park at the common terminal