When to Tune ATIS

[Ian Cowan 1364926]

Hey all. I am very new to vatsim (<20hrs) and I was wondering when flying into an airport when the appropriate time to contact and listen into ATIS for the active runways, weather, etc is. The couple of times I've been on the center for the airport and I have tuned ATIS and missed a call and it seems that instead of trying to call again, the controller reports me as not in contact or ATC. Should I advise the controller that I am checking ATIS or should I just tune in earlier? Thanks!

[Joshua Black]

I recommend doing one of two things:

 

1. If it's not super busy on the frequency, use your second comm radio to listen to the ATIS while still listening to center/approach. You can listen to both radios at once... Unless it's a busy frequency, in which case it can be next to impossible to listen to both at once in which case;

 

2. Simply double click the ATIS and read the text. The voice generated ATIS is usually just a readout of the text. This is what I do when it's too busy on frequency to bother either asking for permission to switch or listening to both at once. That's the limitation of single pilot operations... Typically for dual crew, one member will listen to the ATIS while the other monitors the active frequency.

 

Sure, some people may say you can ask for permission to switch frequencies for a minute or two, but I personally don't like this.

[Ian Cowan 1364926]

I recommend doing one of two things:

 

1. If it's not super busy on the frequency, use your second comm radio to listen to the ATIS while still listening to center/approach. You can listen to both radios at once... Unless it's a busy frequency, in which case it can be next to impossible to listen to both at once in which case;

 

2. Simply double click the ATIS and read the text. The voice generated ATIS is usually just a readout of the text. This is what I do when it's too busy on frequency to bother either asking for permission to switch or listening to both at once. That's the limitation of single pilot operations... Typically for dual crew, one member will listen to the ATIS while the other monitors the active frequency.

 

Sure, some people may say you can ask for permission to switch frequencies for a minute or two, but I personally don't like this.

Okay thank you. It threw me off guard because I guess I was on ATIS when I got a call to switch frequencies and then I was contacted asking if I was in contact with ATC. Just a noob mistake that I'd like to not make again. I will try this.

[Nick Warren]

Additional suggestions...

 

Pick up the ATIS during the frequency change before contacting the next controller. That will allow you to advise then you have the current infornation.

 

Ask to be off frequency momentarily to obtain weather. Perfectly acceptable. They will just have you advise when back on frequency. They may decline if they are handing you off in which case they may ask you to make your request with the next controller or you can default to my first suggestion.

 

As for when to obtain the ATIS, that's subjective to how fast you are going to get into the airport and how fast that information becomes valuable to you. You can obviously obtain it as soon as it comes into range, but use your discretion. Just factor at least having it by the time you make contact with the terminal controller that will be handling the arrival phase of your flight. If you're unsure, the controller should give you a little reminder of verifying you have information "x".

 

Have fun

[Andrej Lippay]

Additional suggestions...Pick up the ATIS during the frequency change before contacting the next controller. That will allow you to advise then you have the current infornation.

 

Great suggestion. Only thing that may make this difficult is when you are handed over to APP during very busy time and the controller intends to give you instructions ASAP you contact him (not really the case here at VATSIM, unless there is some very big fly in event).

 

Usually, whenever I am less than 100NM from my destination and I am able to pick up ATIS, I advise the controller. They never seem to have a problem.

 

Cheers,

 

Andrej

[Robert Shearman Jr]

On a commercial flight, I typically grab it just after starting the descent from cruise.

 

And I typically do it via text. True, it breaks 100% realism -- but so does flying a Part 121 flight with a crew of one, so it's an acceptable trade-off in my opinion.

[Joshua Black]

On a commercial flight, I typically grab it just after starting the descent from cruise.

 

And I typically do it via text. True, it breaks 100% realism -- but so does flying a Part 121 flight with a crew of one, so it's an acceptable trade-off in my opinion.

 

Not entirely... I believe most airlines can receive ATIS information via ACARS which would simply be the text version of the ATIS you'd hear on frequency. So getting the text ATIS instead of the recording isn't all that unrealistic.

[Jonathan Fong]

On a commercial flight, I typically grab it just after starting the descent from cruise.

 

And I typically do it via text. True, it breaks 100% realism -- but so does flying a Part 121 flight with a crew of one, so it's an acceptable trade-off in my opinion.

 

Not entirely... I believe most airlines can receive ATIS information via ACARS which would simply be the text version of the ATIS you'd hear on frequency. So getting the text ATIS instead of the recording isn't all that unrealistic.

 

Exactly - as far as I know, for lots of airlines it's actually SOP now to grab the airport's ATIS via CPDLC (ACARS). There's a video of an ACA 777 out of Tokyo (don't remember which airport specifically though) that shows them getting it via CPDLC as well as voice, though the latter was only a demonstration for the camera.

[Lindsey Wiebe 1101951]

On a commercial flight, I typically grab it just after starting the descent from cruise.

 

This is when I do it as well. unfortunately it seems to be few and far between lately (at least when I'm flying) that ATC will have an actual voice ATIS anyways. I'm usual resolved to getting the ASN weather metar as my pseudo ATIS. Normally would use the second radio; when I was flying commuters (Navajos, Caravan) we'd use the second radio and turn down the ATC radio (most sims can't do this, boo). You'd get good at separating the two voices in your head (or 5 or 6 ) and p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ively listening for your aircraft callsign in the background. I do this now when listening to voice ATIS or ASN metar, vPilot has a great option of ".com both" without the quotes to activate both radio receiving at same time; then ".com both" to turn off the second radio (without the quotes), I think Ross is working on a button to flip this on and off, like clicking the RX box on the second radio or something... You get good at half tuning out ATC but still listening for your callsign whilst listening to ATIS. You do tend to need to listen to the ATIS several times as your brain flips back and forth though.