practice a departure, approach etc.

[Thomas Winding 1352874]

Hi,

 

I have 3 questions:

 

Are you allowed to practice a departure only. I mean are you allowed to logout of the network after takeoff or must you complete the whole flight?

 

And in the same way, are you allowed to takeoff without vatsim and when you get close to the approach then login to the network and from here follow the ATC instructions?

 

My last question is: if you takeoff from an uncontrolled airport an you enter vatsim controlled airspace will the controller contact you or must contact him?

 

BR

 

Thomas Winding

[Thimo Koolen]

It is allowed to log off after a departure (nobody can require you to complete a whole flight), but it's obviously encouraged to complete a whole flight. If you suddenly log off, most controllers would think you have a connection problem and expect you'd be back in a few minutes. If you want to log off, just tell the controller (in text, don't block the frequency for that).

 

The approach case is a little different. First, make sure you're not within airspace with a controller online and check VatSPY if you'd log in at a spot with no traffic close. If there is traffic too close, there is a loss of separation and that would give the controller even more work when you enter his/her airspace. Also check this topic:

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7672

 

For the contact case: it'd be the best if you contacted the controller first, as it takes away some work from them. However, it's difficult to know exactly when you enter his/her airspace, as for example VatSPY doesn't have their borders set up correctly. If you've flown that flight a few times and you know approximately where the border is, you can contact the controller around there, maybe 10-20nm before. It's not bad if a controller has to send you a contact-me, but for realism purposes and reducing workload (even if it isn't really a lot of work, a controller might be busy working other traffic as well), it's the best if you contact them yourself.

[Johan Grauers]

Nothing stops you from filing a round-robin or similar. You can depart an airfield, fly a SID, then turn back and fly an approach to where you started. For real it's mainly done for test flights but nothing stops you doing it for training on vatsim.

 

You could also do things like

Depart, fly a SID. Go to somewhere a bit away, join a STAR from there, do the STAR and then the approach back.

 

Or you can simply fly IFR circuits, mostly these are vectored radar patterns. These are most commonly done for crew training for real with a load of new pilots flying one or a few approaches each. However again, nothing stopping you from doing this for your own benefit.

 

This way you don't have to disconnect suddenly, or just appear in mid air.

[Johnathan Ellis 1250874]

If you are strictly looking to practice your Departures and Arrivals...to be honest....you will benefit the most with a session in which includes full ATC coverage.

 

Here within the Atlanta airspace....(which I currently am the ATM)....we see pilots on a regular basis whom are doing the same as you would like. Simply put in your remarks that you intend to practice such things, and usually the controller will [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ist you in doing so. At most, your FP will reflect DEP/ARR Airport being the same, and a single FIX in your route...accommodated with your intentions in the remarks....

[Brad Littlejohn]

Not only is this allowed, and also encouraged, but ATC also has to allow it. You definitely are allowed to depart IFR to comply the SID, and thanks to 4-8-11 of the .65, ATC has accommodations for practice approaches. So what you are asking for definitely is allowed, and IMHO can be encouraged to do.

 

BL.

[Robert Shearman Jr]

Not only is this allowed, and also encouraged,

... but also is the best way to practice approaches one after another without the tedium of a two-hour flight in between each one.

[Scott DeWoody]

Although all the answers above offer great advise, to answer your specific questions:

 

1. Yes, you can take off, fly the SID, and disconnect if you choose to do so.

 

2. Yes, you can log on, and fly a STAR and APPROACH if you choose to do so. (There are some requirements, check to see if there is ATC, check to see if other aircraft are in the immediate area before logging back on to VATSIM)

 

3. According to the VATSIM Code of Conduct, it is YOUR responsibility to constantly check for ATC coverage in the area you are flying. Some controllers will send you a "contatctme" ping, others won't. So it is in your best interest to contact ATC when you realize there is coverage.

[Jonathan Johnson]

 

3. According to the VATSIM Code of Conduct, it is YOUR responsibility to constantly check for ATC coverage in the area you are flying. Some controllers will send you a "contatctme" ping, others won't. So it is in your best interest to contact ATC when you realize there is coverage.

 

This is actually good to know. I have been guilty of waiting for ATC to contact me as I become unsure if I'm within range.

[Brad Littlejohn]

 

3. According to the VATSIM Code of Conduct, it is YOUR responsibility to constantly check for ATC coverage in the area you are flying. Some controllers will send you a "contatctme" ping, others won't. So it is in your best interest to contact ATC when you realize there is coverage.

 

This is actually good to know. I have been guilty of waiting for ATC to contact me as I become unsure if I'm within range.

 

Not only this, but it also brings up the point that the CoC actually implies that the pilot should have applicable charts available to know when they will be coming within range.

 

For example, there have been many times in which I've controlled at LAX_CTR and have had pilots up at or near SFO contacting me because they are realizing that there is coverage, but not knowing where the boundary between ZLA and ZOA is. Both the Low en-route and High en-route charts show the boundaries between ARTCCs/FIRs (at least in the US), so that would come in handy to pilots who are wondering if they are in range of coverage, and gives a good idea of when they should contact them (say, 10 - 15nm from the boundary).

 

BL.

[Jonathan Johnson]

 

3. According to the VATSIM Code of Conduct, it is YOUR responsibility to constantly check for ATC coverage in the area you are flying. Some controllers will send you a "contatctme" ping, others won't. So it is in your best interest to contact ATC when you realize there is coverage.

 

This is actually good to know. I have been guilty of waiting for ATC to contact me as I become unsure if I'm within range.

 

Not only this, but it also brings up the point that the CoC actually implies that the pilot should have applicable charts available to know when they will be coming within range.

 

For example, there have been many times in which I've controlled at LAX_CTR and have had pilots up at or near SFO contacting me because they are realizing that there is coverage, but not knowing where the boundary between ZLA and ZOA is. Both the Low en-route and High en-route charts show the boundaries between ARTCCs/FIRs (at least in the US), so that would come in handy to pilots who are wondering if they are in range of coverage, and gives a good idea of when they should contact them (say, 10 - 15nm from the boundary).

 

BL.

 

That's good to know about how far out to contact them. I do have my charts when I do my flights, I just always worry I'm contacting them too soon. But I guess it's better to be early then late haha.