A few questions about VFR communications

[Sean Niez 1339969]

I'm pretty new to vatsim, I have only a few hours though but I still understand communications quite well but there are a few parts of it (mostly for vfr) that I am kind of confused on.

1. When landing at a towered airport, does ATC [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ign the gate/ramp or just have the pilot taxi to the terminal and choose any open gate?

2. When on a VFR flight in a small aircraft, after being on the unicom frequency and switching to tower, what exactly would the pilot say on initial contact?

3. Could I still fly at a towered airfield if my taxiways are inaccurate?

4. This one is pretty specific, but if I am flying with no flight plan, and fly to an untowered airport from a towered one to do some pattern work to then return back to the towered airfield, what would I say when coming back?

I did read the Vatsim guide to vfr comms but it did not address the questions I have here. If I posted in the wrong section or something of that nature I apologize. Anyways, thank you!

[Nicholas Cavacini]

Hi Sean! Welcome to VATSIM! All of those questions with the exception of #3 will be location dependent. Which country/area of the world will you typically fly?

 

In regards to #3, just let the controller know you have outdated scenery. Most of the major taxiways will likely be mostly unchanged. As a note, there are many AFCAD files (for FS9, FSX, P3D, I am unsure about xplane) out there, many free, which will update your airport configurations.

[Kyle Ramsey 810181]

1. after landing you tell them where you want to go and they will give you clearance to go there.

2. Tell them where you are and your intentions, i.e., "Cessna 123, 15 miles NE for landing", then listen for their pattern entry instructions.

3. You can request progressive taxi but if you have a wrong layout you can tell them that. Many airports can be fixed by downloading new scenery or use AFCAD to fix them yourself.

4. Same as #2 above.

 

The above applies to the USA, other locations may vary.

[Wygene Chong 1089621]

I'd say most of the above would be applicable to Europe as well. There might be some phraseology differences like 'circuits' instead of 'pattern'.

 

Example VFR arrival in Iceland:

- "Reykjavik Tower, hello, TF-ABC at 2300ft, overhead Kuagerði [a location just outside the TWR's airspace], request full stop landing"

- "TF-ABC, Reykjavik Tower, hello. Cleared to enter the Reykjavik Control Zone, 1500ft or below, QNH 1013"

- "Cleared to enter the zone, 1500ft or below, QNH 1013, TF-ABC"

- "TF-ABC, join right downwind runway 19, report downwind"

- "Join right downwind runway 19, wilco, TF-ABC"

... and so on...

 

Re #1, ATC will generally [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ign 'stands' (gates) in Europe for IFR traffic, and have a general aviation (GA) apron for VFR traffic which can park wherever on that apron. This is a generalisation, some airports might have GA stands or no stands at all, or VFR traffic might be a B747 etc...

 

Example phraseology: "Taxi to stand 9 via E and N" vs "Taxi to parking on the East Apron via E and N"

[David Zhong]

Parking areas are [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igned by the airport operator.

 

On VATSIM, you should advise where you wish to park, otherwise they will just send you anywhere. Some areas will be more or less specific with their instructions.

[Sean Niez 1339969]

Thank you all for your very quick answers! If it helps I almost only fly in the US

[Lindsey Wiebe 1101951]

Generally US Vatsim controllers don't issue gate/stand [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ignments, that seems to be more of a Euro or VatUK thing; they will ask what gate you're going to though, and if you don't know (don't worry "ummmm I'm not sure" is a common reply) they'll just give you taxi instructions to the main apron.

 

edit: I should add that these aren't hard rules or even rules at all, I think it's become a culture thing haha. I'm not pitting one against the other either, it's just "is what it is", I've heard Gatwick controllers issue gate/stand quite a bit in particular.