Resource for Gate Assignments?

[Rich Heimlich]

So I fly my Dash 8 almost exclusively (United colors) and each airport I fly into (generally driven by where there's ATC) I'm asked once I'm down which Gate I want. I have no idea. Granted, that's likely my responsibility so I'd like to know, but how?

 

My Dash most likely should NOT be going to a gate with a jetway on it. At KIAH I go to 5B and that's awesome. At KPHL there's an entire area just for Dash's so that's simple, but what about a resource to know where I belong at each airport?

 

Do I need to manually bring up every airport and do a Google search to try to decipher a realistic location?

 

Thanks....

[1275389]

If you are flying a realistic flight (flown in the Dash), you should probably just check out flightaware. They list the gates for most domestic flights.

[Ryan Savara 1369362]

I've always thought it was part of descent planning. Most of the time in the US you'll hear "advise Approach control of gate [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ignment on initial contact." This is so they can mark it on your flight plan for the local controller.

 

As a controller myself, I usually look at the calling and aircraft type to determine where they'd like to park. For example, at KPHL, FedEx almost always parks in the cargo area west of the terminal, UPS south of the runways, p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]enger airlines (Delta, United, American, etc) in the terminals. All other GA traffic go to the specific parking NE of the field. I know roughly where aircraft are going to park, so their taxi in instructions reflect that.

 

For the most park, I let the pilots pick, and just get them to a rough area. During events it's different, but it's up to the pilot to make the call. Advising Approach just makes it easier so you aren't taxiing in circles trying to find parking.

[Nick Warren]

To know the gate which you would go to if matching realism, the flightaware suggestion is a good one, and/or look up the airport online for a terminal map to know where that gate is on the field.

 

I disagree with letting approach control on initial contact know what gate you are arriving at. This is not a standard practice at least in the United States. Airliners will know their gate [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ignment when arriving, but it is because they call in on their company frequency while still a ways out to receive the gate [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ignment and advise them if they have any special needs p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]engers, wheelchair needs, etc. After the aircraft lands, they will advise on their contact to ground control (ie: "SWA537 is off of 16R at A-8, for Gate A7")

 

Nick

[Rich Heimlich]

So in real life who determines a gate? Surely the pilots have no part in that or else the airlines would never really know where to have the p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]engers waiting.

[Rich Heimlich]

Missed the last post before I posted. So the airlines do decide. I guess that's what I was hoping to mimic. Ultimate Traffic back in the days used to have that info in their schedules which was really amazing. I knew exactly which gates to go to just because of the AI schedules.

[Nick Warren]

I guess that's what I was hoping to mimic. Ultimate Traffic back in the days used to have that info in their schedules which was really amazing. I knew exactly which gates to go to just because of the AI schedules.

 

Your best bet then is to either look up the flight number via Flightaware prior to departure and see the arrival gate. Then take that information and look at the airports terminal map to know where that is. Then you know right where to go when you land and taxi off.

 

 

[Trent Hopkinson]

Pilots however do have a role in gate [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ignment.

 

They need to receive the information about which gate to park at, and ATC has no role in [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igning a gate. Ideally pilots will know what gate they are going to prior to runway [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ignment from Approach.

 

Airliners get the advantage of having 2 people in the cockpit and 2 radios (and someone not in the aircraft knowing which aircraft are going to which gates in a "big picture of multiple movements" way).

 

I usually try to include, in my own self-descent briefing when flying single pilot ops in a 2-man cockpit, to brief at least which apron/terminal I'd need to go to, and the best runway/s and taxi routes to get there after landing. Picking a gate 20 minutes out on Vatsim seems a little ambitious without at least having a few options for when that guy that landed 2 minutes before you parks right there.

 

In the example above, for instance, I might choose "I want to park at gate B17... but I will take B19 or B15 if someone's already there... B21 or B23 at a pinch"

[Ernesto Alvarez 818262]

also no rule saying propliners cant go to the gates that have Jetways. you simply often wont use the jetway if its not the correct type for the aircraft, instead theyll pull up some stairs (if needed) or if equipped with stairs, use that. they can be bussed or enter the terminal through an [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igned door (if one is available).

[Trent Hopkinson]

Or the airport use create a bizzare contraption for boarding from a jetbridge onto a Dash-8 byp[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ing the stairs.

(Yes, there's a portable metal 'bridge' between the Dash-8's door up to the jetbridge, the portable bridge has a roof/shade but open sides

Click for larger picture

[Rich Heimlich]

Great info from all. Thanks and much appreciated. It helps.

[Lindsey Wiebe 1101951]

Similar to above I use flightaware for the route to see where "company" traffic parked. I also use google maps satellite and zoom in, you can often see a dash with it's straight thin wings at a gate. Sometimes need to research further where "company" terminal is.

 

As for RL gate [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ignments, that's all done through dispatch and coordinated with the airport authority (not atc). Sometimes you'll hear atc tell crews to get a hold of "company" and figure it out. The crew will know where they "should" be parking before they even take off; but things change, an aircraft gets delayed, breaks down, needs to return to a gate, etc.

 

I've flown into some airports with WOAI cranked up and when selecting gate [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ignment for GSX they are all full, so I'll have to pick one that is "opening soon"; this adds to the realism as sometimes aircraft have sit to the side waiting for a "their" gate to open up.

[Andreas Fuchs]

I do use http://www.flightstats.net, it is similar to FlightAware.

[Kirk Christie]

So in real life who determines a gate? Surely the pilots have no part in that or else the airlines would never really know where to have the p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]engers waiting.

 

The terminal operator decides the gates.

 

If the terminal is wholly operated by the airline then they will decide the gates. Usually these terminals are leased to the airline.

 

If the terminal is Common user (typically international terminals and multi user domestic terminal) then the Airport operator will decide the gates. Airlines at International Terminals may have their favorite gates they get all the time, this is usually in close proximity to where ever their lounge is located in the terminal, cause those business cl[Mod - Happy Thoughts] p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]engers might get tied after their relaxing lounge visit, and before they get into their lay flat seat, walking to the gate.