Help with first flight

[Craig Lister 1213875]

Hi guys, pretty new to VATSIM. I'll be using XP11.2, and wanted to do flight in and around Australia. I'm based in YBBN (Briabane Int). My plan was to start with small GA aircraft. (Q!: Is that allowed?). I've watched a few YouTube videos, and read a bit, and .. but my first attempted flight was a short 15 minute flight from YRED (Redcliffe, a small airport near YBBN) to YBBN. YRED->SINNK (Waypoint)->YBBN.

 

I am using XSquackBox, which seems to be the client connecting XP to VATSIM. I filed a flightplan via the client. I even called for a radio check:

 

'V318SP, radio check'. Nothing.

 

I tuned to redcliffe traffic, but head noone, as expected. It's a tiny airfield. I broadcast my interntions anyway:

 

'Redcliffe traffic, V318SP departing to the east via RW24, for YBBN, Redcliffe Traffic'.

 

I then took off, and turned direct to SINNK waypoint. I took out my charts, and saw YBBN tower was 120.5, so I tuned COM1 to 120.5 and listened. I noticed two aircraft (flashing lights) were parked at YBBN. But the menu option, 'Who's online' showed noone. Regardless, even though I head noone, maybe they can hear me, so I announced my intentions.

 

'Brisbane Tower, Cessna V318SP with you at SINNK at 2000, on finals for RW19, Cessna V318SP..'.

 

But nothing came back. I could see two aircraft that were online parked at gates. Yet, my 'Who's online' showed noone.

 

I continued my approach, landed, taxiid and parked.

 

So, loads of issues from my part, I'm sure. I landed without clearance... my calls were probably all shot. I didn't have the ATIS.

 

Could someone guide me on how to improve, and actually speak to someone? Am I not tuning my radios correctly? Why am I seeing nonne online, yet saw two aircraft (one took off after I landed) with callsigns.

 

Thanks guys. Hoping for a fun and realistic sim experience with you guys.

[Dace Nicmane]

"Who's online" only shows online ATC, not pilots. Apparently Brisbane was offline when you were flying. You can use vatspy, vattastic or other tools to see online pilots and ATC. If you made your announcements on text on frequency 122.8, the other aircraft were able to receive them. Voice unicom is being worked on. Welcome to VATSIM!

[Craig Lister 1213875]

Fantastic. Thanks for that. Just completed my first full Vatsim flight "successfully". As I haven't mastered autopilot with the FMC yet, I hand fly the whole thing. Then my mike and sounds wan't good enough, so I was on text. Combine that with people holding short of your arrival runway, typing for clearance... listening ... and trying to fly - that was stressful! I managed it though. Screwed the taxi, turning into ALPHA, instead of BRAVO. and requiring progressive. A few sighs from the controller, but I got there.

 

Need to fix my audio. Aircraft sounds down out ATC audio, so very hard to hear. In XP11, should I drop all volumes to 50%, and leave ATC at 100%?

 

And, when you're on a STAR, when do you need to report position to obtain landing clearance? (And how should you word it?)

[Robert Shearman Jr]

In XP11, should I drop all volumes to 50%, and leave ATC at 100%?

The optimal solution would be -- if your sound card supports it -- to have X-Plane send aircraft sounds to your speakers, and have XSquawkBox send communications audio to your headset. If not, then yes, adjust the balance so that the communications are audible over top of the engine sounds; this is a must! (Note that on FSX/P3D, the "voice" slider only affects the in-game AI ATC and "mission" narration. Adjusting the voice output from VATSIM is a separate setting as it's done via an add-on. Your X-Plane mileage may vary.)

 

And, when you're on a STAR, when do you need to report position to obtain landing clearance? (And how should you word it?)

[Mod - Happy Thoughts]uming you mean on 122.8, note that the exact format of position reporting is not critical. A lot of people strive to use the real-world CTAF format for text position reports but it's not necessary. Use shorthand. We all know it's difficult to type and fly so we'll all understand.

 

My best advice for a useful position report would NOT be to refer to any points along the STAR, as those who are departing the airfield or arriving via a different STAR will *not* have your arrival chart in front of them. Something more useful would be aircraft type, distance and direction from the field, altitude, intended arrival runway, and ETA. "Brisbane Traffic, VH-SAA, Citation CJ1, 40 miles southeast of the field at 9000 inbound for rwy 19, 10 minutes out." (Then abbreviate it to oblivion because that's a lot to type. "YBBN tfc, VHSAA, C525, 40nm SE 9000, inbound 19, 10min." would be fine.)

[Craig Lister 1213875]

Very nice help. Thanks for that. I’ll give that a try. Will just need to work out how to report distance and direction to the field. Is that a guesstimate? Or will the FMC provide that?

 

I also see no GA aircraft around my airport. Is GA allowed? Things happen slower so might be worth getting into the old 172 to practice comms. But I understand the speed differences might make life tricky.

[Josh Glottmann]

By all means fly GA. I would actuslly encourage it. Start from the bottom up before flying faster aircraft that require more attention.

[Robert Shearman Jr]

VATSIM traffic is indeed predominantly airliner traffic, but GA flights are out there. The more the merrier.

[Craig Lister 1213875]

Thanks guys. Will do that. Basically a student in the air with the big boys. I’m [Mod - Happy Thoughts]uming a C172 can’t really fly a STAR at an international, due to its 160knots vs 240knots of a commercial 737? Or would he be told to just go as fast as possible and the controller would back the big guys up?

[Ryan Geckler]

Usually prop aircraft on are different routes due to the difference in speed so not normally factor. There also are prop SIDs/STARs as well.

[Robert Shearman Jr]

Read the chart. There might be a note designating it "for turbojet aircraft only." If not, it's fine to file & fly it.

[Andrew Ogden]

Not many SIDs/STARs are available for small single engine piston aircraft (such as the C172) due to their limited navigation capabilities. These aircraft are not usually able to file standard IFR routings and have to fly via VORs and DMEs under IFR situations. Usually if you were flying a small aircraft such as the C172, you would file VFR, meaning you fly via visual cues and reporting points. SIDs and STARs are mostly limited to aircraft with FMC capability so you might have a hard time flying them in a C172.

 

Cheers,

[Josh Glottmann]

Not many SIDs/STARs are available for small single engine piston aircraft (such as the C172) due to their limited navigation capabilities. These aircraft are not usually able to file standard IFR routings and have to fly via VORs and DMEs under IFR situations. Usually if you were flying a small aircraft such as the C172, you would file VFR, meaning you fly via visual cues and reporting points. SIDs and STARs are mostly limited to aircraft with FMC capability so you might have a hard time flying them in a C172.

I don't know if this is the case where you control, but it is not uncommon to have Props/Turboprops on SIDs/STARs and more generally, flying IFR. FMCs are not required to fly an RNAV route. A C172 with a basic GPS can fly nearly any SID/STAR ([Mod - Happy Thoughts]uming there are no other requirements). It's a common misconception that GA can only fly VFR and/or without GPS capabilities.

 

Anyway, I'd maybe start flying VFR and work your way into IFR. Flying IFR, especially route planning, if a whole different beast, and generally more difficult than flying VFR (it's a lot more restrictive in your actual flying, compliance with ATC, etc.). If you haven't looked already, I'd suggest taking the P1 course at the VATSIM Pilot Academy and then maybe doing further pilot ratings at an ATO if you desire.

[Christiaan Hoek]

Much looking forward to this! Hard to type when you're in VR...

[Christiaan Hoek]

["Voice unicom is being worked on. Welcome to VATSIM!

Much looking forward to this! Hard to type when you're in VR...

[Christiaan Hoek]

Just completed my first full Vatsim flight "successfully".

Rather late than never, but I highly encourage joining a VATSim Training Acadamy and get your P1 rating. You probably have since, but for other newbies reading this thread.