[30MAR 11z - 23z] Cross the Pond Westbound 2019

[Ryan Geckler]

On the dedicated ctp.vatsim.net site, there's an incorrect link to the new datalink (of which I am so thrilled to use btw).

Should be nattrak.vatsim.net, without a 'c' in trak.

 

Good luck to everyone today!

 

Fixed, thank you.

[Matthew Cianfarani]

Hey guys,

 

Is there any contact I can get in touch with to implement the new system into my software?

 

 

web[at]vatsim[dot]net

[Romano Lara]

Just a quick feedback as I was using the position report tool, I noticed that when you refresh the page, it goes back to the initial report page.

[Evan Hardin]

I'm on track E which is not able to be selected on the page. I'm not flying from a departure airport for CTP. Are non scheduled tracks not supported?

[Tonis Aal]

Few issues with the website. It seems to log out the user in about 15 minutes of idle time. The time between two oceanic reports is greater than that (unless CONC but i digress). Once you log back in, the Position Report page initially gives you the form for Oceanic Clearance and not Position Report - so to get a POSREP in you have to submit a clearance first every time and then you'll be able to access the form for POSREP.

 

BR,

Tõnis

[Prince Johnson]

Enjoying the event: great ATC and smooth traffic flow!

 

Amazing work Team Vatsim.

 

See 'yall in Vancouver in under six (6) hours (EDDH to CYVR)

[Romano Lara]

Few issues with the website. It seems to log out the user in about 15 minutes of idle time. The time between two oceanic reports is greater than that (unless CONC but i digress). Once you log back in, the Position Report page initially gives you the form for Oceanic Clearance and not Position Report - so to get a POSREP in you have to submit a clearance first every time and then you'll be able to access the form for POSREP.

 

BR,

Tõnis

 

Ditto.

 

Good thing Chrome saves previous entries. I tend to wonder if their 'for clearance' list will just keep on adding up every time though.

[Trevor Hannant]

Notes:

 

- Submitted data will be sent to the Oceanic controllers just as if you have sent them a report over voice

- The Oceanic Controller may or may not directly acknowledge the report over frequency

- A M[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ive thanks to Alex Long for the hard work on this project!

 

Matt/Alex, great idea but the notes above concern me slightly. Surely the whole point of requesting a clearance is that you then receive a clearance back? If not, what's the point of developing a CPDLC-esque way of requesting clearance if it's not going to be acknowledged? Or indeed having controllers providing a service on a Clearance Delivery frequency?

 

For Eastbound 19, are we going to s[Mod - lovely stuff] the need for Oceanic Clearance then and rely on pilots telling Gander that they'll be here then and that's that?

 

This is a great initial implementation but I hope it doesn't rest there. From a Developmental perspective, it would be outstanding to have it integrated with swift so that the CD controller can tick a box and a message is then sent either via PM or on frequency. In the meantime, perhaps the CD controllers can either:

 

- have a clearance generated on screen that they can copy and paste back to the pilot via a controller client or

- have a pre-set alias file distributed for the different NAT tracks that they can use to do the same

 

I had a few pilots confused about it on frequency this afternoon and I know controllers had no idea what was supposed to happen. But a clearance request should receive a clearance back...

[Ryan Geckler]

Notes:

 

- Submitted data will be sent to the Oceanic controllers just as if you have sent them a report over voice

- The Oceanic Controller may or may not directly acknowledge the report over frequency

- A M[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ive thanks to Alex Long for the hard work on this project!

 

Matt/Alex, great idea but the notes above concern me slightly. Surely the whole point of requesting a clearance is that you then receive a clearance back? If not, what's the point of developing a CPDLC-esque way of requesting clearance if it's not going to be acknowledged? Or indeed having controllers providing a service on a Clearance Delivery frequency?

 

For Eastbound 19, are we going to s[Mod - lovely stuff] the need for Oceanic Clearance then and rely on pilots telling Gander that they'll be here then and that's that?

 

This is a great initial implementation but I hope it doesn't rest there. From a Developmental perspective, it would be outstanding to have it integrated with swift so that the CD controller can tick a box and a message is then sent either via PM or on frequency. In the meantime, perhaps the CD controllers can either:

 

- have a clearance generated on screen that they can copy and paste back to the pilot via a controller client or

- have a pre-set alias file distributed for the different NAT tracks that they can use to do the same

 

I had a few pilots confused about it on frequency this afternoon and I know controllers had no idea what was supposed to happen. But a clearance request should receive a clearance back...

 

Yeah, there will definitely be changes to how the system works - in it's current state it's a temporary band-aid to the problem. We'll keep making it better.

[Ryan Parry]

Great event guys! It was the first one for us at ZOA and it was a blast. A big thanks to all those that voted for us, flew into SFO, help staff a few ATC positions, and of course all those who put in the time and energy to make this event happen.

[Tom Sylvester]

Hi All,

 

I really have to add my compliments to the organisation of this year's event - there were a lot more positives than negatives and I really enjoyed it. Two things which really improved from last year:

• Use of US west coast airports (I have the impression this also improved congestion before and after NATs because it spread traffic around. It's also something different and really gave an extra something to the event.

• Oceanic text-based clearance system (the last few years I have basically just listened whilst everyone got frustrated on overcrowded oceanic frequencies). This REALLY improved the whole experience - let's be honest, it's the pond bit which is supposed to be special about this event.

 

Some food for thought:

• Using regional airpots, whilst a nice thought (e.g. EDDH) led to lots of non-event traffic simply blocking the real hubs which were taking part (EGKK, EHAM). I was seeing over 50 aircraft on the ground at EHAM for a long time.

• We really need to get some way to improve congestion at departure. I departed from EDDF so I flew over it all, but the last two times I've had terrible (>1 hour) delays at KJFK and EGLL. Of course, this isn't a million miles away from the first point. It might be controversial, but should we close these airports for non-event traffic for the time of the event?

 

Again - the gl[Mod - Happy Thoughts] is very much half-full. I loved it - would just be interested in giving some feedback.

 

Thanks again,

 

Tom

[Robert Shearman Jr]

My only critique -- and it's based on secondhand info, so, take it with a grain of salt -- is to doublecheck the SELCAL codes [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igned to make sure they comply with the validity rules. A friend was purportedly [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igned CS-KS which he couldn't use because letters cannot be used twice.

 

I wasn't able to fly yesterday but was hopping from livestream to livestream observing as much as I could between work obligations. It did seem like the web-based CPDLC-esque process made the Oceanic portion much less chaotic. A surprise, but a pleasant one -- which largely well-received, from what I could tell. I hope to try it out (or its next-generation implementation, whatever that may be) in October.

[Nestor Perez]

Yup, there was a small 'bug' in the SELCAL code generator. Unfortunately, the team realized it too late to be changed.

[MARK MAYO]

I thought it was - once again - a fantastic day of flying!!

This was probably my 5th CTP.... and no matter matter how many times I fly it, I always get the same anticipatory excitement in the week prior.... hoping I'll get the FP in right... and depart correctly etc.

 

The first one I flew was with an FSX 747 sans FMC. So I had to time my speed to provide position reports... that was fun and a good math challenge. Now, with the PMDG 777 in P3D it's kind of a no-brainer.

 

Because I only do this sort of flying every 6 months - it is good that I can go on YOU TUBE to review BVARTCC's terrific Oceanic Crossing Video.

 

Headwinds were horrible yesterday - but I resisted "getting rid of them" to experience the real world obstacle of a 1-hr delay in arriving due to winds (100+kts most of the way over).

 

There are always a few problems.... aircraft uncertain of their taxi instructions and airport layout... .and approach seemed to have disappeared just before I arrived at KIAD. But, that's part of the fun of it.... being on your toes to deal with what comes.

 

Your team did a super-job... I can't imagine what kind of server could handle 1300flights at one time (at least that's what VATSPY displayed).

 

Thank You for one of my 2 favorite flying days of the year!

 

MARK MAYO

AAL49

[Andrew Ogden]

I apologise to those who received an invalid SELCAL, I made a mistake in the code for the generator and forgot to fix it

[Alex Long]

Notes:

 

- Submitted data will be sent to the Oceanic controllers just as if you have sent them a report over voice

- The Oceanic Controller may or may not directly acknowledge the report over frequency

- A M[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ive thanks to Alex Long for the hard work on this project!

 

Matt/Alex, great idea but the notes above concern me slightly. Surely the whole point of requesting a clearance is that you then receive a clearance back? If not, what's the point of developing a CPDLC-esque way of requesting clearance if it's not going to be acknowledged? Or indeed having controllers providing a service on a Clearance Delivery frequency?

 

For Eastbound 19, are we going to s[Mod - lovely stuff] the need for Oceanic Clearance then and rely on pilots telling Gander that they'll be here then and that's that?

 

This is a great initial implementation but I hope it doesn't rest there. From a Developmental perspective, it would be outstanding to have it integrated with swift so that the CD controller can tick a box and a message is then sent either via PM or on frequency. In the meantime, perhaps the CD controllers can either:

 

- have a clearance generated on screen that they can copy and paste back to the pilot via a controller client or

- have a pre-set alias file distributed for the different NAT tracks that they can use to do the same

 

I had a few pilots confused about it on frequency this afternoon and I know controllers had no idea what was supposed to happen. But a clearance request should receive a clearance back...

 

Trevor,

Thanks for the feedback. This certainly isn't a resting point, but just a beginning. We'll take this feedback into consideration for future versions of the application.