Slant Alpha IFR routing.

[Tim Simpson]

My filed /A route was changed prior to departure. Direct to a terminal VOR 180 miles away, then as filed. Accepted it just to see what the TRACON controller would do.

[Dhruv Kalra]

At the end of the day, you’re the PIC. You’re the final authority in accepting a clearance or stating your inability to do so. If you can’t fly direct that VOR 180 miles away, that’s not the controller’s error once you accept that clearance by reading it back.

[Robert Shearman Jr]

Keep in mind, airspace is increasingly designed with RNAV aircraft in mind.

 

Pretty simple in a TRACON environment, though:

 

"____ Departure, Baron 514DV, unable direct _____; not yet receiving it."

 

"Baron 514DV, Roger. Fly heading ___ then direct _____ when able."

[James Hiscoe 1260816]

Pretty common for controllers on VATSIM to completely ignore your non RNAV capability because so few pilots file that. In real life they certainly are as unlikely or more so to see non RNAV departing many major airports. If a controller has failed to appreciate your navigational capability then he may be neglecting facility SOP that would tell him how to better serve you in the mixture of other types of aircraft. By accepting a bad clearance you can't fly you're only making it harder on him and others to serve you properly.

 

For many controllers this could be a learning experience. Its easy to carry a chip on your shoulder when controllers err. I myself mostly fly /W in the flight levels and that's rather unusual so I give the controllers a break as they try to figure out how to deal with me in some areas that have wildly different procedures for the non RNAV crowd.

 

Of course if their errors are egregious after you've done your best to make your capability understood you should file facility feedback, but you'll never know how well they know their craft if you go in there trying to trip them up.

[Lindsey Wiebe 1101951]

Also, it is rare, but increasing, the number of pilots that file /A. So almost all (again /A movement is increasing) pilots are RNAV capable regardless of what they're flying. So I don't hold controllers accountable to that; a /A capable pilot is even rarer than the aircraft.

What controllers should start doing and i'm [Mod - Happy Thoughts]uming this is how RW controllers "catch" the /A is if it's a small prop expect /A. Or any small/older turbo prop like any single engine or B1900, B200, (not necessarily B350 as they're newer) expect /A unless noted otherwise. I know Carenado has an FMC in their B1900 but having flown B1900's on the line in RW I've NEVER seen one with an FMC, most don't even have autopilots (don't count Otto in the right seat) unless flown single pilot like Ameriflight cargo.

So as said above, cut the controller some slack, simply state "unable, as slant Alpha" or "unable RNAV" and they will be happy to either vector you or figure out another departure.

 

I think the relationship between pilots and controllers has eroded on Vatsim. The controllers are generally, and expected to be, MUCH more competent than a lot of the pilots online. So we're expecting more from them. However, it's a two way street, I think if more pilots were competent (not experts, just not clueless) and if everyone had a little more patience with each other (both controllers and pilots) we can re-establish the great connection. But controllers can also have more patience with newbies, which is hard because they are BUSY. Watch controllers on Twitch someday, they are NON stop. Pilots get to flip on the autopilot and chill out for a while, generally the controllers don't get that. Watch some of them on an FNO, good lord they are WAY over taxed. Remember RW there are a TON more sectors and a TON more controllers to deal with all the pilots, from ramp controllers, delivery to various altitudes in Centre (yes 'RE' ). Leave from a cl[Mod - Happy Thoughts] b or c airport in real life and you've spoken to 4 or 5 different people before getting airbourne.

 

Patience everyone and everyone have a good time.

[Dhruv Kalra]

FWIW, r/w it's now more often the exception than the rule to have a non-RNAV aircraft in the airspace, so it's always a bit of a foot in mouth moment because a lot of times you'll find out the hard way after clearing them direct something that they can't accept.

 

"Unable, /A", "Unable, not RNAV equipped", etc. are your friend. Just be civil about it. Mistakes happen on both sides.

[Andreas Fuchs]

"Unable, /A", "Unable, not RNAV equipped", etc. are your friend. Just be civil about it. Mistakes happen on both sides.

Very well put, I do agree.

 

Overhere (Central Europe) you won't go IFR without some kind of RNAV-equippment. The airspace is just too busy and they need a certain degree of navigational precision and flexibility. Exceptions will probably made for technical reasons and ferry flights to maintenance.