New to Vatsim and ATC terms

[Brayden Smith]

Hey guys, I'm relatively new to learning to communicate via ATC and I was doing a good job until I got asked Star clearance is available by the controller. I tried finding an answer to what this means but Im having trouble finding out what I should reply or do in this situation. I was just wondering if anyone could explain it to me

Regards Brayden

[Andrew McCabe]

Have a read through the Pilot Resource Centre vats.im/prc.

Lots of useful info in there.  Your specific question is covered under the IFR section.

 

Andrew

Edited May 20, 2020 at 07:59 AM by Andrew McCabe
updated url

[Mats Edvin Aaro]

Welcome to the network, Brayden!

As Andrew said, the Pilot Resource Centre is your go-to place to get started. If you don't like reading and enjoy videos more, you can check out AviationPro on Youtube, and his VATSIM Turorial playlist. 

We also have a dedicated facebook page for beginners, called VATSIM For Beginners. Here you can ask all the questions you want amongst other beginners, and get answers from qualified and seasoned pilots, controllers and staff members. 🙂

If you need more help than that, VATSIM even has Authorized Training Organizations that help you get on your way. I would suggest you check out VATSTAR. 🙂

I hope you have a wonderful time on the network, and let us know in the Facebook page should you need more help!

[Evan Reiter]

Continuing the theme of Authorized Training Organizations, I would absolutely recommend VATSTAR (as Mats suggests) for in-person instruction. You'll be paired up with one of their instructors and be walked through the procedures. There are a number of other ATOs available: https://ptd.vatsim.net/atos.

If you prefer a self-study course that builds up to the question you're asking (about STARs), you might also consider www.bvartcc.com/prp.

Edited May 20, 2020 at 05:23 PM by Evan Reiter

[Dace Nicmane]

14 hours ago, Brayden Smith said:

until I got asked Star clearance is available by the controller.

I've never heard a controller advising in advance he's got a STAR clearance for you, normally they just clear you for the STAR and you read it back. Perhaps it was a route (STAR) amendment? Again, you'd just advise ready to copy and read back the new STAR, then fly it. If for some reason you can't, say Unable. May I ask where it happened?

Edited May 20, 2020 at 10:15 PM by Dace Nicmane

[Andrew Ogden]

2 hours ago, Dace Nicmane said:

I've never heard a controller advising in advance he's got a STAR clearance for you, they just normally clear you for the STAR and you read it back. Perhaps it was a route (STAR) amendment? Again, you'd just advise ready to copy and read back the new STAR, then fly it. May I ask where it happened?

In some parts of the world, controllers will advise the pilot he has a 'STAR clearance available, advise when ready to copy'. In my opinion this is a nice touch as it gives reasonable reassurance that the pilot copied everything down accurately because they were ready to listen.

[Kirk Christie]

4 hours ago, Dace Nicmane said:

I've never heard a controller advising in advance he's got a STAR clearance for you, normally they just clear you for the STAR and you read it back. Perhaps it was a route (STAR) amendment? Again, you'd just advise ready to copy and read back the new STAR, then fly it. If for some reason you can't, say Unable. May I ask where it happened?

Air Services Australia phraseology guide.

[Dace Nicmane]

Good to know. 👍 That's why I was curious in which part of the world it happened.

Also, Brayden, you can ask the controller on a private message about an instruction you don't understand. Many controllers are happy to help if they're not very busy. 

[Evan Reiter]

On 5/20/2020 at 9:47 PM, Dace Nicmane said:

Also, Brayden, you can ask the controller on a private message about an instruction you don't understand. Many controllers are happy to help if they're not very busy. 

Yes, good idea...although make sure that you are also keeping the controller up-to-date. If you don't answer the controller and instead send a PM, especially when we're busy, it might be easy to miss. Then we're going to be thinking you haven't heard us when in reality you just didn't understand. 

Occasionally, I'll also see a pilot who doesn't understand an instruction just disconnect. Minus an insanely busy event -- and really, even then -- we want to work with and help you as best we can. It's okay to say you don't understand: actually, it's better to do that than to just disconnect and pop up again 100 miles later on top of someone. Also better to do that than guess wrong and end up descending when we wanted you to stay level for traffic. 

As Dace says, most of us are happy to help clarify via PM. But let us know first. I'd suggest something like: 

"Center, N12345 is unable (instruction)" or "N12345 is unfamiliar with the instruction". Or just say "unable, N12345". You might also say why: "I'm not familiar with how to fly STARs/arrivals". Typically that would prompt us to give you a simpler instruction like headings and altitudes. Once you're complying with the new instruction and everyone is on the same page, you could then considering sending a private message asking for clarification. Or, if it's not busy, just say "Center, N12345, do you have time for a question?" and ask via voice.