Get IFR clearance with center

[Graeme Irick Burtis]

Can you get IFR clearance, taxi clearance and get takeoff clearance with a center controller if Clearance, Ground and Tower are offline or would I stay on Unicom until I takeoff and get airborne

Edited August 12, 2021 at 08:45 PM by GTNT Animations

[Robert Shearman Jr]

If you're at a Towered field, and there's no Tower controller but there is a Center controller covering the overlying airspace, you'll typically get all services (DEL, GND, TWR, APP/DEP, and enroute) from the Center controller.

[Thorben Schievink]

In general Center is always offering Top-Down.
Sometimes the controller info is telling you: Covering Top-Downairport XYZA, XYZB, XYZC.
There are also Upper Level Centers, for example, Rhein, Maastricht, Eurocontrol etc. They do not delivery Top-Down service at all.

Always a good option: If you are not sure, just write the controller or ask in voice. Never depart at an airport when you are not sure that it is covered or not.

[Emir Dhil-Maanli]

Little tip for you, if you wanna see if the airport is controlled, you can see on the Airport Charts, the taxi's charts. You'll see the delivery, ground and tower frequencies so you'll know if the airport is normally staffed 🙂

[Robert Shearman Jr]

His question was specifically, paraphrased, "who do I call when the airport is NOT fully staffed."

[Paul Schoberg]

Indeed.  Whom do you call when there is no centre or more local controller?  I haven’t ever seen a controller in LA Centre and have no idea how to make VATSIM work in that circumstance.

[Alistair Thomson]

12 hours ago, Paul Schoberg said:

Whom do you call when there is no centre or more local controller?

In that situation, with no ATC available to you, you should broadcast your intentions on UNICOM, 122.800

[Paul Schoberg]

1 hour ago, Alistair Thomson said:

In that situation, with no ATC available to you, you should broadcast your intentions on UNICOM, 122.800

That would seem to be the norm in most of the western US and it really doesn't accomplish anything.  Right now, for example, according to VRoute there are "No controllers online or scheduled for next 18 hours" in Oakland, Salt Lake, Los Angeles, and Albuquerque centres.  All of them are vacant.  That leaves the entire south-western USA uncontrolled!  VATSIM, therefore, has little or no value, at least in this part of the world.  Too bad.  I had high hopes.

[Alistair Thomson]

The USA is one country. There are many others. In a volunteer-driven environment, you have to accept, hopefully graciously, the service available.

[Paul Schoberg]

Alistar,

This morning, there were TWO controllers in all of the United States, and neither was a Centre controller.  They were both tower, so local to two airports.  I realise this is a volunteer environment, but I reserve the right to be disappointed that there isn't more activity in such a large and active place as the USA.  VATSIM didn't work out for me.  I hope it does for you and many others.

Cheers,

-Paul

[Paul Schoberg]

At the same time, there were NO controllers in all of Canada, Mexico, and Hawaii.  Sorry to be disappointed, but I wish there were more opportunities to enjoy VATSIM in North America.

[Robert Shearman Jr]

Hey, Paul, a fair number of people work and go to school.  Try again in the evening hours.

[Andreas Fuchs]

9 minutes ago, Paul Schoberg said:

Alistar,

This morning, there were TWO controllers in all of the United States, and neither was a Centre controller.  They were both tower, so local to two airports.  I realise this is a volunteer environment, but I reserve the right to be disappointed that there isn't more activity in such a large and active place as the USA.  VATSIM didn't work out for me.  I hope it does for you and many others.

Cheers,

-Paul

As Robert wrote, controllers are mostly active in the early to late evening hours of the time-zone that they are controlling (because most of them also live in the area that they control).

[Robert Shearman Jr]

4 hours ago, Paul Schoberg said:

At the same time, there were NO controllers in all of Canada, Mexico, and Hawaii.  Sorry to be disappointed, but I wish there were more opportunities to enjoy VATSIM in North America.

730pm Eastern US time on a random Tuesday with no published event in VATUSA.  check again in an hour and there will be even more.

[Don Desfosse]

Not to worry, we offer a money back satisfaction guarantee....  Your free membership will be fully refunded....   Sorry that our staff of volunteers has to work for a living, go to school, care for family, do other things, etc...... Really?!? [smh]

[Trevor Hannant]

On 9/14/2021 at 4:23 PM, Paul Schoberg said:

That would seem to be the norm in most of the western US and it really doesn't accomplish anything.  Right now, for example, according to VRoute there are "No controllers online or scheduled for next 18 hours" in Oakland, Salt Lake, Los Angeles, and Albuquerque centres.  All of them are vacant.  That leaves the entire south-western USA uncontrolled!  VATSIM, therefore, has little or no value, at least in this part of the world.  Too bad.  I had high hopes.

In addition to the comments on people only being able to control when they're actually at home (oh for an employer that will let people control at work...), not everyone books ATC sessions in advance, most will see what is available and where they want to control as and when they're free.

[Christian Kovanen]

On 9/14/2021 at 6:23 PM, Paul Schoberg said:

That would seem to be the norm in most of the western US and it really doesn't accomplish anything.  Right now, for example, according to VRoute there are "No controllers online or scheduled for next 18 hours" in Oakland, Salt Lake, Los Angeles, and Albuquerque centres.  All of them are vacant.  That leaves the entire south-western USA uncontrolled!  VATSIM, therefore, has little or no value, at least in this part of the world.  Too bad.  I had high hopes.

There is an easy fix for this. If you feel there is not enough online ATC, you can always become a controller yourself and rectify this issue. I look forward to seeing you on the scopes.

[Rob Nabieszko]

On 9/15/2021 at 12:32 PM, Don Desfosse said:

Not to worry, we offer a money back satisfaction guarantee....

Right up there with my favourite method to try and recruit more instructors: We will offer you a 300% Bonus for the first 3 months.

Now let's see.... 300% of $0 is...ummm....ah crap.