General questions from a newbie

[Michael Alan]

Hi all

 

After literally MONTHS of studying instrument flying and charts in MSFS, spectating on VATSIM etc., I am nearly ready for my first attempt into an IFR VATSIM flight. But I have some questions which I think would be wise to get answered before I dive in. Can anyone help me on these queries please?

 

1. Is there a specific order I should load MSFS and vPilot on my PC? I’ve had some intermittent issues with VATSIM traffic being loaded. Sometimes it appears, but sometimes it doesn’t seem to integrate with MSFS. Am I missing something obvious?

2. I plan to file a flight plan using Simbrief into vPilot, complete with SID and STAR and the full routing. If the controller wants me to fly a different SID/STAR to what I’ve got filed… do I have to amend vPilot on the fly? Or will the controller just expect me to ignore what I have filed and fly his/her desired route instead (just like when flying vectors)?

3. What happens if I accidentally pick a gate that another VATSIM pilot is sat at? Do I just reload my flight and pick another gate?

 

I think these are my main queries but no doubt will have some more depending on the answers! 🙂

 

Thanks to everyone in advance.

 

Kind regards

Mike

Edited October 16, 2021 at 08:24 PM by Michael Alan
added his/her

[Tobias Dammers]

36 minutes ago, Michael Alan said:

2. I plan to file a flight plan using Simbrief into vPilot, complete with SID and STAR and the full routing. If the controller wants me to fly a different SID/STAR to what I’ve got filed… do I have to amend vPilot on the fly? Or will the controller just expect me to ignore what I have filed and fly his/her desired route instead (just like when flying vectors)?

You don't need to refile; if the controller wants your flight plan to reflect the changed routing, they can amend it for you. Just fly the clearance.

 

37 minutes ago, Michael Alan said:

3. What happens if I accidentally pick a gate that another VATSIM pilot is sat at? Do I just reload my flight and pick another gate?

This happens sometimes, especially when it's busy - vatspy and similar tools lag quite a bit behind the live situation, so you can't rule it out entirely. It's not a big deal, just disconnect, respawn at a different gate, and reconnect.

[Michael Alan]

Thank you Tobias, really helpful.

 

I assume you’re not sure on the answer to question 1? 🙂

 

Thanks for your input regardless! Much appreciated.

 

Kind regards

Mike

[Robert Shearman Jr]

1.  In theory it should work fine either way, although I typically load the sim first.  (Side note: In X-Plane I do the opposite, because if X-Pilot needs to update, the sim has to be shut down and reloaded anyway.)

[Michael Alan]

Thanks Roger, I read your comment this morning and it helped me get it all set up with no issues at all.

 

I AM SO PROUD OF MYSELF! 🙂 Just flew EGKK to EDFH tonight and I don't think I got much wrong... only at the end the Hahn approach controller tested me a bit by telling me to contact tower just as I was intercepting the ILS. This meant I had to click APPR in the A20N, write down the tower frequency, repeat the frequency back, and fly the plane all at the same time. Unfortunately it ended up with me not clicking APPR properly and I ended up too high as I missed the GS, probably should have gone missed but managed to wrestle it back onto the GS, just!

 

With that said, it really was the most fun I've had on FS in decades.

 

Is there an easy way to find an "approved route" that will have ATC for the full journey? I was really lucky tonight and had full ATC all the way from EGKK clearance to parking at EDFH... but I appreciate this won't be the case all the time. Is it just a case of seeing who's on VATSpy and planning a route accordingly? I've just joined the VATSIM Discord to hopefully find some people on there.

 

Thanks again to you both.

 

Cheers

Mike

[Robert Shearman Jr]

ATC comes and goes.  For something more like guaranteed coverage, watch the Event Calendar(s).

[Tobias Dammers]

23 hours ago, Michael Alan said:

Thank you Tobias, really helpful.

 

I assume you’re not sure on the answer to question 1? 🙂

 

Thanks for your input regardless! Much appreciated.

 

Kind regards

Mike

I use neither MSFS20 nor vPilot, so I can't help you with that one. But if Swift is any indication, the order in which you start up the sim and the pilot client shouldn't matter.

[Andreas Fuchs]

15 hours ago, Michael Alan said:

This meant I had to click APPR in the A20N, write down the tower frequency, repeat the frequency back, and fly the plane all at the same time.

This is something you can prevent with the following techique: during your approach briefing have a look at all the relevant and expected ATC frequencies. When approach and airfield (especially during an event) you can expect APP, TWR and GND to be active. Have a look for those frequencies on the IAC (instrument approach chart) that you use to brief the procedure. Additionally or alternatively check your pilot client: there's also a list of all active frequencies. In your example you would have found EDFH_TWR on it. If you read out that frequency loudly to yourself while preparing the approach, it will go to your subconscious short term memory - making it much easier to receive and process the instruction to contact tower control: no need to write anything down (look at your IAC or on the ATC list!) and the readback will take much less of your mental capacity = you can concentrate on doing the right thing: aviate!

Don't forget, the priorities in aviation are (descending): aviation, navigate, communicate. In your situation it was more important to make sure that you selected APPR mode, not that instruction to contact TWR. If an instructions comes at a bad time (because you are busy with more important things!), either ignore it or tell the controller to "standby". Either way, ATC will call you later again to confirm the instruction and you'll have more capacity to receive, process and confirm it.

[Michael Alan]

1 hour ago, Andreas Fuchs said:

This is something you can prevent with the following techique: during your approach briefing have a look at all the relevant and expected ATC frequencies. When approach and airfield (especially during an event) you can expect APP, TWR and GND to be active. Have a look for those frequencies on the IAC (instrument approach chart) that you use to brief the procedure. Additionally or alternatively check your pilot client: there's also a list of all active frequencies. In your example you would have found EDFH_TWR on it. If you read out that frequency loudly to yourself while preparing the approach, it will go to your subconscious short term memory - making it much easier to receive and process the instruction to contact tower control: no need to write anything down (look at your IAC or on the ATC list!) and the readback will take much less of your mental capacity = you can concentrate on doing the right thing: aviate!

Don't forget, the priorities in aviation are (descending): aviation, navigate, communicate. In your situation it was more important to make sure that you selected APPR mode, not that instruction to contact TWR. If an instructions comes at a bad time (because you are busy with more important things!), either ignore it or tell the controller to "standby". Either way, ATC will call you later again to confirm the instruction and you'll have more capacity to receive, process and confirm it.

Thanks Andreas... very useful advice. I knew the freq's were on the charts but for some reason completely disregarded this and was 100% reliant on ATC to give these.

 

I will try to prepare better for my next flight!

 

Thanks again

Mike

Edited October 18, 2021 at 11:01 AM by Michael Alan

[Andreas Fuchs]

It's all a matter of practice, don't worry. When you make it become a habit, it will give you back so much capacity for other things.

[Luca Melis]

Before starting a descent is a good idea to write the sequence of frequency you should select if there is an ATC active and check if there is someone online providing the traffic service.

 

This can help. Anticipate is better than to do when you need

[Andreas Fuchs]

44 minutes ago, Luca Melis said:

Before starting a descent is a good idea to write the sequence of frequency you should select if there is an ATC active and check if there is someone online providing the traffic service.

This can help. Anticipate is better than to do when you need

As has been suggested already on this thread.

[Michael Alan]

Thanks to everyone for their input!

 

I ended up doing a flight into Heathrow on Monday, following a YouTuber’s route. It was awesome!

 

The controller vectored me around a lot as the Heathrow airspace was crazy, and he gave me a thank you for following instructions and a well done after. Which was great feedback.

 

Really happy and can’t wait to do more!

[Luca Melis]

20 hours ago, Andreas Fuchs said:

As has been suggested already on this thread.

Thank you for your suggestion Fucha

 

See you

[Michael Alan]

Hi guys, I've been doing a few flights recently and loving every minute. 

I have a quick question which I know has been covered lots of times as I've Googled it, but a lot of the other threads are really confusing with the technical terminology and I don't really understand if I've got to make changes to my vPilot client, MSFS2020, or both!...

When I fly I am often asked to "follow the Ryanair" or "follow the company aircraft" but all I see is a generic blue, white, or orange livery. When the airports are busy it is extremely difficult to know which aircraft I should follow.

What is the easiest, simplest way to see most of the liveries within MSFS2020 for injected VATSIM traffic? 

[Martijn Joon]

18 hours ago, Michael Alan said:

Hi guys, I've been doing a few flights recently and loving every minute. 

I have a quick question which I know has been covered lots of times as I've Googled it, but a lot of the other threads are really confusing with the technical terminology and I don't really understand if I've got to make changes to my vPilot client, MSFS2020, or both!...

When I fly I am often asked to "follow the Ryanair" or "follow the company aircraft" but all I see is a generic blue, white, or orange livery. When the airports are busy it is extremely difficult to know which aircraft I should follow.

What is the easiest, simplest way to see most of the liveries within MSFS2020 for injected VATSIM traffic? 

I've asked the same question and got a response to a (I think?) Polish website which is good to use with google translate. I have to say I didn't try the given answer yet.

Forum thread: 

 

[Michael Alan]

6 minutes ago, Martijn Joon said:

I've asked the same question and got a response to a (I think?) Polish website which is good to use with google translate. I have to say I didn't try the given answer yet.

Forum thread: 

 

Thank you!

 

If I’m reading that correctly, all aircraft will look like A320neo’s… is that right?

[Martijn Joon]

That's what I was thinking also but I didn't try yet (also because of that haha..)

[Martijn Joon]

I also came across this thread: 

 

[Michael Alan]

11 minutes ago, Martijn Joon said:

I also came across this thread: 

 

Thanks for this, sadly it is all Greek to me, I don’t understand it at all. 😞

[Martijn Joon]

I've not read all of it yet but what I already seen is that Ross is mentioning that for the MSFS ModelMatchingMagic can be used? I haven't looked it up yet though

[Don Desfosse]

Mike, I don't use MSFS, and have read that there have been many challenges in the community with finding AI packages that work reliably with MSFS.  But there are several out there, both freeware and payware, with varying levels of quality.

But foundationally, we need to always start with -- have you already either downloaded or purchased a set of AI, and then installed that software, so your pilot client can attempt to do the model matching?

 

If you haven't yet had the opportunity, suggest you have a look at the model matching information found in:

https://forums.vatsim.net/topic/15639-vpilot-tips-tricks-faq-and-troubleshooting-guide/

and
https://vpilot.rosscarlson.dev/Documentation#model-matching

 

[Michael Alan]

On 11/29/2021 at 4:58 PM, Don Desfosse said:

Mike, I don't use MSFS, and have read that there have been many challenges in the community with finding AI packages that work reliably with MSFS.  But there are several out there, both freeware and payware, with varying levels of quality.

But foundationally, we need to always start with -- have you already either downloaded or purchased a set of AI, and then installed that software, so your pilot client can attempt to do the model matching?

 

If you haven't yet had the opportunity, suggest you have a look at the model matching information found in:

https://forums.vatsim.net/topic/15639-vpilot-tips-tricks-faq-and-troubleshooting-guide/

and
https://vpilot.rosscarlson.dev/Documentation#model-matching

 

Thank you and sorry for the delayed reply.

 

Is that all there is to it? Download/buy a decent AI traffic addon… and then vPilot will model match with those models when flying on Vatsim?

[Don Desfosse]

Yep!