Getting started - from scratch

[Carl Tucker]

Apologies if this is covered elsewhere (pointers appreciated), but I seem to be below even the minimum assumptions of every "getting started" guide I can find. Or maybe I'm just doig this backwards. 😀

Let's say I've never been a gamer and haven't played a flight simulator since the 80s. But I do have an interest in learning ATC. That sounds like EXACTLY the kind of game I would play if I did play games.

Question: What do I need?

I've successfully made a VATSIM account, chosen VATUSA and done up to the S1 pre-qualification exam, no problem. But I have a macbook, not a Windows-OS computer. I'm gathering I need one? Do I need an actual flight sim (I have no intention of doing the flying part), or is vSTARS, etc. all I need?

Sorry if I'm dumber than the guide writers anticipated. Thanks for any tips.

[Alistair Thomson]

3 hours ago, Carl Tucker said:

I've never been a gamer

That is absolutely no handicap. There are thousands of VATSIM members, myself included, who do not view this activity as a game at all.

What you need to be ATC on VATSIM is what you have already done and are prepared to do re. training, but you also need an ATC client. Sadly from a Mac user's perspective, the virtual world is populated by PC clients, but PC emulators exist, eg Parallels, which allow PC software to run on a Mac if your Mac's spec is up to it.

In USA-land I believe that there is currently a requirement for several separate programs (you mention vStars etc.) but Ross Carlson is working to fix that, I think replacing the old VRC and the other part-clients with CRC. The rest of the world, which is most of it, seems to use Euroscope which does everything ATC needs, as far as I can tell.