PDC received, whats next?

[Rick Neubrand]

I am new to VATSIM and recently connected in KSLC and received almost an immediate PDC.  It stated to not reply but then I wondered if we had to advise on contacting ground of receiving a PDC or such ?  So am abit confused... I did not see a PDC Identifier code in it for readback, so am wondering what the procedure is. Tried searching VATSIM help for this but did not find anything concrete. 

[Don Desfosse]

Hi Rick, and welcome to VATSIM!  You'll find little bits of deviation in most PDCs.  Some are very specific and say things like, "No need to acknowledge unless you have a question", and " contact Ground when ready to taxi (or sometimes push) with your location on the airport, transponder code and the current ATIS."  Others give some of that direction, and a few have none of that direction, it seems.  If you don't get, and can't find, any specific direction like that, here are my general rules of thumb for the US:

Contact the controller providing Ground services when ready to push if your push puts you on a movement area, otherwise ready to taxi with your location on the airport, and the current ATIS.

In the absence of any more concrete direction, that seems (to me, anyway) to be about the right balance.

Again, welcome!

[Rick Neubrand]

38 minutes ago, Don Desfosse said:

Hi Rick, and welcome to VATSIM!  You'll find little bits of deviation in most PDCs.  Some are very specific and say things like, "No need to acknowledge unless you have a question", and " contact Ground when ready to taxi (or sometimes push) with your location on the airport, transponder code and the current ATIS."  Others give some of that direction, and a few have none of that direction, it seems.  If you don't get, and can't find, any specific direction like that, here are my general rules of thumb for the US:

Contact the controller providing Ground services when ready to push if your push puts you on a movement area, otherwise ready to taxi with your location on the airport, and the current ATIS.

In the absence of any more concrete direction, that seems (to me, anyway) to be about the right balance.

Again, welcome!

Thanks so much - I'm new to VATSIM and wasn't sure about the protocol... still learning all of it and still abit nervous.  Just trying to keep VATSIM professional and have fun.  Thanks again!

[Torben Andersen]

From my experience flying in VATUSA you acknowledge the PDC by inserting the squawcode in your transponder, as proof of you've read and approved the PDC. No need for any other code unlike the TMI for Oceanic clearences.

Welcome to VATSIM

[Rick Neubrand]

Thanks... again I am new so trying to catch up on all this.   What made this all interesting was I had just updated my ToLiss A319 to the latest version and it was acting up... must have been a bad download... so the whole flight from power up to takeoff was a mess.  I do not have an Oculus headset or track VR so I needed a moment to configure before takeoff but was given takeoff clearance as I approached the HS line...    so another question... I've never heard this before but can one ask to hold short for a moment to configure the aircraft if it is not busy?  The controller did not state to expedite... and not having the headset means having to use pre-programmed views to look around... and that takes one's sight off the runway at times...    You try to configure as best as possible rolling up to the runway but one has to look down for the transponder to set TA/RA and look up to find strobes...   so wondering what the protocol is if you happen to not be fully configured and you get an immediate takeoff clearance?

Edited December 3, 2021 at 11:06 AM by Rick Neubrand

[Dace Nicmane]

By all means, advise the controller that you're not ready yet. If you're not ready, it's not safe to fly! So even if it's busy, you have to configure what you have to configure. You can say something like, we'll be ready in a minute. Just don't enter the runway.

[Don Desfosse]

I would suggest that the earlier you know you're going to need a minute, tell the controller so they can plan for it.

Not great:
You:  [Rolling and approaching departure point]
ATC:  ABC123, cleared for takeoff
You:  Uh...  I'm not really ready...  I need a bit to configure
ATC:  [slightly exasperated, but only very slightly hopefully 🙂 ] Roger, cancel takeoff clearance, advise when ready, about how long do you need?
You:  Um, about 2 minutes or so

Much better:
You:  [Rolling and approaching departure point] Tower, ABC123 will need about 2 minutes at the end
ATC:  ABC123, roger, thanks, advise when ready
 

The latter takes a lot less time.  In so many things aviation, ATC included, having a plan and thinking 3 steps ahead before things happen, especially when you're dealing with multiple tasks/aircraft is very important for both safety and efficiency.  So ATC knowing as early as possible to plan for your delay gives them the chance to work with you as a "no problem", or a "can you move over there so I can get other traffic out" or have other departures take off from an intersection in the meantime, etc.

[Robert Shearman Jr]

All of the above is great, but I will also add as a Tower controller that if I give you a takeoff clearance before you even roll up on the hold-short, I'm pretty much banking on the fact that there's no inbound traffic for you to worry about -- particularly if I didn't give you a traffic point-out with the clearance.

"SWA123, wind calm, runway 1 cleared for takeoff", in my opinion, generally means go whenever you're ready.
"SWA123, wind calm, runway 1 cleared for takeoff, traffic on 6-mile final" generally means go ASAP because someone will be landing about 2.25 minutes from now.

[Rick Neubrand]

Thanks all - all great advice - very much appreciated!  I realize that I have to be ready to go when the takeoff clearance is given but I also know I am not to put strobes on, full lights on , and set transponder to TA/RA until clearance given.  So I stopped prior to entry onto the runway to do the few last minute configurations... but the controller kept repeating cleared for takeoff cleared for takeoff... so was abit confused, as there was noone on final... was not advised to expedite... and the airport was generally rather empty... but I should have advised I needed a few moments.  Lesson learned - won't do that again. 

[Robert Shearman Jr]

Did you at least read back the takeoff clearance, even if you were going to take a minute to act on it?

If you were waiting to read back until you were ready, I could understand the controller repeating multiple times in order to get an acknowledgment.  Otherwise, it almost sounds like a bit of excessive anxiety on their part.  (Disclaimer: obviously I'm only basing that on the account posted here, which of course is only one out of the three sides to the story.)

[Lauri Uusitalo]

never mind

Edited December 6, 2021 at 08:22 AM by Lauri Uusitalo