I'm a newbie. Tell me what I did wrong, please?

[jonathan bryant]

I'm a new vatsim pilot (around 10 hours total time) but I'm an instrument rated private pilot in real life, so I don't think I'm TOTALLY useless.  Here's the scenario. . . 

 

I called for clearance and the controller told me "you might wannna go check your flight plan" and then he disconnected before I could check it and ask him what was wrong.  I spawned at another airport in the vicinity and flew a VFR flight, but I saw he came back online as soon as I was gone.  I had this same controller chastise me about a typo on a flight plan a couple of days before, so I was already on eggshells.

 

This is what I filed:

Flight Type:  IFR

Departure Airport: KCLT

Destination Airport:  KCLT

Departure Time:  1120z

Time Enroute: 00hh 25mm

Fuel Available:  04hh 00mm

Cruise Speed:  140

Cruise Altitude:   3000

Equipment:  /G

Route:  KEHO

Remarks:  practice apch at KEHO

 

The airports have been changed to protect the innocent, but the dep/dest airport was a class B and the satellite was just outside of the Bravo - like my example here.  This was early morning and there was one controller at the Bravo and only 2 aircraft in his airspace.  Literally minutes of silence between calls. 

 

Anybody tell me what I did to tick this controller off?  I know this isn't what a Bravo controller typically sees, but it is a  typical mission in the life of a Private Pilot looking to stay instrument current.  And, I know that a Delta or even Charlie airport would've been a better choice for this flight, but there were literally NONE with controllers online.

 

Thanks in advance.

Trying to learn,

JB

 

 

[Robert Shearman Jr]

Your best course of action is probably to find the ARTCC website and look for a link called "Pilot Feedback."  Certainly there's another side to this story which may have some merit too.  But, given you've had two less-than-favorable interactions with the same controller, it seems like it might be time to get the facility staff involved to see if maybe that controller needs some coaching on how to handle things aside from commercial air carrier operations.

Since your example is within Atlanta's airspace: https://www.ztlartcc.org/feedback/new

If when you changed the facility names to protect the innocent you moved the scenario from one ARTCC to another, you can usually find what you need by Googling the name of the ARTCC followed by the word "VATSIM."

[jonathan bryant]

Yes, I chose examples located within a different Center on purpose.  It IS me that's the newbie, after all.  🙂  First thing I did was to go to that Center's website and read up.  I learned a lot.  They seem to run a TIGHT ship.  I didn't find anything to tell me what I did wrong, though.

I'm sure I don't sound like an ATP on frequency, but most people don't, in the real world.  I think I'm safe in the airport environment and in the air.

I'm not super comfortable submitting feedback this early in my vatsim career, but I'll take that under advisement.  Thank you very much for your suggestions.

 

JB  

[Don Desfosse]

Like usual, Rob has provided some of the best, if not exactly the best, advice that anyone in the community can provide.  Based on what you indicated you filed, that is very similar to what I file regularly in the real world.  In terms of your route being an airport, I asked the local Tower and TRACON (RW) if this practice was legit and was assured it was.  Also, when filing XXX to XXX (same airport), your route could simply be (YYYYY) the IAP for the approach you would (first) like to fly.  Filing feedback is appropriate in this case.  And now that you have these responses, referring to this thread in the feedback would, in my opinion, be appropriate also.

You were typing when I was, and I see that you added something that I take as very important.  You have asked a very good and relevant question.  Whether this is your first flight on the network or the 10,000th, your feedback, and question, are perfectly valid, and I hope and pray are taken very seriously and appreciatively.  You don't have to be a pro to ask a question.  Most of us are learning every day.  In my opinion, anyone who isn't and/or doesn't bring that perspective, doesn't belong here.  🙂

[jonathan bryant]

Thank you, Robert and Don for sage advice, and for going the extra mile to talk to your local RW ATC about my flight plan.  And, while I don't do this from a Bravo in the RW, I launch from my uncontrolled home base and practice in my local Charlie airspace on flight plans similar to this all the time.  

That being said, I am going to provide feedback to the ARTCC.  I logged on at the same airport again this morning, sitting on the ramp in a cold and dark airplane, with the intention of just listening to see if I could inform myself a little about this airport's ops.  Same controller on duty and once again, the only controller connected in North America, non-existent traffic.  Within a couple of minutes of me logging on in my piston twin, he disconnected.  Shrug.

I logged off, and he reconnected within 5 minutes and has been on since.  

Since early mornings are my opportunity to fly and get in meaningful practice it would be nice if the only early-bird controller didn't hate me.  😉  I'm not optimistic my well intentioned feedback will help that situation, though.

 

JB  

Edited January 26, 2022 at 02:59 PM by jonathan bryant

[Andreas Fuchs]

Don't let him get away like this. If he does not explain to you what's wrong and just logs off, not your problem. Give feedback to the ARTCC in question, please. Maybe you won't be the first one to encounter this kind of behaviour from this controller?

PS: if the controller in question refuses to help you and logs out/in when you log out/in, this is unacceptable behaviour. You can also call a Supervisor to help solve the conflict. To do so, in your pilot client application type  ".wallop your-description-of-request-for-help".

Edited January 26, 2022 at 04:12 PM by Andreas Fuchs