VATSIM And Float Planes?

[Jason Rose]

I've dipped in and out of VATSIM for many years but I'm still very inexperienced so I thought I'd ask this question here before making a fool of myself online. 

I'm interested in trying the Twin Otter's float variant on VATSIM but having never seen anyone do the same on VATSIM, I'm unsure how clearance and the flight plan would look.

Say I was flying to a Loch in Scotland, would I just put in the closest airport as the destination? Further information can be put in on the route and remarks sections obviously, but whatever you file as a destination will still have you scheduled to land at it, which may annoy(?) some controllers.

Any idea on this?

Edited April 5, 2022 at 12:33 PM by Jason Rose

[Tobias Dammers]

I'm not 100% sure on the exact regulations, but you would not generally just substitute a nearby airport, unless the seaport is officially part of that airport. Often, seaports have their own airport code, so you would just use that; if they don't have a code, then you would do the same thing as with any other airport that doesn't have a code of its own - file "ZZZZ" and specify the landing site in the remarks. You may see this done with helicopter flights, when landing on helipads that don't have airport codes, or making field landings (though the latter would probably qualify as "special operations" on VATSIM, and thus be subject to the SOP rules).

I also vaguely remember that using the Scottish Lochs as impromptu seaports is subject to special regulations / exemptions, but I'm afraid I can't cough up any links for you there.

[Jason Rose]

16 minutes ago, Tobias Dammers said:

I'm not 100% sure on the exact regulations, but you would not generally just substitute a nearby airport, unless the seaport is officially part of that airport. Often, seaports have their own airport code, so you would just use that; if they don't have a code, then you would do the same thing as with any other airport that doesn't have a code of its own - file "ZZZZ" and specify the landing site in the remarks. You may see this done with helicopter flights, when landing on helipads that don't have airport codes, or making field landings (though the latter would probably qualify as "special operations" on VATSIM, and thus be subject to the SOP rules).

I also vaguely remember that using the Scottish Lochs as impromptu seaports is subject to special regulations / exemptions, but I'm afraid I can't cough up any links for you there.

Thanks for that, I wasn't aware of the ZZZZ code. I'll try that and see what happens, lol. I was going to use the lochs around Fort William but thinking about it there is probably a restriction around there in real life. Considering there's only three or four companies in the UK that operate floats I'm guessing nobody on VATSIM is going to really understand the regulations either, just had a quick look online and all float plane operators (including microlights) require an additional rating.

[Alistair Thomson]

35 minutes ago, Jason Rose said:

I was going to use the lochs around Fort William but thinking about it there is probably a restriction around there in real life.

Yes, there is. R610A is restricted airspace from the surface to 5000 feet and extends North beginning just North of Loch Eil, but any lochs due West, South and Northeast of Fort William will be in Class G, uncontrolled, airspace to a distance of up to 50 nautical miles.

Rule 5 apples as always: remain at least 500 feet from any structure, person, vessel or vehicle.

[Jason Rose]

38 minutes ago, Alistair Thomson said:

Yes, there is. R610A is restricted airspace from the surface to 5000 feet and extends North beginning just North of Loch Eil, but any lochs due West, South and Northeast of Fort William will be in Class G, uncontrolled, airspace to a distance of up to 50 nautical miles.

Rule 5 apples as always: remain at least 500 feet from any structure, person, vessel or vehicle.

How did you find that out? I'm looking on Little NavMap and can only see the restriction to the north of Fort William. I find it weird how Nevis isn't under the restricted space too though.

[Christian Kovanen]

1 hour ago, Jason Rose said:

How did you find that out? I'm looking on Little NavMap and can only see the restriction to the north of Fort William. I find it weird how Nevis isn't under the restricted space too though.

You can find it in the UK AIP.

ENR 6-75 "CHART OF UNITED KINGDOM AIRSPACE RESTRICTIONS AND HAZARDOUS AREAS"

https://www.aurora.nats.co.uk/htmlAIP/Publications/2022-03-24-AIRAC/graphics/289426.pdf

[Alistair Thomson]

4 hours ago, Jason Rose said:

can only see the restriction to the north of Fort William

That's the only one in that immediate area.

[Magnus Meese]

23 hours ago, Tobias Dammers said:

, or making field landings (though the latter would probably qualify as "special operations" on VATSIM, and thus be subject to the SOP rules).

As long as you're not doing anything other than flying there (not shooting or rescuing anyone, for example), and you don't claim any priority, then I don't see how it would be a special ops. Helicopters and sea planes and microlights and others all operate inn and out of private land or non-aerodrome areas all the time without anything other than a regular PPL/relevant flying license and permission from landowner (if they're not the land owner).

[Tim Simpson]

On 4/6/2022 at 8:11 AM, Magnus Meese said:

As long as you're not doing anything other than flying there (not shooting or rescuing anyone, for example), and you don't claim any priority, then I don't see how it would be a special ops. Helicopters and sea planes and microlights and others all operate inn and out of private land or non-aerodrome areas all the time without anything other than a regular PPL/relevant flying license and permission from landowner (if they're not the land owner).

VATSIM is very airline flying focused.  Anything that deviates from that model is pretty much legislated out by the rules. 

I've found that if it's a controller who's up for something different, they will allow just about anything, if you ask. 

[Robert Shearman Jr]

16 hours ago, Tim Simpson said:

VATSIM is very airline flying focused.  Anything that deviates from that model is pretty much legislated out by the rules. 

I guess the 1500 hours I've logged flying General Aviation, both VFR and IFR, has been against the CoC?

I'm sorry, Tim, but I think your assertion is patently ridiculous.

Edited May 27, 2022 at 11:58 AM by Robert Shearman Jr

[Karl Mathias Moberg]

On 5/26/2022 at 9:14 PM, Tim Simpson said:

VATSIM is very airline flying focused.  Anything that deviates from that model is pretty much legislated out by the rules. 

I've found that if it's a controller who's up for something different, they will allow just about anything, if you ask. 

There are tens of thousands of VFR flights on VATSIM each year. If you count small-airplane IFR as well, you can probably add another 50% on that previous number. I was controlling for an hour and 30 minutes today, and in that time, I had a pretty even 50/50 split between airliners and VFR and light-airplane IFR.