UK training nights

[Ruth McTighe 824054]

Are you new to VATSIM and need help getting connected?

 

Are you able to connect but not confident enough to jump in with both feet just yet?

 

Do you want to fly in the UK?

 

We have now been holding our "New Pilots Nights" for six months, and it is clear there is a demand, but with the advent of SB3 and FSInn making it so much easier to get online, we are starting to look at other aspects of training. The "New Pilots Night" will continue to be the first Wednesday of each month at 2000 local time. Any pilot starting out or wanting to practice talking to ATC is most welcome. This wil lof course be the UK procedures. Experienced pilots are welcome to help with the training, but please do not just spend the evening flying, as then the new pilots don't get enough time to practise their r/t, or even get a word in edgeways!

 

We can help you get connected. And once you are connected you are welcome to fly circuits or try an IFR or VFR departure or arrival. If you're not sure what I'm talking about don't worry.. we are there to help and advise you about your flight in a more relaxed and informal way than can be done on a busy night at a big airport.

 

The dates for the next 6 months are as follows (venues and any themes will be added as they are identified):

 

1st Jun EGNS Isle of Man

No specific theme

 

6th Jul EGNM Leeds Bradford

Glasgow (EGPF) will also be open, and training will be provided on flying a simple IFR

flight from EGPF to EGNM (training docomeent will be available prior to the session)

 

3rd Aug EGKB Biggin Hill

Circuits and bumps - VFR and IFR circuit practice

 

7th Sep TBA

 

5th Oct EGGW Luton

VFR and IFR - just come and try it out

 

2nd Nov EGPH Edinburgh

Getting started - first flight, or first time trying something new

Demonstration VFR circuits by pilots who were new themselves not so long ago

 

7th Dec TBA

 

Charts can be found at http://www.ais.org.uk/aes/pubs/aip/html/aipad2.htm (registration is required but is free)

 

We shall be using our TeamSpeak server to talk to pilots requiring advice or coaching. Instructions for TeamSpeak can be found further down this thread.

 

Controllers interested in providing ATC for one of these evenings, please contact me at deputy.director(at)vatsim-uk.org

 

We look forward to seeing you online.

 

Ruth McTighe

Deputy Director, VATSIM-UK

Edited October 31, 2005 at 09:30 PM by Guest

[Ruth McTighe 824054]

It's gone very quiet - I think everyone's gone on holiday! But I've seen quite a few new pilots braving the airways, so this is for you guys.

 

Although we won't be providing any formal training in August, Biggin Hill (EGKB) will be open on Weds 3rd August at 2000 local time (1900z) for new and inexperienced pilots who would like to try their hand at VFR or IFR circuits, or otherwise practice talking to ATC. Please see the messages at the start of this thread for links to charts and a description of how to set up TeamSpeak.

 

See you online!

 

Ruth McTighe

VATUK2

[Mark Nolan 941575]

Hi

I'd like to know if there is going to be any training in Sept for IFR approaches / departures?

 

I'm a complete newbie to SB and dont want to go jumping in with both feet yet, in case i get a verbal roasting from the controller - it might put me off flying online for a while.

[Scott Smith 921136]

Any idea of the next training night? And where it will be held (please say glasgow, please say glasgow lol)

[Wycliffe Barrett]

It's late in Sept now (21st) are there going to be anymore training nights, yes SB3 has made it easier to get connected and yes I have made my first flight, but would still aprreciate an un pressured training night to just chat and get used to ATC speak.

[Peter Morgan 904981]

no pressure but will there be a new pilots night on the 5th of OCT 05. if so where, what time??? for those that need the extra nudge out of the nest.

 

regards

[Ruth McTighe 824054]

I'm pleased to announce that the New Pilots Night on October 5th will be at Luton. Start time is 2000 local (1900z) Your controller for the night will be Nick Taylor.

 

Charts are available at http://www.ais.org.uk/aes/pubs/aip/html/eggw.htm

 

This is your chance to try speaking to ATC for the first time, and to try a circuit or two, or get help filing an IFR plan. See the start message for further details.

 

Ruth

Deputy Director, VATSIM-UK

[Andrew McCabe]

Ruth,

Which charts will be needed ?

 

Andrew

Edited October 3, 2005 at 08:01 AM by Guest

[Ruth McTighe 824054]

Hi Andrew.

 

At mimumum you will need the aerodrome chart. The parking chart just gives a bit of extra detail. If you are planing on flying IFR in or out you will need the relevant SID or STAR chart. For VFR flying the CTR/CTA char tis useful as it sdhows the major landmarks, and airspace limits.

 

Ruth

[Hugo Wilkinson 821407]

Hi all,

 

Im quite confident filing IFR routes and following/responding to ATC commands from the MSFS2004 inbuilt ATC system (thank god for autopilot huh?).

 

I have been trying to get into this scene for a few years now, and whilst Im excited, it still scares me stiff. I have a well specced computer and a good quality headset with mic, so Im pretty sure technically Im up for it. But:

 

What is the ATC "chatter" like compared to that of MSFS2004? Does it take a similar form/style? And what happens if you file a flight which flies through airspace which isnt covered by a atc on that occasion? Do they mind how long you take to taxi round - I tend to get a bit lost without progressive 'blah-de-blah' turned on (this is mainly because in the dark and cannot easily see charts hehe - but I'll stop doing that).

 

Many thanks,

Regards,

Hugo

[Martin Pirie 855145]

Hello,

 

Hi all,

What is the ATC "chatter" like compared to that of MSFS2004? Does it take a similar form/style?

 

The ATC "Chatter" is different from MSFS slightly (to tell you the truth I cant honestly remember what FS9 ATC is like, as I have never used it---only accidentally pushed a button ).. Best bet for you would be to log on SB3 and Observe for 10-15minutes, on the ATC voice channel so you can get a "feel" for how everythings worded.

 

And what happens if you file a flight which flies through airspace which isnt covered by a atc on that occasion?

 

If there is no atc online for the airspace you are in, then you monitor unicom on 122.8 and announce your intentions if there are aircraft in your session/or aircraft you no will benefit from such information.

 

 

Do they mind how long you take to taxi round - I tend to get a bit lost without progressive 'blah-de-blah' turned on (this is mainly because in the dark and cannot easily see charts hehe - but I'll stop doing that).

 

No they dont--however if you do take along time, they'll be more than happy to give you progressive taxi (if they are quiet) if there not quiet , atc may ask you to hold until they are free. Get the appropriate ground charts and you should be fine-----charts are availble for all major UK airports at (with free registration) www.ais.org.uk.

 

 

Hope this helps you Hugo, any more questions please feel free to ask.

 

Thanxs,

Martin

[Andrew McCabe]

I tried the link for the instructions how to set up Teamspeak, but get an error as follows :-

 

"Unknown column 'b.override_theme' in 'field list'"

 

Anyone able to supply the info ?

 

Thanks

Andrew

[Bill Casey]

Hugo,

 

If you want to log on at Luton and listen for a while then there will be plenty of people around on Teamspeak to explain what it all means. If the TS New Pilots Room + ATC gets a bit too much to listen to then I'm happy to move off to another room for a few minutes to explain. New Pilots Nights are for YOU so if you need [Mod - Happy Thoughts]istance just ask, they'd be pointless otherwise. There is NO pressure whatsoever and you need not worry about getting it wrong, it's a learning workshop designed to get you up there and no-one gives a **** if you muck up. Believe you me, sit through one of the New Pilots Nights and have a bash at flying and you will already be streets ahead of many of the other newbies that just "have a go" without doing one.

 

Pop along Wednesday and give it a go, I wish they'd been around when i started!!

 

Bill

G-BILL

[Ruth McTighe 824054]

OK, abbreviated version of the TeamSpeak connection instructions for the UK server, as the UK forum is broken:

 

1. Download TeamSpeak from http://www.goteamspeak.com/news.php - install and open it.

 

2. Click on Connection>Connect

 

3.Right-click on Servers, and then Left-click on Add Server

 

4. In the dialog boxes

Server - VATSIM (or any name you choose!)

Server address - 80.249.98.88

Nickname - use the name you registered with Vatsim

select "anonymous"

then click connect.

 

5. This should take you in to the Vatsim server. If there is a server admin online they will have SA by their name. Usually an SA will spot you as soon as you connect and come and help. They will set your permission to register.

 

6. Click on Self>Register with server, and you should then be registered. Future logins will be with the logon and p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]word you have selected.

 

7. Click on the room you want to join to move there. There is a special room set up for the New Pilots Night.

 

See you online!

 

Ruth

VATUK2

[Hugo Wilkinson 821407]

Thanks for the advice and info provided.

 

I'll certainly be there for Wednesday night.. the wife has been informed, the phone will be off and i'll be locked away in my little room with my jotstick and headset

 

Bill, I'll be sure look out for you and let you know if I need a little 1-on-1. But Im pretty sure with the Newbies night and spending a bit of time listening to ATC with a couple of maps, I'll get the hang of it.

 

*Question 1* - on the newbies night, should we turn up in a plane at the airport? - if so, presumably we should go for a gate rather than popping up on the runway

 

*Question 2* - is everything done through TeamSpeak? I was sort of under the impression (from the Newbies pages on Vatsim.net) that there was another voice client used - which shifted you between servers as you traversed the world. Or is it a combination of the two?

 

Thanks!

Cya

Hugo

[Chris Yates 814041]

1. Absolutely.

 

2. Communicate with ATC using the built in voice client with SB3. If you're still using the old SB2.3, then yes, you'd need AVC to talk to ATC on voice. You don't need to worry about what voice server you connect to or what server you connect to, for logging onto the network in the first place for that matter - in SB3, when you tune to the controller's frequency in your aircraft radio... e.g. 119.77, it can tell who you want to speak to and will automatically tune voice to the server/room that the controller is using.

 

Teamspeak is an addon to all of this. It's just A voice server that people can log in to for co-ordinating, chatting, training, whatever, as long as it's Vatsim related...

[Bill Casey]

Chris, just to clarify that a little for Hugo's (and others) benefit because I know how confusing this can all sound....

 

On a New Pilots Night the ATC is conducted over the ATC channel on either SB3 or FSInn (whichever you use) as ATC would normally be done.

 

Teamspeak is not ATC at all, it is another voice capable bit of software (instructions from Ruth, above) where there will be pilots and controllers talking "off air" to explain to the new pilots what is going on. Usually someone does a commentary of what you can hear over the ATC channel so that you as a newbie get explanations and advice, that's also where you ask questions. The Vat-uk Teamspeak server has a number of different voice rooms one of which is the "New Pilots Night" room. You will be able to hear both at the same time and even talk "off air" to the controller controlling you, now that's useful!

 

Me and G-BILL quite often get roped in to doing some demo circuits while the new guys sit on the ground listening to the ATC chatter with someone explaining on Teamspeak what you are hearing.

 

Sheesh, that still sounded confusing

 

Bill

G-BILL

[Hugo Wilkinson 821407]

Thanks Ruth.

 

That has helped to clear it up a bit - Ive just finished downloading SB3 and am about to install it and listen a little tonight.

 

On an earlier post, Bill Casey advised listening in at Luton for a while.... but how do I find out who's AT Luton?... Is the only way to go to the main VatSim site and look at the 'board' which lists online ATC's - and find one by the 'code' for Luton (like Heathrow is EGDG or whatever it is ???

 

Ive been reading some tutorials around the website, and I also get the impression that you can find out who's ATC'ing where from a piece of software - I cant remember if this is SB3 or something else!?!?

 

Im about to install SB3 so perhaps I should just do that and shut up *sigh*

 

Ill be back later!

 

Hugo

[Peter Morgan 904981]

hugo the software you need for seeing what atc control is on line is called serv info good little programme that you can use to see the amount of pilots on line and whos controling at which air port as well.

 

regards

[Chris Yates 814041]

http://avsim.com/hangar/utils/servinfo/

[Ruth McTighe 824054]

Hi Hugo, spotted you sitting at London City tonight. I was on Thames Radar. If you connect at an airport, Squawkbox will show you all the controllers at that airport, and other nearby ones, together with their frequencies. Luton is EGGW, by the way.

 

and as mentioned ServInfo is a wonderful bit of software which shows you who's online all over the world.

 

Ruth

[Ruth McTighe 824054]

We're heading north of the border this time, to Bonnie Scotland. Edinburgh (EGPH) will be open from 2000z (remember the clocks went back last weekend)

 

Direct link to charts http://www.ais.org.uk/aes/pubs/aip/html/egph.htm

 

Any questions in advance, feel free to ask here

 

Ruth

Deputy Director, VATSIM-UK

[Wycliffe Barrett]

Hi Ruth

 

I'm mor ethan happy to fly in or do some atc directed circuits if it helps out, 7pm GMT at edinburgh 2/11/05

[Ruth McTighe 824054]

Hi Ruth

 

I'm mor ethan happy to fly in or do some atc directed circuits if it helps out, 7pm GMT at edinburgh 2/11/05

 

thanks for the offer, Wick. Just a little reminder though - 2000z means 2000 zulu time, which is basically the same thing as GMT. So if you show at 7pm GMT you'll be on your own!

 

Ruth

[Wycliffe Barrett]

I obviously didnt take the clock going back into account.