live ATC

[Bob Reed]

Hey folks! Well I made my first flight on the VATSIM network last night with real ATC. I must say, there is nothing like it! Yes I was VERY busy in the cockpit as there was only me but WOW! Even when my MCP would not let me lower the altitude (which made me even more busy) I was having a blast. I flew into kO AK. There was ATC from start up to landing. (I did not land flight took a lot longer then I thought more on that in a minute) Taxi, takeoff and CRZ was pretty uneventful. I came into Oakland center and that is where it all changed. There where 35-45 aircraft waiting to land at KOAK!! WOW!! I did my first hold with my CDU! ATC where vectoring us around, changing are speeds we even had a slight fuel emergency while we all waited! ( not my aircraft) I was in a 20 minute hold and I could wait no longer I had to disconnect but all I can say is it was AWESOME! If you have not tried it, swallow that lump in your throat , I know I had to, and give it a try! you will not be sorry!

[James Twomey]

Hi Bob,

That sounds great! What prompted you to try live ATC? I have been thinking about trying it some time however, I don’t know how proficient you have to be to use live ATC.

Regards
James

[3202b]

Well done Bob!, I can't fly without VATSIM anymore - anything less just isn't good enough, there's nothing like knowing the controller you are talking to is a real person! I'm just finishing a longhaul now EGKK-CYVR for the Vancouver fly-in. It looks like it could get busy on approach!

James don't worry, everybody starts out not knowing what to do but you soon get the hang of it - it's a blast you should try it.

Ben

[Bob Reed]

Well the truth..... I am flying WorldFlight this year and they fly on line! I have thought about it for a long while too. The truth is I have always been to afraid to try it. I am not proficient at all yet! In fact I had a friend on line with me which helped tremendously! It was not as bad as I had envisioned. It adds so much to the flight! My biggest problem is trying to remember what they tell you! I will spend a little more time logging into a busy location and just listen to the radio traffic... That helps some.

[James Twomey]

Bob,

I understand you right in your saying that you can log on and just listen to a busy site? I think that would be a great way to easily break into the VATSIM world.

Regards,
James

[Bob Reed]

Well it will help... BUT... The only way to get into it is jump in! I would have waited a long time had I not been pushed. It is a little intimidating at first...

[AndyT]

I recall the first time my Flight Instructor looked at me and said, 'Ok, you handle the radios now'.

I thought the Controller was going to come slap me!
When you are on VATSIM just like in real life, let them know you are a student pilot. Maybe you now how to fly, but you are still a student for ATC...

'Honolulu Approach, Cessna 727 Echo Mike, Student Pilot with Lima is requesting entrance to the Bravo airspace for a full stop landing. Requesting runway 4 right.'

[Bob Reed]

Trust me... NEWBIE is predominate in my remarks!!

[Trevor Hale]

I remember my first Vatsim flight, I am the same as Ben. Unless I am testing functionality of the sim, I can't do any flights offline. I am concerned though, as I was proficient with the PSS Airbus. Now I have switched to PM Boeing software. That hold your talking about on the CDU Bob.. That will generate a new lump in my throat.

Glad you did it and Congrats Buddy.

Can't wait until my sim is able to do my first flight, all over again.

I have never done a transatlantic flight on Vatsim. My first online flight in the sim will be Transatlantic.

Maybe in a few months......

[Bob Reed]

Trevor keep me posted on that as I will need to do trasatlantic as well. I would not mind flying it with you. And maybe i can get Greg to do it with us. He has spreiance at it!

[aviaparts]

Flying online is just amazing, those guys doing ATC are really like pro's. These days it is allmost impossible to tell the difference between real ATC and VATSIM or IVAO.
If you think you can fly a simulator, make an online flight and you will see that just at the moment you are planning to lower the gear, the tower calls you ;-) giving that extra stress.

I have the same feeling flying for real as in my sim.

Last night while arriving at Frankfurt, we had an engine failure (not planned) and had to make an emergency landing with about 20 aircraft moving around. At those times, it really is good to have a co-pilot to handle ATC ...

... we made it OK ...

[Trevor Hale]

I would love too. I actually usually like to hook up with my friends to fly on vatsim together. This works best especially when you loose a center controller or something at least you have someone to chat with.

I will keep you posted bud.

Trev

[Trevor Hale]

just at the moment you are planning to lower the gear, the tower calls you ;-) giving that extra stress.



Don't you love that... and then you find the guy is on text only :) Thats when I dosconnect from Vatsim and land on manual... Lol, where is the Squawk STBY Key LOL

[NicD]

Great to hear guys! I'm a senior controller with VATSIM (Oceania region) and have been a member since '98. But I do just as much flying as controlling ... it adds a huge extra dimension to flying, as per your comments above. I hardly ever fly offline.

If any of you have questions or would like some assistance to get started on VATSIM - please ask, I'd be glad to help.

I've also been an active member of WorldFlight Australia - mostly in the ATC centre, but I skippered 2 legs last year in QF25 (Matt Sheil's sim). Here's some screen shots I took of what worldflight looks like on VATSIM: http://www.insitesolutions.com.au/737project/wf2006.htm

[dodiano]

I`ve heard the guys from VATSIM! They sound realy professional it is a very PRO environment it is ljust like real life my tatal respects to those guys!

Roberto

[cbaye]

VATSIM flying inspired me to build my sim. MSFS is nice; but the on-line envrionment is so dynamic at times that clicking around from menu-to-menu or opening seval windows is simply not efficient. A one-screen system makes it hard to maintain situational awareness while piloting a complex aircraft. Since most of us fly solo in aircraft intended for a two man crew... well you need all the help you can get. Hence a new hobby and nicely equipped sim. :) Like some of the others on this thread, I almost always fly on-line, to do otherwise seems like cheating. The down side is that you don't always get coverage where you want. I'm happy if I can do either a departure or approach with live ATC. If I have ATC the whole way I'm extatic!

[Shamrock224]

It would be interesting to perhaps have an area of the forums devoted to those of us who fly online. That would enable us to co-ordinate and potentially fly together the odd time...
Greg

[nrasch0402]

VATSIM helped me immensly with handling the radios in the real worldf. On of the first comments I ver got from my instructor was on how well my radion skills were.

[dodiano]

Same thing said my A-320 Line instructor.... the only thing I never got him to say is how good my flying was... Wonder Why LOL!!!

Roberto

[nrasch0402]

lol! :p me either!

[Matt Olieman]

It would be interesting to perhaps have an area of the forums devoted to those of us who fly online. That would enable us to co-ordinate and potentially fly together the odd time...
Greg

Ask and you shall receive :D

http://www.mycockpit.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=134

[Trevor Hale]

Just then.. The clouds parted... A large fist appears extending down from the yander... then a silver haired gnome appears... *PooF* A Forum was created...

LOL Great idea Greg.. We all welcome the addition.

Trev

[AndyT]

Ratz! and my sim is down due to reconstruction right now.... BUMMER!

Once I get it back online, I'll be looking for some people to fly with. And especially someone running ATC under FSX!

[Peter Nielsen]

Hi Guys,

Great to read a on-line ralated thread, after all the time and effort we put into building it would be a big shame not to fly on line. regardless if with IVAO or VATSIM.

Ok, I am biased as I am an old VATSIM member and at this time the overall Training Director for the European Division of VATSIM.

www.vateud-td.org

So far focused on ATC training, but there are some usefull info there for pilots as well, such as phraseology etc. with a dedicated pilot training about to take shape.

For the FSX users amongst us. VATSIM now allows use of shared sky. (wonder how that would work in a home buildt set up)!!

The usage of Shared Sky (FSX feature allowing two pilots to fly together in one cocpit) is approved on VATSIM under some circumstances. Please read more here: http://forums.vatsim.net/viewtopic.php?t=16956

Generally, following this instructions is important because it helps to avoid showing multiple connections and duplicate radar echos

If anyone has any doubts or hesitation, dont be afraid the ATCO's dont bite and regardless of current rating they all started at the same level being as Observers, i.e all have been NEWBIES one time or another.

And if you need help or have questions or want to log on as pilot for a training evening we can pick a quiet field somewhere and agree a time and do some training.

Cheers
Peter

[Bob Reed]

Hey Peter. Wow I want to thank you for your support. I will probably be contacting you in the next few days to log on with you and just run over a few things that I have questions about. Maybe I am strange ( so I am told by the wife) but I was terrified to go live! Now that I have done it just frightened and I am sure as I do it more I will become more confident and less afraid!

[Peter Nielsen]

Hey Peter. Wow I want to thank you for your support. I will probably be contacting you in the next few days to log on with you and just run over a few things that I have questions about. Maybe I am strange ( so I am told by the wife) but I was terrified to go live! Now that I have done it just frightened and I am sure as I do it more I will become more confident and less afraid!


Bob and all, anytime welcome.

I am usually on line every other day a few hours in the evening 2000 to 2200Z. usually as either EKDK CTR/EKCH APP or VATEUD2 or PIN_SUP

If you have any questions on line just fire away. ill take you over the fear of on line flying if you teach me how to wire up the damn switches.. still googly gook to me..