Flying on VATSIM

AeroTexas has long been a supporter of the Virtual Air Traffic Simulation network.

The Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network, known as VATSIM.net or "VATSIM" was created in 2001 by a group of individuals who came together with a goal of creating an organization which truly served the needs of the flight simulation and online air traffic control community. With an eye towards more than just providing a network of computers for users to log into, VATSIM is an online community where people can learn and, at the same time, enjoy the pastimes of flight simulation and air traffic control simulation all while making new friends from all over the world.

AeroTexas is currently recognized by VATSIM as a partner airline.

VATSIM is not just for individuals who have experience in online flight simulation and ATC. It is perfect for both the new user, and the long time "simmer". For pilots, you'll be able to fly with radar service by air traffic controllers who issue instruction and assistance in all phases of flight from getting your clearance to arriving at your destination airport.

One of the requirements for recognition as a partner airline is that at least ten pilots on our roster need to fly on VATSIM in the last 90 days. Unfortunately we do not currently meet that requirement. I would therefore encourage all of our members to log a flight on VATSIM using your ATX id as soon as possible.

Preparing for VATSIM

I recently came across an informative and very fun flightsim podcast. It's called FSBreak. Hosted by Eric McClintock and friends, each podcast includes lots of interviews, reviews of flightsim products, and entertaining humor. If you love flightsim, you'll enjoy this podcast.

Podcast #34 on Sept 16th included an interview with Ian Elchitz, VATSIM Supervisor and Air Traffic Manager for the Los Angeles ARTCC. Ian talks about an event called LA Swarm, which was last weekend, but his insight into flying on VATSIM is especially helpful for simmers who have never flown online. Starting about 12 minutes into the podcast, Ian explains step-by-step what you can expect when flying online, and offer some great advice about realism settings and tips for communication with air traffic controllers. After listening to this podcast I wanted to logon to VATSIM and fly to LAX.

Yes - a big thumbs up to Ian Elchitz and all the dedicated folks at VATSIM!

Click here to listen to FSBreak Episode 34

Plans for Houston Live!

AeroTexas plans to participate in the 2009 Houston Live event. The event is pretty much free-form - so there's no specific departure or destinations, but the goal is to spend some time in Houston ARTCC airspace, or ZHU (see map).

As I plan for this event I think there are several options for AeroTexas members. The most basic is simply a one leg flight inside Houston airspace. I'm thinking the best plan for this option is to fly from San Antonio to Houston (either KIAH or KHOU will probably guarantee coverage all the way to ground). A second option is to either depart ZHU and land in another airspace, such as KAUS-KDFW, or depart from outside and return to ZHU, such as Memphis to Austin or Houston.

If you really want to mix things up, I would recommend a triangle. Flight triangles are a lot of fun and allow for different experiences in different centers. One possibility is Corpus - Lake Charles - Alliance (KAFW) - Corpus. All of the airports are relatively small, but have long enough runways for large jets. This means you usually won't have to deal with ground and tower comms - just pick up your clearance from Center before departing. Smaller airports I think are just easier to deal with all the way around - and it gives you the opportunity to consider a non-precision approach should conditions prevail upon your instrument skills. And if not - then you'll likely get a visual approach from a harried Center controller. If it gets too crazyn then you can just cancel IFR below 18000 and make your way in however you want!

Still another option would be to fly Bravo local - you could do KHOU-KGLS-KBPT-KIAH, for instance. All of these routes are valid and acceptable for the fly-in and any curve balls you can throw to ATC will keep things interesting for you and controllers.

Don't forget - this Saturday, August 22nd Houston ARTCC controllers will gather in Houston and they will be plugged into the scopes for 3 hours of LIVE controlling. Staffed from Delivery to Center, pilots will enjoy professional and courteous Lone Star hospitality as Houston controllers guide them safely home. No sign ups, no timetables, no worries, just come fly the friendly skies of Houston ARTCC (ZHU). The event will be in effect from 2200Z to 0100Z (5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.)

VATSIM Status

We have a prototype of a new tool for checking the online status of VATSIM controllers. This tool displays Center controllers only - no Tower, Approach, or ATIS. It also displays route info for any AeroTexas members who happen to be on VATSIM. Check it out here

VATMEX Fly-In

At the fly-in yesterday I heard ATX31 on Houston Center frequency and we set up a chat for most of the flight to Mexico City. He was dogedly trying to get ZHU's attention for liftoff from Laredo, and I had been airborne for a while, departing earlier from Austin. Actually ZHU was so busy, and I must have been just ahead of the horde lining up in Houston so my first contact with any ATC was entering MMTY airspace. They had two controllers on frequency - one speaking English and the other Spanish, so it was sort of a DI-lingual staffing. I flew the Vista Liners Boeing 727-100 Beta with a panel of my own mashed-up design. ATX31 was flying the CRJ-200. The airwaves were busy, but we got good attention from all the VATMEX staffed throughout Mexico. Closer to Mexico City, the terrain rose to the South and West and we got instructions to fly the TAMAL1A. In Mexico, there is a different terminal arrival procedure for each approach. We were cleared for the approach to Runway 5R, and this was my view from the flight deck.



Also notice the mass of radar echos - there's a lot of aircraft in the area. This was a fun event and I hope VATMEX does it again sometime soon.

After Cross[ing] the Pond

The traffic was a snarl at Toronto in the wee hours on Saturday morning for VATSIM's "Cross the Pond Eastbound" event. This meant lots of waiting...my aircraft stood more than an hour delayed at various taxiway hold-points before finally getting the green light to `line up and wait`, as they say it in Canada.

The rest of the flight was uneventful, but never lonely as there were always plenty of controllers and tons of traffic for company along the way. This was my first time to fly transatlantic with VATSIM. Received Oceanic clearance about 20 minutes before entering Gander airspace on NAT-N at DENDU, and then it was position reports every 45 minutes or so; my last call was, `AeroTexas One reporting fifty two North, thirty West at one seven five nine zulu, flight level three three zero, mach zero decimal seven niner estimating five five north two zero west at one eight four nine zulu, RESNO next.`

Entering Shannon control area was cleared "ROKNA direct, expect no delays" - as in no holding via the published - but on final things were tight and they had me slowed way down on final for the ILS RWY 28.

The slow speed and fierce crosswinds made things too interesting so I wisely went around. The second time I approached with more power - but still had a near 20 knot component on flare. Nice to be in Dublin, even if it is dark - now it's time for a pint!

Cross the Pond Eastbound

AeroTexas will Cross The Pond (CTP) - a bi-annual event which takes place on the VATSIM Virtual Air Traffic Network. It involves a large number of aircraft flying between the United States of America & Canada and United Kingdom. This year the Eastbound event is taking place on Saturday 25th October 2008. There are departures planned from two airports in the USA and one airport in Canada, with arrivals into three UK airports and one Irish airport.

All members can participate in this event and log hours flown using ATAVS - even if you're a new member you can join in on the fun. Slot reservations are required, and you will need to brush up on your oceanic airspace skills, but it should be fun.

VATSIM Cross The Pond Eastbound 2008

LSZH Fly-In

The fly-in at Zurich was big fun. As I checked on yesterday morning Richard sent me an e-mail and I found out that he got an early start out of Zurich before the traffic got too bad. Can't say I blame him, though - the traffic was something. But I had a good time anyway. My flight was an inbound to LSZH and it was a pretty long flight for me in the 737-700 with an ETE of 4 hours from Madeira to Zurich. I thought the service was great. Lisbon Center picked me up not too long after liftoff from Funchal, and though he was not entirely understandable we made good progress without embarrassing ATX while traversing his airspace to the north. Chatted up a fellow in an A320 who popped up a few miles behind me enroute to Frankfurt. Lufhtansa does good business in these parts. The good ATC continued all the way to Zurich for the Flughafen Zurich fly-in on VATSIM. Traffic was incredible in the terminal area, but Zurich Center, Approach, and Final Approach were so cool you would have thought it was just a few locals in the traffic pattern. Of course you could tell the difference from the rapid-fire back-and-forth in Center and approach airspace. Spent a bit of time in the hold over GIPOL, but it was a breeze using the Smiths FMS - I'm sold on ISG Simavionics gauges now! Landing was picture perfect - it was hard darkness by the time we made it to the terminal area and cleared for approach. Still, the skies were clear below 6000 and the winds were calm, and I managed an excellent landing off the ILS on Runway 14.

Flughafen Zurich - 2nd Call

A reminder to all of our members to reserve a slot for Swiss ARTCC's online event next Saturday. Flughafen Zurich will be held on on VATSIM on Saturday October 18th from 12:Noon to 8:PM CDT. AeroTexas members should reserve a slot using the following VA registration code ( 48ee721b53d69 ).

Valid flights include any departure or arrival between Zurich (LSZH) and the following airports:

KAUS - Austin, Texas
KJAX - Jacksonville, Florida
LOWL - Linz, Austria
LFMN - Nice, France
EDDL - Dusseldorf, Germany
EDDK - Cologne, Germany
LEBL - Barcelona, Spain
LFBP - Pau, France
LHBP - Budapest, Hungary
LIRN - Naples, Italy
EGPH - Edinburgh, Scotland
EIDW - Dublin, Ireland
LBFF - Sofia, Bulgaria
LEMD - Madrid, Spain
EHFH - Helsinki, Finland
EGSS - Stanstead, England
EGKK - Gatwick, England
LPMA - Madeira, Spain

A Brief History of Events

September, 2008 - AeroTexas Check Ride
July, 2007 - ZFW Friday Night Operations Event
April, 2007 - TexAirVirtual Fly-In on VATSIM
Feb, 2007 - Mountain Madness Flyin (Vancouver FIR on VATSIM)
December, 2006 - Surprise Fly-In on VATSIM
September, 2005 - 4th Annual Flight Review
August 2004 - 3rd Annual Flight Review
July, 2004 - Tour de France
August, 2003 - 2nd Annual Flight Review
June, 2003 - Jacksonville June Jumble
March, 2003 - Mardi Gras Fly-In
December, 2002 - Flyin' Around the State of Texas
August 2002 - 1st Annual Flight Review
July, 2002 - July Evening Tour of Texas
September, 2001 - Battle of the Airlines - Scent of Southeast Asia
October, 2001 - Online IVAO Fly-In
July, 2001 - Hawaii Bash - online SATCO Fly-In

VATSIM Event

VATSIM's ZFW ARTCC has invited AeroTexas to attend their Friday Night Operations (FNO) event on Friday, July 25. They will be extending their hours for FNO from 0000 to 1200 Zulu - to allow for more flexibility for domestic and international arrivals. They will be using an arrival and departure slot method. Pilots can either sign up for an arrival or departure slot or ATC will assign one to them. This event will serve as a "warm up" for their annual Summer Sizzle, which takes place August 2. Summer Sizzle is a 12 hour, live event, where ZFW controllers gather together at a hotel in Dallas, Texas. Don't forget to use your AeroTexas ID (ATX**) when flying on VATSIM. Visit http://zfwartcc.com/events2.php for more event information.