[X-PLANE] VATSIM arrival to EGKK

[Miki]

Hi chaps,

A short video made during a trip from Liège to Gatwick. ATC by VATSIM. My second flight using it.

[Thaine]

What client do you use?

[Miki]

What client do you use?

xSquawkBox, the only available for XP, I guess.

[Bonkin]

I've clearly been out of the Civ Sim scene for a long time. I thought the ATC provided through VATSIM was excellent.

[Maltloaf]

Miki,

A VATSIM question for you. What is the protocol for turning up at an airfield where there is no APP/TWR/GND etc but maybe someone in CTR. Do you make blind calls? If so on what frq? Will others coming into that airport be listerning on TWR?

The reason I ask is I always seem to join just as ATC closes down or is just not there (need to change my soap maybe). For instance I flew from Fort Worth to St Louis tonight. Fort Worth CTR were in but nobody in the tower. Just as I was going to ask CTR for clearance and start up they went off. I taxied and took off anyway. There was no one at St Louis so I just made blind calls on approach.

[Miki]

Hi Maltloaf,

If you don't have an ATC on the airport, you need to be on UNICOM frequency, 122.8. This is a text only (you can talk, but it's not to be use). Give informations about your taxy, you lineup, take-off etc... And , each time, write where you are. Like this "EGKK tfc: Inbound ILS26L, descending to 3000ft". Your callsign will be added automatically at the beginning.

After that, if you have a specific ATC, let's say LONDON CTL, after your departure of EGKK, you'll be asked to contact him, by text. Switch the freq and continue with him by voice or text.

Two good tools are "show who's near" or something like that in the plugin menu, and http://www.vattastic.com/.

[Maltloaf]

OK, wow, I had no idea about that. I have been using Vat Spy to see who is on etc, but had no idea about using 122.8 and text. Is there more on this somewhere?

[Miki]

You should look for beginner guides for VATSIM.
https://www.vatsim.net/pilot-resource-c ... uawk-codes

Some good videos here : http://aviationpro.nl/vatsim/faq/commun ... is-unicom/ (check down)

Or if you want, ping me on STEAM do to some, in formation or in the same cockpit (smartcopilot freeware demo can let you follow a flight).

[Maltloaf]

Thanks Miki,

I may take you up on a shared cockpit. I am a qualified PPL so understand ATC fairly well even IFR a fair bit but my problem was a VATSIM one, ie all their info, videos and documents seems to assume ATC is manned when in fact it is rarely manned. My problem was how to deal with flying around airspace randomly covered by bits of ATC rather than what to do when ATC is there. If that makes sense.