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VATSIM query

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  • 02-11-2009 2:16pm
    #1
    delsutton2008
    Registered Users Posts: 82 ✭✭


    Hi

    I'm an occasionally frequent simmer, who is a happy VFR pilot, but grapplng to come to terms with the IFR side of things. Also, just as happy to marvel at the eye-candy side of FSX AI and its add-ons. Could be a happy watcher at a major aiport for ages :D Recently forked out for REX which is fab. But I keep seeing references to VATSIM and am curious to find out what that is all about. Is it just for the really, really serious simmer who wants to be the serious pilot or can it work also for the observer?

    Del


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    #2
    Sterling Archer
    Registered Users Posts: 2,252 ✭✭✭Sterling Archer


    Give these links a look
    www.vatsim.net Vatsim Main Site
    www.vateir.com Irish ATCC


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    #3
    pclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 3,939 ✭✭✭pclancy


    Even as a VFR pilot you can enjoy VATSIM, dont worry about just logging on in a small Cessna and sitting listening to the chatter for a while then if you feel like it just file a simple VFR flightplan for some circuits or a hop to another nearby airport. You dont have to fly IFR and do ILS approaches etc, a good controller will handle VFR traffic and give yuo visual departures/arrivals and advise on flying below controlled airspace.

    The whole thing is meant to be for fun, once you logon and see a controller whos online you can easily send them a private message and say this is ur first time online and ask can you fly VFR to another airport or just do some circuits....they want as much traffic as possible and in real life (during good weather anyway) most airports, even major ones would have a mix of VFR and IFR traffic, it can be good fun for them to manage different types of traffic that fly at different heights and speeds so dont be afraid you're going to annoy anyone.

    I enjoy short hops between small airports, flying low, circuit training etc as I use FS way more now as a realworld training tool and i'm never going to fly anything bigger then a Cessna so pretty much every time I fly I do it on VATSIM. Often I start at a small uncontrolled airstrip or airport and head towards a larger one. The benefit of flying on VATSIM even if theres no controllers online is you get real world weather and wind which makes it much more interesting, plus you'll often meet other pilots in your travels. When I get near a large airport its easy just enter the frequency of the controller, call em up and ask for a visual arrival or vector to join the circuit.

    Most VATSIM areas organise fly ins or cross country trips which can also be great fun. At VATNZ we've been pretty much all around New Zealand in groups of 5-20 pilots flying different types of aircraft in loose formation. Its all organised in advance so we'd have controllers at each airport or in the airspace and it can be very realistic-but at all times about fun so nobody gets annoyed at anyone for messing up or not knowing what to do.

    Best thing to do is grab the software (I personally like FSInn better then Squakbox), signup for a VATSIM account and connect one night to see whos online. Then go sit at the airport and listen for a while to see how it all works. The only thing major i'd say is make sure when you start your flight that you've set it to sit at the GA parking or one of the airport gates...dont connect to VATSIM sitting in the middle of the active runway :)

    We're all happy to offer plenty of advice or guidance if you need any help! Plus there's a great forum at VATeir and plenty of articles about how to get started if you google it.


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    #4
    delsutton2008
    Registered Users Posts: 82 ✭✭delsutton2008


    Hey, thanks for the great response. I'll definitely explore it and hopefully learn a lot more about flying :)

    Cheers
    Del


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    #5
    pclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 3,939 ✭✭✭pclancy


    Flew from Dublin to Waterford last night in my trusty Pa-38...met a couple of 737s at Dublin and then seen some heavies overflying on their way to the states. No controllers online so no radio traffic but it was fun. Loads of low cloud at 1000-3000 and higher cloud above that so I flew VFR inbetween and then dropped down under for a landing at Waterford. During the approach my bloddy PC crashed though so the whole hour long trip came to nothing :)

    Easy for you to do the same just load it all up and get in the air to see what its like.


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    #6
    delsutton2008
    Registered Users Posts: 82 ✭✭delsutton2008


    OK, thanks to those who replied. I have investigated the various links and all looks very interesting. And, I've signed up to and successfuly logged onto VATIM online. But, when I signed up to VATEIR I got the following answer:

    "delsutton,

    Regrettably, your application to join VATeir Forum Index has been rejected.

    Regards,
    The VATeir Forum Index Team."

    There seems to be no option to reply to this and I'm curious to know why I was rejected. As far as I know I've done nothing wroing :confused:

    Del


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    #7
    cian1500ww
    Registered Users Posts: 2,904 ✭✭✭cian1500ww


    delsutton2008 wrote: »
    OK, thanks to those who replied. I have investigated the various links and all looks very interesting. And, I've signed up to and successfuly logged onto VATIM online. But, when I signed up to VATEIR I got the following answer:

    "delsutton,

    Regrettably, your application to join VATeir Forum Index has been rejected.

    Regards,
    The VATeir Forum Index Team."

    There seems to be no option to reply to this and I'm curious to know why I was rejected. As far as I know I've done nothing wroing :confused:

    Del
    You need to be a member of Vatsim first. Then when you register on Vateir your username would be your Vatsim ID followed by your full name :)


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    #8
    delsutton2008
    Registered Users Posts: 82 ✭✭delsutton2008


    cian1500ww wrote: »
    You need to be a member of Vatsim first. Then when you register on Vateir your username would be your Vatsim ID followed by your full name :)


    OK, but I'm still confused. I've gone to the VATEIR home page but can't see any link how to become a member? Any help would b great :)


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    #9
    cian1500ww
    Registered Users Posts: 2,904 ✭✭✭cian1500ww


    delsutton2008 wrote: »
    OK, but I'm still confused. I've gone to the VATEIR home page but can't see any link how to become a member? Any help would b great :)
    Go to http://cert.vatsim.net/vatsimnet/signup.html and register. You'll get a number that will be your Vatsim ID. Once you have that, register on vateir.com's forum with your full name and vatsim id.


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    #10
    delsutton2008
    Registered Users Posts: 82 ✭✭delsutton2008


    cian1500ww wrote: »
    Go to http://cert.vatsim.net/vatsimnet/signup.html and register. You'll get a number that will be your Vatsim ID. Once you have that, register on vateir.com's forum with your full name and vatsim id.

    OK, thanks. I'll try that out


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    #11
    highlydebased
    Registered Users Posts: 7,466 ✭✭✭highlydebased


    delsutton2008 wrote: »
    OK, thanks to those who replied. I have investigated the various links and all looks very interesting. And, I've signed up to and successfuly logged onto VATIM online. But, when I signed up to VATEIR I got the following answer:

    "delsutton,

    Regrettably, your application to join VATeir Forum Index has been rejected.

    Regards,
    The VATeir Forum Index Team."

    There seems to be no option to reply to this and I'm curious to know why I was rejected. As far as I know I've done nothing wroing :confused:

    Del

    delsutton,

    To register on the Vateir forums you must use a username of your full name plus your VATSIM ID at the end of it ;) hence why it was rejected.


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