Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler | Airline Operations |
DVA and VATSIM |
DVA10439
Captain, B727-200
Joined on January 05 2012
50 State Club
Century Club
Everett Century Club
DVA Two-Year Anniversary
Online Century Club
Southeastern United States
164 legs, 193.1 hours
150 legs,
178.7 hours online 162 legs,
191.0 hours ACARS 12 legs,
17.9 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
January 27 2012 15:07 ET by Kevin Bradley
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Hey Guys and Gals:
I'm a new pilot and need some help with online flying that I can't seem to find online. I'm based both in the real and virtual world at ATL and would like to try flying my assignments via Vatsim. That said:
1) how do I know when Virtual ZTL controllers are online?
2) how is the best way to file flight plans (BTW using FSINN)
3) what i the process for flying when no contollers are active at your starting airport? How do you get clearances?
4) similar to #3 what if you have no one working at destination? how do you close your plan?
5) and last when filing with vatsim, what call number do you use, I assume my Pilot ID number not the assigment flight number but not sure.
Thanks for your help and being available for newbies like me.
Kevin
Kevin BradleyCaptain, B727-200
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DVA9895
First Officer, B767-300
Joined on June 14 2011
Waterville, ME USA
24 legs, 47.4 hours
6 legs,
15.2 hours online 22 legs,
43.5 hours ACARS 3 legs,
6.2 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
January 27 2012 15:19 ET by Matt Hodgkins
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Welcome to DVA!
To answer your questions:
1) Download VATSPY. Do a Google search for it. It will show you where and when controllers are online. Also, try the free vRoute, as it will show you the same info, but also when controllers MIGHT be online, based on their history. Very helpful for many, many things.
2) Using the above vRoute, you can see real-world flights between your destinations and prefile them. You can also go to Vataware and see what fellow simmers have flown, or FlightAware and see the real-world route. In FSInn, click the flight plan button on the right and fill in the info and press send to tower.
3) Just tune to Unicom on 122.800 and announce your intentions to anyone around via text. For example: "on the ground at ATL, taxi for takeoff 09L, IFR to JFK via (SID or Direct to)."
4) Same as above, tune Unicom and announce intentions. Example: at 11,000 feet, landing JFK 13R, via (STAR or other routing). Depending upon traffic, I might not even announce, though it's a good idea anyway. Some would argue the less info you give the better to keep it uncluttered, but I say give as much as possible without overdoing it. Location based on VOR or other fix (distance from the fix in nm), altitude, next altitude and distance from the fix.
5) This has been a debate here. You can do the real world flight number, unless already taken. Otherwise, I suggest DVA1438, removing the 0 from your ID. Some controllers don't like the extra numbers.
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DVA8752
Captain, B767-300
Joined on January 01 2010
50 State Club
Triple Century Club
Sedalia, CO
338 legs, 1,236.8 hours
31 legs,
181.3 hours online 37 legs,
232.7 hours ACARS 2 legs,
8.4 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
January 27 2012 15:39 ET by Brandon Howell
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I file flightplans from here: http://www.vatsim.net/fp/ . I like it a lot more than what's in FSInn. Plus if a controller needs to change my route, the changed one will also display there.
Don't use DVA - that's Discovery. Use DAL on VATSIM.
For UNICOM: http://www.deltava.org/thread.do?id=0x1937c
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DVA1690
Senior Captain, MD-88
OLP
Joined on May 05 2004
50 State Club
Quatercentenary Club
Online Quadruple Century Club
Stage 1 Jet Double Century Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary
"Life begins at Vr" Longmont, CO USA
474 legs, 694.8 hours
465 legs,
681.0 hours online 252 legs,
384.8 hours ACARS 3 legs,
3.9 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
January 27 2012 16:28 ET by Trevor Bair
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Hey Kevin - welcome aboard.
For #5 - I was just discussing this yesterday with another recent DVA member. Personally, I'd recommend using the real world flight number, always. There's no real reason to use your DVA pilot ID since ACARS can track your Online flights regardless of what flight number you're using. So, going for realism, go with the flight number.
Enjoy!
Trevor BairSenior Captain, MD-88
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DVA10030
Captain, B727-200
OLP
Joined on August 04 2011
50 State Club
Online Double Century Club
Triple Century Club
"Inertial Navigation System Fan " Milano, Lombardia Italia
323 legs, 812.4 hours
229 legs,
553.7 hours online 308 legs,
767.2 hours ACARS 27 legs,
52.7 hours event 1,410 legs, 2,961.0 hours total
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Posted onPost created on
January 27 2012 16:35 ET by Luca Di Biase
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kEVIN, u can also use vatroute info to get a summary of online's activities and staffing
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DVA2192
Senior Captain, A320
OLP
Joined on March 14 2005
50 State Club
Million Mile Club
Flying Colonel
Online Fifteen Century
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
Long Beach 500 Club
Attleboro, MA USA
1,703 legs, 3,149.7 hours
1,635 legs,
2,989.8 hours online 1,667 legs,
3,076.4 hours ACARS 3 legs,
5.5 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
January 27 2012 16:46 ET by Richard Walsh
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As far as unicom, simply announce relevant info. Departing runway xx and direction. Unless people have the stars and sids in front of them they are useless. Your destination is also not needed in the announcement. You also don't need position reports. I simply state my position and intention about 20 miles out and then call again on final ....example " ATL traffic 20 miles southeast inbound 9R" and then on final "ATL traffic on 10 mile final 9R" Both paint a very clear picture of where I am and where I am going without having others needing to reference charts. I don't announce my SID either. " ATL traffic taxing to 9L" and " ATL traffic departing 9L northeast departure". Again, no charts are needed for others. They know I am departing 9L and my direction of flight will be to the northeast. Likewise inbound traffic now knows a aircraft is coming up on 9L and direction of travel will be to the northeast. It is the same way I flew in the RW in a C152 into and out of uncontrolled fields with the exception of announcing legs (crosswind, downwind, base, final).
Richard WalshSenior Captain, A320
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DVA10439
Captain, B727-200
Joined on January 05 2012
50 State Club
Century Club
Everett Century Club
DVA Two-Year Anniversary
Online Century Club
Southeastern United States
164 legs, 193.1 hours
150 legs,
178.7 hours online 162 legs,
191.0 hours ACARS 12 legs,
17.9 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
January 27 2012 17:11 ET by Kevin Bradley
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Thanks everybody for the tips. Your prompt and professional responses proves I made the right choice by going to DVA!
Kevin BradleyCaptain, B727-200
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DVA9545
Senior Captain, B777-200
OLP, 737-ATP
Joined on March 03 2011
50 State Club
Globetrotter
Quad-Jet Quartermaster
US Coastal Club
US Mountaineer Club
Million Mile Club
Events Double Century Club
DVA Ten-Year Anniversary
Toulouse 500 Club
Bi-Millennium Club
Online Twenty Century
"YUPIIIII" Goiás Brazil
2,433 legs, 4,905.1 hours
2,264 legs,
4,632.5 hours online 2,425 legs,
4,875.5 hours ACARS 255 legs,
644.8 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
January 27 2012 17:27 ET by Thiago Braga
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VATSPY for sure. Its a must while using VATSIM.
here is the link: http://www.metacraft.com/VATSpy/
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DVA9895
First Officer, B767-300
Joined on June 14 2011
Waterville, ME USA
24 legs, 47.4 hours
6 legs,
15.2 hours online 22 legs,
43.5 hours ACARS 3 legs,
6.2 hours event
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Posted onPost created on
January 27 2012 17:48 ET by Matt Hodgkins
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Brandon Howell wrote:
I file flightplans from here: http://www.vatsim.net/fp/ . I like it a lot more than what's in FSInn. Plus if a controller needs to change my route, the changed one will also display there.
Don't use DVA - that's Discovery. Use DAL on VATSIM.
For UNICOM: http://www.deltava.org/thread.do?id=0x1937c
Right, my bad. DAL. not DVA. I don't know why I put that. Guess lack of sleep and too much sauce can do that to you.
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DVA9571
Senior Captain, B767-300
Joined on March 10 2011
Everett 500 Club
Online Quintuple Century Club
DVA Five-Year Anniversary
Six Century Club
Miami, FL USA
612 legs, 2,333.0 hours
590 legs,
2,242.9 hours online 602 legs,
2,307.3 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
January 29 2012 10:25 ET by Bob Klemm
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For planning I would highly recommend using Flight Aware, as you can see the most up to date routes being used in the real world. This can be pretty important if you (as you should be) are using r/w weather and winds aloft.
Bob KlemmSenior Captain, B767-300
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DVA9571
Senior Captain, B767-300
Joined on March 10 2011
Everett 500 Club
Online Quintuple Century Club
DVA Five-Year Anniversary
Six Century Club
Miami, FL USA
612 legs, 2,333.0 hours
590 legs,
2,242.9 hours online 602 legs,
2,307.3 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
January 29 2012 10:28 ET by Bob Klemm
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Richie Walsh wrote:
Unless people have the stars and sids in front of them they are useless. Your destination is also not needed in the announcement. .
This is not always true. You may have other pilots on the same SID/STAR, and this would let them know how far you are ahead or behind them. You can also give your distance from the field, so you cover both issues.
Bob KlemmSenior Captain, B767-300
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DVA853
Senior Captain, B747-400
OLP E-MAIL
Joined on September 26 2002
50 State Club
Tin Dispatcher
Globetrotter
Two Million Mile Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary
US Coastal Club
Toulouse Millennium Club
Bi-Millennium Club
Gulf Breeze Club
Online Twenty Century
Rincon, GA
2,040 legs, 6,058.9 hours
2,019 legs,
6,016.7 hours online 2,008 legs,
5,925.8 hours ACARS 2 legs,
10.0 hours event 376 legs dispatched, 185.3
hours
CURRENTLY LOGGED IN
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Posted onPost created on
January 30 2012 08:27 ET by Chris Hannigan
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Richie hit it spot on... announcements should be short and to the point. In other words,
"ATL - departing 9L on southeast dep" or "ATL - inbound 9R eta 10 min"
These announcements are quick and do not require other traffic to really study charts to figure out where you are. If you find yourself on the same route as someone else then something like "ATL - crossing SINCA for 9R" could be benificial for the traffic following you in.
Chris HanniganSenior Captain, B747-400
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DVA9571
Senior Captain, B767-300
Joined on March 10 2011
Everett 500 Club
Online Quintuple Century Club
DVA Five-Year Anniversary
Six Century Club
Miami, FL USA
612 legs, 2,333.0 hours
590 legs,
2,242.9 hours online 602 legs,
2,307.3 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
January 30 2012 10:36 ET by Bob Klemm
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Chris Hannigan wrote:
If you find yourself on the same route as someone else then something like "ATL - crossing SINCA for 9R" could be benificial for the traffic following you in.
That's what I was referring to.
Bob KlemmSenior Captain, B767-300
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