Online ATC Tutorial

[UH-60 Blackhawk]

Yes, I know there are video tutorials out there, but some people for whatever reason can't hear what is on those videos (Why Vatsim and I think IVAO and XFlightServer have text only options).  This applies to any flying you may do with ATC, on any network.

Step One:

Download the correct plugin, install this plugin per the instructions in the readme, and sign up for whichever network you choose to use.

Step Two:

Log in, again different procedures for each network.

Step Three:

File a flight plan.  To find a route, there are several links.  I use http://rfinder.asalink.net/free/.  Also, make sure you have the necessary charts.

Step Four:

Check for ATC.  This can be done before you log in and file your flight plan.  There are various websites to check.  In XSquawkbox, you can either hit the "Show Who's Online" button under XSquawkbox or use the keyboard shortcut, which defaults to Clear on the numpad.  (Somebody who flies on the other networks please pitch in so I can add procedures for those)  If there are, tune to the correct frequency.  If you are at JFK, and LGA_TWR, BOS_CTR, and NY_KND_CTR are online, you would call NY_KND_CTR because he is the lowest (And highest) controller with airspace at KJFK.  

Step Five:

Contact the correct controller for clearance.  Figuring out the right one is mentioned in Step Four.  Your initial call, with the situation above, should be either "New York Center, (Your callsign) requesting VFR/IFR clearance to (Destination airport).  So if you were an American Air flight to fly IFR to KBOS, you would say "New York Center, American 123 requesting IFR clearance to Boston Airport."  Alternatively, you could say, "New York Center, American 123, mike check."  You would then hear, "American 123, New York Center, (Hi or something like that might be thrown in), 5 by 5."  5 by five means 5 out of five for clarity and 5 out of 5 for volume.  If you do the mike check, then you would call for clearance.  Either way, after you request clearance, you will hear "American 123, cleared to Boston Airport as filed/via Kennedy 5 departure, then as filed/via Kennedy five, MILIS, then as filed.  Maintain 5,000, expect Flight Level 240 (If FL240 was your cruising altitude) one zero minutes after departure.  Departure frequency 125.7 (If that was NY_KND_CTR's frequency), squawk 3571 (Just a random set of four numbers, except 1200 (Squawk VFR or what you squawk if no controller is online), 7500 (Hijacking, not allowed on Vatsim & I'm guessing not allowed on the others either), 7600 (Radio Failure, won't happen), or 7700 (Emergency)."

Step Six:

Read back your clearance.  Using the clearance above, you would say "New York Center, American 123, cleared as filed to Boston airport, departure frequency with you, squawk 3571."  The controller will then say, "American 123, New York Center, read back correct, advise when ready to taxi."

Step Seven:

Get the latest weather.  If there is an ATIS, which will be shown on the controller list, tune to that frequency and listen to it.  The ATIS has weather and airport information.  One of the more important parts is the active runway(s).  "Arriving and departing runway 31R and 31L" means that you will need to taxi to and take off from runway 24R or 24L.  At the beginning and the end, it will say "Kennedy Airport information Charlie," and "Advise on initial contact you have Charlie."  When you have the ATIS, simply add to your call, "With Information Charlie," then continue your call.  You don't have to say that each time you contact a controller.  This step can also be done before you file your flightplan.  

Step Eight:

Request Taxi.  This is where the airport diagram comes into play.  When ready to taxi, request taxi like this, "New York Center, American 123 request taxi to runway 31L."  Then you will hear, "American 123, New York Center, taxi via Hotel (H), Bravo (, Juliet (J), hold short of 31L on Zulu (Z)."  Again, you need to read back the instructions.  "Center, American 123, taxi via Hotel, Bravo, Juliet, hold short zulu."  By the way, hold short means you don't go past zulu until instructed to do so.

Step Nine:

Request Line Up and Take off, once of course you are holding short of zulu.  The call this time should be, "Center, American 123 request line up and take off runway 31 left."  Your request may be approved, or you may be told to standby for a landing aircraft.  Then you will hear, "American 123, Center, winds calm (if said in the atis), fly runway heading, runway 31 left, clear for takeoff."  The read back will be "Center, American 123, roger, cleared for takeoff."

Step Ten:

Request to Proceed on course.  Since you were told to "Fly Runway heading," you will fly a heading of 310 until told otherwise.  Sometimes a controller will simply tell you to proceed as filed, which means fly to Boston using the route we have gotten earlier.  Other times, you will need to request this, "Center, American 123, request proceed as filed."

Step 11:

Get the new ATIS.  Same procedure as before, with different information in the ATIS.  For the purposes of this tutorial, lets say runway 4L is active.

Step 12:

Request Descent.  Once you are about 50 miles from the Airport, you need to request a descent to land.  At this point you will be in Boston Center's Airspace.  You should have already been told by New York Center to contact Boston center on a different frequency.  Your call for descent clearance should be "Boston Center, American 123, request descent to one zero thousand (10,000 feet)."  The controller will then approve it or say, "American 123, Center, descent via the Norwich Three Arrival."  That just means follow the instructions on the chart, which is something else entirely.

Step 13:

Request Landing.  Simple enough.  Call center, "Center, American 123, request landing runway 4L."  This should, again, be approved.  "American 123, Center, winds 340 at 5 (If that was in the ATIS), runway 4 left, clear to land."  Another read back required, "Center, American 123, cleared to land."

Step 14:

Land the airplane.  Just like offline.

Step 15:

Request taxi to parking area (ramp, gate, hangar, etc.)  Request is just like your request for taxi to the runway, only you are leaving the runway, not going to it.

If you have anything you think needs to be added to this, send me a PM or post on this thread and I'll put it up here.