VATUSA in partnership with VATPAC invites you to Friday Night Ops: Downunder! Join us as we light up the skies between Sydney (YSSY), Melbourne (YMML), and Brisbane (YBBN) on October 14, 2022 (Saturday morning Downunder).

Flight Planning
In Australia, flight plans are filed in the ICAO format. SIDs & STARs are not included in the filed flight plan. This will be provided by ATC on contact with clearance delivery (for departures) and with the Centre controller prior to top of descent.

Pre-Departure Clearances (PDCs) are used in Australia. Pilots are required to readback PDCs to to the delivery controller. However, when reading back the PDC you do not need to read back everything. Just the SQUAWK, DEPARTURE PROCEDURE, RUNWAY and BAY.

[PILOT] "Melbourne Delivery, Qantas 436 with PDC readback."
[ML_DEL] "Qantas 436 g'day Melbourne Delivery, go ahead with PDC readback"
[PILOT] "Qantas 436 is cleared to Sydney, DOSEL1 departure, runway 27, squawk 4457; bay C3"
[ML_DEL] "Qantas 436" or "Qantas 436 contact ground 121.7 for push"

If you do not receive a PDC, you can request airways clearance on VHF with the Delivery controller. However, you are required to readback the entire clearance by voice.

[PILOT] "Brisbane Delivery, Qantas 535"
[BN_DEL] "Qantas 535 g'day Melbourne Delivery, go ahead"
[PILOT] "Qantas 535 request clearance"
[BN_DEL] "Qantas 535, cleared to Sydney via SANEG flight planned route. SANEG 1 departure runway 01R. Climb via SID 6000(ft). Squawk 4457 departures 133.45"
[PILOT]  "Cleared to Sydney via SANEG flight planned route. SANEG 1 departure runway 01R. Climb via SID 6000(ft). Squawk 4457 departures 133.45, bay 18 Qantas 535."
[BN_DEL] "Qantas 535, when ready for push contact ground 121.7"
 

VATPAC recommends the following routes between Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney:

YBBN – YSSY: 
DCT BN H91 CORKY H12 BOREE DCT

YBBN – YMML: 
DCT BN H91 SANEG Q923 CANTY H119 ML DCT

YMML – YBBN: 
DCT ML H66 LAGOB H185 BN DCT

YMML – YSSY:
DCT ML H129 DOSEL Y59 TESAT DCT

YSSY – YBBN: 
DCT ENTRA Y245 BANDA H185 BN DCT

YSSY – YMML: 
DCT WOL H65 RAZZI Q29 ML DCT

Pilots are still welcome to fly other routes, however you must make sure your flight plan is compliant with Flight Planning Requirements. You can use our ATC Assist Tools 'Route Finder' function to find current valid routings: https://atc.vatpac.org/

Aerodrome and Departure/Approach charts are available for free within Australia which can be found here: https://www.airservicesaustralia.com/aip/current/dap/AeroProcChartsTOC.htm

A report for the September 9 "The Plane Train FNO" event has been compiled. The report includes information on the planning process, staffing levels, TMU initiatives, traffic data, and comments from the facilities involved. This was the first FNO of the three part "Single Field Trials" series, which continues at DFW on September 30.

Have you made a VATSIM account, but feel intimidated every time you try to speak on the frequency? Or have you yet to make an account in fear that you haven't got what it takes yet? Then this is the event for you!

At busy airports, or events, it can be a little tricky to learn and get used to the pace. To help overcome that VATSIM created the First Wings events, dedicated to helping pilots get used to the phraseology, the procedures, and what is expected of them.

For this edition, we will be flying in North America. On Saturday 10th September, American and Canadian controllers are staffing Dane County (KMSN) and Winnipeg (CYWG), with departures from either airport starting at 20 UTC and ending at 22 UTC.

To ensure a fun and smooth afternoon for pilots and controllers alike slots are required! Pilots without a booked flight can, and will, be delayed.

Both before and during the event experienced and patient controllers and pilots will be on the VATSIM Discord to help answer any questions you have. You may join the discord through https://community.vatsim.net/. If you do not use Discord, VATSIM Supervisors will be on hand during the events, and can at any time be reached via a .wallop.

First Wings events are now held on a regular basis, with one edition occurring at the beginning of each month. To allow everyone to participate, regardless of their timezone, the location of the event rotates every month, passing through all corners of the World.


Routing
CYWG-KMSN: MUSIB1 MUSIB TUKAD DLH EAU DLL
KMSN-CYWG: WREST BGOSH J89 DLH J538 VBI GOVIT NORAK4

Sorry we didn't get back to you in time, Lawrence. Feel free to fly without a slot.

I apologize for the delay and failure to meet our previously announced slot opening day.

The web team has a lot of projects at hand and they are working on publishing the slot database and registration to the site.

Every airport in VATUSA is a link to somewhere, but too often we only look at the mega hubs; the airports that connect tens of millions of people a year. There are so many more destinations, and these hidden gateways are frequently forgotten. On July 15, we will be trying to highlight some fields that make the NAS more than just a super highway; airports that are the two-lane boulevards in our country. VATUSA is proud to partner with FlightFX for this Open Mic Night. Read on for details of how to be entered into the giveaway.

Event fields
KJAX
KELP
KCRP
KRNO
KJAN
KBOI
KOMA
KGJT
KSHV
KPDX
KCRW
KMDW

Pilots who fly into or out of at least one of these featured fields during the event period (2300z - 0300z) will be entered into a giveaway drawing for an MSFS aircraft software developed by FlightFX.

Additionally, controllers who are on position at an event field (DEL, GND, TWR, APP/DEP), or who are on a CTR position for the event field's ARTCC for at least two hours will be entered into a separate giveaway for the same software.

Congratulations Eli! Welcome to the team!