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Messages - Shane VanHoven

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1
Hopefully we will see some participation on the little quiz that I wrote in the first post. Had some participants over on the Facebook page and already saw some people learn something!

2
Christopher,

Thank you for the thoughtful response. I truly do admire your level of self awareness in this topic. I'm grateful that it appears that you learned something at the event.

This IS a hobby. I completely agree. But the reality is our hobby is unbalanced. The air traffic controller side of this hobby requires hundreds of hours of training and self study to become proficient enough to work event-level traffic well. Controllers are equally entitled to network enjoyment as the pilot that messes up procedures. The problem is, the pilot that messes up the procedures is affecting the enjoyment for not only the controller that they're talking to, but every adjacent controller, and every other pilot on frequency that has to listen to the controller hand-hold.

I do not expect VATSIM pilots to operate at the level of a real world airline pilot. My expectation for every VATSIM pilot is the same expectation I set for myself when I was 13 years old and scared to start flying on the network: To be good enough that I wouldn't need to be taught procedures on the frequency. That took exactly 10 minutes per flight pre-briefing my route. Anything that looked weird would be researched until I figured it out. Heck, sometimes I would file a flightplan as /A (no GPS) because I was scared to be assigned a new route and unable to change my FS9 flightplan in the GPS. I worked within my means. I didn't go to busy events at first because I wasn't confident that I could participate without getting in the way other other participants. Sometimes I would look at a weird chart and get so flustered that I'd run back to the FSX online server and just do barrel rolls and buzz the tower in my Extra 300.

We are working traffic levels that sometimes exceed real world right now. I was watching the real LAX while I was at work tonight and there wasn't a single moment that they had to merge two FULL streams of traffic on the ANJLL and HLYWD arrivals. We were doing that almost all night during the FNO. It gets so precise that mistakenly going direct HUNDA actually messes up the spacing on the final. Us controllers volunteer our time so that pilots like you can enjoy events like this. If we don't hold ourselves to higher standards, you will not continue to have competent controllers for years to come. We will get burnt out, and we will find other hobbies faster than we can train the next generation of controllers.

Some people knit for their hobby. Do you think it would be fun to knit a sweater that doesn't stay together for more than a day?

Some people fix cars for their hobby. Do you think they would be satisfied if they did an oil change on their 69 Corvette and put the wrong oil in it because they didn't bother to look up the right oil?

Some people find a hobby in baking. Would a hobbyist baker be happy if they forgot to set a timer on the oven and burnt their bread?

Some people do VATSIM for their hobby. Why wouldn't we want to be good at our hobby?

3
Good morning ladies and gentlemen.

https://my.vatsim.net/learn

I wanted to take some time to write up a debrief on following approach clearances properly. I spent over 2 hours on SoCal approach yesterday during FNOscars, and it was EMBARRASING the amount of pilots messed up their routing onto the ILS to 25L and 24R.

I am going to run through how these procedures specifically are meant to be flown, but please remember a few cardinal rules of VATSIM that apply to ALL procedures, during ALL flights, in ALL regions of the world:

1. Familiarize yourself with your filed or cleared route. Verify that the route loaded in your FMC is INDENTICAL to the route that you filed or were cleared via. Remember it may change during your flight.

2. If you receive a clearance that you are unsure of how to fly,  ASK for clarification. Do NOT just assume you can figure it out. 

3. Familiarize yourself with the automation of your aircraft. If you are unable to fly assigned headings, altitudes or airspeeds with a 100% success rate, you should avoid flying into events of any type until you are able to do so. 

4. If your autopilot is not doing what it is supposed to do, you should be able to disconnect it and hand fly almost as good as the autopilot would be able to. We can accommodate automation failures just fine, but there's very little we can do if you are unable to fly headings, altitudes or speeds as assigned.

https://my.vatsim.net/learn

Now to the fun stuff:

LAX Approach plates: These are publicly available for FREE for all airports in the US. Therefore: You have NO EXCUSE for not having the chart.

https://airnav.com/

ILS 24R: https://aeronav.faa.gov/d-tpp/2402/00237IL24R.PDF
ILS 25L: https://aeronav.faa.gov/d-tpp/2402/00237IL25L.PDF

All jet arrivals from the east to LAX are either on the ANJLL arrival or the HLYWD arrival. The ANJLL ends at CRCUS, and the HLYWD ends at SEAVU.

Notice, approaches to both 25L and 24R have those two fixes on them. Meaning you will receive a clearance such as "At SEAVU cleared ILS runway 24R". This clearance means you are cleared to proceed from SEAVU, Direct SKOLL, then via the localizer and glideslope down to the runway 24R.

You are NOT cleared to proceed from SEAVU direct MERCE. This is a common problem that would be solved by following rule number 1 above.

These charts are designed to be very easy to read. Literally just follow the arrows. Every fix you are meant to fly to is shown on the map view with arrows connecting them together. If something doesn't make sense, follow rule 2 above, and ASK.

Here is another helpful graphic: https://laartcc.org/uploads/downloads/KLAX_ANJLL_HLYWD_Arrival_Briefing_Card.png

https://my.vatsim.net/learn
https://my.vatsim.net/learn

QUIZ time!

You are descending via the ANJLL arrival. You check on with approach and they tell you, "SWA123, SoCal approach, information P is current, at CRCUS cleared ILS runway 25R."

a) What should the next waypoint after CRCUS be?

b) What altitude and speed should you be at CRCUS?

c) What altitude should you be at the fix after CRCUS?


If you've made it this far, thank you. You are contributing to the improvement of VATSIM. If you know anyone who needs help with this stuff, feel free to send the link and have them participate.

Remember, VATSIM has decent resource to learn this stuff too. Next time you're bored at cruise, take some time to explore. You might learn something accidentally. I'm a real world IFR pilots and air traffic controller, and even I find stuff in here that I didn't know. https://my.vatsim.net/learn

4
Events / Re: VATUSA Presents: TRANSCON 2022 Eastbound
« on: July 25, 2022, 12:07:02 AM »
Had a blast controlling this event in ZMP. Seemed like conga lines and enroute spacing balanced perfectly with enough variability to keep us on our toes. Thanks to everyone who put in the planning for this event, hopefully you guys will consider doing it annually, with a westbound version as well!

5
General Discussion / Re: VATUSA sponsored event (1 JUL 22)
« on: July 03, 2022, 03:13:15 PM »
Well one things for sure. Next time I see a request from Scott to staff up, I’m not making an effort the be there.   ;)

6
General Discussion / Microphone volumes
« on: December 22, 2021, 07:49:10 PM »
Can we please get our microphone volumes under control? Ever since audio for vatsim came out, we've had this epidemic of people who are way too loud, and people who are way too quiet. I'll be flying along and all of a sudden: "CENTER THIS IS AMERICAN ONE WITH YOU!!!!" and if it doesn't blow out my speakers, it certainly makes my ears ring.

It's not only pilots. I find controllers with the same problem. My recommendation for everyone is at the beginning of your next flying or controlling session, go into your client settings and make sure your mic is in the green band.

Side note, does anyone have any hacks to make my pc mitigate suddenly loud volumes? If I could limit the maximum db level or something that would be awesome.

disclaimer: AAL1 callsign is a placeholder and not intended to single anyone out.

7
The Control Room Floor / Re: ORD 6 Departure CVS vs MAINTAIN
« on: October 24, 2021, 12:15:15 PM »
I am honestly a little confused with this one as the SID has published crossing restrictions from the CGO VORTAC as posted in this picture.

https://prnt.sc/1x6uqos

My best guess is to why they assign the "Climb Via Sid" instruction is to provide vertical separation for arrivals and departures. Since it is a radar-nav sid, I am assuming basically the TRACON will vector the aircraft to the applicable DTA to get aircraft on it's assigned route of flight. I also want to assume the TRACON may have aircraft fly over other aircraft that are arriving.

https://prnt.sc/1x6v8s9

In this second picture, at DRSCL the aircraft should meet DRSCL at 2200 feet and will be 6.7 DME from the runway.  In the first picture, aircraft are required to be at or above 3000 feet 5.5 DME from the CGO VORTAC. I hope this helps in a way, but this is why I think that aircraft that fly the ORD6 are assigned climb via sid so they do not conflict with arrivals.

You're on the right track... It's for keep-them-in-the-Bravo reasons. Departures will never be in a position to conflict with the arrivals that are over the Marker. We have procedures that inherently separate departures from that portion of arrival airspace that we call "the dump". At the tower, we vector aircraft on initial headings so that they remain clear of the dump. The west flow dump is a 040 heading to a 140, east flow is 220-320.

The climb restrictions keep the ORD departures inside the Bravo, or even 1000 feet above the floor in come instances. This provides separation from not only MDW, but also PWK, and other satellite airports and satellite airspace.

Sometimes heavies on long flights (and BRICKYARDs ONLY FOR SOME REASON RYAN  ;D ) will notify us that they are unable to make climb restrictions, and we just have to coordinate with the TRACON so they can stop MDW departures and protect a little more airspace than normal.

8
Events / Re: ZFW Presents the "D10 Delta Staff up" 2300-0200z
« on: April 22, 2021, 11:47:49 AM »
...the busiest nonconsolidated TRACON in the United States.
Chicago does more ops than D10, no? 😝

Chicago is a consolidated TRACON, covering both the KORD Class B and KMDW Class C.  There are no other Class C or B airports around KDFW, so it is a non-consolidated TRACON.

I thought a consolidated TRACON was defined as a TRACON that was combined from multiple other facilities into one. Like SoCal, Norcal, Potomac, or New York.

Also DAL is a class B airport so I'm thoroughly confused by your logic.

9
The Control Room Floor / Re: ORD 6 Departure CVS vs MAINTAIN
« on: January 02, 2021, 01:49:32 AM »
I am also curious what drama could have possibly come up with this. Because in my experience, albeit limited, I haven't even heard rumors of any crews having problems with the climbing via the ORD6 in real life, let alone seen anything. Its pretty self explanatory. Hit the altitudes, follow the speed, that's it.

Not to sound frank, but I do honestly think that there are several other rules of the book that our energy should be focused on for the purposes of vatsim. But that's just me.

10
Events / Re: ZHU Presents "Just Ground" 2100z-2230z
« on: July 13, 2020, 06:10:44 PM »
This is a joke... right?

11
The Flight Deck / Re: What's the point - point 8, point 9...
« on: June 25, 2020, 05:17:37 PM »
Hi Gez,

It's in the FAA's governing document for ATC comunication, the 7110.65 under section 2-1-17

Quote
Transfer radio communications before an aircraft enters the receiving controller's area of jurisdiction unless otherwise coordinated or specified by a letter of agreement or a facility directive.
Transfer radio communications by specifying the following:

The facility name or location name and terminal function to be contacted. [...]
Frequency to use except the following may be omitted:
FSS frequency.
Departure frequency if previously given or published on a SID chart for the procedure issued.
TERMINAL:
Ground or local control frequency if in your opinion the pilot knows which frequency is in use.
The numbers preceding the decimal point if the ground control frequency is in the 121 MHz bandwidth.

I also thought it was funny that for how specifically particular the FAA is with what we are and are not allowed to say, the .65 still that this paragraph in it. It sure is fun to "legally" take shortcuts lol!

12
The ground and tower positions on VATSIM are typically a student's first exposure to working airplanes. So, as expected the controllers you usually encounter on these positions when flying through are slightly less versed in air traffic control concepts than the radar controllers. I'd like to break down some rules that can be used by tower controllers during high volume situations so that newer controllers might be able to more easily understand their options and can be well equipped to excel during events at the tower level.

I remember when I was first starting out on the network, it sometimes felt like ground and tower were just fillers, and that approach and center were the actual "money makers." During events, especially with high departure counts, a ground controller has the power to make or break the airport... being the difference between a line at the runway 20 deep, or no line or delays at all. So to all the S1s and S2s out there: take pride in your job as a ground and tower controller. Make the effort now and that work ethic will flow into your higher level training in the radar environment.

What do I mean ground can make or break an airport? I'm talking about the departure sequence. Many major airports have multiple "tracks" that aircraft use to exit the terminal airspace. This is usually in the form of multiple SIDs, but sometimes they are just fixes or canned routes that aircraft are assigned to fly before joining their filed route.

Familiarity with your SIDs as a ground controller is important not only for runway assignments, but also for your sequence that you deliver to your tower controller. If you taxi two airplanes out to one runway that are departing on the same SID or route, the tower controller must provide adequate in-trail radar separation to the departure controller. Normally 3 miles. If you taxi two airplanes to the same runway that are filed over two separate SIDs, the tower controller can launch the airplanes with minimum runway separation, which I'll probably detail in a separate post (but the jist is READ THE 7110.65!! ;)). Essentially, having back to back departures over the same fix is less efficient than alternating SIDs between successive departures.

How can this be easily applied? At the beginning of events, make a plan. Decide what destinations or SIDs will have the highest volume. That is, if you're working a departure airport for a crossfire event, you'll know that you'll have an extreme number of departures on that route compared to other random ones. So, the good technique in situations like this is to "feed" the departure runway in more than one way. Line up all your event/crossfire departures at one taxiway, and all the other randoms at another taxiway, maybe a parallel, or on the other side of the runway. Most major airports have the pavement to apply this technique.

For the purpose of example, look at O'Hare. https://aeronav.faa.gov/d-tpp/2007/00166AD.PDF

If departing 10L, the ground controller could line up the event aircraft on L, and the random departures on N. That way the tower controller can put non-event departures in between the event aircraft in order to not delay random flights outside of the event, and to keep the airport moving without just completely sitting still while waiting for whatever intrail restrictions are in place for the event airports.

All too often I see event airports with a line of 25 airplanes at the runway and a departure is rolling every 2 minutes. So, let's work to improve and learn all the options we have as ground controllers to help excel at events!

Discuss below your facilities' ground plans for events I'd love to hear them!

13
The Control Room Floor / Re: Event Timelapses!
« on: May 13, 2020, 09:55:02 PM »
Not an event, but one of our controllers made this sweatbox scenerio. It's about as busy as Minneapolis Approach can get (minus random VFRs and SAT traffic). We ran it the other day, and here is the timelapse!

https://youtu.be/FfjABHmR6zI

14
I posted this in discord, but I’ll repost here too.

I’ve been sipping on my whiskey and contemplating how fricken much I miss going to work every day and working airplanes. The FAA sent us home until this pandemic is over and I’m not happy about it. This network is the closest thing I have to still being connected with aviation right now. Jackson, you have this problem on your hands that I wouldn’t wish on any of my worst enemies, and I am truly sorry for that. I would hate to be in your position within weeks of taking a job.  I don’t entirely understand the decision that was made, which is fine because with how many people are involved, there is inevitably going to be plenty of disagreements. Nobody is expecting real world tools and systems to be implemented into vatsim. That’s impossible. We have a unique opportunity to consult people who have SO MUCH EXPERIENCE with virtual and real air traffic control and airspace management. There are so many volunteers in this organization that want to give everything they have back to this community because I know I speak for a handful of us RW controllers when I say, I would not be where I am if it weren’t for VATSIM. I want to give back to the network more than I’ve ever wanted to give back to anything.  VATSIM is going to be reallllly busy over the next few weeks. FNOs will be challenging us more than they’ve ever challenged us before. AARs are not mystical arbitrary numbers that were brought into the hobby to complicate things, they were an attempt at making clear what we can physically handle, regardless of ability and staffing. We all need to put our egos away and put our heads together to try to make the most out of the opportunity that we’ll have in the coming weeks. We can either run some of the worst, clustered, screwy events the network has ever seen... or we can methodically put a plan together that will heighten the experience for everyone.We’ve already seen that these conversations push people away from the network, and the last thing id want to see is everyone sitting at home in quarantine, but choosing not to go on vatsim because we aren’t handling this the right way. Jackson, I hope you don’t feel like this whole thing rests on your shoulders, because it doesn’t. I promise that there are a lot of people who know a lot of things that will happily volunteer their time and energy to help find some smoother air. You just have to know where to find them.

To put it as the late Joe Sutter did:

“If there's one lesson I can pass along to people in situations like mine, it's that the best way to see a program through -- and it took me a long time to learn this -- is simply to accept the help, cooperate, and let others do what they think is worthwhile. In the meantime, continue racing to the finish line.”

-The Father of the 747


15
General Discussion / Holding PTT Switch Down Long Enough
« on: October 17, 2019, 01:45:15 PM »
Hey all, VATSIM has new life for me with the new audio. I can easily spend 8 hours working real airplanes and come home and actually enjoy connecting to VATSIM because this audio is so spot on. One thing I've noticed while flying around the country since the update, is that controllers and pilots alike tend to "clip" the end of their transmissions. That is, releasing their PTT before they're actually done talking. When receiving an instruction, it's possible to miss an important part of a clearance like a heading or altitude because the transmission was clipped. Not the biggest deal, but all this adds up to save time during busy sessions if you have to continuously repeat instructions. If you find that pilots are commonly asking you to repeat, try counting to "one" in your head before you unkey.

In the old days we could just blame out deficiencies on not being able to understand the pilots/controllers but now we have no excuse! I even found myself making extra transmissions during a recent session just cause I liked hearing readbacks. Good luck!

Happy talking!

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