Tom and I will both be out of the office on travel 15-23 April

Um, but not together. I mean, we work closely 'n' all that, but not THAT close.

You can self-reactivate your account here:
https://cert.vatsim.net/vatsimnet/statcheck.html

If you have problems you can create a membership ticket here: https://membership.vatsim.net/

Celsius. AIM 7-2-3

The chart in the 4-GEN-14 left out the legend along the left side.

This is a symbol that was never on the approach plates when I earned my living flying. For reference, this one is on the VOR/DME-B Approach for Salmon, ID (KSMN).

Anyone know? (This was established by the FAA in October of last year)

Good answer, thank you.

It's only a matter of time before VORs will be like coin telephones ... just a memory except maybe for a couple here and there. First NDBs, now VORs, next Localizers?

I was driving from Reno to Las Vegas recently, and on that trip I passed three VORs: Mina, Beatty and Tonopah. I got to thinking about the expenses of establishing/maintaining these facilities. Aside from obtaining the land, the actual structure and electronics, they have to build a road to connect to the nearest highway. They have to bring utilities in, with poles and infrastructure. Then there is maintenance, and possibly an emergency generator. Multiply those expenses by the number of installations across the country, and it's a pretty substantial cost.

But when the entire airspace navigation system is GPS based, I hope nothing ever happens to interfere with those satellites!

Great discussion tonight in the VATUSA "Town Hall" meeting relative to Pre Departure Clearances, enough that it was worth bringing it up here for further input and suggestions.

PDCs have been around for several years to the point where you can listen to a Clearance freq on liveatc and hardly hear anything. Here in VATSIM-Land, we're slowly adopting the use of PDC's, but we don't have the technology to do it the way it should be done, so the best option we have at the moment is the text alias.

ZNY worked very hard to design and implement an automated system where the departure was presented on the ZNY website and the controller could open the PDC and manipulate it as needed, then the pilot received a link to the completed PDC. That system went by the wayside due to server problems, if I recall.

At any rate, issuing a PDC via text is exceedingly simple. It isn't used for general aviation, but for airlines and corporate jets as a rule. The system that I use, along with the aliases provided to me by Michael Mund-Hoym and modified slightly, goes like this:
Pilot calls for clearance
Controller responds to pilot (voice or text) to expect PDC via PM
Controller checks clearance, route etc. just as is always done, assigns squawk
Controller opens chatbox with pilot, uses first alias, enters four items only: TYPE A/C, RWY, FRQ, DEP SID
Controller follows up with second alias, which tells pilot no need to respond unless he has a question, and to call ready to taxi with ATIS and SQUAWK only.

Even pilots who have not previously seen the process, especially European folks don't have any problems if they actually read the text.

Many ARTCCs apparently use PDCs. Some don't. Others allow it on an individual basis.

The Aliases that I use:

.PSB STAND BY FOR PRE-DEPARTURE CLEARANCE VIA PM. IF UNABLE PM ADVISE.
 
.PDC1 PRE-DEPARTURE CLEARANCE START | CALL SIGN: $aircraft | TYPE: ($1) | DEP: $dep | ARR: $arr | TRANSPONDER: $squawk | ALTITUDE: $cruise | APPROVED ROUTE: $route | *CLIMB VIA SID* | EXPECT RWY $2 | DEP FREQ ($3) | RMKS: $uc($4) DEPARTURE
 
.PDC2 ADDITIONAL INFO: >>CONTACT APPROPRIATE CONTROLLER WITH ASSIGNED TRANSPONDER CODE AND CURRENT ATIS FOR TAXI.<< THIS MESSAGE SERVES AS YOUR PRE-DEPARTURE CLEARANCE. NO NEED TO REPLY UNLESS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS -END-

I think ZLA uses these, or something quite similar.