general flight questions regarding jets

Johnathan Buerge · « **on:** February 24, 2011, 11:57:56 PM »

Yes obviously I'm a "boot" as we title rookies on the fire dept!.
I'm in 2 flight schools here on VATSIM, 1 is in VATCAN, the other is at ZLA pilot school and I'm also in the midsts of the FS-X flight school 2011 edition and I can't find what I'm looking for. Can someone please help?
1) whats the max speed of a JET below 10,000 ft (US guidelines please)
2) A holding pattern in the US is commonly called "lline up and wait"-and the ATC calls this when it's peak load times-is this correct?
3)US flight levels start for VFR is 500 AGL?, IFR is 1,000 without worry of the terrain, and IFR is 2,000 AGL if flying in the mountains-is this correct or am I way off in left field here.

I just began this volunteer training (some of it-jets are new to me though) and I'm learning my way around VATSIM- so please foregive my ignorance...

Kenneth Haught · « **Reply #1 on:** February 25, 2011, 12:21:23 AM »

Quote from: Johnathan Buerge

Yes obviously I'm a "boot" as we title rookies on the fire dept!.
I'm in 2 flight schools here on VATSIM, 1 is in VATCAN, the other is at ZLA pilot school and I'm also in the midsts of the FS-X flight school 2011 edition and I can't find what I'm looking for. Can someone please help?
1) whats the max speed of a JET below 10,000 ft (US guidelines please)
2) A holding pattern in the US is commonly called "lline up and wait"-and the ATC calls this when it's peak load times-is this correct?
3)US flight levels start for VFR is 500 AGL?, IFR is 1,000 without worry of the terrain, and IFR is 2,000 AGL if flying in the mountains-is this correct or am I way off in left field here.

I just began this volunteer training (some of it-jets are new to me though) and I'm learning my way around VATSIM- so please foregive my ignorance...

1) Maximum speed unless otherwise indicated for safety is 250K below 10K. This is typically waived for larger military aircraft, and as mentioned, for safety considerations.

2) No, a holding pattern is just that, a pattern aircraft will follow when they are holding in the air. "Line up and Wait" is a phraseology term used to instruct an aircraft to line up on the runway, and hold position, or wait. (It replaced Position and Hold.)

3) Been too long, but "Flight Levels" indicate that it is starting at 18K MSL, and extending upward (below that is considered an altitude, not a flight level in the US).

Tom Seeley · « **Reply #2 on:** February 25, 2011, 09:50:58 AM »

Johnathan, welcome to the network!

To add to the information that Ken provided, VFR altitudes are generally IFR altitudes plus 500'

(1) On a magnetic course of zero degrees through 179 degrees, any odd thousand foot MSL altitude +500 feet (such as 3,500, 5,500, or 7,500); or

(2) On a magnetic course of 180 degrees through 359 degrees, any even thousand foot MSL altitude +500 feet (such as 4,500, 6,500, or 8,500).

IFR Altitudes are as above but without the 500' additions, and increase to 2000' at flight level 410 (41,000').

Johnathan Buerge · « **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2011, 12:31:11 PM »

Quote from: Kenneth Haught

1) Maximum speed unless otherwise indicated for safety is 250K below 10K. This is typically waived for larger military aircraft, and as mentioned, for safety considerations.

2) No, a holding pattern is just that, a pattern aircraft will follow when they are holding in the air. "Line up and Wait" is a phraseology term used to instruct an aircraft to line up on the runway, and hold position, or wait. (It replaced Position and Hold.)

3) Been too long, but "Flight Levels" indicate that it is starting at 18K MSL, and extending upward (below that is considered an altitude, not a flight level in the US).

Very excellent and great, easy to comprehend "norms" that I had 0 clue about- you kept your answers in plain enlish and now I need to learn proper phraseology ontop of whats supplied in the ATC vocab section of FS-X! plus more indeph pilot info. I dug around in the programs I mentioned and nothing relating to what you informed me of was found..your info isn't to be found in the pilot resource center on VATSIM cause the info is quite basic and dosen't address anything that I asked about-if anything the pilot resource center is sort of a "tease of info" (No offence to VATSIM or to those who put the general instruction down). Than again maybe I went cross-eyed looking for the basic info and flat out read into stuff, or became "blind as a bat". !
Again thanks

Johnathan Buerge · « **Reply #4 on:** February 25, 2011, 12:40:54 PM »

Quote from: Tom Seeley

Johnathan, welcome to the network!

To add to the information that Ken provided, VFR altitudes are generally IFR altitudes plus 500'

(1) On a magnetic course of zero degrees through 179 degrees, any odd thousand foot MSL altitude +500 feet (such as 3,500, 5,500, or 7,500); or

(2) On a magnetic course of 180 degrees through 359 degrees, any even thousand foot MSL altitude +500 feet (such as 4,500, 6,500, or 8,500).

IFR Altitudes are as above but without the 500' additions, and increase to 2000' at flight level 410 (41,000').

Wow, great info from 2 more-than-highly qualified individuals- Mr Seeley, you & Ken went above and beyond to explain some "basics" that'll keep me from stressing out the ATC and other pilots on the network!
Thank you both so much. The above info given was lacking "ego's" that others seem to have on VATSIM-as a medic firefighter in the real world I appreciate this more than you both know..thanks again for your time and knowledge

Kenneth Haught · « **Reply #5 on:** February 26, 2011, 08:13:08 PM »

Quote from: Johnathan Buerge

Wow, great info from 2 more-than-highly qualified individuals- Mr Seeley, you & Ken went above and beyond to explain some "basics" that'll keep me from stressing out the ATC and other pilots on the network!
Thank you both so much. The above info given was lacking "ego's" that others seem to have on VATSIM-as a medic firefighter in the real world I appreciate this more than you both know..thanks again for your time and knowledge

That explains why we understand each other, also an EMT/FF outside of "the hobby". As Tom said welcome to VATSIM, and we're always happy to answer questions!

Joel Stanner · « **Reply #6 on:** February 28, 2011, 04:32:41 PM »

Quote from: Johnathan Buerge

Wow, great info from 2 more-than-highly qualified individuals- Mr Seeley, you & Ken went above and beyond to explain some "basics" that'll keep me from stressing out the ATC and other pilots on the network!
Thank you both so much. The above info given was lacking "ego's" that others seem to have on VATSIM-as a medic firefighter in the real world I appreciate this more than you both know..thanks again for your time and knowledge

Another very excellent source of information that I don't see referenced very often for some reason is the FAA's FAR/AIMs (Federal Aviation Regulations / Aeronautical Information Manual) which are published for free online or also available in print form. General Operating and Flight Rules (14 CFR Part 91) is a great place to start. VATSIM tries to be as realistic to real-world operations as possible, so these regulations also govern VATUSA to some extent.

The Aeronautical Information Manual is also chock full of information describing procedures and regulations in detail. All of this information is USA specific, but some of it translates world-wide. Good luck out there and blue skies.