a short introduction

[Sarah Alawami]

Hello. I'm just introducing myself. I've ben flight simming now since about September of last year. I use prepar  as my simulator. I also use some extra tools as I am a visually impaired flight simmer. This is  my first time on vat sim and I am very nervous to  do my first flight as some controlers might not let me spaun to a runway. I cannot as a visually impaired taxi as I can't see taxi ways, at least not yet, not until someone comes up with a way for us to do so, one day maybe.

 Since the code of conduct says inclusive for all, I am hoping I won't run into controllers who will not let me spaun, as long as I let them know in my flight remarks. I don't want to be rude or appear nasty as I really am not. I'm pretty much an easy going person.

I am also  a ham operator and love that hobby. So here's hoping I don't accidentally use my call sign and not the plane's lol! I joke about it but here's hoping I don't do it as I do know the difference. Lol!

If you have any questions on how I as a visually impaired pilot actually fly, please ask either as a pilot or if you are a controller. I can't wait to do my first flight on vat sim, I am extremely terrified though  so here's hoping I don't make any mistakes.

Blessings to all

[Kurt Ernstsen]

Welcome Sarah.
As I replied in another message earlier today, I'd suggest making mention of your situation in your flight plan remarks section to give controllers a heads up.  I'd also suggest communicating your intention to slew with the controller to verify there's no traffic in the vicinity of your intended runway.  I'm sure with the proper heads up controllers will be very understanding.  Don't be nervous, make sure you read some basic ATC phraseology before attempting your first flight so you'll know what to expect from ATC and everything will be just fine.

I'm very interested to know about the technology that you use to fly.  When you have time a short write up of how it all works would be great.

Once again, welcome.

[Rick Rump]

Sarah,
As someone who is low vision, this hobby allows me to experience something I otherwise am unable to do IRL. Anything that can be done to help you enjoy it is important to everyone.

I would recommend connecting at a gate and after completing preflight and getting your clearance request slew to the active runway. When you exit the runway after landing to request to slew to your desired gate. I know for me taxing is somewhat difficult as I cannot well see the signs.

[Sarah Alawami]

Yeah I can't taxi to gates or even slew to them. As our AP won't let us which is kind of odd. But you use what you have and what you can get.

I use pro-ATC/x so I'm familar with the terms etc, plus I had a family member who worked at an airport years ago, plus I do listen to live aTC a lot as I have an air port near me lol! Think I might try tonight  if I work up the nerve to do this. Man this reminds me of my first field day experience. Lol!

[David Stone]

Sarah, first of all let me say, Welcome to VATSIM. It truly can be a great experience. As far as the butterflies of connecting for the first time, you must remember each of us had a 'first time'. By the time I connected to the network for the first time I had already been Simming for 24 years. I knew my aircraft, how to fly it, how to plan a route and navigate it. But boy was live ATC a big difference from the Sim ATC.

Yes, it is unfortunate that not everyone seems to remember what that 'first time' experience was like, but there are many controllers on the network who are always willing to help a new member. That being said, congestion and heavy traffic loads will greatly impact how much assistance one can provide at a given time. So I would suggest starting somewhere that the airport environment would provide you the opportunity to engage ATC with lower traffic levels. In other words, I probably would not start at the major 'hub airports' such as ATL, LAX, JFK, ORD, etc simply because at most times any ATC online at these facilities will have their hands full and there is greater potential that traffic will impact your ability to maneuver for take-off and landing. That is not to say you should never think of flying at these airports I just don't think it is the best place to start.

You mentioned that you hoped ATC would not get mad about you spawning so long as it was mentioned in your flight plan and I am not sure I understand your meaning. ATC will not see your flight plan until you connect and file one so hopefully your meaning is that you will connect first at a ramp area and when ready for departure if your software does not allow for slewing to/from the runway disconnect, relocate and spawn back in with ATC knowledge of what will be happening. Any reasonable controller should be able to work with that scenario and get you headed off on your way.

As for being worried about making mistakes all I can say is don't worry. Because yes, you are likely to make them, and yes, even long standing members with many hours flying and controlling still make them. Heck, if you are listening to Live ATC on a scanner I am sure you hear mistakes made by RW ATC and pilots. No matter how hard we strive for perfection each of us will fail to attain such a lofty goal. Making mistakes is how we learn to correctly accomplish a task, if we take time to heed the lesson.

I look forward to perhaps providing you ATC services in the future and I hope you have a great time here on VATSIM.

[Sarah Alawami]

Basically what i mean about sponning or whaat ever you guys call it, repositioning for lack of a better term,  is for now we don't have a way to taxi via the taxi ways given by ATC. What I'm hoping is if a controller reads my flight remarks I put in once I do file a plan they will be understanding. Some are by the book, and I respect that, however I kind of won't be able to get off the ground then. lol! By the way I do not mind waiting to reposition. I know other vBI pilots on here have, and that's totally fine, so long as I have the fuel to do so of corse.

I'm not ready to even attempt LAX. Yuck!  Hehaha! As someone on another group I'm a part of told me, hopefully I can kill those butterflies with a big knife, or something like that. and yes I have heard mistakes in the real world. I do enjoy listening to live ATC on my way to work, or heading into and out of meetings etc, or after I teach classes for the day. I've heard some odd things. lol!

thanks for the advice and encouragement, hopefully soon if I'm not busy teaching will you hear a nervous me on there  at a not so busy airport. Might try unicom first, then hope for the best.

By the way I have some suggestions in regard to some accessibility modifications for VPilot. To whom can I or others speak about this? If you don't know I respect that.

Blessings.

[David Stone]

By the way I have some suggestions in regard to some accessibility modifications for VPilot. To whom can I or others speak about this? If you don't know I respect that.

Ross Carlson is the author of vPilot, not to mention several other pieces of software used on VATSIM. I would probably check in the VATSIM forums, search for 'vPilot', there may be a thread for suggestions, if not you could probably start one.

[Joshua Tubbs]

Sarah,
As someone who is low vision, this hobby allows me to experience something I otherwise am unable to do IRL. Anything that can be done to help you enjoy it is important to everyone.

I would recommend connecting at a gate and after completing preflight and getting your clearance request slew to the active runway. When you exit the runway after landing to request to slew to your desired gate. I know for me taxing is somewhat difficult as I cannot well see the signs.

Hi Rick,

Thanks for that advice. For me at least, I'm not low vision, I don't have any vision. The advice given to me by another fellow totally blind pilot with about 45 flights under his belt, well, if Vatstats is correct, was to simply disconnect upon stopping on the runway. We have no way of actually being able to exit the runway. Even software that helps us autoland, should we desire it, puts reverse thrusts in and brakes as soon as it can. The landing rates we get with that are poor at best. FSTramp autopilot is the best if we can only use freeware aircraft/low end.



HTH.

[Rick Rump]

I keep forgetting not everyone has GSX, you can utilize that to automatically move yourself to the gate after runway exit. Though I do not know how JAWS usable the GSX interface in the sim is.

[Joshua Tubbs]

GSX is doable, I have used it before. We'd currently have to stop on the runway though and then request slew to gate and GSX can do that very quickly actually.

I wish there was a way for us to exit the runway. If we want to do multiple legs on a flight the easiest solution would be stop on the runway, disconnect from Vatsim, slew to a gate and reconnect.