2404 - PC Gaming - Virtual Air Traffic Control

Virtual Air Traffic Control

Posted by [2404]jf3t June 12, 2005

Do you remember the feeling you got the first time you played a shooter on-line, that wonderful realization that the world is full, and the sense of wonder and excitement achieved by bagging your first frag? Well, what deathmatch did for FPS games, virtual air traffic control does for flight simulators.

Virtual Air Traffic Control is an involved system. There is a freeware client--Squawkbox--that integrates directly into Flight Simulator, allowing flight in a real-time multiplayer virtual world. Squawkbox plucks the radio and transponder information and sends position and voice data to a virtual controller: a real person who is watching a simulated air traffic control screen with whatever flights he or she is responsible for overseeing. The latest version of Squawkbox, unlike previous versions, integrates voice support directly into the package, allowing two-way voice communication with the ATC. If you do not have a microphone, a chat-like text interface allows for communication, but is much less realistic.

Flight Simulators have become very realistic and virtual air traffic control adds to that realism. One of the lowlights of Flight Simulator 2004 is the relatively innocuous ATC--ATC that never really feels “there” especially if flying a VFR flight. X-Plane 8 improved upon this to a bit of a degree, but there still was nothing to keep the pilot honest. Virtual air traffic control vastly changes this.

Flight simulators, especially right out-of-the-box, can feel a bit useless: go up, go down, turn off damage modeling and bounce the airframe off the ground a few times. Once you begin learning, the fun of a flight simulator really begins to take shape. However, once you have mastered an aircraft, again, the simulator feels a bit useless since flying somewhere always feels the same. This is especially true when the flight lessons mention charts and airways, but no resources to use during those lessons is included in the package. This leaves a feeling that something is missing, or that the software packaging is somewhat incomplete. The same thing is true with the ATC included in Flight Simulator. In Flight Simulator you get a communication from a bot and you get to select your canned response. The pilot is never really held to whatever instructions are given by ATC; ATC is basically tacked-on. This is definitely not the case using virtual air traffic control. VATC changes give each flight some purpose and some variety. Flights also are filled with chatter, altitude and heading changes, and clearances. No longer are you alone to go up and go down and take forty three minutes to fly the pattern at JFK and then mistakenly land on a taxiway.

The virtual controllers are also equipped to handle emergencies. If you lose an engine and declare a mayday, VATC will work to get you down as expeditiously and as safely as possible. Be warned, however, both the pilot and the controller must file paperwork with VATSIM or VATUSA if an emergency does take place.

VATC adds to the fun of Flight Simulator by requiring precision and skill. Using VATC turns what can be a mundane software toy into an exciting goal-based adventure. How? Well, flying into and out of airports with a high degree of traffic delivers a white-knuckle challenge that rivals the best shooters on the market. Precision and experience are both required to handle high-traffic situations. Using virtual ATC, you can graduate to busier and busier airports as your experience accumulates. This actually adds goals to simulators, something they usually lack.

Before beginning with virtual ATC, you will need to sign up for a free account on VATSIM.net. This will give you a user ID and password. You will also need to set up an account on VATUSA. Short training and a test will follow, demonstrating you have the requisite knowledge to operate smoothly within the virtual air traffic world. The test covers basic ATIS and ATC functions, all of which are covered to a useful degree on VATUSA's and VATSIM's documentation.

Other tools that come in handy either with or without VATSIM use include FSNavigator--a shareware program that works as a plugin for Flight Simulator that plots IFR routes, and Jeppesen SimCharts--a collection of airport diagrams, SIDs, and STARs vital for navigating your aircraft on the ground.

Online, most controllers are very patient with newbies, and are eager to help. VATUSA makes a point of professionalism, helpfulness, and making the experience “as real as it gets,” so new users should not feel intimidated by the interface or the fact that everyone can hear spoken transmissions. Within a few flights, most new users are handling transitions, clearances, and altitude changes like a pro.

Finally, many virtual airlines exist, most notably SWVA (Southwest Virtual). And these airlines or the various controlling centers frequently host fly-in events or virtual air shows which anyone can participate in.

For anyone looking to expand the fun of Flight Simulator, or looking to improve on the experience, virtual air-traffic control is an easy way to do it. Plus, the price is right: free!

Useful utilities and websites:

• www.vatsim.net Virtual Air Traffic Flight Simulation Network. In particular, check out the “New Pilots Start Here” and the “pilot resource center” links. Squawkbox can be downloaded from this site.

• www.vatusa.org the US division of VATSIM.

• www.myairplane.com a database full of US Terminal Area procedures (SIDs and STARs)

• www.simroutes.com

• www.fsnavigator.com software that allows visual construction of flight plans and can be called up from within Flight Simulator.

• www.aopa.org the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association website. Some tools are available here for flight planning

• www.fltplan.com Free IFR flight planning

• www.flight1.com a collection of add-ons for Flight Simulator.

• www.pcaviator.com another collection of add-ons for Flight Simulator. This site is also the home site of Computer Pilot magazine, a wonderful magazine for those interested in simulated flight.

• http://www.virtualswa.com/home.php the homepage of virtual SWA.

• http://www.atcsimulator.com ATCsimulator2, also allows for multiplayer connectivity with Flight Simulator 98 - 2004.

• http://www.fscommander.com FlightSim Commander: a professional flight planner, GPS, and Moving Map for Flight Simulator 2004.