VATSIM - Good or Bad...

JustViper

JustViper

Filing Flight Plan
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Apr 5, 2022
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JustViper
What is everybody's thoughts on VATSIM and other simulators in general. Are they just for fun or do they have a purpose? Can you learn from it, what can you learn from it? Answer below.
 
I've always felt that my radio comms were better than the average student thanks to my time on VATSIM.
 
PilotEdge is much better. It’s fully staffed & the controllers know what they’re doing. Downside is that you have to pay $29 a month, but I just sign up for a month at a time to refresh skills & then cancel.
 
I should note that on Vatsim I did both the pilot side and controller side. When doing my IR rating last year I never had to learn what an approach clearance was like. I already knew it from Vatsim training.
 
Never used VATSIM myself, but I grew up playing around on various MSFS versions and absolutely attribute much of my accelerated Private training to that. Being able to know what all of the instruments are and what they represent, as well as basic aerodynamic properties saves a lot of brain power in the cockpit as a student pilot. Taking the check ride at 41 hours total time probably wouldn't have happened for me without a few hundred hours of tooling around in MSFS, even if spread across many years. I'm sure VATSIM and other sims would help immensely with radio coms and knowledge of general procedures when doing IFR training, which again, would just help reserve some brain power for dealing with information overload.
 
I think it appeals to a certain personality.

I admit that I got buttmad and lost interest when vatsim told me it would be 3 years of training to be considered to volunteer as an ATC sector. I would have thought the instructor ratings and proficiency would shortcut some of that, but apparently not.

PilotEdge looks really cool to me. I can't believe that's a viable business, it must be hell keeping talent on staff and engaged.
 
I have more hours spent flying on VATSIM than I am prepared to admit on an internet forum... :D

I use X-Plane for fun. And for me, it's not fun unless there are other people on the radio. That's where VATSIM comes in. Is it realistic - pretty much. They controllers do a good job replicating real-world procedures and use the right phraseology. Several of the center and approach controllers are real-world controllers and the service from them is excellent. The virtual-pilots - meh. It's hit or miss. Anyone can pop on VATSIM and try to fly in the virtual system. Some are good at it. Some not so much. But the ones who can't follow instructions or are in way over their heads with aircraft they are trying to virtually fly make it pretty amusing to listen to.

What I usually do is log in during the evening hours and use the map.vatsim.net site to pick an area with good coverage. Then plan a flight around that. Even better is to find an event night where entire sectors are staffed up from top down. I did one this past week-end from LA - Denver with fully staffed atc from Clearance Delivery in LA (yes, you have to file a flight plan and get a clearance. And they check them to make sure they are valid) all the way to ramp control to the gate in Denver... ok now I am outing too much to this group, but hey it's a cheap hobby and you can enjoy a few adult beverages while flying in the virtual system in VR on a A321 ok... :D

Would I use VATSIM for training... I don't know. I never did. Like I said, I just do it for fun. Honestly, it's a bit addicting. Once you fly with virtual ATC, it's hard to use a simulator without it.
 
ktup-flyer said:
PilotEdge over Vatsim all day
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My beef with PilotEdge is that it is a paid service that is limited to a relatively small area. Even with those limitations (small area), most of the time spent online I was talking to the same guy who was covering all of the stations. Just like VATSIM. Except VATSIM is free and worldwide.
 
ktup-flyer said:
PilotEdge over Vatsim all day
Click to expand...

Totally agree in terms of quality. But they are only on the west coast.

By the way, for added fun and hilarity, try virtual-flying in Europe, South America or Asia... The Euro procedures are similar.... yet different. But so much more civilised what with that accent and all. :D
 
I haven't been on Vatsim in 15 years. I was a ZFW controller and ended up quitting when they started putting minimum quotas on. Apparently they can't accommodate someone with a busy career and a newborn baby. Water under the bridge. I still have fond memories.
 
Deelee said:
I have more hours spent flying on VATSIM than I am prepared to admit on an internet forum... :D

I use X-Plane for fun. And for me, it's not fun unless there are other people on the radio. That's where VATSIM comes in. Is it realistic - pretty much. They controllers do a good job replicating real-world procedures and use the right phraseology. Several of the center and approach controllers are real-world controllers and the service from them is excellent. The virtual-pilots - meh. It's hit or miss. Anyone can pop on VATSIM and try to fly in the virtual system. Some are good at it. Some not so much. But the ones who can't follow instructions or are in way over their heads with aircraft they are trying to virtually fly make it pretty amusing to listen to.

What I usually do is log in during the evening hours and use the map.vatsim.net site to pick an area with good coverage. Then plan a flight around that. Even better is to find an event night where entire sectors are staffed up from top down. I did one this past week-end from LA - Denver with fully staffed atc from Clearance Delivery in LA (yes, you have to file a flight plan and get a clearance. And they check them to make sure they are valid) all the way to ramp control to the gate in Denver... ok now I am outing too much to this group, but hey it's a cheap hobby and you can enjoy a few adult beverages while flying in the virtual system in VR on a A321 ok... :D

Would I use VATSIM for training... I don't know. I never did. Like I said, I just do it for fun. Honestly, it's a bit addicting. Once you fly with virtual ATC, it's hard to use a simulator without it.
Click to expand...

I've got a new-n-box Honeycomb Alpha flight yoke and Bravo flight controls with the intent on doing some work in the virtual world before jumping into IFR training in the real world. Any benefit to logging onto VATSIM to observe or fly VFR?
 
SoonerAviator said:
I've got a new-n-box Honeycomb Alpha flight yoke and Bravo flight controls with the intent on doing some work in the virtual world before jumping into IFR training in the real world. Any benefit to logging onto VATSIM to observe or fly VFR?
Click to expand...

I think there might be.... may be helpful for filing and then copying clearances. That part is pretty spot - on. Then flying the SIDs, getting handed off from tower to approach to center... yeah that's all pretty realistic.

Logging in to observe is a good way to start. Or just dive right in. No phone numbers on VATSIM :D
 
Deelee said:
I think there might be.... may be helpful for filing and then copying clearances. That part is pretty spot - on. Then flying the SIDs, getting handed off from tower to approach to center... yeah that's all pretty realistic.

Logging in to observe is a good way to start. Or just dive right in. No phone numbers on VATSIM :D
Click to expand...

Lol, yeah I don't think I'd want to try and copy a clearance and read back anything without spending some time observing for bit. Those teenagers hurling insults about my mom on Call of Duty have nothing on FAA controller wannabees yelling at a newbie!
 
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