SuperATC

VFR - Ensure Flight Plan is Loaded

If upon starting the SuperATC programme, the system reports...
    "No flight plan has been loaded"
please do the following:

If FS2002 or FS2004 (FS9), with the simulator in view...

  1. Click on the ALT key
  2. Click on Flights, or press the F key
  3. Click on Select a Flight, or press the F key
  4. Select your previously saved flight.

If FSX, with the simulator in view...

  1. Click on the ALT key
  2. Click on Flights, or press the F key
  3. Click on Load, or press the L key
  4. Select your previously saved flight.
The system will report...
    "It appears as though we have changed the flight plan."
and the system will reload.

You're ready to go!


VFR - Specify Destination Airport

Since we are flying VFR, typically Michelle will already know what the destination airport will be. However, it doesn't hurt to confirm this fact. In this example, let's say you've filed a VFR flight plan that will have you landing at the non-towered airport Orcas Island (KORS). You will say to Michelle,
    "Make the Destination airport Kilo, Oscar, Romeo, Sierra"
She will respond with something like…
    "Roger. Kilo, Oscar, Romeo, Sierra"
    "Distance 25 miles."
    "Airport altitude 23 feet."
Once you are within 50-miles of the destination airport, and at a steady cruising level, Michelle will say…
    "I need to do some calculations. I'll be with you shortly."
During this brief period of time (typically about 15 to 20 seconds depending upon the number of airports in the general area), she is looking at her charts and gathering the information for all airports that exist within a 50-mile radius of the aircraft's current position. When she's finished her analysis, she'll say…
    "Okay… I'm back."
When you get within about 24-miles of the Destination airport, Michelle will say,
    "Captain, you may wish to announce our landing intentions at this time"

VFR - Departing from a Non-Towered Airport

In this example, we’ll be departing from Chilliwack airport (CYCW).

Taxiing for Takeoff at a Non-Towered Airport

First contact the traffic within the airport’s general area by saying:

    “Charlie Yankee Charlie Whiskey Traffic”, or “Chilliwack Traffic”
Next specify your Full Tail Number. Let’s say your Tail Number is N176CM, you’d say:
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”
Now you’ll tell the traffic you’re taxiing to runway 7 for example. You’d say:
    “Taxiing to runway 7”
You then terminate the communication by repeating the airport’s ICAO or name:
    “Charlie Yankee Charlie Whiskey”, or simply, “Chilliwack”

When you specify a runway, the IYP application “remembers” that you’ve done so. This is required in case you change your mind and decide to taxi to another Runway. You’d repeat the same announcement as above, however the menu selections within the Microsoft ATC Window are now different.

NOTE: If you re-load the aircraft, causing the Microsoft ATC Window menu items to be reset to the point where no runway has been selected, then the SuperATC programme will be “out-of-sync” with the simulator. In this case say,

    “Reset runway assignment”
to reset the SuperATC system to a point where no runway has been specified.

Departing from a Non-Towered Airport

Once you’ve taxied to the departing runway (e.g. runway 6), you’ll make another announcement to the local traffic in the area of your planned departure parameters. Therefore, you’d say:

    "Charlie Yankee Charlie Whiskey Traffic", or "Chilliwack Traffic"
Next specify your Full Tail Number. Let's say your Tail Number is N176CM, you'd say:
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
Now you’ll tell the traffic you’re taking off from runway 6 for example. You’d say:
    “Taking off from runway 6”, or, “Taking off runway 6”, or, “Departing runway 6”
followed by the pattern you’ll be using, for example:
    “remain in pattern”, used for doing touch-and-goes, or
    “remaining in pattern”, also used for doing touch-and-goes, or
    “using the option”, also used for doing touch-and-goes, or
    “departing straight out”, or
    “departing the pattern to the north”, or
    “departure to the north”, or
    “departing the pattern to the south”, or
    “departure to the south”, or
    “departing the pattern to the east”, or
    “departure to the east”, or
    “departing the pattern to the west”, or
    “departure to the west”
You’ll then typically specify your intended altitude. For example you’d say:
    “Climbing to 6 thousand 5 hundred”
You then terminate the communication by repeating the airport’s ICAO or name:
    “Charlie Yankee Charlie Whiskey”, or simply, “Chilliwack”
Off you go!

NOTE: We will cover Touch and Go in a separate section later on!


VFR - Departing from a Towered Airport

In this example, we'll be departing from Abbotsford International airport (CYXX).

Getting the ATIS Information at a Towered Airport

First you contact ATIS to get the weather conditions by saying to your co-pilot:

    "Switch to ATIS"
This will change the radio frequency to that of the ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information System). Listen to the ATIS report, get the current barometric pressure, and set the Altimeter accordingly. Then listen for the active runway(s) and wait for the phrase from ATIS that will be something like this:
    "Advise controller on initial contact you have India"
The word "India" is a handle for the latest ATIS update. The next update will likely use the word "Juliet", then "Kilo", and so on. Jot down all needed information, then say:
    "Switch to Ground."
This will change the radio frequency to Ground Operations at (in this example) Abbotsford (CYXX).

NOTE: There will be a slight delay in changing frequencies. Please wait.

Taxiing for Takeoff at a Towered Airport

You will first contact Ground Operations and identify your aircraft with your Full Registration by saying (in this case):

    "Abbotsford Ground"
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
then, make your request for taxi by saying one of the following:
    "Request taxi touch and go with India"
    "Request taxi for takeoff touch and go with India"
    "With India request taxi touch and go"
    "With India request taxi for takeoff touch and go"

    "Request taxi to remain in pattern with India"
    "Request taxi for takeoff to remain in pattern with India"
    "With India request taxi to remain in pattern"
    "With India request taxi for takeoff to remain in pattern"

    "Request taxi using the option with India"
    "Request taxi for takeoff using the option with India"
    "With India request taxi using the option"
    "With India request taxi for takeoff using the option"

    "Request taxi departure to the north with India"
    "Request taxi for takeoff departure to the north with India"
    "Request taxi north departure with India"
    "Request taxi for takeoff north departure with India"

    "With India request taxi departure to the north"
    "With India request taxi for takeoff departure to the north"
    "With India request taxi north departure"
    "With India request taxi for takeoff north departure"

    "Request taxi departure to the south with India"
    "Request taxi for takeoff departure to the south with India"
    "Request taxi south departure with India"
    "Request taxi for takeoff south departure with India"

    "With India request taxi departure to the south"
    "With India request taxi for takeoff departure to the south"
    "With India request taxi south departure"
    "With India request taxi for takeoff south departure"

    "Request taxi departure to the east with India"
    "Request taxi for takeoff departure to the east with India"
    "Request taxi east departure with India"
    "Request taxi for takeoff east departure with India"

    "With India request taxi departure to the east"
    "With India request taxi for takeoff departure to the east"
    "With India request taxi east departure"
    "With India request taxi for takeoff east departure"

    "Request taxi departure to the west with India"
    "Request taxi for takeoff departure to the west with India"
    "Request taxi west departure with India"
    "Request taxi for takeoff west departure with India"

    "With India request taxi departure to the west"
    "With India request taxi for takeoff departure to the west"
    "With India request taxi west departure"
    "With India request taxi for takeoff west departure"
The Microsoft ATC will respond with something like this:
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
    "Taxi to and hold short of runway 7 using taxiway Charlie."
    "Contact Tower on 119.4 when ready."
You acknowledge the foregoing ATC instruction by saying:
    "Taxi to and hold short of runway seven using taxiway Charlie."
Then use either your Short or Long Registration to terminate the communication with:
    "6 Charlie Mike", or, "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"

Requesting Take Off Clearance from a Towered Airport

You contact Tower by simply saying to your co-pilot:

    "Switch to Tower"
Now you need to request Take Off Clearance by saying:
    "Abbotsford Tower"
    "Cessna 6 Charlie Mike", or "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
and one of the following (e.g., Runway 7 - East Departure):
    "Ready for East departure at runway 7", or
    "Ready for departure to the East at runway 7", or
    "At runway 7, ready for takeoff", or
    "At runway 7, ready for takeoff East departure", or
    "At runway 7, ready for departure", or
    "At runway 7, ready for departure to the East"
The Microsoft ATC will respond with something like this:
    "Cessna 6 Charlie Mike"
    "Cleared for takeoff Runway 7, East departure approved."
You need to acknowledge this by saying:
    "Cleared for takeoff Runway 7, Cessna 6 Charlie Mike", or
    "Cleared for takeoff Runway 7, Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"

You're airborne!

After Takeoff VFR from a Towered Airport

Touch and Go

If you had originally requested taxi to the active runway for Touch and Go, then immediately after takeoff, the only Microsoft ATC menu item that will be apparent will be:

    1 – Request Full Stop Landing
If you fly further away from the typical Touch and Go pattern area, the Microsoft ATC menu items will become:
    1 – [Tune Abbotsford ATIS on 119.800]
    2 – Request Full Stop Landing
    3 – Request Airport Direction
    4 – Cancel Landing Intentions

NOTE: Microsoftism: Unless you Cancel Landing Intentions, you can fly all the way the Los Angeles, California, and as far as the Microsoft ATC is concerned, you’re still planning on coming back to Abbotsford, BC, Canada... DUH?

NOTE: We will cover Touch and Go in a separate section later on!

Leaving the Airport’s Area

If you had requested taxi to the active runway for a departure to the North, South, East, West or straight out, then immediately after takeoff you’ll have these options:

    1 – Request Touch and Go
    2 – Request Full Stop Landing
Since you’re flying VFR and you’re intending on leaving the area, the Abbotsford Tower will contact you as you leave their airspace and will say, for example:
    “Cessna Six Charlie Mike"
    "You’re leaving my airspace."
    "Frequency change approved.”
Okay! We’re still flying our Cessna Skyhawk (Registration N176CM) and we definitely want to comply with our VFR filed flight plan. Therefore, we need to contact an en route controller to request flight following. In order to identify the controller to speak with, you can simply say,
    “ATC”
This will pop-up the Microsoft ATC window. In this example, you observe…
    {Choose an option for Victoria Departure on 132.700}
Now that you know you’ll be speaking with Victoria Departure, you can say,
    “ATC”
once again to close the Microsoft ATC window (although this is not necessary).

VFR - En Route ATC

VFR Flight Following

Now that we’re airborne, you may wish to contact ATC to request Flight Following. VFR "Flight Following" is a service provided by air traffic control (ATC) and is available to all VFR pilots. Flight following can best be described as flight insurance. While receiving flight following, you're in radio contact with a controller at either Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), or an Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC).

ATC is designed to permit controllers to issue traffic information to pilots based upon radar contact information, so as to ensure that other aircraft in your flight path will not intersect with yours. By communicating with ATC, you have complete knowledge of the air traffic you are flying through. ATC controllers may use phraseology like, "traffic alert", or "low altitude alert", followed by a description of the alert and a recommendation for how to avoid it.

You may also request navigational assistance, or request separation from other aircraft. When flying VFR, you can request radar vectors... controllers typically will not initiate radar vectors for VFR G/A aircraft.

While using flight following, you'll have a greater chance of flying a more direct route to your destination because you can request a transition through an airport’s airspace. For example, given proper clearance from ATC, you can fly through a class B and/or C airspace if they are not being heavily utilised. This saves time!

Here’s a typical Request for Flight Following:

Let’s say we’re flying our Cessna Skyhawk (Registration C-IYPT) out of Chilliwack, BC, Canada (CYCW), and once we’ve climbed to an altitude of 2,000 feet, we want to request flight following. In order to identify the controller to speak with, you can simply say, “ATC”. This’ll pop-up the Microsoft ATC window. In this example, you observe…

    {Choose an option for Victoria Approach on 132.700}
Now that you have established that you’ll be speaking with Victoria Approach, you can say, “ATC” once again to close the Microsoft ATC window (not necessary). Now let’s contact Victoria Approach to request flight following. You’d say,
    “Victoria Approach”
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”
    “8 miles west of CYCW”
    “Request flight following”
The Microsoft ATC will respond with something like this…
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike, squawk 6375”
You would then say to your trusty Co-pilot, Michelle or Mike…
    “Squawk 6375”
Once the transponder is set, Microsoft ATC will respond with something like this…
    “Cessna 6 Charlie Mike”
    “Radar contact 8 miles east of Abbotsford, 2000."
    "Altimeter, 3014”
You would then acknowledge the information by saying…
    “Copy. Cessna 6 Charlie Mike.”
That’s it!

ATC Hand- Off:

While in the flight following mode, you will invariably be handed-off from one controller to another as you make your way to your destination. The Microsoft ATC controller will say something like this…

    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
    "Contact Vancouver Approach on 132.3”
You will acknowledge the instruction by actually instructing Michelle to tune…
    “Going to 132.3”
Michelle will change to that assigned frequency and say to the Approach controller…
    “Going to 132.3… Cessna 6 Charlie Mike”
Then, you contact Vancouver by giving the short form of your aircraft’s Registration followed by your current altitude…
    “Vancouver Approach."
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike, is with you”
The Microsoft ATC controller will respond with something like this…
    “Cessna 6 Charlie Mike"
    "Vancouver Approach."
    "Altimeter 3010.”
That’s it.

Request to Cancel Flight Following:

To cancel flight following, you’d say this…

    “Victoria Approach. Cessna 6 Charlie Mike”
    “Cancel flight following”
Microsoft ATC will respond with…
    “Cessna 6 Charlie Mike, Victoria Approach”
    “Cancellation received. Squawk 1200. Frequency change approved”
You say to Michelle,
    “Squawk 1200”
That’s it.


VFR - Landing at a Non-Towered Airport

When you get within approximately 24-miles of the Destination airport, Michelle will say,
    "Captain, you may wish to announce our landing intentions at this time."
You comply when you are ready by saying (for example),
    "Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra traffic", or "Orcas traffic"
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
    "15 miles north east of Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra. 3000"
    "For Landing runway one six."
    "Full stop", or "Touch and Go"
finally terminating the communication with…
    "Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra", or simply, "Orcas"

Approaching a Non-Towered Airport

As you approach the airport, you can say, for example,

    "Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra traffic", or "Orcas traffic"
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
    "Entering Base for runway 16"
    "Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra", or "Orcas"
Then, as you turn onto Final, you would say,
    "Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra traffic", or "Orcas traffic"
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
    "On Final for runway 16"
    "Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra", or "Orcas"
If you are flying Touch and Go patterns, you might say…
    "Entering Upwind for runway 16", or
    "Entering Crosswind for runway 16", or
    "Entering Downwind for runway 16", or

After Landing at a Non-Towered Airport

Once you land and clear the runway, you say…

    "Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra traffic", or "Orcas traffic"
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
    "Clear of the runway"
That's It!
VFR - Landing at a Towered Airport

Let's say you'd decided to land at the Vancouver International airport (CYVR). Somewhere along the line, perhaps while you were still parked at the departure airport, you'd have said to Michelle,
    "Make the Destination airport Charlie Yankee Victor Romeo"
Once you get within 25-miles of the Vancouver airport, Michelle will say something like this,
    "Twenty- five miles. Eleven o'clock."
As you get within approacimately 24-miles of the Vancouver airport, Michelle will say,
    "Captain, you may wish to contact the tower at this time."
Once you're ready, you say to Michelle,
    "Switch to the Tower", or
    "Contact the Tower"
IMPORTANT NOTE: If by chance you had asked Michelle to prepare for a transition through (for example) the Abbotsford airspace, you must keep in mind that she is still looking for that airspace. Ergo, if you simply say, "Switch to the Tower" as per above, she'll think you're asking her to connect to the Abbotsford Tower. In this case, you would use the phrases,
    "Switch to the Destination Tower", or
    "Contact the Destination Tower"

NOTE: As a practical matter, you can use the above phrases at all times when approaching the destination airport.

After asking her to contact the Vancouver Tower, Michelle will ripple through the Microsoft ATC menu system in order to locate the airport within the list and connect with the Tower. If she doesn't get connected properly, she'll try again. Once connected, she'll say,

    "We're tuned to the Tower."
At this point you would likely say,
    "Switch to A T I S"
in order to get the Vancouver weather conditions and the active runway(s). The Vancouver ATIS will respond with something like this:
    "Vancouver information Kilo. 0002 ZULU. Wind 112 at 4. Visibility 12. Sky conditions few clouds at 1,100. 2,400 scattered. Temperature 17. Dew point 11. Altimeter 2999. ILS runway 8 Right. Visual Runway 8. ILS runway 8 Left. Landing and departing runway 8 Right, Runway 8 and runway 8 Left. VFR say direction of flight. All aircraft read back hold instructions. Advise Controller on initial contact you have Kilo."
From the foregoing, we know that the active runways are 8R, 8 and 8L, and the latest ATIS report has the moniker "Kilo". Once you've gathered the information, you'd say something like this,
    "Vancouver Tower"
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
    "17 miles southeast of Charlie Yankee Victor Romeo"
    "With Kilo requesting full stop landing"

NOTE: We will cover Touch and Go in a separate section later on!

The Microsoft ATC system will respond with something like:

    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike."
    "Enter right-based Runway 8 Right."
    "Altimeter 2999."
You respond with something like,
    "Fly right downwind Runway 8 Right."
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike."
Here's a situation. Let's suppose that although Vancouver Tower has assigned you Runway 8 Right, you'd prefer to land on Runway 8 Left. You would say,
    "Vancouver Tower"
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
    "Request alternative Runway 8 Left"

NOTE the use of the word "alternative". The Microsoft ATC system will respond with something like:

    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike."
    "Enter right-based Runway 8 Left."
    "Altimeter 2999."
You respond with something like,
    "Fly right downwind Runway 8 Left."
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike."
As you begin the descent down the natural glideslope towards the airport, the Tower will say,
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike."
    "Cleared to land Runway 8 Left."
You respond with practically an echo,
    "Cleared to land Runway 8 Left."
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike."

NOTE: If for some reason you lose communications with the Tower while on approach, then say…

    "Reconnect with the Tower"

After Landing at a Towered Airport

Once you've touched down and slowed the aircraft, the Microsoft ATC system will say something like:

    "Cessna 6 Charlie Mike, exit runway when able", or
    "Cessna 6 Charlie Mike, turn next taxiway"
As you exit the runway, the Microsoft ATC system will tell you to contact Ground Operations by saying something like,
    "Cessna 6 Charlie Mike, contact Ground on 121.7."
You will acknowledge the instruction by actually instructing your CoPilot to tune…
    "Going to 121.7"
Your CoPilot will change to that assigned frequency and say to the Tower controller…
    "Going to 121.7… Cessna 6 Charlie Mike"
The ATC window will likely have the following options:
    1. Request Taxi to Gates
    2. Request Taxi to Parking
    3. Request Taxi to Fueling
    4. [Taxi for Takeoff Options . . .]

NOTE: Request Taxi to Fueling is only present in FSX.

At this point you'd say:

    "Vancouver Ground"
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"

    "Request Taxi to Gate", or
    "Request Taxi to General Aviation Parking", or
    "Request Taxi to Fueling"
or, if you're planning on leaving right away, perhaps you'd say,
    "Switch to ATIS"
This will change the radio frequency to that of the ATIS. Listen to the ATIS report, get the current barometric pressure, and set the Altimeter accordingly. Then listen for the active runway(s) and wait for the phrase from ATIS that will be something like this:
    "Advise controller on initial contact you have India"
The word "India" is a handle for the latest ATIS update. The next update will likely use the word "Juliet", then "Kilo", and so on. Jot down all needed information, then say:
    "Switch to Ground"
followed by,
    "Vancouver Ground"
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
    "With India, request taxi, departure to the east"
Let's assume we requested taxiing to General Aviation Parking. The Microsoft ATC system will say something like:
    "Cessna 6 Charlie Mike"
    "Taxi to General Aviation Parking using taxiway Hotel, Alpha"
Once again, you practically echo the instruction, by saying,
    "Taxi to General Aviation Parking using taxiways Hotel, Alpha"
    "Cessna 6 Charlie Mike"
If needed, you can then say…
    "Turn Progressive Taxi On"
and if you want to turn it off, say…
    "Turn Progressive Taxi Off"
That's it!
















































©2009 Robert Cezar and Pacific Feelings Media.