[jhb] Re: IVAO Changes for pilot ratings
- From: "Fossil" <fossil@xxxxxxx>
- To: <jhb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 8 Jul 2009 19:19:11 +0100
When starting a VA it is all too easy to fall into the trap of over
regulating. Many try to emulate real world airlines and they think they can
do this by applying real world rules. IVAO and VATSIM are falling into the
same trap for ATC too but more of this in a minute.
Some VA's reproduce the actual schedules of the airlines they emulate. The
trouble here is that in the real world the senior pilots get to pick the
best routes and the newcomers are left with the dross (when Tony moved to BA
he got stuck with Heathrow-Detroit for years). If you try that in a VA your
newcomers aren't going to be happy - but I've seen some try this. Some VA's
try a proper command structure but again it doesn't work because in real
life it takes decades to work your way up the ranks. That's assuming the
airline doesn't go bust and you end up at the bottom of the ladder again.
A VA should be fun. Trying to make it real turns it into a career - and not
a very realistic one at that. Even with regulations, using FS Passengers and
other add-ons you still cannot emulate the real world to any degree of
accuracy. You don't get stuck on stand waiting for a slot time some three
hours ahead, you don't suffer technical failures that leave you stuck
overnight in a dismal airport and you aren't forced to fly with a First
Officer with the wit of a slug. Any VA that thinks they are doing it for
real is dismally unaware of what real is truly like.
IVAO and VATSIM are falling in the same trap but I am more inclined to
defend them. They are online ATC services and so try to provide as accurate
portrayal of this. If you don't want ATC you fly offline or use MP if you
want company. You join IVAO because you want to have interactive ATC but
that also implies knowing and operating with some sort of ATC structure. I
think we all accept this.
What is going wrong is that IVAO and VATSIM try to separate out the good
controllers and pilots from the bad ones. FRA's are a way of doing this but
it isn't ideal - personally I don't like them. If you rate an airport as C1
only then you limit the use of that airport to times when a C1 wants to jump
in there. I log into EGNS about once a week so it effectively closes the
airport to ATC for the other six days. The rest of the UK is equally empty
because we don't have enough C1 rated people to staff the places. I guess it
comes down to whether pilots would like some ATC even though it may be
rubbish or no ATC at all.
I would have thought the existing rating system was enough to tell people
what to expect. If you see an S1 plugged into an airport it automatically
means he's a newcomer and probably doesn't know what he is doing. Treat with
caution and you'll probably get some sort of service but nothing brilliant.
If you see a C3 online you know that capability is much higher - and your
own capabilities will be expected to be higher too. The only tricky rating
for ATC is an S3 because he could have been doing the job for years but not
bothering to take exams - or could be a 25 hour newcomer.
Newcomers will always be on the system and we have to allow for it.
Restricting them with FRA's isn't the best way. ATC should always expect a
novice to call them and do daft things - and pilots should always expect to
encounter a new controller from time to time and allow him some slack (or
avoid him).
bones
bones@xxxxxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: jhb-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:jhb-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Gerry Winskill
Sent: 08 July 2009 11:21
To: jhb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [jhb] Re: IVAO Changes for pilot ratings
I'm a bit reassured by a reply on the first link.
The second link asks for my username and password, before I can read the
thread. Since I've misplaced the notebook in which I writ them, I won't
bother.
There was an item on Flightsimcom, at the beginning of the week,
attacking VAs, and Vatsim, for their rules heavy approach. The criticism
doesn't apply to JHB but I'm concerned that IVAO may be going further
down the bureaucratic path.
I always have suspicions about outfits that move towards grander titles.
Gerry Winskill
Kev Townsend wrote:
>
> A very hot topic - 33 pages in 72 hours
>
> <http://gb.forum.ivao.aero/index.php/topic,115055.0/topicseen.html>
>
> I think many are concerned that there is a plan in place for
> introduction of FRA's for pilots online! (as seen by ATC)
>
> For very sensible alternatives, just read the responses from Peter Bremer
>
>
> If you dont want to trawl through the thread just read the explanation
here
>
<http://forum.ivao.aero/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=115100.0;attach=6203
>
>
>
>
> best wishes
>
> Kev
>
>
>
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