You make some good points there Peter so excuse what may be a lengthy
reply.
1) Now that members are experienced, is VATSIM such a bad option?
Not at all - but I can see problems here. VATSIM is a step too far to
newcomers to ATC and it is this market I want to open up. PCI gives a more
relaxed, informal system on which skills can be taught and honed towards
the
standard VATSIM would expect.
Some existing pilots are well up to VATSIM levels now but controllers are
a
different issue. To log in as a VATSIM student controller requires a test
to
be taken and then training has to be booked with a qualified mentor. I am
not on the VATSIM mentor list simply because I didn't want to get swamped
with trainees all the time - it would have been a full time job which
would
have stopped my design work and my JHB involvement.
VATSIM UK is also going through a tough time and there is a meeting coming
up to discuss UK issues. I've not found out what these are (I don't read
the
UK forum) but feelings seem to be high about the direction the UK is going
in. I'd rather not jump into VATSIM whilst it is this state of flux.
2)In terms of maintaining the adrenalin fix, flying to places abroad
gives you a big one if the controller at the forrin end is a native of
that
country.
There are hardly any controllers in PCI outside the UK any more so that
option is limited. If you are specifically talking about VATSIM then the
idea is not immediately advisable as pilots will have a lot of work on
their
hands just adjusting to the new system. For example, with a lot more ATC
units being present on VATSIM it would be far more essential for pilots to
have a clear idea about airspace boundaries and ensure that they don't
climb
into airways or fly into active CTR's. To do so would probably invoke a
stronger reaction from VATSIM controllers than here on PCI.
3)New pilots: - At Cix we offer training using FSNet where if things go
pearshaped, the instructor does indeed take over.
Does this mean you take new pilots directly into VATSIM? If so do you have
a
rule that requires new pilots to log in only if you have an instructor
booked for the session specifically for that pilot? If we go that route
then
we would require a grading system for JHB pilots so that some could be
classified at instructor level. The downside is that instructors may find
themselves permanently stuck in the role and that isn't always welcome.
bones
-----Original Message-----
From: jhb-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:jhb-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Peter Dodds
Sent: 11 May 2007 11:19
To: jhb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: pdodds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [jhb] Re: PCI Breaking News
We have a small community which is friendly, supportive and helpful.
We don't just fly together, we share personal life experiences and
specialist aviation knowledge and we are all happy to pool our
(varied) knowledge of pc systems and hardware. I will always want to
be identified with JHB, long may we survive.
Totally agree. Members of the Cix VFR Club say similar things about us!
Although I don't fly with JHB (I don't even get to fly with Cix that
often these days because the family need me) I feel 100% a member of JHB
because of the group's inclusive nature.
A couple of points from Bones' long post.
1) Now that members are experienced, is Vatsim such a bad option? JHB
could "adopt" an airfield, as Cix have adopted Biggin Hill and
Gloucester. In fact we have had Gary Summons (a member) create a club
hangar for us at Gloucester and we have "built" a Clubhouse, FBO and
hangar (with opening doors no less) at Biggin. Ops could be based from
there and we would have the big advantage of lots of places to go with
good ATC cover. Vatsim mans London Information regularly these days, so
you can get continuous ATC for VFR flights from Cornwall to Cromer!
Airfields which currently have no resident ATC in Vatsim are too
numerous to mention, but for those JHB controllers who are currently not
licensed on Vatsim, they can operate as students under Bones'
supervision until they qualify. It would be a new direction, but JHB
would be moving into the mainstream of on-line flying without losing its
unique identity.
2)In terms of maintaining the adrenalin fix, flying to places abroad
gives you a big one if the controller at the forrin end is a native of
that country. This can happen with vatsim; Cix's most recent event was
to Le Touquet from Biggin, with a genooine frenchman on Lille radar and
Le Took tower. 14 aircraft took part (we invited Bristol virtual flying
club to join us and there were 22 movements on the night. Flights on
such a scale I am sure would be entirely possible within JHB if my
suggestion 1) were considered.
3)New pilots: - At Cix we offer training using FSNet where if things go
pearshaped, the instructor does indeed take over. With FSX cockpit
sharing, student/instructor flights are even easier. Student/Instructor
flights with either FSNet (for FS9) or FSX work under Vatsim, with both
pilots able to use the radio. This is a major plus, because it is using
the radio which is the biggest hurdle for new on-line pilots to overcome
and they often collapse in gibbering verbiage at first, the instructor
hastily taking over.
Peter
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