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Why I don\'t fly online?

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EHM-0695 Scott:
I've flown thousands of hours on VATSIM and IVAO networks. Flying in North America is enjoyable and a fun experience. Flying in Europe is hectic and frustrating. Controllers on both networks can be impatient and rude. They complain when your flight plan is not a real world route. If we had thousands of virtual flights then I can see the importance of filing correct flight plans but, when there is one controller and a handful of aircraft in the airspace, let's have an enjoyable and social experience.

Over the years I have even come to recognize controllers I enjoy and ones I avoid. Though the controllers I don't like are VERY FEW, they are enough to make me pass over the online experience in favor of a more relaxed but most often busier flying experience offline.

If you want real world accuracy, go to school and get your commercial licence. My biggest pet peeve of online flying are oceanic controllers..... Seriously what is the point? They kick flights off the network and suspend pilots for lying on the couch during their 5 hour crossing with nothing important to do. What idiot would actually sit in front of the computer for 5 hours while the autopilot navigates across the Atlantic with no other traffic around for 300 miles?

Meh, to me as real as it gets counts on departure and on arrival. I've been flying online since the days of SATCO and I feel the more complicated and regulated flying has become, the less interest. Although the statistics may say otherwise, the turnover on online pilots seems to speak volumes for the need to relax and remember this hobby is social and fun, not a job.

Online flying is in tough competition with AI traffic. With accurate fleets and schedules, you become immersed at a major international airport in a wide variety of traffic. Online aircraft are inconsistent and internet lag can cause some pretty unusual aircraft movements (though better than FS98).

Those of you that have not tried online flying should. It really is more interesting than offline. The learning curve is much steeper than most other online gaming but, worth the experience when you complete a flight online from departure to arrival with full controller support and busy online traffic. For me, I am still content with AI and FSPassengers.

I 100% agree that both pilots and controllers should be polite and courteous while online no exceptions.

Controllers should be able to adapt the level of authenticity to the pilot's liking..... there should be compromise when the airspace is not busy (for example, the controller can simply offer a different clearance to conform to real world planning and the pilot should have the option to accept it or prefer his/her original plan .... again when the airspace is not busy).

Pilots, if the airspace is busy, don't fly there unless you are prepared to follow correct procedures (do some research on the airspace both VATSIM and IVAO provide a wealth of education on their sites). Controlling when it is busy requires alot of multitasking - make it easier and be supportive by knowing your airport procedures and preferred routes etc.

Have fun out there on or off line.

EHM-2272 Callum:
I passed my vatsim OBS>STU ATC exam last night! I'm in the Essex RTS and I have a meeting with the RTSM soon then I can start controlling! I am already S3 on IVAO and regularly do EGSS_GND, unfortunately I never get EHM pilots as we do not have EGSS on our schedule :( I have learnt a lot from IVAO but decided to make the move to vatsim as there is a lot more traffic and it will enable me to learn even more!

It just shows I have come a long way as you will see my post up the top saying I was scared to fly online, now a few months later I never fly offline and I am an avid controller!

;D

EHM-2447 Rob:
I much prefer to fly offline as you can more easily re-create a real world scenario. OK if you do make a mistake you don't get an ear full that's true but with loads of AI and RC4 or PFE depending on my mood, there's plenty of action and radio traffic. You can even have recordings of RW atc going on at the same time if you want.

My experiences with online flights have been disappointing in the most part unless you are involved in a "fly in" in which case you have all the other VA pilots around you and the banter can be fun.

I chose this VA because I like the Flogger and Propilot. It's too easy to fake flights when you fly and post a pirep. Much better to have your flights logged with an acars system. Keeps you honest.

This is a great VA but must say the forum is under used for the number of Pilots on the roster. Come on you lot out there PARTICIPATE!!

Rob

EHM-1465 Dominic:
Interesting point of view Rob, thanks for sharing your experiences :) Glad you're happy with your time at EHM ;)

So, does anyone else have a view on this topic? Share your thoughts ;D

EHM - 2439 Robert:
I have flown and controlled already thousands of hours online. I started with Globalsim where I was Controller 2 and Senior Flight Captain. After a while since there was not much traffic on this network I decided to go to Ivao where I just passsed my Controller 1 exam.
If I read all the stories above from beginning till advanced online pilots, I see a lot of simalarities.

Some group does not dare to fly online, I can imagine, some controlles are really not nice and welcoming to newbees.
I started my first flight on Vatsim and got yelled at by a controller for not sending a good flight plan. I took me half a year to dare and try again.

Overall it is really fun to fly online and share your hobby with other flightsim enthousiasts and I love the online atc. However some people dont seem to be able to seperate the virtual world from the real world.

I get a lot of controllers and pilots on networks really communicating negatively and annoyed all the time.

Whenever somebody does something wrong they get a really negative reaction.

Just one example:

I took off once and did not see the Atc because it just came online and forgot to sqwuak charlie.

Controller:

EHM2439 point 1 you should have contacted me since you are in controlled airspace dont you know the rules of the network?
point 2 you should have sqwuaked mode charlie blablabla

Doesn't a radar indentified please sqwuak mode charlie (as I would do) succeed? Do you really have to downgrade people like that?

Of course I try to do everything as real as it gets but also as fun as it gets.
To share this hobby together via the internet is a fantastic thing and one of the most important things is respect each other and have fun together.

Never forget that there was a time you did not know how to file a flightplan, how to program an Fmc, to allign IRS, to fly Sids/Stars. And think of all the people who gave you information.

Of course if you are new to online flying as said before try to find a not so busy controller to ask questions. Controllers get annoyed when you ask them questions in a crowded airspace, when they have their radar screen full of dots.

And don't forget on networks like Ivao (also google finds a lot) there is so much documentation available that you practically don't need help. I got sometimes annoyed with pilots asking me questions every day which they could have found on the website of the training department. (Don't forget that a lot of people spend a lot of time making this documentation for you)

Anyway long story, I love flying online, bassically allways fly online, sometimes offline if I am too busy with reallife things.

I would really encourage everyone to start flying online, it is a wonderfull experience having live atc and share your hobby with friends.

And don't get disencouraged as a newbee, a network is just like the real world, some people are nice some people aren't!
In the end there are tons of friendly, enthousiastic people who want to help you find your way in the online world!

See you in the air!

Robert

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