Evan Reiter

Let's discuss during Office Hours next weekend.

KTPA/KPBI is a bit longer than I'd like to see in most circuit events but I will happily add it to the list. Unfortunately we won't get to it before the Getaway.

Our next Pack the Pattern will be held at KVNY, per your request. Good idea!

Are you suggesting that we have R, Cl, G, T, D, A, and C for 6 major airports? That's going to (with the adjoining centers) work out to 20-30 controllers online. I don't think we have the pilot or technological base to support that type of ATC.

All of these routes have been added to the list except for KSEA/KPDX since it's already there twice and will be a candidate for the Getaway Rc to that area. For what it's worth, we have featured KTUL, KICT, KPDX, KSEA, KATL, KGTF, KMSO, and KSTL in past events. However, I think all of the route pairings you have here except for KPDX/KSEA are new. I have a list going of 50+ Regional Circuits because the scenery design team needs some lead-time in determining which airports require updates. You probably won't see the first of these new routes for the next month or so, but I will sprinkle them in with the others.

Too long for an Rc.

I tend to pick Regional Circuit events that I've seen to be popular and those apparently tend to be along the coasts. However, as I've said in a number of places on the forums, you can request Rc destinations and those will be picked up and added to the schedule. Why don't you pick some airports that are 70-150nm apart, each with 7,000'+ runways, and post the pairs here? I'll add them in to our list of upcoming events. We've tried a tri-city Regional Circuit before and it really didn't go well; two of the airports were somewhat busy and the other one didn't get much. But the traffic was dispersed enough that we really didn't get a critical mass anywhere.

You could...by this point, it won't matter since the controller can see your tag, knows which runway you were assigned, and can visually determined whether you are in the right place. I guess for clarity it wouldn't hurt to say the specific localizer/runway that you are on, but as far as I know it's not a requirement. My reference for the entire document is the CAP413 supplement that has been touted in a couple of places (http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP413Supplement.pdf). Check the phraseology example on page 14.

European Tour Phraseology Quick Reference Guide.pdf[/attachment:32k4puay] A huge thanks to Claudio (Cpais) who created this document, along with Pierre (Pierul) and Josh (TheNavyReapers) for review.

Great idea, I'll work on that now. Here's a quick list of some of the things I think should be included. Anything I missed? Get IFR clearance What to do after the clearance Requesting Taxi Cleared for Takeoff Radar contact Climb to altitude Descend from altitude QNH/Altimeter Join the localizer Cleared ILS Cleared to land Flight Following --> Basic radar service Traffic alerts/advisories ILS frequency + localizer course heading (where to find it) SIDs (key differences) STARs (key differences)

With the European Tour approaching, do pilots have any specific concerns or fears about flying in non-U.S. airspace? I know we have had a few events in Canada that weren't as well attended as others and I'm hoping that was coincidence rather than fear of something new. For what it's worth, controllers will mostly use familiar phraseology (U.K. phraseology will be optional for those controllers who wish to simulate it) and while the charts may look different, the procedures and navigation equipment is generally standard across borders. The preferred routes are somewhat more complex than normal, but (just like always) you'll have flight plans for download and the option of flying DIRECT if you prefer. We are also planning to put together a video to help pilots learn more about the differences between phraseology and procedures in the U.K. (and Europe in general). The video will be in the format of a flight departing Glasgow (EGPF) and Manchester (EGCC) that we hope to have available for you well in time for the event. If anyone is interested in participating as either a pilot or controller (and especially if you have an English or Scottish accent!), please shoot me an e-mail ([email protected]). The time commitment for the video is 10am-1pm ET on Sunday, June 12. If you have any questions or trepidations about European airspace...or what should be in the video...please let us know so that we can try to address them. While we hope the European Tour will be a fun break from our standard North American operations, we also want to make sure that you can have fun flying your aircraft and aren't too inconvenienced by the differences in protocol to look out the window and enjoy the new scenery!

Done. The next Pp after KLAS will be held on a Sunday night.

We already do the Pp more than all the events except the Regional Circuit. Trying to do it more often -- as we have for the past few months -- has reduced the attendance at some of the events. It seems people get a little tired of that event if it happens once every two weeks (or more often). All of our events except the Regional Circuit rotate. The GA Fly-In is often on a weekend, but not always, and often on different days. The Dj and Pp events change days each time; the last Pp was a Thursday, the next is on Monday.

I'm not sure we'd be able to feature KSAN for a Pack the Pattern event; with one runway, it wouldn't really allow for much in the way of VFR traffic and consequently wouldn't be able to appeal to everyone. However, SAN is featured in a number of Rc events and we will continue to feature it. Pp at KMCI has been done. We can do KDEN. Luke's idea sounds a lot like the Pack the Pattern event. We already have a lot of people that fly into and out of the event. I think it takes away from ATC and the atmosphere we're trying to create because, unless we have 40-50 people doing it, ATC will be busy for the few minutes of arrivals and departures and bored while we sit waiting for the traffic to land and turn around. The HTC events have generally been less successful than other events, which is why we have cancelled them. Similarly, events that are overly complicated or feature too many weird restrictions tend to drive away traffic, which is why we haven't done a second Boston Marathon event.

I'm sure Dan doesn't mean to suggest that the autopilot shouldn't be used while being turned on downwind to final...it's absurd to think that most jet pilots are hand-flying those turns to final in real life; I'd bet they wait until they are established on the radial/localizer inbound and then flick off the autopilot because (of coure) everything after DIALS would have to be hand-flown. That being said, FSX's autopilot is nautoriously bad for managing intercepts and quick instructions. While the autopilot is very useful, Dan's correct in saying that it tends to slow people down. Part of the problem is that it's a poor simulation of realistic autoflight functionality. However, pillots sometimes wait to readback an instruction before making any control input changes. Whenever I get an instruction, sometimes even before I hear the entire thing, I've started making changes. If I'm close to the localizer and the controller says "(Evan's callsign), turn left...", I'm already changing the numbers to what I guess the heading will be, and a second after he gives me a heading to fly, it's in the MCP window. THEN I read it back. If you're doing things quickly, you might be able to compensate for FSX's autopilot. George, your point is well taken. I'll take a part of the blame for this one; I had a few people too close to the final approach course for them to make a turn that wouldn't put them through the final approach (can't remember if you were one), which might have made it more difficult for you and Dan. The LGA sector is VERY small, and there's not a ton of room for people in downwind turns, especially with the departures we had off Runway 31. The screenshot below shows the airspace we have to work with; that thin middle section near LGA is all. Too far north and Newark will start yelling; too far south and JFK would. The yellow area is where you were before Dan gave you instructions to turn (this is roughly where I gave you a descent to 4,000 and frequency change to 134.95). Eventually, you would follow the red line into Runway 31. Notice how the airspace by Runway 31 (right where you make the turn to final on the Expressway Visual) juts out a bit. That's so pilots can turn final without interfering with JFK. Also note the lead-in lights at JFK that show up as little airports; that's the route a departure from JFK's 31L/R (blue line) would fly so they are clear of arriving aircraft at KLGA. As the live radar monitor shows, when New York gets busy and uses this configuration, it's a thing of beauty. http://www4.passur.com/lga.html (try to set the time to a busy period where LGA is landing 31 and JFK is departing in the same direction). In other words, LGA has a tiny sector and there's not a lot we can do to keep you inside it. That's why some of the turns were -- as Dan said -- a little faster and more furious than you may have been used to. I hope that our controllers recognized that and were able to compensate for it, if not on final approach, then in other places. I know I happily handled a few go arounds and got them re-sequenced; most times, aircraft that missed the first one got it right on the second time. And that's exactly what we're going for. I earned my private ticket in Syracuse... A class Charlie airport... granted it's not a class Bravo... but it does get its share of busy waves of airline traffic (AA, JBLU, Delta, USAir etc). During my training, I spent countless hours doing pattern work even during those busy times and one of the most effective ways I found SYR Tower to keep things efficient was to make me turn 360's on downwind close to the field. By keeping me near the airport fence, he/she can immediately give me instructions to squeeze me in between Jet traffic if an opportunity arises. A few simple instructions to turn 360's and then another one to enter base to final only takes a minute or two before another jet arrival. Excellent point and suggestion. That's something I haven't been using but will consider starting it. Also a good point. While it's obvious that you would never be permitted to fly VFR circuits in a C172 at Class B airspace pretty much ever, for the purposes of our Pack the Pattern events, many of the VFR aircraft can mostly be treated as if they were at a Class C airport, and sometimes the traffic levels mimic a Class C over a Class B. I'd agree that we should have a better attitude toward VFR aircraft and think we (controllers) can use your suggestion of keeping you "close but not too close" so we can sequence slower-moving props in between the jets. That could apply for VFR arrivals as well. While Boston is very accomodating of VFR traffic (as Bruce who's flown there in real life or any Cape Air pilot who does it daily), they are less easily able to handle slow movers during IFR days when they must be sequenced on long finals between jets. I remember listening to Boston Approach trying to vector an IFR C172 between two jets in IMC on Runway 27. I wish I had the tape, but all I remember from it is him saying "keep your speed up, don't slow down, there's traffic slowing down behind you, keep your speed up until short final". It was quite entertaining. Again, at KLAS, it should be much easier than KSFO because the airport configuration will better allow for C172/slower traffic. 4 runways that can operate (almost) independently are much easier to handle than 4 crossing runways, none of which are far enough apart to be treated as separate.

While it was VMC, the configuration at KLGA does not well allow for VFR closed traffic. We permitted VFR arrivals and departures and even vectored at least one C172 into an IFR pattern for the Expressway Visual Runway 31 approach. In most cases, we do permit VFR closed traffic, and I normally try to pick airports that will facilitate that. KLAS is a good example of one that will work; so was our previous Pp at KIAH. At KIAH (and I suspect at KLAS) we had small piston VFR closed traffic operating on a third runway, with instructions to follow other aircraft and remain clear of a departure corridor. At one point on IAH_T, I had 3 piston aircraft in the pattern for one runway and had to move all three because Approach decided to send an IFR arrival in on that runway, despite the availability of 4 others...thanks a lot Domenic! Yeah, SFO is a specifically difficult configuration for your aircraft type because of the wake turbulence thrown off by arrivals and departures off the 28's, and there's not a lot of room at that airport in general. Because of its configuration, SFO only has one tower controller and there's no way to split the frequency which further contributed to the difficulty. At KLAS, we should have better luck because there are 2 tower controllers, and I can envision a successful pattern on one of the 19s/1s depending on the wind (and whether you're ok with flying a C172 in the pattern on such long runways). I think that's up to the individual controller (other controllers, feel free to respond), but I enjoy working smaller traffic during Pp events, especially at some of the airports better set up for it (for example, KSLC and KFLL both have small runways that are perfect for VFR closed traffic). Part of the fun and challenege is sequencing the slower-moving pistons in with the fast-moving jets. Of course, especially while flying VFR, the Tower controller will have the ultimate say as to whether the traffic, wind, and configuration allow for VFR operations. IFR aircraft we'll do both; we've seen events where people stop and taxi back, do touch/stop and goes, or just complete one circuit. Plenty of aircraft also fly in to the airport, starting flights before the event begins so they can arrive at the peak. You're right, a "pattern" does imply VFR operations and closed traffic, which is why I normally talk about aircraft flying "circuits" rather than "patterns". Maybe the event is a little mis-named.

I was quite impressed with the large number of pilots that successfully (i.e. landed in one piece) completed a least one Expressway Visual Runway 31 Approach at KLGA during this evening's Pack the Pattern event. Without a doubt, this was one of the most difficult Pack the Pattern events, and I think this charted visual approach is one of the most difficult in the U.S. We even had one A380 fly the approach (perfectly, I might add)! The Pack the Pattern events continue to be one of my personal favourites because it combines the most exciting and interesting parts of flying--navigating in complex airspace on busy frequencies and in congested airspace--with the most enjoyable part of ATC: controlling and sequencing busy traffic. On multiple occasions, our three approach controllers had to coordinate in order to leave gaps for arrivals from the north and south outside of the pattern, and for the aircraft requesting the Localizer 31 approach. It was very neat to have to actively plan for other aircraft and leave holes in the sequence so that we could throw an aircraft from another direction in. And, of course, I had a great supporting cast of controllers to help manage the traffic in and around the airspace. Great work and great fun everyone! See you in Vegas for the next one on June 6.

Maintenance completed successfully.

I'll be beginning some maintenance in about 1-1.5 hours (after I sign out of ZNY).

Change of plan: I'll give this a try again tonight at 11:30pm ET.

The website may be offline for a brief (20-30 minute) period this evening for a version upgrade. Assuming all goes well, then the site should be offline for a very brief period and will be back shortly. Otherwise, the website will probably be offline for a non-brief period until 5 months from now. :P

The final count will be updated in about an hour, but as of 10:54pm ET: 139 pilots 1,722 pilot-controller interactions 839 flight plans 291 hours, 12 minutes of ATC flight time CONGRATULATIONS BVA! This has been one of my favourite events. I'm off on a 48-hour project and some other stuff this week, so you'll get the full de-brief with more information next weekend and at the beginning of next week. We exceeded the cap, meaning that both BVA and the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Breast Cancer Society will each be receiving $750. Thank you to every single pilot and controller, especially those who stayed up overnight, for contributing to make this one of the greatest successes our community has ever seen. Now, time to start planning the next great success...(next week, now bedtime)

The Flight for the Fight is on! Boston Center will be continuously staffed until 11pm ET on Sunday! You can view traffic statistics updated each hour at: http://66.109.25.244/stats/fftf_participation.htm. The last update time is located at the top. Clicking on the hyperlinks will let you view the specific interactions for that pilot. Hope to see you flying at some point over the next two days.

The one element that has thus far eluded my ability was -- as those of us familiar with the website have noted -- the live map (http://bostonvirtualatc.com/dnn/ViewSession/Map.aspx). Although all the files from our old ISP were in place, the map simply wasn't displaying correctly. Thanks to the hard work of Evan Smith (BVA ID "fscats"), we were able to get the map back online and functioning to the level it was at our old ISP. For those of you unfamiliar, the map displays aircraft in FSX and overlays of some of our popular/featured airspace. It is quite a useful tool for planning flights or for checking when you are within controlled airspace (this functionality will soon be available within FlightDesk as well). We are very lucky that Evan Smith was willing and able to spend time troubleshooting this issue because he coded the map more than 4 years ago and recently took on a demanding job with a high-profile software company (perhaps the same one that coded FSX...). He took a fair bit of time over the past few weeks and weekends to diagnose and resolve the issue that was preventing the map from displaying correctly. What I do at BVA doesn't require much still. For the most part, the things I do could be mastered by anyone willing to dedicate some time to the community. However, the complex web or application programming that Evan and Bill have become masters at is a totally different story. Learning programming languages to the point where you are able to create innovative and functional software is something that many professional software designers do...and charge for. The fact that several of them have dedicated their time to our community, and to creating applications like our live map, is incredible. Without question, BVA would not be a fraction of what it is today without payware-quality applications like FlightDesk. We often recognize the importance of something when we have lost it. The past few weeks should, if nothing else, serve as a reminder of how fortunate we are to have such applications available to us at no cost. On behalf of the community (and myself), I am forever grateful to the work of Bill, Phil, Evan, Dan, and anybody else who has lent us skills that would be well beyond what we could ever afford.

I believe we have featured this aiport as an Fi in the past. That's something we can do again after the next one on Cape Cod.