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This past summer, Boston Virtual ATC merged with VATSIM’s ZBW ARTCC. The merger is believed to be the largest merger in the flight simulation industry to date. The end result has been an incredibly positive situation for both organizations, resulting in better service to pilots and more immersive experiences for controllers.

The story of Project Vector, the merger of Boston Virtual ARTCC and VATSIM's ZBW ARTCC, was recently published on flight simulation news outlet FlightSim.Com. The Administration Team had wanted to share the story of this incredibly successful and historical merger with the rest of the flight simulation world in order to showcase what we've accomplished as a community.

While the article was written for the general flight simulation community, if you're interested in learning more about exactly how the merger came to pass, you can read the full article on FlightSim.Com's website.

 

 

Regional Circuit: KMHT - KBTV
February 9, 8:00 PM ET

GA Fly-In: KASH, KBAF, KEWB
February 24, 8:00 PM ET

To see all of our upcoming events, please visit the Events Calendar. You can also add 'events.bvartcc.com' as a subscribed calendar to see our events on your phone or desktop calendar.

 

FlightSimCon 2016 is rapidly approaching! Be sure to check out the article below.

 

We are just a few months away from FlightSimCon 2016! Once again, Boston Virtual ARTCC is a founding sponsor and key centerpiece of this event. FlightSimCon will again be held at the New England Air Museum, on the grounds of Bradley International Airport (BDL), just north of Hartford, Connecticut.

In addition to being a great chance to show off our community, FlightSimCon represents one of two major member meet-ups that we hold throughout the year (the other being Tea Party in August). We plane-spot from the hotel, attend conference events together, and of course, there's the annual and very unofficial ultimate (frisbee) tournament that's held just after the conference.

FlightSimCon itself will be held on June 11 and 12, 2016. The event is already shaping up to be bigger and better than ever with new exhibitors and sponsors being confirmed each week.

If you haven’t already, visit www.flightsimcon.com to complete your registration. When registering, we encourage you to include the FlightSimCon Dinner (most of our members will be attending). List your company/organization as "Boston Virtual ARTCC". Remember, all members will be given a free Boston Virtual ARTCC T-shirt (same design as last year) to help promote our organization at the event.

For more information, questions, or comments about the event, please visit our forums. We'll look forward to seeing you again, or meeting you for the first time, this June!

Read Full Story >

 

Cape Air Virtual's Pilot of the Month is:

 

 

This Cape Air Virtual pilot has flown 11 perfect flights this month under terrible weather. Next month will be on total flights!

BVA's ATC Instructors have recognized:

 

 

as Air Traffic Controller of the month for January for his outstanding dedication and service.

 

Over the past month, we have seen three members step up to the plate and join our growing staff.  Firstly, we welcomed James Yuen to our organization as the Virtual FBO Chief Flight Instructor.  As CFI, James is responsible for managing the Pilot Ratings Program, including assigning pilot ratings as people make their way through the program.

This month, we also welcomed two new Mentors to our ATC Training Staff.  Brandon Bergna joined our ATC program less than a year ago and completed his first training session on February 16, 2015 with current Mentor Andrew Miller.  Since then, he has climbed the ladder quickly and recently achieved the S3 rating (required to work Approach).  During his most recent training sessions, his performance and knowledge were both noted as being above average for someone of his level and experience.

 

Krikor Hajian began his ATC training this summer, completing his first session on June 23, 2015 with Mike Willey.  In one of the first sessions he had, the Instructor working with him commented that he had "A LOT of work-on that need to be improved" and gave him the lowest grade he would ever receive.  Typical of HI, however, he bounced back.  Krikor has always been someone who takes pride in his work and treats a less-than-ideal scenario as an opportunity for improvement.

 

 

One of the most important aspects of our community in need of attention is technology. Today we operate a patchwork of databases and web systems that could be much more interconnected. In addition, the community is still missing a unifying chat and community-building application (like FlightDesk used to be).

The Administration Team is now seeking a qualified ‘techie’ to fill the role of Webmaster. The role would include the creation of a new website (or at least a unifying system to bring databases together), as well as the responsibility for creating a program similar to FlightDesk that would allow members to communicate in real-time whether or not they are connected to VATSIM.

 

 
FAA Equipment Suffixes
Last month, we asked you: "What is the correct FAA aircraft equipment suffix for a plane that is not RVSM certified, has DME with a Mode C transponder?"

The correct answer is: "/A." These "slant suffixes" tell the controllers what kind of routing and altitude an aircraft can accept. Be sure to file the correct code! A full list can be found on on our website.

Challenge Question: Unless otherwise stated on an A/FD (Airport/Facility Directory), should a pilot fly left or right closed traffic at uncontrolled fields?

The answer to the challenge question will be included in next month's Pilot Tip.

 

 

Each month, we run a content on our forums to determine who has the best flight simulator screenshot. This month, the winner of the contest is Nils Backe for his shot of a TBM850 approaching Laconia, shown below.

 

You can always find current and archived editions of the Logan Informer on our forums.