ATC will be staffed at both featured fields from 8-11pm ET. Click here for more information.
As many BVA members are aware, VATSIM is in the process of testing a new voice codec for the network. When the release date was originally announced, unfortunately the UDP connection had timed out, so it remains unknown when the new voice codec will be available. However, it is generally expected to be released within the next 1-2 centuries.
During this abbreviated period between today’s voice timeouts voice technology and the new codec, BVA is proud to present a new update for anyone flying in ZBW’s airspace. We feel our new technology will help make it easier to communicate with ATC until VATSIM’s new codec is released.
Remember the fantastic built-in air traffic control provided in Microsoft’s Flight Simulator X? Well, starting today (April 1), that’s exactly what you’ll get when you fly in our airspace!
In an effort to improve and standardize phraseology for the many student pilots who use the network, our controllers will no longer issue voice instructions. Instead, they will use a series of textual instructions or “dot commands” in radar clients, which will be integrated into the default ATC of your FSX or Prepar3D client. No longer will we be plagued with inept controllers’ phraseology deviations. With the new system, you will get the same by the book instructions each time you fly! If that wasn’t justification enough, we see the potential for not having to ask “say again” so often, as all instructions will be delivered by the soothing, robotic drone voice you have loved for almost a decade.
For example, a controller would type “.fh 300” into the radar client which will result in the following instruction being read to the pilot:
“BVA123, turn to a heading of tree hundred degrees“
Pilots will be given approximately 0.5 seconds to answer each transmission, before being prompted:
“BVA123, acknowledge last transmission”
“BVA123, did you hear my last transmission?”
“BVA123, acknowledge last transmission”
If a pilot has not acknowledged or complied with the instruction within 2 seconds, the new software will automatically inform the pilot:
“BVA123, IFR flight plan is cancelled, radar service terminated. Squawk 1200. Maintain VFR. Frequency change approved.”
We expect the new technology will be a big hit with pilots and will improve the efficiency of the entire airspace. But don’t take our word for it: we want to hear from you. Just type “.feedback” into your pilot client while flying in our airspace and the automated system will reply:
“Happy April Fools’ Day from Boston Virtual ARTCC”
Part of our responsibility as community administrators is to regularly review the resources available to the community to ensure they remain relevant, updated, and usable for our membership.
Over the past few years, it has become apparent that some resources currently available on our website may not be useful today as they were when they were first created. These are: Virtual FBO, Airport Updates, Charts, and the Pilot Timetable.
The Administration Team would like for the community to provide input, comment, and feedback on the aspects above, and to share suggestions about what should be done with each of these elements in the future.
Please visit our forums to read more about each of these community elements and provide your input and ideas for how we should move forward.
Boston's Logan International Airport (KBOS) recently constructed taxiway 'C1', near the approach end of Runway 33L:
We are proud to announce the new taxiway has been added to our freeware scenery updates for FSX, FSX:SE, and all versions of Prepar3D. These scenery updates are available to all BVA members free of charge.
If you currently use the BVA update in your simulator, we recommend you update. For more information, please visit our forums.
On Friday, April 26, we will be hosting our Spring FNO: The ROBUC Stops Here!
Pilots can expect to see a full staff at Boston from 7:00pm ET (2300z) until late into the evening. We hope to see many members of our pilot community arriving and departing from Boston during this event which is sure to draw a high volume of traffic from across VATSIM worldwide.
Visit our Events Calendar to see all of our upcoming events.
Last month's question was: according to the Federal Aviation Regulations, only flight instructors with instrument privileges (CFIIs) are allowed to give instrument training. However, flight instructors without their instrument privileges are allowed to train a private pilot student under simulated instrument conditions. How come?
Answer: the answer is in the FARs - specifically, student pilots are required to obtain "3 hours of flight training in a single-engine airplane on the control and maneuvering of an airplane solely by reference to instruments..." whereas instrument rating students are required to obtain "forty hours of actual or simulated instrument time... of which 15 hours must have been received from an authorized instructor who holds an instrument-airplane rating..." In other words, Part 61 specifically requires a CFII certificate to train instrument students, but a CFI (not CFII) can train private and commercial pilot applicants.
Challenge question: on multi-engine airplanes, what is a critical engine? Why is it "critical"? Are there cases where there is no critical engine?
