Hello all,

I've just signed up for Intercity after I found a link and description on Majestic's forum. The VA looks like exactly what I was after so looking forward to getting stuck in! I've not been simming very long (about a year, casually) and I only very recently purchased the Dash 8 so I'm still getting to grips with all of the procedures. Really enjoying the process so far though. Up until now I've been flying GA over Norway and England with associated Orbx sceneries and having a blast, but the Dash 8 is the reason I started simming in the first place so its acquisition was inevitable really . Outside of simming I'm a professional software engineer so happy to help out with any ACARS features/issues if the need arises.

I have a few questions surrounding the VA that I hope can be answered:

1. I'm flying offline right now but really hope to start using VATSIM as soon as I feel confident enough with the Dah 8. Until that time, how does one manage the offline environment? FSX/P3D ATC is less than useful for IFR routes, especially when using up-to-date AIRAC data in an FMC. Do offline fliers simply ignore ATC in these instances? In this case, traffic is best disabled given that ATC could give takeoff clearance when I'm 200m from the threshold!

2. I noticed that the VA has many awards and several different ranks for pilots. However, I can't find a list of these awards/ranks and the requirements to attain them. Are they published on the website anywhere? (maybe I've just overlooked them)

3. Not really a question - more an observation - but I noticed that EGLC has scheduled flights to our hubs - EGPH and EGBB - outside of operating hours. For instance, ICX111 departs EGPH at 07:00 and arrives EGLC at 08:30 on day 7 (assume this is Sunday) however EGLC is only operational 12:30-22:30 on a Sunday. Other flights from non-hubs seem to respect this limitation. Is this intentional or an issue with the scheduler?

Many thanks and look forward to completing my first Intercity flight this weekend.

Arron.

Welcome to Intercity!

Quote from: Arron Hartley on Mar 30, 2017 14:04
1. I'm flying offline right now but really hope to start using VATSIM as soon as I feel confident enough with the Dah 8. Until that time, how does one manage the offline environment? FSX/P3D ATC is less than useful for IFR routes, especially when using up-to-date AIRAC data in an FMC. Do offline fliers simply ignore ATC in these instances? In this case, traffic is best disabled given that ATC could give takeoff clearance when I'm 200m from the threshold!

If you use SimBrief to generate a flight plan through their website you can export it to FS as a flight plan, if you load this into FS when setting up your flight as you fly along your route ATC will leave you alone and just pass you from centre to centre. They will however vector you into land without a STAR which is a pain as sometimes they send you around the houses!
Alternatively setup a flight from XXX - XXX get your departure clearance, take off then cancel your IFR flightplan after departure and just call up tower for landing clearance.
There are also addons out there that simulate ATC better than the default but I always fly on VATSIM so cannot really comment on them.

Quote from: Arron Hartley on Mar 30, 2017 14:04
2. I noticed that the VA has many awards and several different ranks for pilots. However, I can't find a list of these awards/ranks and the requirements to attain them. Are they published on the website anywhere? (maybe I've just overlooked them)

We don't currently have a list of all of the awards, but when you load up ACARS there is a new awards tab which shows you the awards you are working towards and ones which you have achieved. This is pretty much all of the awards we have, and the ones such as 5 VATSIM hours etc go up incrementally. Awards such as Line pilot are achieved by flying (I think) 5 hours in each type.
We also have monthly awards for most hours logged in total and most hours logged online (VATSIM, IVAO or a mixture). We have a leaderboard for this on the stats page (here) where you can see whos currently in the top 3 positions, this updates in real time so always worth a quick check!

Quote from: Arron Hartley on Mar 30, 2017 14:043. Not really a question - more an observation - but I noticed that EGLC has scheduled flights to our hubs - EGPH and EGBB - outside of operating hours. For instance, ICX111 departs EGPH at 07:00 and arrives EGLC at 08:30 on day 7 (assume this is Sunday) however EGLC is only operational 12:30-22:30 on a Sunday. Other flights from non-hubs seem to respect this limitation. Is this intentional or an issue with the scheduler?

One for Mr Liu that, hes in charge of scheduling!

Welcome abroad Arron!

1) I hate FS default ATC with a passion (because it doesn't deal in SIDs or STARs or respect airspace limitations and has crazy vectoring) so I completely ignore it. As you point out this also means disabling AI traffic though, unless you want a very busy TCAS.

2) Chris H has already covered the awards stuff pretty comprehensively, but I found a summary I made a while ago at http://viaintercity.com/forums/general-discussion/new-feature-can-you-spot-it/msg835/#msg835

You can also find information about the ranks at http://viaintercity.com/forums/general-discussion/ranks/msg462/#msg462

This probably something we should document better on the main website, I'll make a note to put it on the About page, sorry!

3) Well spotted, it's probably an error I introduced when EGLC extended their STARs. I've fixed it on my master copy but it won't be live on the website just yet.

Thanks for the replies, most helpful. I like the idea of cancelling the IFR flight plan after takeoff and then requesting clearance to land at arrival. That way I can get useful taxi clearances at departure and arrival. I do enjoy seeing a populated airport however, so I'll plan on starting the sim with traffic and then once airborne, disable it until on the blocks. All rather nasty workarounds however so will aim for VATSIM as soon as I feel ready!

Ah yes, I didn't think about checking ACARS for the awards. Good to know but agreed, somewhere on the website might be useful too .

Best regards,

Arron.

Welcome Arron


When you start to use VATSIM, ensure you disable traffic in your sim! You will have enough on your mind as it is without non VATSIM traffic showing also 


Don't ask me how I know about this 


Flying online can seem very daunting at first, but it is quite straight forward and very engaging, and really enhances the sim experience. Once you are all setup and ready to go, I would recommend doing some online flights somewhere quiet with no controllers, say a local circuit detail. That way you can test everything is working as it should, so you can dial in any online ATC and have a listen to get a feel for the ATC flows. Maybe ask fro a radio check also so you know your system and peripherals are all working as they should be.


Remember that you aren't going to injure anyone online 

Good luck and enjoy

Sean

I've updated the bottom of the About page to include information about ranks and awards, it was previously hidden away in the forums so if you need bringing up to speed, you know where to find them now  I've also updated the Getting Started guide to mention them.