First Online Experience

By Robert Szikszo / EHM1001
 

The first online experience with many surprises.

I was afraid that my knowledge of procedures are not enough for online flying. But I was sure I could not miss the feeling and fun totally therefore I prepared everything for the first online experience. It was the “Flying to a dream” fly-in.

The event was held on VATSIM network. We flew from Munich to Pisa. The meeting point was agreed at 18:00Z which was 20:00 local time here in Central-Europe. I was not sure of the ZULU time and time zones in the summer therefore I checked the network at 7 pm by the superb program: ServInfo. Only one EHM plane was online: Scott Clifford was flying from Zurich to Munich on an ATR that we will use for our online event. I was glad I have not missed anything and gone for searching and downloading all the needed information for the flight. I thought the planned 30 minutes preparation time will be enough before takeoff, but within this 1 hour I prepared everything: filled out flight plan, loaded the game with correct time, location. Then I placed my ATR-42 with engines shut down onto a parking slot that I hoped to be vacant. Then I started the multiplayer game procedure I tried out 2 days before the event.

When I popped myself on apron6 at Munich airport, Scott was on final with his plane and 2 other EHM planes were already waiting at Apron 6. I placed my plane according to the airport layout chart but the installed AFCAD file seemed to place everybody else on the other side of taxiway Sierra so I joined the group and lined up in Slew mode. The awaiting guys tried to contact me but I did not know how to send private message. I quickly looked after it in the SquawkBox help. During this time all the bosses arrived: Gergely, Manu, Maarten joined the team. The rush hour started at the airport. More and more planes joined the session and connected to Munich tower asking clearance. For first I simply wanted to welcome the tower and tried to put together my clearance request when the tower reported me “Stand by No 5”. I was standing by and listened to other pilots communicating on RogerWilco In the background the family watched TV therefore I did not want to use voice communication, I only listened other pilots. The airport was very busy, about 20 planes were waiting for clearance and about 5 were trying to land. I was surprised very much about large traffic. Then I got my clearance for a vectoring takeoff instead of the planned SID procedure. I thought perhaps because I did not request a SID departure when contacted the tower. When I got my startup clearance too then came the big surprise.

The tower shouted to somebody more times to check RogerWilco settings but it was very poor quality and in treble echo so I was not sure if I understood it correctly. Occasionally I checked RogerWilco and realized that many pilots left the channel and some minutes later I was the only one... I was watching Apron 6 from top-down view and continuously checked moving planes around me. Then suddenly Maarten then Manu then some minutes later Gergely started taxiing and I knew I must be on a wrong frequency because I heard pilots talking to each other but I did not hear any EHM planes. I reloaded the frequency table from SquawkBox and connected once more to the tower. The frequency was very busy so I was sure I am at the right place. I was asking again taxi clearance and I got it some seconds later.

I have to tell you I was just bouncing on the taxiway. After the frequency change my engines gone unsynchronized that happened once more too later. Somehow I got to the holding point of the runway 08R that was used that night for takeoffs. Gergely sent me a private message that he is over TULSI point where the SID procedure should be finished and he is en-route to Pisa. When I reloaded the aircraft the engines gone synchronized again and the tower was a bit nervous why I did not reply to him because 2 or 3 awaiting planes were behind me. Some seconds later I got takeoff clearance.

I got airborne and tower passed me to Munich departure. By that time I already set 1500 fpm climbing rate and my plane was flying upward. I entered to the departure frequency. For minutes nothing happened. I heard as other EHM planes chatting with controllers. I was still flying runway heading and left the appropriate SID turning point by 6 miles when the controller connected me. He told me to turn toward TULSI which was the exiting point of the TULSI SID procedures. I was turning toward TULSI and followed climbing to flight level. I was almost at flight level, when Munich departure passed me to Munich radar. I was confused a bit because I forgot the given frequency once the controlled told it. He mentioned Munich radar and I could not find it in the available frequencies list. I replayed the communication traffic in the chat window and there was the given frequency. Now I know RADAR means CENTER ;) I connected to Munich center and continued climbing until I reached flight level. I was wiping the sweat from my forehead. It was incredible. Until this point I flew like I never flown before. Everything went bumpy and it seemed I forgot everything. When I fly offline everything goes like a Swiss watch: I know where and when to click. But this first online flight was a total mess in my part...I decided to concentrate even more. But then came other difficulties.

When flying offline I used to make flightplans with max. 5-6 legs (each about 50-150 miles) which is quite easy to remember and keep under control. But this event had a very detailed flightplan with 20-40 miles legs. I almost get lost because I was starting to delight in the Alps mountains when another turn was coming. I felt myself like a race driver who prepares for every turn on the track. Another difficulty was the weather that night. Incredible western wind was up there. I had to turn 10 degrees against the wind to keep the course but I always got sideway and was not able to follow the path. I had almost always a 1 mile distance from the path center. My plane was bouncing from the left to the right and could not keep the path centerline. Next to it I missed almost every turn and I was always "off the track". This is because I like flying with autopilot NAV-HOLD selector switched off. I like turning myself. At least I am doing something up there by myself. ;)

Later Munich passed me to Milano center. I heard as other EHM planes are descending for final approaches. I heard that some pilots lost voice communication while others have flightplan problems. There could be large traffic on our route because the controller forced two planes to slow down to 180 KIAS. Perhaps they had to be separated more for approach. I tried out the route 2 days before and remembered intersection LUTOR where I had to start descending to reach transition level over Pisa at 5000 feet according to charts. I was waiting for minutes but Milano center did not give me permission. Then lastly I was able to start descending when Milano center passed me to Pisa controller.

It was interesting to see that everything the controller said was typed in the SquawkBox window too. I passed FRZ VOR then reached the transition point at 12000 feet over Pisa. I hoped the controller is a pro as reported and I had to trust him. When I reached Pisa area I realized the reported optimal GMT setting was wrong. The sunset was over and it was dark night. I reset the time by 1 hour and made some shots as I was heading toward the sea. Some seconds later the airport popped up on my left side as I was continued descending. I realized the local matador controller direct me well over the sea. I was facing with sunset and made some more screenshots. The Pisa coast almost disappeared behind me when I had to turn back to catch the glide slope. I checked the GPS gauge and found I am very far from the planned turning point. Somebody landed in front of me and I heard there are calm winds from the right. The guiding to the glide slope was perfect, I was 10 miles from landing point, flashing lights and the Italian coast in front of me.

I was on the glide slope and entered the tower frequency. When I finished the communication with tower I found my plane started turning from the optimal direction. Next time I will turn on flight director until I chat with the controllers. I tried to correct the heading but somehow I could not. I got well above the slope too. Then I had the idea the crosswind was higher I desired. My plane was sliding to the left and somehow I could not find the center of the runway. Before touchdown I made a screenshot. It was a tricky landing, I hope passengers did not feel it. I also forgot to setup autobrakes and I ran off the runway sideways a bit. I was fighting with the ATR to slow it down and keep along with the centerline of the runway. When it was running at taxiing speed only I started to search for a good taxiway. A British Airways plane behind me started landing procedure, I know I had to vacant the runway soon. I turned left for gates and finally I was on taxiway Echo, the only one is open for public traffic. Other taxiways are used by military planes. I requested taxi clearance and headed for stand 5. The only EHM plane was Manu there who seemed to wait until everybody landed. I made the shutdown procedure and took a farewell from Pisa tower. We had a short conversation with Manu and asked other pilots who were still airborne. It was 11 pm and I needed relaxing for next day jobs. I gave thanks for Manu for inviting this superb event and exit the game.

I was very happy that participated in this well organized event that was the first online experience to me. I knew the next one will be more successful but until I had to learn more and more the procedures and the conversation with controllers. Next time I will try voice communication too. I hope my level of knowledge will increase a lot. See you on the sky on the next EuroHarmony online event!

 

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