SuperATC

Free Flight - Departing from a Non-Towered Airport

There's typically no need to specify the departing airport, because the software automatically recognises the airport where the aircraft is located before departure. However, under some circumstances, the system can erroneously select another closeby airport. So, it's usually a good idea for you to specify the origination airport... just to be sure.

You'll note that in the Free Flight mode, we are not going to be defining the destination airport before departure; we will do this while in-flight. However, there is nothing that precludes you from specifying the destination airport before departure.

In this example, we’ll be departing from Chilliwack airport (CYCW).

Taxiing for Takeoff at a Non-Towered Airport

First contact the traffic within the airport’s general area by saying:

    “Charlie Yankee Charlie Whiskey Traffic”, or “Chilliwack Traffic”
Next specify your Full Tail Number. Let’s say your Tail Number is N176CM, you’d say:
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”
Now you’ll tell the traffic you’re taxiing to runway 7 for example. You’d say:
    “Taxiing to runway 7”
You then terminate the communication by repeating the airport’s ICAO or name:
    “Charlie Yankee Charlie Whiskey”, or simply, “Chilliwack”

When you specify a runway, the IYP application “remembers” that you’ve done so. This is required in case you change your mind and decide to taxi to another Runway. You’d repeat the same announcement as above, however the menu selections within the Microsoft ATC Window are now different.

NOTE: If you re-load the aircraft, causing the Microsoft ATC Window menu items to be reset to the point where no runway has been selected, then the SuperATC programme will be “out-of-sync” with the simulator. In this case say,

    “Reset runway assignment”
to reset the SuperATC system to a point where no runway has been specified.

Departing from a Non-Towered Airport

Once you’ve taxied to the departing runway (e.g. runway 7), you’ll make another announcement to the local traffic in the area of your planned departure parameters. Therefore, you’d say:

    "Charlie Yankee Charlie Whiskey Traffic", or "Chilliwack Traffic"
Next specify your Full Tail Number. Let's say your Tail Number is N176CM, you'd say:
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
Now you’ll tell the traffic you’re taking off from runway 7. You’d say:
    “Taking off runway 7”, or,
    “Departing runway 7”
followed by the pattern you’ll be using, for example:
    “remain in pattern”, used for doing touch-and-goes, or
    “remaining in pattern”, also used for doing touch-and-goes, or
    “using the option”, also used for doing touch-and-goes, or
    “departing straight out”, or
    “departing the pattern to the north”, or
    “departure to the north”, or
    “departing the pattern to the south”, or
    “departure to the south”, or
    “departing the pattern to the east”, or
    “departure to the east”, or
    “departing the pattern to the west”, or
    “departure to the west”
You’ll then typically specify your intended altitude. For example you’d say:
    “Climbing to 6 thousand 5 hundred”
You then terminate the communication by repeating the airport’s ICAO or name:
    “Charlie Yankee Charlie Whiskey”, or simply, “Chilliwack”
Off you go!

NOTE: We will cover Touch and Go in a separate section later on!


Free Flight - Departing from a Towered Airport

There's no need to specify the departing airport, because the software automatically recognises the airport where the aircraft is located before departure. You'll note that in the Free Flight mode, we are not going to be defining the destination airport before departure; we will do this while in-flight. However, there is nothing that precludes you from specifying the destination airport before departure.

In this example, we'll be departing from Abbotsford International airport (CYXX).

Getting the ATIS Information at a Towered Airport

First you contact ATIS to get the weather conditions by saying to your co-pilot:

    “Switch to ATIS”
This will change the radio frequency to that of the ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information System). Listen to the ATIS report, get the current barometric pressure, and set the Altimeter accordingly. Then listen for the active runway(s) and wait for the phrase from ATIS that will be something like this:
    “Advise controller on initial contact you have India”
The word “India” is a handle for the latest ATIS update. The next update will likely use the word “Juliet”, then “Kilo”, and so on. Jot down all needed information, then say:
    “Switch to Ground.”
This will change the radio frequency to Ground Operations at (in this example) Abbotsford (CYXX).

NOTE: There will be a slight delay in changing frequencies. Please be patient.

Taxiing for Takeoff at a Towered Airport

You will first contact Ground Operations and identify your aircraft with your Full Registration by saying (in this case):

    “Abbotsford Ground”
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”
then, make your request for taxi by saying one of the following:
    “Request taxi touch and go with India”
    “Request taxi for takeoff touch and go with India”
    “With India request taxi touch and go”
    “With India request taxi for takeoff touch and go”

    “Request taxi to remain in pattern with India”
    “Request taxi for takeoff to remain in pattern with India”
    “With India request taxi to remain in pattern”
    “With India request taxi for takeoff to remain in pattern”

    “Request taxi using the option with India”
    “Request taxi for takeoff using the option with India”
    “With India request taxi using the option”
    “With India request taxi for takeoff using the option”

    “Request taxi departure to the north with India”
    “Request taxi for takeoff departure to the north with India”
    “Request taxi north departure with India”
    “Request taxi for takeoff north departure with India”

    “With India request taxi departure to the north”
    “With India request taxi for takeoff departure to the north”
    “With India request taxi north departure”
    “With India request taxi for takeoff north departure”

    “Request taxi departure to the south with India”
    “Request taxi for takeoff departure to the south with India”
    “Request taxi south departure with India”
    “Request taxi for takeoff south departure with India”

    “With India request taxi departure to the south”
    “With India request taxi for takeoff departure to the south”
    “With India request taxi south departure”
    “With India request taxi for takeoff south departure”

    “Request taxi departure to the east with India”
    “Request taxi for takeoff departure to the east with India”
    “Request taxi east departure with India”
    “Request taxi for takeoff east departure with India”

    “With India request taxi departure to the east”
    “With India request taxi for takeoff departure to the east”
    “With India request taxi east departure”
    “With India request taxi for takeoff east departure”

    “Request taxi departure to the west with India”
    “Request taxi for takeoff departure to the west with India”
    “Request taxi west departure with India”
    “Request taxi for takeoff west departure with India”

    “With India request taxi departure to the west”
    “With India request taxi for takeoff departure to the west”
    “With India request taxi west departure”
    “With India request taxi for takeoff west departure”
The Microsoft ATC will respond with something like this:
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”
    “Taxi to and hold short of runway 7 using taxiway Charlie.”
    “Contact Tower on 119.4 when ready.”
You acknowledge the foregoing ATC instruction by saying:
    “Taxi to and hold short of runway seven using taxiway Charlie.”
Then use either your Short or Long Registration to terminate the communication with:
    “6 Charlie Mike”, or, “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”

Requesting Take Off Clearance from a Towered Airport

You contact Tower by simply saying to your co-pilot:

    “Switch to Tower”
Now you need to request Take Off Clearance by saying:
    “Abbotsford Tower”
    “Cessna 6 Charlie Mike”, or “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”
and one of the following (e.g., Runway 7 - East Departure):
    “Ready for East departure at runway 7”, or
    “Ready for departure to the East at runway 7”, or
    “At runway 7, ready for takeoff”, or
    “At runway 7, ready for takeoff East departure”, or
    “At runway 7, ready for departure”, or
    “At runway 7, ready for departure to the East”
The Microsoft ATC will respond with something like this:
    “Cessna 6 Charlie Mike"
    "Cleared for takeoff Runway 7, East departure approved.”
You need to acknowledge this by saying:
    “Cleared for takeoff Runway 7, Cessna 6 Charlie Mike”, or
    “Cleared for takeoff Runway 7, Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”

You’re airborne!


Free Flight - Transitioning Through a Towered Airspace

Let's say you decided to fly free-form from Chilliwack (CYCW), BC en route to Vancouver International airport (CYVR), and after departing from Chilliwack, you DID NOT request Flight Following ATC support. You can fly without air traffic control during periods of light traffic, for example on weekday mornings, but typically only within regular opening hours.

Shortly after takeoff, you decided to do some sightseeing in Northern Washington State. Unfortunately, the most direct vector you wanted to use would have you traversing into the Abbotsford (CYXX), BC airspace. Here's where requesting a Transition into an airport's airspace is required. You setup this facility by saying to your trusty co-pilot:

    "Prepare to transition through the airspace of Charlie Yankee X-Ray X-Ray"
He/she will respond with,
    "Roger. Transitioning Charlie Yankee X-Ray X- Ray"
    "Distance 24 miles."
    "Airport altitude 190 feet."
If you are more than 20 miles from the Abbotsford airport, your co-pilot will say,
    "Captain, as we approach the Abbotsford airspace, I will remind you to contact the Tower."
Shortly thereafter, your Co-Pilot will say,
    "I need to do some calculations. I'll be back shortly."
During this brief period of time (typically about 15 to 20 seconds depending upon the number of airports in the general area), your co-pilot is looking at the charts and gathering the information for all airports that exist within a 50-mile radius of the aircraft's current position. When he/she is finished the analysis, you'll hear,
    "Okay… I'm back"
As you get within 20 miles of the Abbotsford airport, your Co-Pilot will say,
    "Captain, you may wish to contact the tower at this time"
Once you're ready, you say to your Co-Pilot,
    "Switch to the Tower", or
    "Contact the Tower"
Your Co-Pilot will ripple through the Microsoft ATC menu system in order to locate the Abbotsford airport within the list and connect with the Tower. If your co-pilot doesn't get connected properly, he/she will try again. Once connected, he/she will say,
    "We're tuned to the Tower"
At this point you would say something like this,
    "Abbotsford Tower"
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
    "12 miles west of Charlie Yankee Charlie Whiskey"
    "Request Transition through the Delta Airspace"
Abbotsford Tower will respond saying, for example,
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
    "Transition approved"
    "Report clear of Abbotsford airspace"
You acknowledge the instruction from ATC by saying,
    "Will report clear" "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
Alright… so far, so good!

Continuing our story, you're now cleared of the Abbotsford airspace, so you'd say,

    "Abbotsford Tower"
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike"
    "Clear of the Abbotsford airspace"
Abbotsford Tower will respond saying,
    "Cessna 6 Charlie Mike"
    "Abbotsford Tower"
    "Frequency change approved"
At this point in time, you're back to the point where you can request Flight Following if you so desire, or continue to fly Free Flight.

Free Flight - Specify Destination Airport

You need to tell Michelle what the destination airport will be. In this example, let’s say we’ll be landing at the non-towered airport Orcas Island (KORS). You will say to Michelle,
    “Make the Destination airport Kilo, Oscar, Romeo, Sierra”
NOTE: You can actually do this before you even leave the origination airport. As long as you tell your Michelle at least 20-25 miles from the destination airport, things will be fine! She will respond with…
    “Roger. Kilo, Oscar, Romeo, Sierra"
    “Distance 25 miles."
    “Airport altitude 23 feet.”
If you specify the Destination airport before taking off, or during climbout before contacting ATC, Michelle will say…
    “The airport name is Orcas Island”
If you have contacted ATC, then she’ll say, (for example)…
    “Kilo, Oscar, Romeo, Sierra is at our 10 o’clock”
Then, Michelle will say,
    “Captain, as we approach the destination airport, I'll remind you to announce our landing intentions”
Once you are at a steady cruising level, Michelle will say…
    “I need to do some calculations. I'll be with you shortly.”
During this brief period of time (typically about 15 to 20 seconds depending upon the number of airports in the general area), she is looking at her charts and gathering the information for all airports that exist within a 50-mile radius of the aircraft’s current position. When she’s finished her analysis, she’ll say…
    “Okay… I’m back.”
When you get within 20-miles of the Destination airport, Michelle will say,
    “Captain, you may wish to announce our landing intentions at this time”

Free Flight - Landing at a Non-Towered Airport

When you get within approximately 24-miles of the Destination airport, Michelle will say,
    “Captain, you may wish to announce our landing intentions at this time.”
You comply when you are ready by saying (for example),
    “Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra traffic”, or “Orcas traffic”
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”
    “15 miles north east of Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra. 3000”
    “For Landing runway one six.”
    “Full stop”, or “Touch and Go”
finally terminating the communication with…
    “Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra”, or simply, “Orcas”

Approaching a Non-Towered Airport

As you approach the airport, you can say, for example,

    “Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra traffic”, or “Orcas traffic”
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”
    “Entering Base for runway 16”
    “Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra”, or “Orcas”
Then, as you turn onto Final, you would say,
    “Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra traffic”, or “Orcas traffic”
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”
    “On Final for runway 16”
    “Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra”, or “Orcas”
If you are flying Touch and Go patterns, you might say…
    “Entering Upwind for runway 16”, or
    “Entering Crosswind for runway 16”, or
    “Entering Downwind for runway 16”, or

After Landing at a Non-Towered Airport

Once you land and clear the runway, you say…

    “Kilo Oscar Romeo Sierra traffic”, or “Orcas traffic”
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”
    “Clear of the runway”
That’s It!
Free Flight - Landing at a Towered Airport

Let’s say you’d decided to land at the Vancouver International airport (CYVR). Somewhere along the line, perhaps while you were still parked at the departure airport, you’d have said to Michelle,
    “Make the Destination airport Charlie Yankee Victor Romeo”
Once you get within 25-miles of the Vancouver airport, Michelle will say something like this,
    “Twenty- five miles. Eleven o’clock.”
As you get within approacimately 24-miles of the Vancouver airport, Michelle will say,
    “Captain, you may wish to contact the tower at this time.”
Once you’re ready, you say to Michelle,
    “Switch to the Tower”, or
    “Contact the Tower”
IMPORTANT NOTE: If by chance you had asked Michelle to prepare for a transition through (for example) the Abbotsford airspace, you must keep in mind that she is still looking for that airspace. Ergo, if you simply say, “Switch to the Tower” as per above, she’ll think you’re asking her to connect to the Abbotsford Tower. In this case, you would use the phrases,
    “Switch to the Destination Tower”, or
    “Contact the Destination Tower”

NOTE: As a practical matter, you can use the above phrases at all times when approaching the destination airport.

After asking her to contact the Vancouver Tower, Michelle will ripple through the Microsoft ATC menu system in order to locate the airport within the list and connect with the Tower. If she doesn’t get connected properly, she’ll try again. Once connected, she’ll say,

    “We're tuned to the Tower.”
At this point you would likely say,
    “Switch to A T I S”
in order to get the Vancouver weather conditions and the active runway(s). The Vancouver ATIS will respond with something like this:
    “Vancouver information Kilo. 0002 ZULU. Wind 112 at 4. Visibility 12. Sky conditions few clouds at 1,100. 2,400 scattered. Temperature 17. Dew point 11. Altimeter 2999. ILS runway 8 Right. Visual Runway 8. ILS runway 8 Left. Landing and departing runway 8 Right, Runway 8 and runway 8 Left. VFR say direction of flight. All aircraft read back hold instructions. Advise Controller on initial contact you have Kilo.”
From the foregoing, we know that the active runways are 8R, 8 and 8L, and the latest ATIS report has the moniker “Kilo”. Once you’ve gathered the information, you’d say something like this,
    “Vancouver Tower”
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”
    “17 miles southeast of Charlie Yankee Victor Romeo”
    “With Kilo requesting full stop landing”

NOTE: We will cover Touch and Go in a separate section later on!

The Microsoft ATC system will respond with something like:

    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike."
    "Enter right-based Runway 8 Right."
    "Altimeter 2999.”
You respond with something like,
    “Fly right downwind Runway 8 Right.”
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike."
Here’s a situation. Let’s suppose that although Vancouver Tower has assigned you Runway 8 Right, you’d prefer to land on Runway 8 Left. You would say,
    “Vancouver Tower”
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”
    “Request alternative Runway 8 Left”

NOTE the use of the word "alternative". The Microsoft ATC system will respond with something like:

    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike."
    "Enter right-based Runway 8 Left."
    "Altimeter 2999.”
You respond with something like,
    “Fly right downwind Runway 8 Left.”
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike."
As you begin the descent down the natural glideslope towards the airport, the Tower will say,
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike."
    "Cleared to land Runway 8 Left.”
You respond with practically an echo,
    “Cleared to land Runway 8 Left."
    "Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike.”

NOTE: If for some reason you lose communications with the Tower while on approach, then say…

    “Reconnect with the Tower”

After Landing at a Towered Airport

Once you’ve touched down and slowed the aircraft, the Microsoft ATC system will say something like:

    “Cessna 6 Charlie Mike, exit runway when able”, or
    “Cessna 6 Charlie Mike, turn next taxiway”
As you exit the runway, the Microsoft ATC system will tell you to contact Ground Operations by saying something like,
    “Cessna 6 Charlie Mike, contact Ground on 121.7.”
You will acknowledge the instruction by actually instructing Michelle to tune…
    “Going to 121.7"
Michelle will change to that assigned frequency and say to the Approach controller…
    “Going to 121.7… Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”
The ATC window will likely have the following options:
    1. Request Taxi to Gates
    2. Request Taxi to Parking
    3. Request Taxi to Fueling
    4. [Taxi for Takeoff Options . . .]

NOTE: Request Taxi to Fueling is only present in FSX.

At this point you’d say:

    “Vancouver Ground”
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”

    “Request Taxi to Gate”, or
    “Request Taxi to General Aviation Parking”, or
    “Request Taxi to Fueling”
or, if you’re planning on leaving right away, perhaps you’d say,
    “Switch to ATIS”
This will change the radio frequency to that of the ATIS. Listen to the ATIS report, get the current barometric pressure, and set the Altimeter accordingly. Then listen for the active runway(s) and wait for the phrase from ATIS that will be something like this:
    “Advise controller on initial contact you have India”
The word “India” is a handle for the latest ATIS update. The next update will likely use the word “Juliet”, then “Kilo”, and so on. Jot down all needed information, then say:
    “Switch to Ground”
followed by,
    “Vancouver Ground”
    “Cessna November 176 Charlie Mike”
    “With India, request taxi, departure to the east”
Let’s assume we requested taxiing to General Aviation Parking. The Microsoft ATC system will say something like:
    “Cessna 6 Charlie Mike”
    “Taxi to General Aviation Parking using taxiway Hotel, Alpha”
Once again, you practically echo the instruction, by saying,
    “Taxi to General Aviation Parking using taxiways Hotel, Alpha”
    “Cessna 6 Charlie Mike”
If needed, you can then say…
    “Turn Progressive Taxi On”
and if you want to turn it off, say…
    “Turn Progressive Taxi Off”
That’s it!
















































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