Topic #1: Mode of Flying.

Visual Flight Rules (VFR) are a set of regulations which enable a pilot to operate an aircraft in weather conditions generally clear enough to allow him or her to see where the aircraft is going. Intrinsic in the foregoing definition is the word - see. Therefore, let us completely dispense with the notion of BVI pilots flying VFR - at least at the start. Later you'll learn how to use the Navigation aids and OBS system to actually fly VFR!

Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) are regulations and procedures for flying aircraft by referring only to the aircraft's instrument panel for navigation. Even if nothing can be seen outside the cockpit windows, an IFR-rated pilot like yourself (with some help from Michelle) can fly while using only the instruments. IFR-rated pilots are authorized to fly through clouds. Air Traffic Control (ATC) procedures and airspace rules are designed to maintain separation from other aircraft, and in the case of the Microsoft simulator, ATC personnel provide takeoff, en route, and landing directions and information. Therefore, we now have the first rule:

RULE #1: All flights by BVI member MUST be created as IFR flights when starting out as a new IYP pilot.

Topic #2: Flight Creation.

Every Microsoft flight consists of three principal files:

1 - The Flight file (with the file extension FLT) that contains critical aircraft information.

2 - The Flight Plan file (with the file extension PLN) that contains the ATC route information.

3 - The Weather file (with the file extension WX) that contains all of the en route weather.

The method for creating all three files is covered in great detail in the IYP Flight Deck Doc located here.

http://www.itsyourplane.com/html/manuals.asp

Select the Flight Deck Doc Word document. Then, go to the section entitled:

How to Properly Load a Flight Plan and a Flight.

Failure to properly set up the flight according to these instructions will lead to misery and frustration. The IYP system will probably automatically send you an e-mail telling you that no ROUTE data can be found. This brings us to the next rule:

RULE #2: All flights must be constructed in a manner that ensures that the three aforementioned files exist.

Topic #3: Flight Number.

If you will be flying a commercial aircraft, please ensure that you have provided the aircraft with a Carrier Call Sign and a Flight Number. If you have selected the Super ATC mode in IYP, then Michelle will tell you if the Flight Number is missing. In that case, go back to the selected aircraft and assign a Carrier Call Sign (for example World Travel) and a Flight number like 1123. All of this information is located in the Details area of the chosen aircraft.

RULE #3: ALL commercial flights MUST have a numeric Flight Number.

Topic #4: ATC Mode:

One of the most frustrating things for me as the designer of It's Your Plane, is to see BVI members not using Super ATC. I spent over a year developing the Super ATC system primarily for blind and visually impaired pilots. The principle design goal of Super ATC was to completely eliminate the need for BVI pilots to mess around trying to press the correct number on the ATC window! With Super ATC, that is totally unnecessary. If one speaks the proper phrases (which without question takes considerable practice), they will never need to concern themselves with things like: Is the ATC window open or closed, what number do I press on what page, etc.

Super ATC is completely and thoroughly documented in the Super ATC section of the IYP site, and can be accessed by going here:

http://www.itsyourplane.com/html/satc.asp

Once on this page, take the following steps:

1 - Click on Super ATC at the top of the document.

2 - Scroll down to the section entitled IFR.

3 - Then go further down to the link entitled, Departing from a Towered Airport.

The next section to read is,

En Route ATC.

And finally,

Landing at a Towered Airport.

RULE #4: You will ALWAYS use Super ATC for ATC communications.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Super ATC does not work at every airport in the world. Some airports have extremely complex ATC constructions. If you come across a weird airport, please let me know.

Topic #5: When Airborne.

After you have taken off and ATC passes you off to Departures by saying for example....

"World Travel 1123",

"Contact Departure on 123 point 5",

you respond with:

"Going to 123 point 5"

Departures will instruct you to make a heading change, or changes, by saying something like:

"World Travel 1123",

"Turn left heading 230",

"Climb and maintain one two thousand".

Presuming that you have already set the altitude to twelve thousand feet as part of filing your flight plan and getting clearance, you simply respond with:

"Turn left heading 230"

"World Travel 1123"

Now, wait for ATC to say something like this:

"World Travel 1123",

"Turn left to a heading of 190. Resume own navigation."

The key phrase is "Resume own navigation". You respond to ATC as usual:

"Turn left heading 190"

"World Travel 1123"

Immediately thereafter, you say:

"Resume G P S navigation."

Now, the aircraft will automatically follow the flight plan and you can sit back and have a coffee.

If shortly thereafter ATC once again says...

"Turn right to heading 220. Resume own navigation."

you simply respond with:

"Copy. World Travel 1123,"

in order to acknowledge the instruction, since you know that things are on automatic!

Why do you just say, "Copy. World Travel 1123"?

Because if you ask Michelle to issue a heading change, she'll say:

"Captain. I have set the "Navigation G P S on Navigation". This means that you are no longer on automatic in the GPS mode!

For the rest of the flight, there should be no reason for ATC to issue you a course change since you are flying in the G P S mode.

However, as you approach the destination airport, ATC will give you a change of heading that will cause Michelle to release the G P S mode of flight as previously explained. Thereafter, till you are on the ground, ATC will be giving you directions all of the way in.

This brings us to:

RULE #5: Always go to the G P S mode of flight by saying to Michelle, "Resume G P S navigation" after you hear ATC say the phrase, "Resume own navigation".

Topic #6: Descent Checklist.

When ATC gives you your first descent instructions, do the Descent Checklist. It is imperative that you execute the Descent Checklist, so that as you descend Michelle will remind you to perform the preliminary requisites for a proper landing, control your speed, your rate of climb, etc. Which leads us to:

RULE #6: Always execute the Descent Checklist when starting your final descent to the destination airport!

Topic #7: Runway Assignment.

At some point ATC will provide you with your assigned approach, meaning they will tell you which runway you will be landing on. This typically happens as part of the initial heading change that takes you off of the GPS route as described above. So, ATC will say something like,

"World Travel 1123. Turn left heading 320. Expect vectors to ILS runway three five left." Once again, you respond with, "Turn left heading 320. World Travel 1123." Then, you need to tell Michelle what runway you're going to be landing on so that she can get ready as well. You simply say,

"Load the ILS Approach Frequency for Runway three five left." Michelle will confirm your request. RULE #7: Always load the Navigation 1 radio with the ILS Approach Frequency when starting your final approach to the destination airport!

NOTE: There are exceptions to RULE #7 when ATC assigns you to a Visual Approach instead of an ILS Approach. Please refer to the section entitled:

Having Michelle make a Visual Approach

on page 40 of the Flight Deck Doc which can be accessed by going here:

http://www.itsyourplane.com/html/manuals.asp

Topic #8: Approach.

When making any kind of an approach (ILS or Visual), you need to have Michelle actually do the landing... at least until you get VERY familiar with the sequences on approach. Therefore, say to Michelle,

"I'd like you to handle the landing."

She'll confirm that it's her plane.

This state is "remembered", meaning that she will be doing the landings on all subsequnt flights (even after shutting down IYP) without the need for you to re-state this intention.

When you hear Michelle say,

"Twenty two miles - eleven o'clock."

or

"Twenty miles one o'clock."

you need to say,

"Approach Checklist"

If you try to execute the Approach Checklist any closer in (like eight miles out), Michelle will likely NOT have sufficient time to properly prepare the aircraft for landing.

Michelle will ask you if you want her to assist you with the landing. You answer, "Affirmative". She'll ask you to ensure that the last few things are properly set for landing, then she'll begin slowing the aircraft, extending flaps at the appropriate speeds, lower the landing gear when appropriate, etc. She'll give you a report of the crosswinds, and call out the elevations as you descend towards the runway... "One thousand", "Five Hundred", "Four Hundred", "Three Hundred", etc.

RULE #8:

You MUST execute the Approach Checklist when the aircraft is between twenty to twenty-five miles out.

NOTE: If you're flying a much slower General Aviation aircraft like a Cessna Skyhawk, then you can wait to execute the Approach Checklist until you are about 15 miles from the airport.

Topic #9: Going Around

If on approach, the Tower controller says, "Go around" because there is an aircraft on the runway, or you're landing out of sequence, simply say the phrase,

"Execute Going Around"

Giving this instruction to Michelle will have her pull up the flaps, slam the throttles to the wall (until you reach the correct go around speed), and climb to an altitude of 2,500 feet above ground level (AGL).

Then, contact ATC for a Missed Approach instructions. (see the SuperATC documentation for details) RULE #9: Always let Michelle execute the Go-Around - Do NOT try to do this without her assistance!

Topic #10: After Touchdown

After you touch down, there is currently no way for Michelle to get you to the gate or ramp. That's something I've been trying to address. So, simply bring the aircraft to a complete stop on the runway, and after Michelle indicates that the flaps have been retracted and she says,

"The Approach and Landing checklists have been completed" and, welcomes the passengers to the destination airport,

please say the phrase...

"Resume checklists".

Michelle will ask you if you want to perform the Taxi-To-The-Gate checklist. Answer with...

"Affirmative".

Once that is completed, and she reports,

"The Taxi to the Gate Checklist has been completed",

once again, please say...

"Resume checklists".

This will cause Michelle to conduct either the Parking Checklist for larger commercial aircraft, or the Shut Down checklist for smaller planes.

If you had started the ACARS logging process as part of the Before Start Up checklist before leaving the departure airport, then you need to have Michelle close out the ACARS logging when you reach the destination airport. This close out process is conducted as part of the Parking or Shut Down checklists.

RULE #10: It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you execute the Parking or Shut Down checklist in order to finalize the ACARS logging process.

So... there you have it... the Ten Basic Rules.

Have fun.

If you have any questions, please visit the BVI members section in the IYP Support Forums located here: http://www.itsyourplane.com/html/forums.asp