Banned and I don't know why

Live
#1

I have been playing IF on the iPad for a while. I enjoy the atc server and today I was flying in the Caribbean for the first time.

I had requested vectors for St Maarten but was told by approach it was out of area so was positioning for the ILS. I checked in with tower at 4000ft amsl and was asked to reduce speed to minimum, which I did coming back from 240knts to first 200knts and then 170knts with some flap.

I was about 2-3nm in trail of a 777 that was going faster so a sequential landing was on the cards.

Then I get a ban. No warning, no alert, just a red message that I’d been flying antisocially and now I’m banned.

So what did I do wrong, and why no warning? If i do t know what I did how can I avoid it again? I looked in the app guides but there is nothing said. I only found this forum by clicking a link in the app I didn’t see. Surely all the rules should be in the app, but atc weren’t giving me any vectoring, just speed control which I complied with.

I don’t understand

3 Likes
#2

Maybe you should’ve done a 360 and not stay as close to the 777 in front of you

#3

Do you remember the name of the controller?

#4

Pm the controller or approach person if you member who it was and maybe @Carson can help

#5

I will let the IFATC guys know what happened.

#6

747 behind a 777 3nm is a standard gap - 2.5nm works at most major airports.

I didnt think to check who the controller was, to be honest I’ve been playing on the iPad as a really nice online sim - I didn’t realise the community existed. I had read pilots could get ghosted, but I assumed that was for not following atc instructions and as far as I could tell I was in comms with the tower and was complying with the speed request.

I’m not saying I didn’t do something wrong, I just don’t know what the something was as there was no warning or other info (like you get with over speed below 10,000). I was online I guess about 1530UTC with the infraction at 1540utc ish - about 16 miles from st Maarten inbound from the west. Flying a 747-800 freighter - would my app user name be useful?

2 Likes
#7

I guess your username could help. :)

The controller should have given you a warning before ghosting you. I highly recommend contacting @Tyler_Shelton, @Joe or any other ATC Mod. :)

#8

Would that be my display name? Or my account user name for log in?
I don’t know what the controller concerned would have seen/known

#9

Your display name. :)

#10

This was a user generated ghost. ATC did not ghost you. Maybe @GuitartIvo can shed some light on this.

1 Like
#11

Jez Banks

I don’t hide behind non names - though maybe I should.
It was a cargo logic air B748 freighter if that helps

#12

Thanks joe.

Can I ask in what circumstances a user can ghost another user? And do all users have this ability or just higher level users? I gave not seen a button for this inflight (not that ghosting anyone has crossed my mind).

#13

3 users need to report a user for a user ghost, Joe will get your answer 100% :)

1 Like
#14

So I upset 3 people and I’m still no clearer as to why.
Any light Joe or other mods can shed on it would be greatly appreciated.

I spent ages getting to a grade 3 standard and now I’m bumped back down to grade 2 for what feels like no reason (though I guess there must be one).

How do I get back to grade 3?

1 Like
#15

if im not mistaken, it was a 747 that was 650kts at FL11 to cut into approach, to get behind @elisua

3 Likes
#16

Yes, sorry for not being more clear. A group of 3 pilots reported you. Generally this occurs when you’re doing something against the guidelines when ATC is not present. If ATC was present, I have no idea why you would’ve been ghosted on final. We’ll find out though.

2 Likes
#17

Hi Guitartlvo,

I was at FL11 (not 650knt but maybe 550knts) but that was way out from St Maarten. I requested vectors but was told out of area. I descended to a waypoint and was level at 6000 feet and 240knts before making a right turn some 20nm from the airport. I didn’t cut in, I moderated speed to fall in behind a 777 (I think) and had 2.5nm increasing at 170knts we had maybe 12 to run to spacing wasn’t a problem, unless the tower wanted to squeeze a departure away but they gave no instruction to that effect.

It was tight but and instruction from tower to break off or 360 would have been acknowledged and complied with.

1 Like
#18

Thanks again Joe.

Are the guidelines included in the app - or just here on the community boards (I have only just realised the community exists as the app doesn’t really public eye the fact).

Are infractions measured against hard rules or is it open to ‘3 pilots don’t like you/your flying so we’ll all hit the button’?

1 Like
#19

it isn’t my intention to start any argument. I remembered seeing 650kts and was waaaaaay close to @elisua, didn’t seemed legal at all. I only pressed one button, needed 3 for ghosting. If I was wrong i’m deeply sorry, i’m not reporting all the time people and everyone can make a mistake.

2 Likes
#20

I’m not here to argue - I just want to understand.

I work at a very busy single runway airport and for me Heavy>Heavy with 2.5nm spacing is sporty, but not unusual - especially as I was reducing to increase the gap to a standard 3nm. I was certainly below the 250knt speed limit otherwise I would have got the speed infraction

1 Like