Focus on Your Responsibilities!

ATC
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Summer is in full swing, and ATC is buzzing as ever! With so many controllers manning frequencies on both the training and expert servers, I want to take the time to remind everybody to focus on their responsibilities.

By that, I mean being careful. Play to your strengths and consider cutting down on the amount of things you “need to do” as a controller.

How do you do that, you ask? Good question. One possible answer is this- instead of taking both ground and tower, approach and departure, and so on, split it up and man a single frequency! Some people may think or feel otherwise, but hear me out. It is perfectly okay to take one at a time. No, it does not make you look weak. No, it does not undermine your ability to control traffic. It’s playing smart.

Think about it. Even in the real world, controllers do this for a reason. Sure, the circumstances in Infinite Flight are a little different, which is fine, but nothing’s stopping you from doing so.

In fact, here are several pros as a result.

  • Quicker response times.
  • Only have to worry about one set of rules.
  • Dedicated focus towards traffic on your freq.
  • No constant shuffling back and forth.

If you can team up with somebody, do it! It makes your life way easier. I’m not saying you have to, but it can help. Plenty of controllers do just fine with two frequencies; however, when traffic gets heavy, you may find yourself wishing for a little bit of assistance.

Honestly, I promise you guys that you will notice the difference if you buckle down and jump on one. Then, when you go back to two after an extended period of time, it’ll feel a little weird. You’d be going from “hey, I gotta worry about the people in the air” to “hey, I gotta worry about them and the people on the ground too!”

Personally, I enjoy manning one frequency. Any chance I can get, I do it. When doing it this way, I find that my focus on traffic provides way more clarity in my state of mind. It also satisfies my inner OCD of being right on the gun with responses. But that’s just me.

What will you do?

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P.S.

  • Special thanks to @DeerCrusher and @cleipelt at KASE tonight for doing this- perfect example of teamwork!
  • For my ATC trainer team colleagues, I can explain a transition just fine. Cue eye roll.
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Thanks alot for the guide and information, Josh! I do hope this strategy might help easing controller’s work ahead of summer holiday season 😉

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@SkyHighGuys @_Ben we’ve got to do this sometime again!

Well said Josh! Thanks for the info.

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Great message Josh! Can I also add that always good before you control…or fly…to check out the real life traffic patterns on flight radar as well as check out the airport sector charts. That way you can check out what is the active runways in use as well as see what approach patterns being used.

With both pilots and ATC doing a little homework before flying it will make life easier for both.

Happy Contrails.

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That’s a really good tip there^^

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I’ve seen this so many times - when people take 2 frequencies and then pilots have to wait ages to get clearence, as the controllers are busy on the other frequency. Really good point you make here Josh!

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Love the guide, very useful tips. I’ve never actually been on departure on expert before tho?

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I have two devices so I can chat with you guys while I control. I’m all for it if you want to simply tag me and when I get a free chance and we can meet…those IF skies better watch out for us ;)

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Nice idea josh! I must say, I never really thought of this and it’d be helpful, especially when controlling on TS1 :)

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Well said, socal in TS1 can get plenty busy so one frequency would be plenty to worry about let alone two. Cheers!

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Good recommendations. I decided to practice for ATC at KORD TS1 both Ground and Tower and the amount of runways to manage 2 pairs of patterns is difficult. Had I stuck to just one control would have been easier to compartmentalize but handling pattern work on 2 runways and take offs on another one is difficult. Of course operating both tower and ground is much easier at airports with one runway rather than an airport with 9, 5 of which are parallel. Considering what airport you are opening and how many frequencies you should control is important I now realize.

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@JoshFly8. MaxSez: Sage Advise again Josh! Now if the 10% will just listen to reason this time we will all be better for it!!!;
Air Traffic Controllers in the RW don’t juggle between stations successfully except a some rinkeydink field out in the bunedocks. Check the Controller error stats at any air safety web cite for situation awareness errors all around.

As for Ground its boring until you note a backed up Taxiway and merging aircraft en-enroute to/from the active at intersections, you lose situational awareness and have a cluster#### on the apron and a conga line on Approach PO’d. Ground is not a house of shame. Listen to the man son, hone your skills one position at a time. Summers here, the kids are out of school, IF beckons for the masses. Gooday!

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@David_Lockwood… Good advise Dave! An active ATIS at the “B’s” would be a master stroke if/when activated for that en-route/cruise segment me thinks!
Max Sends

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It’s not used commonly. Approach can serve that capacity just fine if they need to, which does happen on occasion in real life.

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Thanks Max. Yes I agree thahaving ATIS, especially at the ‘Bs’ would help everyone! I am a big fan of making IF as real as possible and with both Pilots and ATC spending a few minutes studying how a particular real life airfield is operating will increase realism and enjoyment for all.

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Clearance delivery and ATIS would make the game a golden title, just imagine the pure realism, it would make life easier for both pilot and controller!

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Some people just stay there which bugs me.

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