I was wondering if it was really possible to learn in the right way and the right things on training server to be ready for the expert server.
Cause when a controller, on training server, askes you : “say intention” when you are fl200, you ask for approach and get vectors, everything seems normal.
But When you get ghosted on the expert server for a wrong approach because you were above fl180 when you ask for the appraoch, because that’s what you learned on training server. And nobody want to do nothing to reverse your ghost, when you finally know why the application for approach was wrong. You dont want to go anymore on expert server even if you are a serious pilot who want to learn more.
There’s something going wrong I think.
Of course you can, just use the tutorials and learn from them…as you said, you know already that you don’t request approach above 180, if you do so, I can reassure you that no atc will give you a ghost, they will refer you to the tutorials, happened to me, learned from that :)
And when they vector you away from the airport, just obey ;)
And what I can tell you, the ATC ghost only in really worst case scenario(trolling etc), they always try to help…
You’ll only ever learn the do’s and don’t s of the expert server by practicing and flying on the expert server. Just use common sense (e.g. don’t request an approach while at cruise level) and it’ll be ok. If you feel like you were unfairly ghosted/reported/violated contact the controller in a calm manner and ask what you did wrong.
I think the training server is good and bad… it’s good because it’s supposed to be there for you to practice while you are learning from the tutorials and YouTube vids but it’s bad because alot of people treat it like it’s a “game” or they dont care about learning the proper way of things.
I definitely think it is possible to use the training server as practice you just have to be careful and watch out for trolls or people who dont care and you have to focus on learning
I made the mistake of going into expert before I knew my stuff and I got ghosted. All my ghost did was make me want to learn more about the proper procedures while using ATC to make sure it won’t happen again…
On training server you learn the absolutely necessary basics in order to fly on Expert server. There are so many refinements though that are strictly enforced on Expert where on Training nobody cares and it’s very difficult to learn them just by flying on Training Server.
What you can do is using the tutorials platform we have here on IFC and if I were you and I was about to start flying on Expert for the first time I wouldn’t go to very crowded events directly. I would start at a smaller airport that is controlled and try to learn how to use the knowledge you got from the tutorial pages.
You don’t have to be scared though. IFATC want to bite you. They are trained to use their knowledge and enforce the rules that are given to them. And the best part: Those rules are publicly available so you can learn them, you can improve yourself and you can get to a level where you can fly on Expert without doubting yourself.
I have to say I’ve been flying on an Expert for a very long time now and yet I still don’t know everything. I know the important things, I know how to behave, I know more detailed stuff but 2 weeks ago I learned something new I didn’t know before. Nothing important but something that’s good to know. And that’s very interesting because all the time to learn something you get better and better and that’s one of the main purposes of Expert. You can fly there without worries that something might happen because you already know a lot, but you still get to learn something new.
Give it a go, check the tutorials and don’t give up just because something doesn’t work right away.
Is there a way to vector pilots away from the airport ? Because in my case the controller sent me : “frequency change approved” and that was very confusing because I didnt know yet that I had to go under fl180 in his airspace, before to ask for the approach. @haus
Yes, they can, but only approach/departure, example if you are flying heading 360 heading for the rwy, they can vector you to 180 if the line of traffic requires it…
Now in my case, they just referred me to tutorials as I made the mistake requesting approach above FL180, so not to change frequency…
It seems like this controller was fair enough and in a good mood. He tryed to help, you were lucky. Cause we cant know everything or read everything before to go on the expert, we do as we can, accept our mistake and try to know more. But my ghost is still there, didnt try to vector me away from the airport, or asked me to check the tutorials, nothing helpful. Anyway.
I had a second ghost, yesterday lol. I wrote to the controller very nicely, calm and explained to him what happened and no answer yet since 26 hours now. I start being tired of this. I spent more time trying to fix issues these last days on the forum than flying because of thoses few unhelpful controllers.Really tired of that.
I think that in training server there should be kind of warning commands. Training would bé a semi-expert server. ATCs in training server could use these kinds of warning and when you get some of them had a warning ghost (maybe 1-2 hours), also pilots would have the point on warning an ATC for giving nonsense commands or not doing anything. And the same, if have some warning get a warning ghost. That would be a bit more permissive than expert, but also more serious to practise, because lot of times when controllong there is lot of people that do What they want if there is ATC practising, and this makes me upset.
This is only a humble opinión :)
Imo even you came cross good controllers on training server there is no way to tell you are doing something wrong. So only way is to learn by going through tutorial section. There is no "check help pages, or Ghost on training server. So you never know you doing something wrong until you hit expert server. I would recommend join atc tracking thread to learn and help others while not getting ghosted before you jump in to expert.
I was recommending to fly pattern on someone else atc tracking thread. But you can leaen more by doing so by yourself. Because you get lots of good feed back. Im not sure if mod will approve everyone to open own thread just to learn atc unless you planning to be IFATC…if you planning one near future, open your own thread.
Even after training and then passing two tests to join the expert server, new IFATC controllers are limited to only opening smaller Charlie/Delta airports, with small amounts of traffic. If you’re a new pilot to the server I think it’s best you do the same thing and ease into it.
Get some practice at a field with ATC, do some pattern work and listen to all the commands sent and received to pick up on things. Then when you’re ready, fly into an airport with Approach, again small traffic, ease into it. Take note of everyone’s commands sent, how they call in, what they do when they are being vectored. Then when you’re ready, fly normally. Still practice though.
The way I learned how to become a controller is by doing pattern work at controlled fields on expert. Every morning around the same time I’d do pattern work for 15 minutes, works like a charm.
If you take the time to read the ATC Manual, then you’ll quickly realize what is right or wrong to do, compared to what you experienced on the training server.