I’m pilot since ~2020 on IF and IFACT since June 2024.
I opened this topic because I have something to suggest to improve the IFATC and pilot experience.
Sometimes as pilots I see and receive messages from pilots who complain about the control the controller provides them because the controller is not familiar with the airport he is controlling, so I would like to suggest something.
I’d like your opinion on my request.
My idea is to create a qualification* on certain airports for the IFATC so that pilots have absolute confidence in the controller because he would know the characteristics of the airport he is controlling. So I’d like to make a questionnaire for some airports to qualify the IFATC on it.
And if the controller passes the questionnaire, he’d have a little badge or logo under or next to his name when he opens an airport, showing pilots that they’re being controlled by someone who knows the airport they’re at.
*it’s not compulsory it’s just a extra as IFATC
I’ve made an example of a questionnaire for CDG airport (LFPG) that I think is good, not too long and not too short, lasting about fifteen minutes,
Disclaimer that this isn’t really my domain in the Infinite Flight universe. I’m commenting because I think this is an interesting idea.
I think this is unlikely to be adopted all at once — there’s thousands of airports out there, and to even come up with qualification exams for 10 airports would take a lot more time than most people have.
I think it could be done with a group of people focusing one one airport, or maybe a couple in a region. Other sims have virtual organizations focused on ATC, rather than flying — an example is Boston Virtual ARTCC. IFATC policy doesn’t let controllers reserve frequencies so you couldn’t immediately start a VA, but the door might be open if you have a group of controllers who can consistently provide a high level of realistic service.
But really, the best way to build would be to start with you. Maybe with LFPG, maybe with a smaller airport in France. Can you come up with realistic procedures, control often enough to know them cold and make sure they work within the context of Infinite Flight, and convince other IFATC to follow you?
Also, while you can’t reserve frequencies directly, you can make an ATC-focused event and sign up for your own frequencies. I wouldn’t abuse that as a loophole, but a weekly recurring event where LFPG is open along with some other airport 30 mins away might be an interesting jumping off point.
I likewise find @Clement_Noel’s idea to be interesting.
There are many controllers who know a handful of airports extremely well. When they’re controlling these airports and/or approach/departure frequencies, they do a fantastic job following airport specific procedures. I most enjoy flying in/out of airports with controllers who know the procedures.
However, once the controller finishes and a controller with little to no knowledge of the airport takes over, the end-user (pilot) experience changes. The new controller does everything correct from the IFATC standpoint, but traffic flows, runways, departure points, etc., change from being airport specific – which is highly efficient and organized – to more basic or general IFATC procedures.
I believe the best thing we can do, at least initially - as a community, is to create a repository of airport specific ATC guides for controllers to reference. Some airports have controller guides, but they’re buried here on IFC.
If we were to create a central repository or a one-stop shop of sorts for airport specific ATC procedures, controllers would have a single “go-to” resource where they can easily access information such as:
Preferred runway configurations and intersecting departure points
Taxi flows for departing and arriving aircraft
Taxiway limitations and procedures for A388/B748 aircraft (usually wingspan related issues)
Other procedures used for operational efficiency
Approach/Departure ATC guides
Preferred approach and departure procedures
Radar Vector procedures to connect inbound STARs with runway specific approaches
Departure procedures which could be SIDs or RV to initial fix, or a combination of the two
Procedures to deconflict arrivals from departures - and to keep aircraft out of arrival/departure paths of nearby airports.
For example, JFK 31L departures require a left turn to CRI (Canarsie) immediately after takeoff. If an aircraft departs 31L “straight out”, they will breach airspace designated for LaGuardia and Newark, not to mention overfly Lower Manhattan including WTC and twin towers memorial area at low altitudes.
The above runway 31L straight-out departure is allowable under IFATC guidelines – but it’s a far cry from being anywhere near realistic and would never happen irl.
Below is a screenshot from Google Earth I marked up with color coded NYC airport departure and arrival flows used with west winds (today’s NYC wx). Note red line from JFK 31L, the straight out as I describe above. The white JFK 31L departure indicates the irl departure flow. I included departure and arrival flows for EWR, LGA, and JFK in westerly wind conditions.
I’m just answering this part of your message, to know the procedures just read the airport charts everything is marked on it in general but not everyone want look these charts.
I think do this on IFC it’s not ideal, the best is do this on the server discord IFATC with a special channel with all procedures of airports to find what you’re looking for immediately.
