Sharing tips for pilots from a controller's perspective
Hello all, I would like to share basic tips to fly in a controlled airspace based on a controller’s perspective. All these tips are considering the airspace is being controlled by IFATC followed by UNICOM at the end.
ATIS Frequency
- The most basic thing to do when starting to fly on Expert server would be to check for atis information. It is quite simple to tune in and hear the automated ATIS message or read the text message or you can also click on the airport you want to the atis information for in the flight map and check the D-ATIS there.
- It takes just a minute or 2 but this would help you get to know runway information along with procedures and special instructions mentioned for the particular airport.
- For arrivals, it is important to check the ATIS for the airport but since most times you would not be able to tune into the frequency until you have already started descent, best option would be to check D-ATIS because you can check it from quite far distance.
- When with Center or Approach controller’s frequency, avoid tuning out of it to check the atis frequency. Again, for this you can use D-ATIS using the flight map.
Ground Frequency
- After you have the ATIS information checked, you can tune into ground frequency.
- When ATC requests to hold position for your pushback request, please hold position and not start pushback or request pushback again. Hold position is only given due to a conflict with some aircraft pushing back or taxing nearby or behind your aircraft.
- When given an autopushback or given a tail direction with pushback, please make sure to follow it because at hubs, ATC tries to use autopushback for efficient pushbacks and trying to avoid any possible conflicts.
- Once you are done with your pushback, you can request taxi. If given a drag and taxi (D&T) path, please try to follow the path as much as possible. Surely you can make a mistake with the path but it is important to try and return to the D&T path as soon as possible.
- I would highly recommend request a specific gate when you arrive to an airport because it helps the controller use D&T path for taxing your aircraft to the particular gate while trying to deconflict you from other arrivals and departures.
- With a normal D&T or taxi to runway XX, contact tower when ready message, you are free to switch to the tower frequency on your own when you feel appropriate. I would recommend shifting to the tower frequency when you are nearing your holding point.
- If any holds are provided in the D&T instruction then the ATC message won’t have a frequency change to Tower in it. In such situation it is important to stay on the Ground frequency until given a frequency change. Holds are normally given to efficiently taxi and deconflict arrivals and departures.
- Please try to be as courteous as possible to your fellow pilots when given give way commands.
Tower Frequency
- When you’re joining in the tower frequency, I would recommend to request departure once the aircraft in front of you have been cleared for takeoff.
- When given a line up and wait, it is important you get on the runway without much delay in order to maintain a good flow of traffic.
- When you’re lined up and awaiting departure clearance, best to not request for departure again as ATC is already aware of you on the runway and adding an extra message is not needed for the Tower controller.
- Arrivals should always try to call in to the Tower frequency for landing as soon as they have been handed off to Tower by the radar controllers. Also, the type of approach should be used if the radar controller has cleared the pilot on a specific approach type (e.g. ILS, GPS, visual, etc.)
- Exit commands should be checked thoroughly and action needs to be taken accordingly. If given a hold short command with crossing, then you won’t get an automatic Ground frequency change clearance. Best is to try and not call in again and just hold short of the runway until ATC gives you clearance to cross the frequency. Once you’re clear of the runway, ATC will give you frequency change to Ground. This is my personal request, if possible, please try to use minimum occupancy of the runways since that can help reduce missed approaches.
- When radar controller is not present, contact Tower frequency 25 nm out of the airspace or below 10,000 feet.
- Please follow the sequences properly for a smooth arrival.
Approach/Departure Frequency
- With initial contact with approach, it is not required to “Check in”. You can directly request for approach type. This helps the controller use minimal communication during bust times.
- It is important to fly professionally. Not the best idea to fly below FL180 at over 320 kts while contacting approach. A reasonable speed would be between 260 kts to 300 kts.
- If given vectors and speed instructions, please maintain those until given otherwise.
- When you’re taken off your flight plan, it is possible for controller to bring you back to your flight plan and mention “Continue as filed”, it means you need to use your LNAV again to join on the nearest leg of your flight plan. Please make sure to do so because controller would have a sequence for you in mind while doing so.
- For GPS approach, if you’re on vectors and then given “Cleared for GPS approach”, that means you can now continue on your flight plan and perform the approach over the appropriate flight.
- For ILS approach, please please, when you get an intercept clearance, that means when you reach the cone, you need to align to the runway heading. I see many pilots would just continue on the intercept heading without turning or tuning on the ILS. That makes the approach controllers job very difficult especially when continuous arrivals are there. Giving reverse clearance can compromise the spacing therefore this is the most emphasized point from my end.
- On departure, when tuning into the departure frequency, a normal “Check in” would be enough. A flight following request is not required after check in.
- Please follow any vectors given to deconflict you from other departures and arrivals.
Center Frequency
- For center as well, if you are a departing aircraft, a normal “Check in” will do.
- For arrivals, when you initially contact center, you can do a normal “Check in”.
- When you are 10-20 nm to your Top of Descent (TOD), you can request clearance from center to descend via the filed STAR. If you do not have a STAR filed, you can request a particular altitude to descend to.
- Please avoid requesting frequency change since center controllers communicate with approach controllers on handoffs at a particular wavepoint or altitude.
- If you have reached your cruising altitude, you can be away from your device. No need to request an additional frequency change. Controllers, at appropriate times, would provide frequency changes.
Unicom Frequency
- It is very advisable to use the Unicom frequency at all airports to state your intentions.
- Try to be very professional and courteous as possible to your fellow pilots.
- Once departed off the airport, if you’re leaving the airport airspace, you can tune out of the Unicom frequency and continue to enjoy your flight.
- For more details on how to use Unicom frequency or any other guide relating to flying or controlling in Infinite Flight, you can check the user guide link given below.
Link to User Guide: User Guide
I believe that is it from my end. I tried covering all the points where I felt I have seen pilots make mistakes or might not be sure of how to react. Hopefully this will help pilots understand the ATC commands more better and it would also help other controllers to control with pilots making little to no mistakes. At the end of the day we are all humans and might make mistakes here and there but learning and growing is always the best way to move forwards. I urge all the IFC users to do share their views, any likes, dislikes from the topic and I am always open in my DMs here and on discord if you would like to discuss about anything. I would appreciate a feedback on this too and if you think there are some other points that could be added to benefit pilots, please do let me know in the comments or in DMs, as you like. Thank you for reading and Happy Flying!!!
