Another episode of VATSIM Guide is here and today we focused on how to communicate on Oceanic facilities located over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Introduction
Oceanic facilities are the biggest facilities found on VATSIM, but you’re more likely to fly through these facilities when you’ll fly long hauls from Europe to America, Europe to Iceland, or vice versa. Essentially when you contact Oceanic facility, you literally put there every information needed, like your speed, oceanic entrance waypoint, altitude, and how far away you’re from the next waypoint (in nm). The Oceanic will give you a dedicated route to fly on. There are several of those marked by different letters. You’ll need to study those, and be aware of full route clearance which you will get after contacting the ATC.
Entrance clearance
The Oceanic controller will send you a private message to contact him on his frequency.
Let’s say you’re flying from London Heathrow to Toronto as ACA865. You need to ask for clearance. What you’ll need to do, is the following:
PILOT: Shanwick Oceanic, good morning, ACA865, in FL360, 125 miles inbound DOGAL, mach 0.80, request oceanic clearance to Toronto
ATC: ACA865, good morning, you’re cleared to Toronto via track Bravo, from DOGAL maintain flight level 360, mach 0.80
PILOT: Cleared to Toronto via track Bravo, from DOGAL maintain FL360, mach 0.80
At this moment, you’re cleared to cross the oceanic via track Bravo, which can be found in the picture below. The ATC may also give you full route clearance, where you will have to copy all the waypoints they tell you.
As you are in the Oceanic FSS, you will need to report your position every hour via the text on the frequency. There is a website that can format the message for you. You’ll need to be aware of your ETA at the next and coming waypoints. You need to write at which time (in ZULU) you’re reporting, and how far away from the next waypoint you are. This needs to be done every hour, so if you are flying to Toronto, you will need to do it around 4 times.
Exit from Oceanic facility
Exit from the Oceanic facility is literally the same as on any other control. They’ll tell you to leave their airspace and another frequency to contact.
ATC: ACA865, you’re leaving my airspace, continue on Montréal Center at 128.775, goodbye
Be aware, if you are flying into the USA, you will need to study their phraseology, as it is completely different than the European one.
In the next episode of the VATSIM Guide, we will take you through the emergency situations on VATSIM, how to and how not to do them, what is prohibited and what you can do with the ATC allowance.
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