Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network, also known as VATSIM is currently working on a new AutoATC feature, which is going to be tested in the United States region. This feature should make the workload on pilots, as well as controllers easier.
AutoATC is going to determine whether you, as a pilot, are departing from an area covered with ATC. If there is no air traffic control, AutoATC will come to place, giving you advisory messages.
AutoATC is currently working in the region on a smaller level, and upon filing your flight plan, you are going to get a custom beacon code which you need to use. This is currently only available in the United States region. If you are going to squawk your AutoATC code, you are going to get these advisory messages, that are going to include altitude commands, altimeter data of airports and even crossing restrictions.
VATSIM in the Facebook post mentions that for pilots it is going to add engagement in unstaffed airspace and will help especially with descending. For ATC, though, it means that pilots are going to maintain any possible restrictions upon arrival into the controlled area, significantly easing up the workload.
For now, the AutoATC Advisory is going to be available in ZAB, ZBW, ZJX, ZME, ZOA and ZTL, this will soon expand to ZDV, ZMP and ZNY.
The feature is available now in the mentioned regions, and the VATSIM team is looking forward to any possible feedback on this new feature. You can also read about VATSIM Velocity, a model-matching sync improvement that happened a while ago here.
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