Today, I'll explain which air traffic controller to talk to when on VATSIM!
Do You Even Need to Talk to ATC?
No, if you are at an uncontrolled airport or ATC is offline, just report when you are taxing, taking off, or landing on UNICOM (122.800).
Who Do I Talk To?
Normally, there is only one controller online at an airport, if any. But, if there happen to be multiple controllers online, contact them in this order:
Clearance Delivery for IFR clearance
Ground for taxing clearance and instructions
Tower for takeoff and landing clearance
Approach for approaching instructions
Departure for departure instructions
Center for in-the-air instructions.
When Do I Talk?
If there is only one controller online at an airport (which is totally normal), you only get certain clearances from them, and the rest is on UNICOM (122.800). Here is a list of when you should contact them:
If only Clearance Delivery is online, get IFR clearance from them, then move to UNICOM.
If there is only Ground, get clearance to start, push back, and taxi from them, and then move to UNICOM.
If only Tower is online, ask them for clearance to start, push back, taxi, land, and take off. Don't contact them until you are around 5 Nautical Miles from the airport.
If only Approach is online, ask them for clearance for everything.
Same as Approach, if only Center is online, then ask them for everything.
I hope you learned something new from reading this article. Please sign up for my mailing list if you haven't already, and have a nice day!
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