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Landing and After-Landing Procedures on VATSIM

Successfully completing your flight on VATSIM involves careful execution of landing and post-landing procedures. The following outlines the steps to be taken during and after landing, ensuring a smooth conclusion to your virtual flight:

Landing Procedures:

Prior to landing, Tower will issue your landing clearance, including wind information and the cleared runway once you have contacted them.

Example Contact From Pilot:

[Controller ID], [Your Callsign], [What approach and runway you are flying].

Houston Tower, UAL1179, established ILS runway 08R

Example Instruction From ATC:

[Pilot Callsign], [Controller ID], [wind information], [Runway], [landing clearance/instructions]

UAL1179, Houston Tower, winds are 170 at 5, runway 08R, Cleared to land.

Example Readback From Pilot:

[Clearance], [Runway], [Any instructions if given], [Pilot Callsign] 

Cleared to land, Runway 08L, UAL1179

Cleared to land, Runway 08L, Hold short taxiway FA, UAL1179

Contact with Tower after Landing:

After landing and rollout, promptly exit the runway as directed by ATC. Tower will then instruct you to contact Ground or provide temporary instructions for runway crossings.

Example Instruction From ATC:

[Callsign], [left/right] when able, [taxi instructions], contact ground [frequency].

UAL1179, exit left when able, hold short FA, Contact ground on 121.625 

Example Readback From Pilot:

[Vacating Instructions], [Taxi instructions], [Freq. Instruction], [Callsign] 

Exit left when able, hold short FA, contact ground on 121.625, UAL1179

After Exiting Runway:

  • Upon exiting the runway, initiate contact with Ground using the following format:
[Controller ID], [Your Callsign], just exited [runway], parking at [Gate or Terminal].

Houston ground, UAL1179, holding short AE, parking at C5 

Gate Selection:

  • When handed over to Ground, be prepared to state your preferred gate or terminal. Having a specific location in mind streamlines the taxiing process.

Taxi Instructions to Parking:

  • Ground will issue taxi instructions to guide you to the designated parking location.
[Callsign], [Controller ID], taxi to [Gate or terminal] via [taxi instructions].

After-Landing:

  1. Taxi to Parking:

    • Follow Ground's instructions to taxi your aircraft to the designated parking spot.

  2. Shutdown Procedures:

    • Once parked, initiate shutdown procedures for your aircraft.

  3. PIREP Filing:

    • File a Pilot Report (PIREP) on SmartCARS or the applicable platform used by your virtual airline.

Conclusion:

By meticulously following these procedures, you wrap up your virtual flight on VATSIM in a realistic and professional manner. These steps contribute to the overall efficiency and immersion of the virtual airspace, enhancing the experience for both pilots and controllers. Congratulations on completing another successful flight for FlyUnitedVirtualAirlines!

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