| Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler | Airline Operations |
Pausing flights when on ACARS and VATSIM |
DVA13608
Captain, A320
Joined on January 26 2019
Moose Club
Century Club
Eurocap Club
Toulouse Century Club
Online Century Club
Edmonton, AB Canada
143 legs, 242.3 hours
140 legs,
235.1 hours online
140 legs,
238.3 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
February 15 2019 15:10 ET by Gerard Beekmans
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Looking for some recommendations and acceptable practices when it comes to pausing the simulator, especially while on DVA ACARS and/or flying online (VATSIM or other).
The reality is, real life gets in the way when I fly. Late at night it's usually just my 1 year old that needs attention at times but other real life things can come up.
If I pause the sim while flying connected with ACARS, will that cause a submitted flight to be rejected? I could be flying a lot more if I knew I could pause & resume as needed.
On VATSIM I know I could request this if I am flying under ATC. Often, I am online but there's never ATC so I end up disconnecting and will reconnect later. What happens if I end up having to pause/disconnect for several hours? Would my flight plan be cancelled and that's it then for that flight? I don't think you can start a flight when already airborne? Or can you?
This need to pause will become especially needed if I wanted to start flying trans-ocean flights. It's rare I have 8 or more 8 hours to myself at home to do a flight and monitor it in case ATC comes on, etc. Between kids, day job and spouse, that's not ever going to be an option. I would, however, like to log those flights for my DVA logbook and accomplishments.
Thoughts?
Gerard BeekmansCaptain, A320
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DVA1989
Senior Captain, MD-11
OLP
Joined on November 01 2004
50 State Club
Globetrotter
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Everett 500 Club
Tin Dispatcher
Commuter Conquest
Millennium Club
US Mountaineer Club
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Two Million Mile Club
DVA Twenty-Year Anniversary
"What doesnt kill you only makes you stronger"
Spring Hill, FL
1,482 legs, 4,538.3 hours
1,074 legs,
3,017.3 hours online
1,431 legs,
4,356.3 hours ACARS
9 legs,
22.6 hours event
380 legs dispatched, 590.0
hours
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Posted onPost created on
February 15 2019 19:21 ET by William Bradshaw
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You can pause on acars with no issues with your pirep but pausing on VATSIM is a big no no.
William BradshawSenior Captain, MD-11
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DVA2887
Senior Captain, A320
OLP, 737-ATP, VFRADV
Joined on January 30 2006
50 State Club
Globetrotter
Tri-Jet Triumph
US Coastal Club
Millennium Club
DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
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Online Eight Century
Charlotte, NC
1,287 legs, 1,796.9 hours
841 legs,
1,048.5 hours online
1,269 legs,
1,774.9 hours ACARS
31 legs,
49.6 hours event
3 legs dispatched, 2.5
hours
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Posted onPost created on
February 16 2019 11:45 ET by Andrew Vane
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Gerard, if you're talking about pausing for a few minutes on ACARS to deal with something or a half hour or something, not a big deal. if you are talking about pausing for 8 hours while you go to work, then it will surely get questioned by staff.
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DVA3672
Senior Captain, A320
OLP
E-MAIL
Joined on October 29 2006
B757 100 Club
50 State Club
Two Million Mile Club
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DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
US Capital Club
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"Chris, NOT in Seattle"
Northeastern United States
2,534 legs, 6,223.1 hours
1,537 legs,
3,252.2 hours online
2,243 legs,
5,407.0 hours ACARS
4 legs,
6.0 hours event
2 legs dispatched, 19.5
hours
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Posted onPost created on
February 20 2019 11:00 ET by Chris Frasure
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| I'm pretty sure the VATSIM rule for pausing is 30mins in air. Anything over that is grounds for discipline. And I've done long hauls over night on ACARS and my sim has paused at TOD for a while. If too long ACARS will automatically log you out.
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DVA8920
Senior Captain, B737-800
OLP
DISPATCHER
E-MAIL
Joined on August 12 2010
50 State Club
Globetrotter
US Mountaineer Club
Everett 1500 Club
Event Half Century Club
Two Million Mile Club
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DVA Fifteen-Year Anniversary
"Any landing you can walk away from..."
Smyrna, GA
2,135 legs, 5,362.8 hours
1,073 legs,
2,508.7 hours online
2,044 legs,
5,156.3 hours ACARS
89 legs,
220.5 hours event
0 legs dispatched, 3.4
hours
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Posted onPost created on
February 22 2019 18:55 ET by Daniel Wilbanks
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The applicable VATSIM rules are outlined in CoC sections A(1), A(9) and B(3).
In short, they state that no unattended connections in excess of 30 minutes is permitted for any reason (A9) and all pilots are responsible for monitoring for and contacting appropriate controllers when appropriate or when requested to do so by that controller. In addition, pilots are not permitted to conduct themselves in a way that hinders another user’s enjoyment of the network or is otherwise discourteous (A1)
There is nothing in VATSIM CoC, as it stands currently, that specifically addresses pausing. Therefore, pausing is permitted so long as you do not violate other CoC or CoR rules.
Say for example you pause your flight and walk away while still connected. When you left, there was no active controller where you were flying. While you were gone, however, a controller comes online, requests contact, and gets no response. In this situation B(3) overrules the 30 minutes permitted by A(9) and regardless of how long you were gone, you’re in violation of CoC and subject to disciplinary action. That being said, most controllers and supervisors are reasonable in their expectations.
In addition, say you pause the flight and intend to walk away for 10 minutes, but things happen and you end up being gone for longer. If a supervisor performs a connection check and gets no response in 30 minutes, he/she will find you in violation of A(9). Pausing a flight for longer than a few moments will attract attention, but in and of itself is not a violation of anything.
Finally regarding A(1), common sense tells us to be careful where we pause the flight. Don’t pause where you will interfere with other traffic (on a runway, short final, or a busy departure corridor)
In general, we highly recommend that if you need to walk away from your connection for longer than a moment, that you always disconnect to avoid any problems. Again, however, it is not mandated, so long as you respond to any controller or supervisor in the appropriate time frame.
Hopefully that all makes sense.
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DVA13608
Captain, A320
Joined on January 26 2019
Moose Club
Century Club
Eurocap Club
Toulouse Century Club
Online Century Club
Edmonton, AB Canada
143 legs, 242.3 hours
140 legs,
235.1 hours online
140 legs,
238.3 hours ACARS
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Posted onPost created on
February 22 2019 19:00 ET by Gerard Beekmans
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Thanks all, that's perfect. I think I'll just disconnect from VATSIM when needed to play it safe. Worst case I guess my submitted flight might not get the online flying hours logged on my profile but the flight itself will still count towards whatever accomplishment I'm working on (ie destination airport or number of flights per certain aircraft). And yeah it's just when real life calls me away (ie toddler waking up and needs food or something). I wish the rest of the family can take this virtual flying as serious as we all do. 
Gerard BeekmansCaptain, A320
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