First Flight
INTRDUCTION TO FIRST IVAO FLIGHT AND TRAFFIC PATTERN
IVAO.RS
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Cessna 172 at Vrsac airport.
Introduction
We know that you are eager to make your first online flight. We start our training at Vršac Airport where the flight school is
located. We’ll start with a traffic pattern - a common maneuver that’s a prerequisite for all other exercises.
More details about Vršac airport (LYVR) can be found here. (LINK)
Airport Charts can be found on Smatsa AIP pages. Click on the flags, open Part 3 and then AD 2 menu item. Open LYVR and scroll to
the end of the page.
Traffic pattern chart can be found here. (LINK)
We will start our training on the Cessna 172.
Following IVAO rules before the flight, in the simulator, we must position our aircraft to the Apron C on a parking position 1 to 4,
just like in the picture above. If you don’t have any parking/gate positions offered, you can spawn on the runway, but move (taxi or
slew) your airplane to a parking position or gate before you start your online session.
Fill your tanks with 60% of fuel.
Activate the IvAp software so you can connect to the IVAO network.
To open the IvAp interface, press the ALT key then go to Modules > IvAp (FS9) / Addons > IvAp (FSX).
Before connecting to IVAO, we need to send the flight plan. We can do it as depicted below.
In your simulator, the IVAp interface will show up, just like in the picture below:
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Go to ACARS and a submenu will appear:
On the right side click SEND FLIGHTPLAN; blank flight plan form will appear. Fill your flight plan as shown on the picture below.
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We’ll put 2 persons on board (POB) in the flight plan (FP), your instructor and you. You can save the flight for later use, as LYVR_my
first flight.
Once you fill the flight plan, press ”Send FPL”.
To connect to the network , click the CONN button as shown below.
This page will appear.
In field Real Name, you must enter your real name and surname. Fill VID and Password fields with information provided in
registration mail received from IVAO. Your VID consists of six digits. During registration, you’ve received two passwords, web
password and network password. In Password field enter your network password. Server is automatically chosen by IvAp. Press
Connect.
Congrats,
you’ve
entered
a
magical
world
of
virtual
aviation.
Before connecting make sure that COM 1 frequency is set on 122.80 (UNICOM) and COM 2 on 121.50 (GUARD).
Transponder for VFR (Visual Flight Rules) flights is set on 7000.
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TRANSPONDER
Da bi se osiguralo bezbedno i efikasno koriscenje SSR ( second surveliance radar) piloti i kontrolori treba strogo da se pridrzavaju
propisanih procedura za upotrebu transpondera.Uz pravilnu frazeologiju ,piloti moraju korektno da selektuju modove i kodove na
transponderu u svom vazduhoplovu.
Transponder je zabranjeno ukljucivati na zemlji,vec se on postavlja u stand by polozaj,cime se antena transpondera zagreva, ali ne
emituje stetno zracenje.Transponder se ukljucuje odmah nakon poletanja i mora biti ukljucen tokom citavog leta.bez obzira da li je
vazduhoplov unutar ili izvan vazdusnog prostora u kome kontrola letenja ( ATC) koristi SSR.
Modovi
Mode A na transponderu daje informaciju kontroli letenja o poziciji ali ne io visini vazduhoplova.Na transponderu umesto oznake
,,mode A” moze pisati ,,ON” polozaj.
Mode C daje kontroli informaciju po polozaju i visini na kojoj se nas vazduhoplov nalazi.Na transponderu umesto oznake ,,mode c”
moze pisati ,,ALT” polozaj. Ukoliko transponder u nasem vazduhoplovu poseduje mode C mi smo duzni da tokom celog leta
koristimo taj mod,osim ukoliko nam ATC ne naredi drugacije.
Reply lampica se pali kada nas transponder salje signal ka SSR-u na zemlji.
Ident dugme se pritiska samo na izriciti zahtev ATC,jer ono skrece paznju kontroloru na njgovom monitoru na nas vazduhoplov.
Recycle izraz znaci da proverimo da li nam je transponder uklucen i da li smo pravilno na njemu naselektovali ono sto je ATC od
nas zahtevao.
When the connection to IVAO is established, change COM 1 frequency to 118.6. You’ve just set your radio transceiver to Vršac
Tower (TWR) frequency.
You’ll receive a METAR (meteorological report) on your IvAp interface. It’s a concise meteorological information filled with
abbreviations. Abbreviation explanation can be found here.
Before even starting your flight, you need to make sure that the weather situation meets the VFR minimum criteria. Minimum VFR
criteria can be found here.
TRAFFIC PATTERN
Traffic pattern is the basic when we talk about flying VFR in the vicinity of an airfield in arriving/departing procedures. Obedience
to the traffic pattern rules helps pilots complete their actions in the cockpit and their maneuvers in the air. We can imagine a
traffic pattern as a rectangle in the air that consists of five elements interconnected with four turns.
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Serbia and Montenegro Air Traffic Services - SMATSA
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Traffic pattern is performed on a minimum altitude of 1000ft (feet) above ground level (AGL) .
PREPARATION
As mentioned above, COM 1 is initially set to 122.80 (UNICOM), and if you see LYVR_TWR online, switch COM 1 to 118.6.
Transponder code is set to 7000. It can be later replaced by a new ATC assigned code.
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START UP
Our flight begins at the apron by starting the engine. After engine start, the pilot checks the radio connection, notifies air traffic
control of their intentions and requests data for departure as well as the permission for taxiing. The rules of radio telephony we
will explained later in the text.
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TAXI
After you finished all the preparations for safe taxiing and received permission from the ATC, add power to the engine and slowly,
with walking speed, follow the taxiway centerline, which should pass “under your right foot”. Only by doing this you can ensure a
safe taxi to the holding point.
HOLDING POINT
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While awaiting approval to enter the runway (RWY), you need to check your engine. With brakes and parking brake (Ctrl + .)
engaged, add throttle up to 1700rpm in order to test the engine before the flight.
After all the preparation is completed, taxi to the runway in a gentle curve, aligning longitudinal axis of the aircraft with RWY
centerline. This will greatly help you to maintain direction during the roll. Takeoff is always in the wind (wind blows to the nose of
the airplane).
TAKEOFF
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In the distance, in front of us, find any landmark that would orientate us and point us to undesirable deviation from a centerline.
After obtaining permission for takeoff from the air traffic control, move the lever to full power, carefully keeping airplane straight
using the rudder. As speed increases, so does the force of lift until it grows enough that the wheels of the aircraft barely touch the
runway. When this happens, gently pull up the controls and “rotate” the plane at rotation speed (Vr), which is 63 knots (kt) for
Cessna 172. This will lead to raise the nose wheel from the rwy, and shortly thereafter the speed, and hence upward lift force is
large enough to lift off aircraft from the runway, for the Cessna 172's at 68kt.
We maintain the slight angle of climb until the aircraft accelerates to 80kt, after which the speed retains all up to the height of the
traffic pattern, we decrease torque (ease the engine) slightly and climb to a height at 500ft on QNH. Traffic pattern segment in
which the pilot is now called the upwind leg from takeoff from the runway all the way to where we go to make the FIRST TURN.
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FIRST TURN
First turn pilot performs at altitude of about 800 ft on QNH. Since the altitude of the traffic pattern has not yet been reached, the
first turn is in climbing configuration, so the pilot maintains a speed of 80 kt during a turn, while the aileron commands inclination
of 20 degrees (side angle). Turning ends when the aircraft is performed an angle of 90 degrees between the longitudinal axis of the
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aircraft and rwy center line. From this moment the pilot is in second segment of traffic pattern called
CROSSWIND leg or
position with side wind.
Depending on the condition of the engine and the atmospheric conditions at a given airport is possible to reach the altitude of a
traffic pattern at this stage of flight, and in this case we take the plane in level flight with a relief force to the force when we're
waiting for the cruise speed rises to 100kt. If our altitude has not reached altitude of traffic pattern, the second turn will be in
climbing configuration and a pilot will do the same as the first turn and maximal nose inclination angle does not exceed 20 degrees
and the speed does not deviate from 80 kt. Otherwise, if you're already in level flight, and the second turn will be horizontal, with
side angle of 30 degrees
Since the pilot at the home airport quickly adopt various reference points on land, it is advisable to keep the eye on runway due to
the better assessment which would be useful on unfamiliar airports .
SECOND TURN
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The correct position for the execution of the second turn is where it did come to fold a 45 degree angle between the longitudinal
axis of the aircraft and looked toward the threshold of the opposite direction of rwy. The aircraft is derived from turning so that
flying parallel to the path from which flew in the opposite direction and with the wind at your back.
DOWNWIND
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Therefore, this segment is so called the DOWNWIND. It lasts until the third turn. You should report your position to ATC
THIRD TURN
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It is always horizontal, starting at the point where landing point (threshold) on runway forms an angle of 45 degrees with the
longitudinal axis of the aircraft.
BASE LEG
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After turn, reduce torque. This allows the speed to fall below 100 kt. Pilot deploy flaps on 25 degrees when appropriate by
personal assessment, start the descent with speed of approximately 75 kt, all while keeping an eye on the landing rwy and
threshold.
It is important to emphasize that the power of the engine (torque) control rate of descent, while the elevator controls speed of
the aircraft.b Current flight segment is called BASE LEG. You should report position to your ATC.
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FOURTH TURN
Starts at the point at the extension of the runway so pilot wouldn’t overshoot final and go too far. This turn aims exactly in the
direction of the track, in the final approach segment.
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FINAL
It is very important that immediately after turn you fix the path of straight final approach, this means that you point nose of the
airplane of the runway threshold.
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FLARE
You should flare on 5-15ft above runway. Flare is position when aircraft is lined up with runway, longitudinal axis is parallel to
runway, and throttle is already minimal. On descent 5-15ft above runway pull aircraft nose up and level the aircraft. This
maneuver reduces speed and pilot brings airplane to touchdown on main landing gear. On 10-15cm (4-6inch) nose gear is slightly
raised, speed is reduced enough to avoid bumping on touchdown, keep flight commands in same position to prevent contact of
nose gear with runway.
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TOUCH DOWN
When the main wheels touch the runway, flight controls are still in last position until the nose wheel touch down. Then slowly
release flight control, retract flaps and start braking.
While flare segment, 3-5 meters, it is recommended to look some 30 degrees to the left and at about 30-40 meters into the
distance for a better visual assessment of the height of the aircraft above the runway. If you focus look at a greater distance, you
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can premature touch the landing gear on the runway and the opposite, if the view’s too close, you can flare too high and
consequently ‘’land as from the roof ":)
COMMUNICATION WITH THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
PHRASEOLOGY AND MANDATORY REPORTING POINTS
It has been said that every flight begins by starting the engine on the apron. Check the radio link with the competent air traffic
controller (ATC) and the dialogue takes place as follows:
A/C : Good day Vršac tower, this is YU-CCP, radio check
twr: Good day CCP, five by five (If the connection is perfectly clear and understandable)
A/C: five by five also , CCP, Ready for taxi, our intention is traffic pattern
twr: Taxi to holding point rwy 01, runway in use 01, QNH 1015 report on holding point
A/C : Taxi to h/p rwy 01, rwy in use 01, QNH 1015 ,will report on Holding point
When the pilot comes to hold position - holding point, performs engine test after preparatory actions and requesting lining up to
the runway.
A/C : Tower, CCP, at h/p rwy 01, requesting lineup
twr : line up and wait CCP, report when ready for departure
A/C : Line up and wait, will report when ready for departure
After all the preparatory actions and finishing checks, pilot reports that is ready for takeoff:
A/C : tower, CCP ready for departure
twr : CCP, runway 01, cleared for takeoff, wind 030 degrees, 7 knots, report downwind
A/C : Will report downwind, cleared for takeoff rwy 01
When we enter downwind, at about the middle of the runway from which we took off, report to the competent controller
downwind position and altitude:
A/C : tower, CCP downwind position 1300 ft
twr : CCP, report final for rwy 01
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A/C : Will report on final rwy 01, CCP
In the final approach after the preparations for the upcoming landing, the pilot reported that in the finals:
A/C : tower, CCP, final for rwy 01
twr: CCP, wind 030 degrees,7 knots, cleared to land rwy 01
A/C : Cleared to land rwy 01, CCP
After landing and stopping on the runway, depending on the amount of traffic the pilot will receive instructions from the
competent air traffic control to extend the E (echo) intersection Vrsac airport or get backtrack (ride on the track opposite the
landing and when it comes to the flight, the opposite direction of the runway) when there is no traffic was unable to land to our
stop on the runway. After leaving the runway, the transponder should be set to STBY.
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