First Flight on PilotEdge

Welcome aboard! Looking for a quick and relatively simple flight to get a feel for the network? Look no further than the First Flight scenario!

This is a short hop from a non-towered airport (Sunnyside, 1S5) to a towered airport (Yakima McAllister, KYKM) in a single engine training aircraft (a Cessna 172 or Piper Warrior, for example).

We specifically have you start from a non-towered airport so that you can connect to the network and get in the air without speaking with ATC first. Your first actual ATC interaction will be in mid-air as you begin your arrival at Yakima a few minutes after take off.

Note: this flight takes place in the Western US operating area. Trial members have access to all coverage areas during their evaluation period, however, if you’re an existing member, please be aware that a Western-US subscription is required to operate at the airports that are utilized in this scenario.

Let’s split this up into two portions: testing radios vs the flight itself.

Testing Radios

Skip this section if you’ve already tested prior to this session.

PilotEdge simulates line of sight limitations of VHF/UHF radios. This means that the YKM ATIS is out of range if you’re on the ground at Sunnyside. Had you been overflying Sunnyside at 8500ft, you might have a fighting chance, but on the ground, not so much!

For that reason, let’s start at our destination, Yakima (YKM) for the ops check of the radios.

Step 1: Park on the ramp there (not a runway, not a taxiway….the ramp). Tune the ATIS into your COM1 or COM2, ensuring the audio panel is set to receive on that radio, and listen to the ATIS. Ensure it matches the ATIS listed here: https://pilotedge.net/atis/KYKM, just in case you’re hearing your sim’s built-in ATIS instead. This assumes you have NOT filed a flight plan with custom weather enabled.

Note: X-Plane users can also use the Preferences→TEST button, and should hear “audio check complete” through the selected device. Note: this feature tests if the plugin can play sound through your device, it does not take into account the health of your radio, or your audio panel settings.

Assuming you hear the correct ATIS, congrats, your radio is receiving just fine!

Step 2: While listening to the ATIS, hold down your PTT for 1-2 seconds. Did the ATIS cut out while it was held down? Great! Your PTT is working. If not, then you should review the installation instructions for the PilotEdge software for your simulator and ensure the PTT is configured correctly.

Step 3: Conduct a radio self-test by setting COM1 and COM2 radios to 123.45, with BOTH radios enabled for receiving. Make a quick radio transmission. You should hear yourself in real-time via the COM2 radio. It might sound a bit odd, and with some feedback depending on your specific setup. Don’t worry, that won’t normally happen as we usually mute your speakers while you’re transmitting (just like the real airplane).

Note: X-Plane users have an alternative testing method available as well, the Radio Debug screen in the plugin contains a self-test and mic level meter.

Your First Flight

Assuming your radios are functional, it’s time to get going! This flight assumes that you are familiar with how to enter a traffic pattern at a towered airport, and with basic ATC communications for simple tower operations.

Setting up

  • Open the Seattle Sectional chart and locate Sunnyside, 1S5, or use this shortcut to Skyvector.com.
  • position your aircraft at 1S5 on the ramp (NOT a runway or taxiway, remember, other people might be flying, too)
  • listen to the Sunnyside AWOS (frequency 123.67, assuming your simulator supports it. Note: PilotEdge does not broadcast AWOS/ASOS) and note the weather conditions and altimeter setting
  • set your altimeter to the correct setting, or to the field elevation if you were unable to obtain the AWOS.
  • tune to COM1 radio to published frequency for 1S5 (122.90)
  • set your audio panel so that ONLY COM1 is enabled for receiving. This will prevent unexpected results from monitoring random frequencies on COM2.
  • set the Yakima tower in the COM1 standby frequency: 133.25
  • open the airport diagram for Yakima (also available on SkyVector) and identify where you’ll be parking, such as East Ramp Parking or West Ramp Parking. You’ll need to give this information to the controller at YKM after landing.

Departing & Enroute

  • taxi to the runway of your choice. Once holding short, make the call on 122.90: “Sunnyside traffic, Cessna 123AB taking off runway [runway number], departing northwest, Sunnyside.”
  • once clear of the pattern at Sunnyside, you can swap COM1 to Yakima tower frequency (133.25)
  • once established on your route to Yakima, tune the Yakima ATIS frequency (125.25) in COM2 and enable reception on that radio. Alternatively, if your sim does not model a working COM2, you can use COM1 for ATIS after leaving the pattern at Sunnyside.
  • make a note of the weather, altimeter setting, runway(s) in use, NOTAMs and ATIS code (broadcast at the beginning and end of the ATIS) (Note: if the ATIS is reporting the ceiling is less than 1000ft or the visibility is less than 3 miles, and you have VFR weather set in your sim, please use code “ZULU” to indicate you are using custom weather)

Arriving

  • approximately 10nm from Yakima, make the call, “Yakima tower, Cessna 123AB 10 miles southeast, landing with [atis code]”
  • you’ll probably hear, “Cessna 3AB, Yakima tower, report left base runway 27.” Do not enter the YKM Class Delta (4nm radius of the airport up to 3600ft MSL) without first established 2-way communications with the tower.
  • respond: “report left base for runway 27, Cessna 3AB”
  • line up for a left base for runway 27 (one 90 degree turn left before being on final), then make the call, “tower, Cessna 3AB, left base 27.”
  • you’ll probably hear, “Cessna 3AB, wind [winds], runway 27 cleared to land.”
  • respond: “cleared to land runway 27, Cessna 3AB”
  • land the plane, and exit wherever it’s convenient for you unless tower instructs you to exit at a specific place as you slow down on the roll out
  • After landing, taxi your aircraft clear of the runway, ensuring all parts of the aircraft are across the dual dashed & dual solid, yellow hold short line.
  • Once clear, wait for tower to issue taxi instructions or a frequency change to ground. Don’t swap to ground unless instructed to do so.
  • In the absence of timely ATC instructions, let the tower know where you exited and where you’d like to go
  • When calling ground, be specific with your intended parking location, keeping in mind ATC uses real world names and locations. For example, “Yakima Ground, Cessna 123AB, clear of runway 27 at A3, taxi to McCormick Air Center." If you’re unfamiliar with the airport, you can also request taxi to positions shown on the airport diagram, IE: ‘West Ramp Parking’

This is a dynamic environment. Tower may give you a straight in approach to runway 27, or a different runway due to wind. The controller may also ask where you will be parking after you land. Be ready for some slight variations from the above script and if you get caught off guard, don’t be afraid to ask the tower to “say again.”

Feel free to repeat this flight, and other similarly simple flights as an ice-breaker to become comfortable flying online with ATC.

If you’ve completed the First Flight and are looking for a structured program to work thorough, check out the very popular VFR CAT Ratings and IFR I-Ratings programs. Both of those programs step you through a logical series of flights that help you learn the ropes of VFR and IFR flying.

Here’s a video of a flight conducted by Matt Williams, a PilotEdge user, showing the flight described above.
(Editorial Note: CTAF = Common Traffic Advisory Frequency)