18 February, 2012

A really bad pilot

Yes, I know I bitch about bad Vatsim pilots, but I have a prime example of what controllers have to deal with. What follows is the chat log from a session I had with a total and complete noob. I would not have been surprised if the pilot had told me they had purchased and installed their simulator that day. This situation shows, quite clearly, what I wrote about in my previous post. There is nothing in the Vatsim registration process to keep totally clueless pilots off the network. In the following chat log, the lines that are marked with an "o" are pilots, the other lines are me. The pilot giving me problems is UAL354. We started with voice communication, but since he was having problems I switched to text for clarity. SWA3551 and CSN478 are shining examples of pilots who know what they are doing.

[07:13:42] >> UAL354, squawk 1303
O [07:13:59] UAL354: Clear to CLE Maintain 5,000 FL 230 sqk 1303
O [07:15:42] UAL354: Can you please send by text, I will copy and read back correct, I was just going to proceed I am still a newbie Just started flying
[07:16:11] >> UAL354, Runway 28 taxi via A, F, M, M7.
O [07:16:23] UAL354: Runway 28 taxi via A F M m7
O [07:18:34] UAL354: Should We take the left or go straight
O [07:18:59] UAL354: Left and then straight and another right?
[07:19:06] >> UAL354, just taxi to 28 at your discretion. You're not even close to A, F, or M.
O [07:19:12] UAL354: Ok
[07:21:36] >> UAL354, Runway 28 wind 290 at 11. After departure turn left heading 140. Cleared for take off.
O [07:21:54] UAL354: runway 28 wind 290 at 11
O [07:22:13] UAL354: Cleared for take off turn left heading 140
[07:22:54] >> UAL354, confirm squawking 1303 and transponder in Mode C
[07:23:25] >> SWA3551, Leaving my airspace. Cleveland center is not online, radar services terminated, frequency change to advisory approved. Good morning.
O [07:23:46] SWA3551: unicom for us now, thanks for being online, we'll see ya SWA3551
[07:24:33] >> UAL354, radar contact. climb and maintain FL230. Proceed on course
O [07:24:47] UAL354: Roger
O [07:24:58] UAL354: Should we turn, to 140
[07:25:10] >> UAL354, Proceed on course.
O [07:26:22] UAL354: Roger
O [07:29:04] UAL354: Are We Correct
[07:29:25] >> UAL354, Are you on course to KCLE?
O [07:29:33] UAL354: Yes
[07:29:56] >> UAL354, Then you're correct.
O [07:30:42] UAL354: How long should I stay on this route for, This is my first landing, where do I land? How do I now I need to land
O [07:31:07] UAL354: Know where I need to land (rephrased)
[07:31:25] >> UAL354, I'm assuming you'll want to land at your filed destination.
O [07:31:51] UAL354: Ctr, How would I now I am near the filed destination
[07:32:24] >> UAL354, Navigation is the pilot's responsibility. I can't fly the aircraft for you.
O [07:32:42] UAL354: Thank you Chicago Center
O [07:33:11] SWA3551: CTR, 3551 again, request IFR to CLE, had to reset sorry sir
[07:34:00] >> SWA3551, Welcome back. Cleared to KCLE as filed. Maintain 3000. dep freq 127.80 squawk 1361
O [07:34:24] SWA3551: maintain 3, stay with you 1362
[07:34:45] >> SWA3551, Squawk is 1361
O [07:35:09] SWA3551: i did it again, my bad, it will be 1361 in the box for 3551
[07:35:25] >> SWA3551, readback correct,expect runway 31c for departure, call ready for taxi.
O [07:35:45] SWA3551: we will expect 31C and call for taxi
[07:36:09] >> UAL354, Leaving my airspace. Cleveland center is not online, radar services terminated, frequency change to advisory approved. Good morning.
O [07:36:30] UAL354: Should I just land my slef correct
O [07:36:35] UAL354: Self
[07:37:21] >> UAL354, The pilot usually lands the airplane so, yes. You'll land yourself.
O [07:37:51] UAL354: I mean no one will be directing
[07:39:00] >> UAL354, no control currently availabe for KCLE.
O [07:39:37] SWA3551: ready to taxi to 31C
O [07:39:37] CSN478: gday CTR info Q req IFR to PANC
[07:39:53] >> CSN478, CSN478 stand by.
O [07:40:03] CSN478: rgr
[07:40:12] >> SWA3551, 31C via Y, T, E. Cross 31R
O [07:40:30] SWA3551: Y T E cross 31R to 31C
[07:40:33] >> SWA3551, KMDW altimeter 3033
O [07:40:47] UAL354: Should We Change Radio
[07:41:16] >> Yes. That's what the "frequency change approved" part was earlier.
[07:41:47] >> CSN478, cleared to PANC as filed, climb and maintain 5000, expect FL340 10 mins after dep, dep freq will be 127.80, squawk 1320
O [07:42:44] CSN478: sq 1320 c/m 5000 expect FL340 10 mins after dep
O [07:42:59] UAL354: Thank yoi Chicago Center. Have a good Night

[07:43:03] >> CSN478, readback correct,expect runway 28 for departure, call ready for taxi.
O [07:43:22] SWA3551: ready to go 31C
O [07:43:25] CSN478: rgr rw28
O [07:43:25] UAL354: Permision to disconnect? We have overshot the runway
[07:43:36] >> SWA3551, rwy 31c wind 280 at 12 G18. turn right heading 090. Cleared for take off.
O [07:43:41] UAL354: Landed but overshot runway


Can you see why there should be some basic requirements for Vatsim membership? UAL354 could not fly a direct GPS route, had no idea how to fly his aircraft (an overloaded 747 by the way), did not have even a general idea where he was, slewed directly to the approach at KCLE and, due to being totally overloaded in an unfamiliar aircraft, overshot the runway and crashed. I could tell he was trying to hand fly the aircraft because his altitude was always changing drastically by thousands of feet. It must have been a roller coaster ride. No planning, no skills, no clue what-so-ever.

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