Post by Dutch Owen on Jan 15, 2011 19:11:37 GMT -5
In testing 1.2, I decided to make a real-time scheduled flight and used the Administrator to give me a 737-200 booking. I drew Flight 9, departing KDCA at 15:40, stopping by KAVL at 16:48, and ending in KATL at 17:54.
For some reason, I thought it would make it more interesting to jack up airline traffic to 95 percent. I was more right than I knew.
KDCA was jammed with arrivals. We sat for some 15 minutes in a slow-moving queue for runway 22 -- but the departure delay detector in 1.2 worked and I was able to file an ETE rev to make up the time.
Weather was clear, so I didn't expect any problems. Arrival into Asheville was routine except for a gate change from 1 to 4 -- no problem. Departure for Atlanta was just 5 minutes late, practically a miracle considering the delay in Washington. But I knew something was up when I asked for a flight level change and got denied due to traffic.
Just past the ODF VOR approaching Atlanta ATC hit me with a traffic delay --- "Due to traffic congestion we have holding instructions..." -- bah. I got stuck flying racetracks on the 45 radial from ATL vor. After 20 or so minutes of this, with no less than three altitude changes in the hold (one of which I busted) they finally gave me clearance to approach. The holding pattern detector worked perfectly and again I was able to tell Dispatch about the delay and revise my ETE without penalty.
A glance at the display for AISmooth was terrifying -- some 30 aircraft in holds and over a dozen queued for landing. Most were aiming for 26R which I was assigned to. I asked for and got 26L which was a good move. Normal landing but the airport was full of ground traffic. Never seen anything like it.
I know where the Piedmont gates are at ATL (I assigned them!) but naturally, as soon as I exit the runway - GATE CHANGE. To gate 77...not a Piedmont gate. So I go in search of Gate 77...there were at least 3 times I was menaced by ground traffic that was stopped by the ground protect system. Eventually found 77, taxied in, and
unloaded...PAX cheerful, no idea what stress I'd been through on such a "normal" flight!
At times the workload was intense. The combination of high traffic, FSCaptain and Radar Contact made for what felt to me like a very realistically stressful day at the office.
Final score was 92...my dispatcher was happy...but not so ATC; good thing there's no interface from FSC to RC, I'd have to explain two altitude deviations in all that mess!
Anything interesting happen to you? Tell us.
Dutch
For some reason, I thought it would make it more interesting to jack up airline traffic to 95 percent. I was more right than I knew.
KDCA was jammed with arrivals. We sat for some 15 minutes in a slow-moving queue for runway 22 -- but the departure delay detector in 1.2 worked and I was able to file an ETE rev to make up the time.
Weather was clear, so I didn't expect any problems. Arrival into Asheville was routine except for a gate change from 1 to 4 -- no problem. Departure for Atlanta was just 5 minutes late, practically a miracle considering the delay in Washington. But I knew something was up when I asked for a flight level change and got denied due to traffic.
Just past the ODF VOR approaching Atlanta ATC hit me with a traffic delay --- "Due to traffic congestion we have holding instructions..." -- bah. I got stuck flying racetracks on the 45 radial from ATL vor. After 20 or so minutes of this, with no less than three altitude changes in the hold (one of which I busted) they finally gave me clearance to approach. The holding pattern detector worked perfectly and again I was able to tell Dispatch about the delay and revise my ETE without penalty.
A glance at the display for AISmooth was terrifying -- some 30 aircraft in holds and over a dozen queued for landing. Most were aiming for 26R which I was assigned to. I asked for and got 26L which was a good move. Normal landing but the airport was full of ground traffic. Never seen anything like it.
I know where the Piedmont gates are at ATL (I assigned them!) but naturally, as soon as I exit the runway - GATE CHANGE. To gate 77...not a Piedmont gate. So I go in search of Gate 77...there were at least 3 times I was menaced by ground traffic that was stopped by the ground protect system. Eventually found 77, taxied in, and
unloaded...PAX cheerful, no idea what stress I'd been through on such a "normal" flight!
At times the workload was intense. The combination of high traffic, FSCaptain and Radar Contact made for what felt to me like a very realistically stressful day at the office.
Final score was 92...my dispatcher was happy...but not so ATC; good thing there's no interface from FSC to RC, I'd have to explain two altitude deviations in all that mess!
Anything interesting happen to you? Tell us.
Dutch