id: overview title: Overview meta: A summary on how to interact with ATC in Infinite Flight. order: 1 contributor: babacar,lucaviness,planegeek #
ATC Communication #
Communication is an essential part of flying the skies of Infinite Flight, this section covers all aspects from pushback, to parking on stand.
On this page, you can find the following miscellaneous items covered:
Tip
: Need help using the Communication User Interface? Make sure to check out our Getting Started Guide!
When to Contact ATC on Departure #
| Facility | When |
|---|---|
| Ground | When you are ready to pushback or taxi, you can contact Ground to make the request |
| Tower | You should contact Tower when you are either handed off from Ground or ready for departure (after being told to “taxi to RWY XX, contact Tower when ready”). Once with Tower, you can make your request |
| Radar | You should contact Radar (Departure/Center/Approach) when you are either handed off by Tower after take-off or entering the Controller’s airspace upon departure from a non-controlled field. Once with Radar, you can initiate communication by transmitting “Check In [IFR]” or “Flight Following [VFR]” |
When to Contact ATC on Arrival #
| Facility | When |
|---|---|
| Radar | You should contact a Radar Controller upon arrival when you are either handed off from another Radar Controller or entering the Controller’s airspace. Once with Radar, you can initiate communication by transmitting “Check In [IFR]”, “Flight Following [VFR]” or a specific approach request |
| Tower | You should contact Tower when you are either handed off from a Radar Controller or inbound with no radar service (within 25nm and below 10,000 AAL). Once with Tower, you can initiate communication by calling “inbound on the [ILS/GPS/Visual], RWY XX” or when no approach service was provided, “inbound for [landing/touch & go]” |
| Ground | You should contact Ground when you are either handed off by Tower (this can be in the form of an exit instruction) or exiting the runway without an exit instruction/handoff. Once with Ground, you can make your request |
Common Mistakes when Communicating with ATC #
+++ Calling “inbound on the [ILS/GPS/Visual]” without an Approach Clearance
If you did not receive an approach clearance from a Radar Controller, you must ensure that you announce “inbound for [landing/touch & go]”, not “inbound on the [ILS/GPS/Visual]”.
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+++ Transmitting “Check In [IFR]” on initial contact with Approach
When with a Radar Controller that is operating Approach, only make the approach request - no other requests are required.
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+++ Transmitting “requesting descent via [STAR] arrival” when with Approach
When with a Radar Controller that is operating Approach, only make the approach request - no other requests are required.
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+++ Requesting “Flight Following [VFR]” after “Check In [IFR]”
When contacting a Radar Controller only send one request - “Check In [IFR]” followed by “Flight Following [VFR]” is asking for two different services and is not required
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+++ Announcing “remaining in the pattern” when departing
If you do not intend on flying patterns at the airport, then do not announce “remaining in the pattern”. Instead, announce the direction of your departure from the Tower Controller’s airspace.
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Special Circumstances #
| Scenario | Description |
|---|---|
| Center as Approach | You should make your initial “Check In [IFR]” request with Center when entering their airspace, and “requesting descent via [STAR] arrival” when approaching your TOD. When reaching FL180, you can then make your specific approach request for the destination airport; Center will acknowledge (workload permitting) this request and issue vectors (if required) and a clearance |
| Tower in the Absence of Ground | If no Ground frequency is active, you can pushback and taxi to a runway at your discretion (provided it is clear to do so). No communication with Tower is necessary until you are ready for take-off |
| Controller Change in Progress | When a Controller change is in progress, there will be a brief period where no Controller is present. You should continue to fly as normal and treat any clearances previously issued as valid. When the new Controller switches in, no requests are required as the Controller will be able to see all previous communication in the message log |