RichardMcDWoods

Is this function what is normally known as a glossary?

Hi Zachary, My thoughts have been around providing a virtual ground school to provide training for the absolute basics of flying. It seems that there is no FAA provision of a ground school curriculum on which to draw. Rather it is left to individual schools to seek approval of their proposed curricula from the FAA. There is, though, the EASA AMC1 FCL.210 curriculum which would provide a good, broad base for new v-pilots. Turned into a computer-based learning management system, it could provide a very efficient self-paced process of gaining initial qualifications. I shall be interested in your thoughts. Kind regards, Richard

Basic pilot training is currently insufficient to enable comprehensive flying knowledge, particularly for newcomers. Available training courses mix provision of VATSIM processes with shallow piloting skills. A solution is to provide a comprehensive pilot ground school training course that significantly broadens piloting skills. This can encourage pilot participation by recognising test success with formal awards. With my experience, I am willing to lead a group to establish the initial training for POSCON. Further planning is, of course, necessary. Please contact me for further discussions.

Hi Tim, I am assuming that there is a CPDLC function available to the pilot such as with Global Flight Operations. I feel that the answer to crossing the last waypoint, that is entering the STAR at the transition point, does not require any further action by the CPDLC AI. If approach control is on duty then they will request that you contact them. If there is no active approach control then there need be no further AI interaction with the pilot and approach can be flown as the pilot desires. Likewise, if a departure controller is on duty then the pilot will be notified to contact using CPDLC at the appropriate point. If there is no departure controller on duty, then the pilot will be free to contact via CPDLC when appropriate. If the pilot never contacts CPDLC then nothing is gained nor lost. Do you concur? Regards, Richard

Hi Tim! Thanks for your thoughtful reply. As I see it, there is a need to be able to identify the transition point in the flight plan i.e. crossing the last waypoint of the en route phase and entering the STAR. I cannot yet envisage how this could be achieved, particularly as there is nothing stopping a pilot filing an FP containing a STAR. Yet, PMDG has said that they will be providing pilots with CPDLC functions. This implies that they will be able to determine the transition point in a flight in order to terminate CPDLC provision and switching to an approach controller. I wonder how they might do this? Further thought needed? Regards, Richard

Hi Andrew, Because flying en route sectors has relatively fewer interactions with ATC, it would be possible for pilot initiated interactions to be supported by AI ATC when flying an unstaffed sector. The result would be an improved immersion for the pilot because, during the whole of en-route flight, ATC would be 'available' at all times. Examples: Simple, pilot "Request level [level]"; AI ATC "Climb to [level]/and maintain [altitude] "; pilot"Climbing to [level] " More complex, on entering a sector with approach control on duty, AI ATC "At [position] contact [unit name] [frequency] "; pilot "Wilco" Flying in an en-route sector where live ATC comes online, no action Flying in an en-route sector where live ATC goes offline, no action Only a small subset of CPDLC messages would need to be supported to give pilots a feeling of being in on-going contact. Transfers between live and AI ATC would be transparent. The implementation of CPDLC within, for example, PMDG Global Flight Operations would be complemented by the AI ATC within POSCON. I hope this helps. Any further details, please do ask. Kind regards, Richard

Hi Matthew, As a newcomer, I am feeling rather vague as to what is your vision of the future of POSCON. Would you make a statement of what POSCON will provide in the longer term, please? Many thanks, Kind regards, Richard

I would like to see the CPDLC implementation include an AI component whereby each en route sector without a duty controller would provide 'intelligent' responses to pilots messages. Then pilots would feel a much greater involvement in ATC in the great majority of sectors worldwide where there is no controller on duty.

Hi All! I see that Moodle will be used within POSCON development. I have some Moodle expertise that I am willing to contribute. Cheers, Richard

I very much agree with Rob. However, we are eventually going to have CPDLC and pilots will be able to request diversions by text message. Being prepared to handle them would be good, but always with the proviso that the controller must be permitted to refuse them if he wants.