Mike Gibbs: get8up:
I just finished my requirements to move to CAT II A/C and I was wondering if I could do my transition training on VATSIM? (All flights not just the Checkride) Also if I did, how (if possible) would you file an IFR flight plan to the "training area", do your requirements and then fly back to the departure airport? Would I need to file VFR? Lastly, how do you log your training flights? Should I just log them bulk after the checkride as with my initial training?
Thanks in advance for the help?
There is no reason you can't do transition training on VATSIM. You can file an IFR flight plan from KDEN to KDEN and tell the controller when you talk to him that you want to go to the WW training area and do maneuvers, then return to KDEN. He should be able to give you a block altitude range in which to maneuver. The only drawback it that you might run into VATSIM controllers that are not trained for that and you will confuse them. The other way to do it is to file VFR in which case you must stay at or below 17,000 ft. When you feel you are ready to take the check ride, just follow the instructions on the web site. It has been a whlie since I thought about transition training, but I don't think there is anything in there that you can't do on VATSIM.
I would do it VFR, unless IMC (instrument meteorological conditions) exist. In the real world you do not do instrument practice maneuvers on an actual IFR flight plan. A real world controller or a vatsim controller *shouldn't* give you an IFR clearance "local".. an IFR clearance is a clearance to a specific fix or destination airport. "Training Area" is a VFR reporting point, not a published instrument fix.
Do the maneuvers VFR and clear of class B (the training area is). You can request VFR radar following however, then on your way back to Denver you can either:
1. Ask Center/Approach for a VFR practice approach to the active runway
2. File a pop-up IFR clearance back to KDEN
Either one would be "correct".
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Scott M. Stone
WWA1712 - Cat-III - Director of Aircraft
VATSIM 1018857 - C1 Controller - KZSE
Private Pilot - ASEL + Complex + IFR (almost)