Coverage Question

[Zimmerbz]

I want to make sure I understand something and was hoping you can help clarify. Is the coverage on Pilot edge after the expansion only the airports listed, or can I fly with controllers to and from any airport within the boundaries on the map? Regardless, Pilotedge looks very cool and am looking to get back into flight sim after a 10 year hiatus but I want to make sure what I would be getting into. I guess what my question is, can I only have ATC with the airports below + the bonus airport?

KASE : Aspen-Pitkin County Airport
KDEN: Denver International Airport
KPDX: Portland International Airport
KPHX: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
KSEA: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
KSFO: San Francisco International Airport
KSLC: Salt Lake City International Airport

or can I fly anywhere within the parameters of the map and have ATC? Thanks!

BZ

[gsuoumu]

I want to make sure I understand something and was hoping you can help clarify. Is the coverage on Pilot edge after the expansion only the airports listed, or can I fly with controllers to and from any airport within the boundaries on the map? Regardless, Pilotedge looks very cool and am looking to get back into flight sim after a 10 year hiatus but I want to make sure what I would be getting into. I guess what my question is, can I only have ATC with the airports below + the bonus airport?

KASE : Aspen-Pitkin County Airport
KDEN: Denver International Airport
KPDX: Portland International Airport
KPHX: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
KSEA: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
KSFO: San Francisco International Airport
KSLC: Salt Lake City International Airport

or can I fly anywhere within the parameters of the map and have ATC? Thanks!

BZ

I don't work for PilotEdge but I feel like I've got a decent grasp of what the expansion includes and hope I can answer some things for you.

1) At all times during operating hours, ATC services are provided to those 7 fields you just posted AND all fields in the already established coverage area (ZLA). ZLA may be small geographically, but it contains two Bravos, 6 Charlies, and I don't know how many Deltas.

2) In addition to ZLA and the 7 fields you just posted above, one other bonus field will be active for two weeks on a rotating basis. The currently active bonus field is KABQ.

3) You can depart or arrive to any airport in the coverage area not covered by #1 or #2 above and receive limited services. You'd treat ALL of these fields as untowered - even if they're normally towered. You'll use the Tower's frequency as the CTAF. My understanding is that we're asked not to ask for IFR or flight following services on the ground prior to departure, but to depart on our own and once in the air ask for IFR or FF. Also from watching controller streams it is apparent that upon arrival into one of these non-controlled fields that their systems are not set up to properly give you vectors to final on approaches - so you should probably plan on flying the full approach.

For instance, if you wanted to do KSEA (permanent field on the network) to KYKM (normally a Class Delta, and one of the bonus fields for PE but not currently active) you could do that. You'd pick up your clearance, have ATC services all the way through until you're cleared for the approach, and then fly the full approach into KYKM while using the KYKM Tower frequence as a CTAF. Remember to cancel your IFR clearance. You can do the same thing for any field in the coverage area - there are about 2800 fields in the area.

Hope this helps and I'm sure someone will chime in if I'm incorrect in any way. The "official" explanation is found here: http://www.pilotedge.net/pages/operatin ... rvice-area

[Zimmerbz]

Thanks... So if I understand correctly, I can do a flight from KDEN-KTUS for example. I would get complete ATC leaving KDEN, center, descent and when I'd go over to approach at KTUS, i'd be on my own or would it be full ATC until over to tower at KTUS?

[gsuoumu]

Thanks... So if I understand correctly, I can do a flight from KDEN-KTUS for example. I would get complete ATC leaving KDEN, center, descent and when I'd go over to approach at KTUS, i'd be on my own or would it be full ATC until over to tower at KTUS?

My understanding is that you'd have full coverage up until you were cleared for the approach. At that point you'd be on your own and sent over to CTAF (Tower Freq). Similar to flying into any untowered field in real life or any of the non-controlled fields on the network. If you went missed, you'd fly the published missed and enroute go to the approach controller and advise.

[zerofay32]

Thanks... So if I understand correctly, I can do a flight from KDEN-KTUS for example. I would get complete ATC leaving KDEN, center, descent and when I'd go over to approach at KTUS, i'd be on my own or would it be full ATC until over to tower at KTUS?

My understanding is that you'd have full coverage up until you were cleared for the approach. At that point you'd be on your own and sent over to CTAF (Tower Freq). Similar to flying into any untowered field in real life or any of the non-controlled fields on the network. If you went missed, you'd fly the published missed and enroute go to the approach controller and advise.

Unless something has changed, this is incorrect.

You would have ATC services until 'Top of Decent' or 18,000' whichever is lower at that point services will be terminated. Tucson TRACON is not modeled as it is not a primary or bonus field, so there is no "approach control"

From the Western expansion page: "Controllers will provide enroute service only and cannot clear aircraft for instrument approaches at these additional fields."

[Keith Smith]

Tucson tracon hasn't been modeled in our system. The only tracons that have been built out are the ones associated with the fields that are listed.

We're going to work on the specifics of how we handle the arrival phase at Hidden Gem fields when we're able. We may be able to clear people for full approaches at some point (I did this with a Baron into KHQM yesterday).

Without any SOPs for the additional tracons, it's tough to provide realistic service into those fields. I'd recommend instead picking non-towered fields that are in Center airspace, or are within tracons that we do support. That doesn't take out many fields, there's still a massive list to chose from.

[gsuoumu]

Sorry to the OP for the misguidance. Probably should've waited for the professionals to answer, but was feeling frisky.