Virtual flying? Virtual airlines? Virtual air traffic control? What?

So many people have dreamt of flying, me including. The feeling of soaring above the clouds with the shadow of your aircraft beneath you in the clouds. Yes, YOUR aircraft, piloted by you, with you at the commands. However for many very valid reasons, not everyone has the luxury to fulfill that dream. So those people turn to virtual aviation. Virtual aviation makes use of desktop flight simulators, an online aviation network and software developers who create addons to add to the level of realism in these flight sumlators. 

Some might think that desktop flight simulators are nothing in comparison with the real deal. Admittedly, that is the case. You cannot feel the same things you feel when you are up in the air with the sun in your face and feeling your stomach falling when the aircraft climbs. However, desktop simulation has reached a level so high that certain aircraft addons have been approved to be used for training purposes be it at home or for commercial simulation training. So when it comes to system simulations, you can be assured that the virtual aviator community has got that covered. 

That being said, I will show you in detail a flight operated by a virtual airline called Malaysia Virtual Airlines. MVA is not in any way associated with the real life operations of Malaysia Airlines or its subsidiaries. It does, however simulate operations of the aviation industry in Malaysia based upon the real world activities of Malaysia Airlines, Transmile Air Services, AirAsia, AirAsia X, Firefly, MASWings, MASKargo, Berjaya Air and Malindo Air. 

I fly for the AirAsia and AirAsia X portion of MVA and as such, I mainly fly the Airbus A320 and A330-300. Today we will focus on a popular domestic route, Kuching to Kuala Lumpur as flight AK5209. 

My pilot badge as of 3rd July 2014

MVA uses a flight tracking software which connects to Microsoft Flight Simulator X to track the VA pilots' flights in real time. The software is called mACARS and it records the flight profile and other details of the aircraft along its journey. 

So first before starting a flight I would start up FSX (Flight Simulator X) at the origin airport, set the aircraft up and connect to an online network called VATSIM which stands for Virtual Air Traffic Simulation. VATSIM is a network populated by virtual aviators such as myself. In VATSIM we have the virtual pilots and virtual air traffic controllers. The ATC follow real world operation procedures for the region/country they are in and it is really close to the real thing. We even have real world ATC logging onto VATSIM to help control the virtual airspace in their free time. The Malaysian side of VATSIM has its own batch of controllers servicing mainly Kuala Lumpur and Penang. However these controllers can switch to control at any airport they like.  For more information of VATSIM in Malaysia, the link is here. So at the end of the day, VATSIM is quite a professional environment to be in. More on that later.

The aircraft we will be flying today is an Airbus A320-216 registration 9M-AQR. All aircraft registered in Malaysia will carry '9M' in front of it followed by whatever code the operator chooses. The A320 is a short to medium haul passenger aircraft with a max seating capacity of 180 passengers. It has a maximum cruise speed of Mach 0.82 (which is 82% the speed of sound) and a maximum range of 3100 nautical miles. It uses the famous Fly-By-Wire avionics technology and has an excellent safety record all over the world.

So I load up the aircraft in a cold and dark state (with no electrical power and with engines off) and I prepare the aircraft for the journey. This phase of the flight mainly includes powering the aircraft up and setting up the flight computers with all the necessary information. 

The aircraft all powered up and ready to load cargo and passengers

Catering trucks have started loading. Note that the aircraft doesn't use the PBB (passenger boarding bridge) like in the real world operations in Kuching.

The aircraft registration can be seen here

At this time I will 'walk around' the aircraft and physically inspect everything outside the aircraft and check for any damages  

Registration is also under the wings

The cargo has arrived and is being loaded

After the walkaround is completed, I set up the flight computers for the route and wait for the boarding and loading to be finished. 

The MCDU (Multi Control Display Unit) being set up for the initial stages of route planning. 

 The route we will be using to KL is given by MVA which is:

KAMIN G334 SAROX

A flight plan route follows the format ORIGIN-WAYPOINT-AIRWAY-WAYPOINT-DESTINATION
In this case, the origin will be WBGG which is the airport code for Kuching International Airport and the destination will be WMKK which is the code for Kuala Lumpur International Airport. A waypoint is a set of coordinates that are given names to identify them easily and they can be considered as 'checkpoints' which pilots need to fly over in a route. An airway is like a highway in the sky used to get from waypoint to waypoint. In this case, KAMIN and SAROX are waypoints and G334 is an airway. Airways are usually denoted by a combination of a letter and numbers.

We are taking 8,480kg of fuel today. The total number includes the trip fuel, contingency fuel, reserves, taxi fuel, holding fuel and others.

So once we have everything set up and loaded, we can now push back from the gate and start our flight.
Contrary to what some people may think, aircraft do not have a 'reverse gear' or a 'drive' mode. That is not how they move on the ground. Aircraft move by forward thrust and reverse thrust. Reverse thrust are mainly used during the landing roll to redirect the flow to help slow the plane down. It is possible to use reverse thrust to move the aircraft backwards but there is always a danger of ground equipment damage, injury/death, foreign object and debris injection into the engines, not to mention higher fuel consumption. Therefore it is not practical to start the engines at the gate and reverse the aircraft from the gate using its own thrust. However smaller prop aircraft may use reverse thrust at the gate although it is still under the authority of the airport regulations and air traffic control for that manoeuvre.

Pushback commences at 7:59AM, one minute ahead of the scheduled departure time of 8:00AM.

Pushback is done using a pushback tug/tractor. The aircraft is positioned on the apron in a way that it is far from any ground crew or equipment for the safe start of engines.

Engine 2 (right engine) is started first followed by Engine 1. Both ECAM displaying the engine parameters that needs constant monitoring throughout the startup process.

Pushback tug has been disconnected and we are ready to roll!


Flight controls check. The ailerons on the right wing lifting.

The lower ECAM screen showing the flight control surfaces' deflections.

We will be taking off from runway 25 using the SID (Standard Instrument Departure) IGEVU1E. SIDs are predetermined routes that need to be followed by all outbound traffic flying IFR. It reduces the ATC workload and provides a more systematic flow of traffic away from the airport. 

Our V speeds for today's departure will be V1=148knots, VR=149knots and V2=150 knots with a flap setting of 1+F.

The IGEVU1E departure from runway 25. We will first climb out on the runway heading (248 degrees) and reach the MUPEP waypoint at or above 3100 feet. From there, we will turn right on a heading of 293 degrees and track direct to the IGEVU waypoint. From IGEVU, we will continue on to the first waypoint of our route. Note the M761 in the black box. That is another example of an airway.

08:11AM
Lined up on runway 25, slowly advancing the thrust levers for takeoff power.

Climbout. Goodbye Kuching! See you soon! :D

Gorgeous Kuching scenery

Climbing to our cruise altitude of 36000 feet, tracking the IGEVU waypoint on a heading of 293 degrees just like in the SID chart, thereafter to our route's first waypoint KAMIN. The blue arrow on the right hand side display (ND-Navigation Display) denotes the top of climb, a point in which we transition from the climb phase to the cruise phase.

The captain's sliding tables. No traditional yoke or 'steering wheel' here. Airbuses are flown using a sidestick.

Passing Gunung Rumput and the town of Lundu. The view in real life is even more breathtaking. If you bother to look out and appreciate it. 

Leaving Borneo at 27000 feet

Reaching out cruise altitude

Tracking my flight. On the radar you can see other pilots around. Those are all virtual pilots in the air doing the same thing we are doing right now. Flying in the virtual skies! :) Over at Peninsula Malaysia, you will see it is covered in a blue shape. That is the Malaysian airspace (Peninsula side) also known as Lumpur Centre. When you see this, it means that there is an air traffic controller on VATSIM controlling that airspace. Over at WMKK (KLIA) you will see D,G,T,A. Those are Delivery, Ground, Tower and ATIS. Those stationed are manned by different people for each station and they control certain parts of the airport (such as ground movements and takeoff/landing clearance) and airspace. Once I cross into the blue boundary, I am required to contact the controller for Lumpur Centre. He will give me a transponder code to squawk so he can identify me on his radar. From there he will give me clearance to KLIA and also issue me descent instructions. At a certain distance from the airport, I will be handed over to Tower who will give me my landing clearance and once the runway has been vacated, I will be handed over to Ground for my instructions to the gate. Just like in real life :) ATIS stands for Automated Terminal Information System and it gives me information regarding the airfield such as the weather, cloud bases, temperature, runways in use etc.

After cruising for a little over an hour, I am given my descent instructions and arrival information. I am given the LENK1A STAR via SAROX transition. STARs (Standard Terminal Arrival Route uses the same concept as SID, just that STARs are for arrivals). I am instructed to descend from 36000 feet to 13000 feet. 

Choosing the ILS runway 15 approach. Runway 15/33 is the new third runway built for KLIA2 operations recently. As we are an AirAsia flight, I am given runway 15. Runway in use is usually determined by the wind direction as aircraft should land and takeoff into the wind.

Selecting the SAROX transition. As SAROX is the last waypoint in my route, I will transition from SAROX into the LENK1A arrival.

Entering the arrival information. The final approach speed is calculated by the computer which in this case is 137 knots.

Descending into KL.

And from SAROX we go to LENKI (that is why the STAR is called LENK1A). Note in magenta there are numbers next to the waypoints. Those are speed and altitude restrictions. At LENKI we should be at or above 10000 feet at a speed of 250 knots. At KIDOT, we should be at or above 6000 feet with a speed of 210 knots. A pretty straight forward visualization of the approach path to the runway. 

Autobrake setting on LOW. Runway 15 is long enough with dry conditions so I don't need that much braking power.

Banking right to join the circuit

The blue line of the route is the missed approach line. In case the landing has to be aborted, this is the route I have to follow before being given instructions by ATC to rejoin the pattern for approach.

Speedbrakes deployed to help us slow down

Gear going down

Flaps in full configuration for landing

Runway 15 ahead. On the left is runway 14R

Touchdown at 9:38AM, spoilers up! These panels are also called 'lift dumpers' because they 'spoil' or 'dump' the lift from the wings, allowing for more drag

Nice solid thud onto runway 15

After vacating the runway, I am handed over to Ground traffic control and was told to taxi to any gate at my discretion. I chose gate J2. In real life operations, AirAsia operates domestic flights from the J and K apron of KLIA2. 

Follow-me car to the gate. KLIA2 apron and taxiway operations still need getting used to for me. Follow-me car and at the gate services provided by an addon called GSX (Ground Services X). I recommend you to get it to add a nice touch to your ground movement in airports.

Passengers disembarking via jetway just like in real life KLIA2. Baggage unloading at the same time.

On block time: 9:49AM

With a total amount of fuel used at 4200kg, we have safely arrived at our destination. That concludes the 1 hour 38 minutes flight and I hope you enjoyed everything. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section. 

DISCLAIMER: FOR USE IN FLIGHT SIMULATION ONLY. THIS POST DOES NOT REPRESENT THE COMPLETE OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES OF AIRASIA AND ITS AFFILIATES IN REAL LIFE 

All in all, I hope this gives you enough information to satisfy your curiosity as to why some people spend hours in front of their computer 'playing' a 'game' like this. I strongly disagree when someone calls Microsoft Flight Simulator X a game. The level of realism keeps growing over time and people do it out of love for aviation. Some treat it as a hobby or a passion satisfied by alternative means. Some just like the fun of flying an aircraft and to be able to simulate emergencies and failures without actually endangering their lives. I apologize if this post has been too long. I did try to keep it short >< Perhaps I will write another post like this but from a different perspective. Perhaps. Till then thanks for reading and happy landing always!