Well, I've made the "dry-run" from KSFO to KLAX a few times offline -
mostly offline because I've had some computer stability issues
recently, but I thought I got those worked out and have been primed to
make the flight online- ready to carry the WWA Banner. ServInfo showed multiple KZLA positions open, as well as KZOA center, and KSFO tower. Should be fine I thought. Got my weather, fired up the sim, loaded my FP, and punched onto Vatsim. via FSINN KSFO even had an ATIS, but within seconds that was gone, along with the tower. FIne, I thought - center's still up. Flipped over to KZOA had to wait 5 minutes to a word in, just to declare a request, so I could get clearance. (it's Friday night). I get a standby- acknowlegement and then another 5 mintues of waiting. The KSFO appraoch popped open - great I thought - less chatter - I'll get up sooner. Asked center if I should switch over to approach and get clearance there - sure he said. Fine, I thought - I'll contact you airbrone I said. I flip over to approach and try to get a voice response - nothing but slience. Can you here me on voice I texted?... response from appraoch by text was ...having some computer problems, standby.,,,and within seconds appraoch had closed. Fine I thought, back over to center, get my clearance and get rolling.. But wait, KZOA center closed too! I could see that KZLA was still open, but departing KSFO on Unicom at that piont, would be a buzzkill.
So, I'm still "saving" this flight for when I can hopefully fly the whole route with live ATC. I don't have radar contact, as some might suggest, but their demo sounds rather robotic, and after experiencing live coverage on VATSIM, where you never really know what will happen next, it's hard to go elsewhere. So hopefully the next time there's gate to gate coverage, I'll be there too.
ok, thanks for reading - have a FS heartbreak? - share it here!
Bentley S.
CAT II
KSFO
WWA2183