Skip to main content
Your first flight on VATSIM is a milestone. It can feel intimidating at first - talking to real controllers, sharing the airspace with other pilots, and following procedures you may have only read about. But the VATSIM community is welcoming to new members, and with a bit of preparation, your first connection will go smoothly. This page walks you through every step, from choosing an airport to shutting down at the gate.

​
Pre-Connection Checklist

Before you connect to the network, make sure you have everything ready. Preparation is the single most important thing you can do to ensure a good first experience.

​
Step-by-Step: Your First Flight

1

Choose a quiet airport

For your very first VATSIM flight, avoid the busiest airports on the network. Hubs like EGLL (Heathrow), KJFK (New York JFK), and KLAX (Los Angeles) often have heavy traffic and fast-paced ATC that can overwhelm a new pilot.Instead, pick a smaller regional airport or fly during off-peak hours (early morning or late at night in the airport’s local time). Use SimAware or VATSpy to check current traffic levels and see which controllers are online.Good options for Canadian operations include airports like CYOW (Ottawa), CYHZ (Halifax), or CYWG (Winnipeg) during quieter periods.
2

File your flight plan

ATC needs your flight plan to provide service. The easiest way to file one is through SimBrief:
  1. Enter your departure and arrival airports and aircraft type
  2. Generate the Operational Flight Plan (OFP)
  3. Scroll to the bottom and click Prefile next to VATSIM
Alternatively, you can file directly at my.vatsim.net under the flight plan section. For your first flight, keep the route simple - a short domestic flight of 1-2 hours is ideal.
Add “RMK/NEW TO VATSIM” in your flight plan remarks. Controllers will see this note and will be extra patient and helpful with you.
3

Load your aircraft at the gate

In your flight simulator, spawn at a gate or parking stand at your departure airport. You can start cold and dark (all systems off) or in a ready-for-pushback state, depending on your preference and familiarity with the aircraft.
Never connect to VATSIM while positioned on a runway or active taxiway. Always start at a gate or parking spot. Appearing suddenly on a runway could conflict with pilots who are landing or departing.
4

Connect to the network

Open your pilot client (vPilot, xPilot, or Swift) and enter the following:
  • VATSIM CID - your numeric ID from registration
  • Password - your VATSIM account password
  • Callsign - your airline code and flight number (e.g., ACA456) or a general aviation registration (e.g., C-GABC)
  • Server - select the server closest to your location for the best connection quality
Click Connect. Your aircraft is now visible on the network.
5

Check the ATIS

Before contacting any controller, tune to the frequency to get the current airport information. The ATIS tells you:
  • Active runway(s)
  • Current weather conditions (wind, visibility, altimeter setting)
  • Any special procedures or NOTAMs
  • The current ATIS letter identifier (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, etc.)
Note the ATIS letter - you will need to confirm you have the current information when you first contact ATC.
6

Contact ATC or use UNICOM

Check your pilot client to see which ATC positions are online at your airport.If ATC is online:
  • For IFR flights, contact Delivery (callsign ending in _DEL) to receive your IFR clearance
  • If there is no Delivery, contact Ground (callsign ending in _GND)
  • If only Tower is online, contact Tower (callsign ending in _TWR) - they will handle everything
Remember that VATSIM uses top-down coverage: if only a Center controller is online, they handle all positions below them including Tower and Ground.If no ATC is online: Announce your intentions on frequency 122.800 MHz. No one will respond, but other pilots in the area can hear you and plan accordingly.
7

Taxi, takeoff, and depart

Follow ATC instructions for taxi and takeoff. If no ATC is online, announce your movements on UNICOM and use your best judgment for runway selection based on the wind.During departure, follow your filed route. If ATC has given you a SID (Standard Instrument Departure), follow it. If you are unsure about an instruction, ask the controller to clarify.
8

En route

Once airborne and established on your route, the workload drops significantly. If a Center controller is online covering your route, they may have already been handed your information from the departure controller. If not, check in with them on their frequency.If no en-route ATC is online, simply fly your route and monitor UNICOM (122.800).
9

Arrival and approach

As you approach your destination, check what ATC is available. If Approach control is online, they will vector you for the arrival and hand you off to Tower for landing. If only Tower is online, contact them when you are approximately 15-20 nautical miles out.If no ATC is online, announce your intentions on UNICOM and plan your own approach to the active runway.
10

Landing and taxi to gate

After landing, exit the runway promptly. If Ground control is online, contact them for taxi instructions to your gate. If no ATC is online, announce your taxi on UNICOM and proceed to a gate or parking spot.
11

Disconnect

Once you are parked at your gate with engines shut down, you can disconnect from the network through your pilot client. Congratulations - you have completed your first VATSIM flight.

​
Radio Examples

Here are examples of what communication sounds like on VATSIM. Do not worry about memorizing these - they will become natural with practice.

​
Tips for New Pilots

If you get confused or miss an instruction, it is perfectly fine to ask ATC to “say again.” Controllers are accustomed to helping new pilots and will happily repeat themselves. You can also ask them to “speak slower” if they are going too fast.
Your first few flights do not need to be perfect. The VATSIM community is welcoming and everyone started as a beginner. Focus on learning one thing at a time - maybe taxi procedures on your first flight, then IFR clearances on the next, and so on.
If you ever feel overwhelmed during a flight, remember that you can always use text communication as a fallback. Type your messages in the pilot client and ATC will respond. This gives you more time to think about what to say.

​
Next Steps

Now that you have completed your first connection, build on your experience by learning proper radio phraseology and understanding how different ATC positions work together.

Radio Phraseology

Standard calls and readbacks for every phase of flight

ATC Interaction

ATC positions, handoffs, squawk codes, and scenario walkthroughs