VATUSA in partnership with VATPAC invites you to Friday Night Ops: Downunder! Join us as we light up the skies between Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane on Friday the 14th of October (Saturday morning Downunder).

Event Details:

Friday Night Ops is a weekly event run by VATUSA; normally visiting places all around the United States. This time around, Friday Night Ops are coming to the land downunder within the famous 'J-Curve'.

Flight Planning:

In Australia, flight plans are filed in the ICAO format. SIDs & STARs are not included in the filed flight plan. This will be provided by ATC on contact with clearance delivery (for departures) and with the Centre controller prior to top of descent.

Pre-Departure Clearances (PDCs) are used in Australia. Pilots are required to readback PDCs to to the delivery controller. However, when reading back the PDC you do not need to read back everything. Just the SQUAWK, DEPARTURE PROCEDURE, RUNWAY and BAY.

[PILOT] "Melbourne Delivery, Qantas 436 with PDC readback." 
[ML_DEL] "Qantas 436 g'day Melbourne Delivery, go ahead with PDC readback"
[PILOT] "Qantas 436 is cleared to Sydney, DOSEL1 departure, runway 27, squawk 4457; bay C3"
[ML_DEL] "Qantas 436" or "Qantas 436 contact ground 121.7 for push"

If you do not receive a PDC, you can request airways clearance on VHF with the Delivery controller. However, you are required to readback the entire clearance by voice.

[PILOT] "Brisbane Delivery, Qantas 535" 
[BN_DEL] "Qantas 535 g'day Melbourne Delivery, go ahead"
[PILOT] "Qantas 535 request clearance"
[BN_DEL] "Qantas 535, cleared to Sydney via SANEG flight planned route. SANEG 1 departure runway 01R. Climb via SID 6000(ft). Squawk 4457 departures 133.45"
[PILOT]  "Cleared to Sydney via SANEG flight planned route. SANEG 1 departure runway 01R. Climb via SID 6000(ft). Squawk 4457 departures 133.45, bay 18 Qantas 535."
[BN_DEL] "Qantas 535, when ready for push contact ground 121.7"
 

VATPAC recommends the following routes between Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney:

YBBN – YSSY:  
DCT BN H91 CORKY H12 BOREE DCT

YBBN – YMML:  
DCT BN H91 SANEG Q923 CANTY H119 ML DCT

YMML – YBBN:   
DCT ML H66 LAGOB H185 BN DCT

YMML – YSSY: 
DCT ML H129 DOSEL Y59 TESAT DCT

YSSY – YBBN:   
DCT ENTRA Y245 BANDA H185 BN DCT

YSSY – YMML:  
DCT WOL H65 RAZZI Q29 ML DCT

Pilots are still welcome to fly other routes, however you must make sure your flight plan is compliant with Flight Planning Requirements. You can use our ATC Assist Tools 'Route Finder' function to find current valid routings.

Aerodrome and Departure/Approach charts are available for free within Australia which can be found here.

Controller Information:

Controllers who wish to participate in this event are encouraged to submit their application here. Applications will remain open until three days prior to the event, after which the roster will be released for viewing. *Non-Standard* positions may be available on the day. Please refer to the Activation of Non-Standard Positions NOTAM for more information.

Recommended Scenery:

YBBN - Brisbane Airport:
Payware - ORBX (P3D v4.5+)
Payware - ORBX (MSFS)
Payware - ORBX (X-Plane 11)
Freeware - Ray Smith (P3D/FSX)
Freeware - CDG (X-Plane)

YSSY - Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport:
Payware - FlyTampa v2 (FSX/P3D)
Payware – FlyTampa (MSFS)
Payware - TaiModels (X-Plane 11)
Freeware - AVSIM (FSX/P3D)
Freeware - XPFlyer (X-Plane 11)

YMML - Melbourne Tullamarine Airport:
Payware - ORBX (P3D / FSX)
Freeware - Robert Catehrall (P3D / FSX)
Freeware - Jan Vogel (X-Plane)

We're always on the hunt for feedback on our events! Any comments? Head on over to our Helpdesk to let us know.