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Blair S - 1358329

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  1. Blair S - 1358329
    Hi All, The Q1 meeting minutes and department reports are now available for download: https://vatpac.org/about/minutes-and-reports/ Regards, VATPAC Board
  2. Blair S - 1358329
    Xander Dundon - 06/02/2022 Adrian - 04/02/2022 Luke Maynard - 19/01/2022
  3. Blair S - 1358329
    Hi All, The Q4 meeting minutes and department reports are now available for download: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10gWg6VEm4-Atocdm3kPeXpnT1CuSHXP4/view Regards, VATPAC Board
  4. Blair S - 1358329
    Applications are now open for a Membership Assistant to join the Membership Team! Responsible to: Director of Membership Membership Manager Direct Reports: N/A Duties: Work within the VATPAC Membership team to organise, draft and execute any official Membership activities. Assists in developing relationships with VATPAC members and provide support if needed. Assist with the maintenance of the VATPAC Policies and Documentation. Dedicates 5-10 hours per month to carry out staffing duties. Maintains a minimum online presence of 8 hours per month on the VATSIM Network. Essential Criteria: Active participation in the greater VATPAC community for the last 6 months Be a member of good standing in VATSIM and VATPAC Be able to work well with other staff members and the VATPAC community as a whole. Be able to work well within a voluntary organisation Ability to use Microsoft Word and Google Docs How to Apply: Members interested in being considered for the role should apply by outlining their experience and suitability, addressing each of the essential criteria above. Applications should be sent via email to [email protected] APPLICATIONS IN THE STRICTEST CONFIDENCE CLOSE AT 2359z on JAN 15
  5. Blair S - 1358329
    Great work William!
  6. Blair S - 1358329
    Hi All, Under Section 13 of the VATPAC Constitution, I hereby announce the next Town Hall Meeting will occur on 08th August 2021. Time: 08AUG21 - 0900z, 1700 AWST, 1830 ACST, 1900 AEST Location: VATPAC Discord (discord.vatpac.org to register your account/join) Agenda: Call to Order / Welcome Portfolio Snapshots, short/medium term plans Questions/Concerns/Suggestions/Feedback/Ideas to the Board If you have any questions you'd like to ask in advance, you can email them to [email protected] or contact me directly. Alternatively, you are encouraged to ask them on the day. Questions and answers will be minuted and made available for public viewing after the Town Hall for those who cannot attend.
  7. Blair S - 1358329
    Applications are now open for a Marketing Assistant to join the Membership Team! Responsible to: Director of Membership Direct Reports: N/A Duties: Work within the VATPAC Marketing team to create, plan and promote any VATPAC content. Assists in developing promotional material, video production and social media posts. Assist with the maintenance of the VATPAC Policies and Documentation. Dedicates 5-10 hours per month to carry out staffing duties. Maintains a minimum online presence of 8 hours per month on the VATSIM Network. Ability to work with Events, Operations and I.T to promote their content to the greater VATPAC community Maintain VATPAC Social Media accounts and content Essential Criteria: Active participation in the greater VATPAC community for the last 6 months Be a member of good standing in VATSIM and VATPAC Be able to work well with other staff members and the VATPAC community as a whole. Be able to work well within a voluntary organisation Proficient in Adobe Photoshop, Premiere Pro and Microsoft Word Active Facebook Account Understanding of Graphic Design and Video Production Application Process: Applicants who proceed to the second round of application will be asked to submit an example of they would take an example piece of information and create a modern and creative press release. How to Apply: Members interested in being considered for the role should apply by outlining their experience and suitability, addressing each of the essential criteria above. Applications should be sent via email to [email protected] APPLICATIONS IN THE STRICTEST CONFIDENCE CLOSE AT 2359z on July 1st 2021
  8. Blair S - 1358329
    Applications are now open for a Membership Assistant to join the Membership Team! Responsible to: Director of Membership Membership Manager Direct Reports: N/A Duties: Work within the VATPAC Membership team to organise, draft and execute any official Membership activities. Assists in developing relationships with VATPAC members and provide support if needed. Assist with the maintenance of the VATPAC Policies and Documentation. Dedicates 5-10 hours per month to carry out staffing duties. Maintains a minimum online presence of 8 hours per month on the VATSIM Network. Essential Criteria: Active participation in the greater VATPAC community for the last 6 months Be a member of good standing in VATSIM and VATPAC Be able to work well with other staff members and the VATPAC community as a whole. Be able to work well within a voluntary organisation Ability to use Microsoft Word and Google Docs How to Apply: Members interested in being considered for the role should apply by outlining their experience and suitability, addressing each of the essential criteria above. Applications should be sent via email to [email protected] APPLICATIONS IN THE STRICTEST CONFIDENCE CLOSE AT 2359z on July 1st 2021
  9. Blair S - 1358329
    Some great feedback regarding Nick's VFR service.
  10. Blair S - 1358329
    until
    Spotlight Series: ORBX YBBNv2 for Prepar3D v4+ | 20APR21 (0800z-1200z) Who are ORBX? For those who don't know ORBX by now, they are leaders in flight simulation since 2006. Having published over 350 products, ORBX is known for high quality, modern and realistic sceneries including the likes of Cairns, Melbourne and Broome. Employing over 30 staff from Australia, UK and numerous other countries. ORBX have continued to maintain their Australian roots with one of their offices and CEO being based in Essendon field. Developing sceneries for FSX, P3D, Aerofly FS2, X-Plane 11 and MSFS; ORBX has created a wide range of products from airports to Autogen addons. Without ORBX, flight simulation in Australia would be extremely different without the 30+ product oceanic library ORBX has to offer. Brisbane Airport is the work of the Havant based ORBX team who have overhauled the airport effectively rebuilding the airport from scratch. Built using current modelling techniques, Physically Based Rendering (PBR) complements highly detailed textures. Custom SODE jetways, including T-style jetways, and VDGS integration (requires the SODE VDGS pack) ensure an immersive and accurate experience from gate to gate. Available now from ORBX Direct Event Details We recommend the following routes for you to fly during this event; however, you are more than welcome to fly to different airports within the coverage area. YSSY -> YBBN: TESAT H185 ENTRA Y245 BANDA H185 BN YBBN -> YSSY: BN H91 CORKY H12 TESAT ATC This event is not rostered. Controllers who wish to control during this event should log on early to secure a spot. Scenery Brisbane International Airport (YBBN): Payware - ORBX (P3Dv4+) Freeware - Ants (FSX/P3D) Freeware - CDG (X-Plane) Sydney Kingsford Smith (YSSY): Payware - FlyTampa v2 (P3Dv4+) Payware - FlyTampa v2 (MSFS) Freeware - AVSIM (FSX/P3D) Freeware - ISDG (X-Plane) MISC - Miscellaneous Items: Payware - AUSv2 (FSX/P3D) *Recommended by ORBX Airports* Payware - Sydney Cityscape (MSFS) Payware - Brisbane Landmarks (MSFS)
  11. Blair S - 1358329
    Spotlight Series: ORBX YBBNv2 for Prepar3D v4+ | 20APR21 (0800z-1200z) The spotlight series will showcase new simulator products like planes, scenery and utilities from all simulators and clients. This semi-regular event will follow closely after the release of these new products giving you a great chance to experience these products in all their glory. This week we are exploring the newly released YBBN for P3D. Don't fear we will feature the latest addons from X-Plane and MSFS when they are released, and you definitely don't require these addons to participate. Who are ORBX? For those who don't know ORBX by now, they are leaders in flight simulation since 2006. Having published over 350 products, ORBX is known for high quality, modern and realistic sceneries including the likes of Cairns, Melbourne and Broome. Employing over 30 staff from Australia, UK and numerous other countries. ORBX have continued to maintain their Australian roots with one of their offices and CEO being based in Essendon field. Developing sceneries for FSX, P3D, Aerofly FS2, X-Plane 11 and MSFS; ORBX has created a wide range of products from airports to Autogen addons. Without ORBX, flight simulation in Australia would be extremely different without the 30+ product oceanic library ORBX has to offer. Brisbane Airport is the work of the Havant based ORBX team who have overhauled the airport effectively rebuilding the airport from scratch. Built using current modelling techniques, Physically Based Rendering (PBR) complements highly detailed textures. Custom SODE jetways, including T-style jetways, and VDGS integration (requires the SODE VDGS pack) ensure an immersive and accurate experience from gate to gate. Available now from ORBX Direct Event Details We recommend the following routes for you to fly during this event; however, you are more than welcome to fly to different airports within the coverage area. YSSY -> YBBN: TESAT H185 ENTRA Y245 BANDA H185 BN YBBN -> YSSY: BN H91 CORKY H12 TESAT ATC This event is not rostered. Controllers who wish to control during this event should log on early to secure a spot. Scenery Brisbane International Airport (YBBN): Payware - ORBX (P3Dv4+) Freeware - Ants (FSX/P3D) Freeware - CDG (X-Plane) Sydney Kingsford Smith (YSSY): Payware - FlyTampa v2 (P3Dv4+) Payware - FlyTampa v2 (MSFS) Freeware - AVSIM (FSX/P3D) Freeware - ISDG (X-Plane) MISC - Miscellaneous Items: Payware - AUSv2 (FSX/P3D) *Recommended by ORBX Airports* Payware - Sydney Cityscape (MSFS) Payware - Brisbane Landmarks (MSFS) VATPAC is not affiliated with ORBX Simulations and has not been payed to produce this content.
  12. Blair S - 1358329
    Dear VATPAC members, thank you for taking the time to read our latest newsletter. There have been a number of exciting developments in the last few months including VATSIMs latest announcement about the data refresh rate. I’m excited to see this in practice and the impact it has on everyone’s enjoyment within the simulator. We have slowly been chipping away at a few projects here, but my main goal has been stability and continuity. I’d like to extend a special thanks to Josh and his events team, for putting in a great effort, week in and week out, scheduling and organising the logistic for VATPAC events. The events are where everyone comes together, enjoys a busy frequency and hopefully a much more realistic experience to flying around by yourself on UNICOM! Thank you to a number of members who have stepped up in recent weeks to assist in moderate our Discord server. It’s great that our community can be so interactive - gone are the days of missed Teamspeak messages and being kicked for idling! This new connected world has created new challenges for us, as we manage the way in which our members use the discord and ensure it suits all of our members, from all ages groups, genders and locations. Thank you for your understanding and patience whilst we work through these issues - and please know that they ARE being worked on. In a short while, I’ll provide a separate and more detailed update to the community from myself through the forums so stay tuned for that. Cheers for your involvement in our great community. Zach
  13. Blair S - 1358329
    Membership Department From the Director Hi all, it is with pleasure I sit down to write my first Scope article as the Director of Membership for VATPAC. Firstly, to those who do not know me, or whom I have not met yet I would like to give you some background about my previous roles within VATSIM. Joining VATSIM and VATPAC in 2002 I have acquired 9424 hours online as a pilot and close to 900 hours controlling, supervising, or observing. In this time, I have assisted VATSIM in roles such as Supervisor, DCRM for VATPAC and held seats on the VATSIM BOG as VATGOV1. So be prepared for long hours and lots of fun as you explore everything the VATSIM and VATPAC network has to offer. Membership Department Report Since taking over the role at the beginning of the year I have been able to meet with the managers and we have started to plan out the direction for the next 12 to 24 months. The initial point of concentration is going to be within the confines of Marketing and will be looking at the VATPAC image and branding. Marketing has started to redesign the VATPAC brand, and along with that, the brief is to create a standardized image for VATPAC which is easily identifiable and unique within VATSIM. The aim being no matter where you see our logo or a forum banner it will be instantly recognizable as VATPAC. With this in mind, we will be looking to have all VATPAC Directors and staff using a standard forum signature and footers to ensure everyone can recognize our roles and know which one of us to contact when the need arises. Luke, the membership team and I will be focusing on new members and member activities once a data source has been secured. We will be looking at how we can assist new members in getting online and how we can remove as many of the first time nerves issues as we can. We will have more details soon regarding changes to this area. Going forward VASO will become a focal point for the team as we look at ways to get members engaged in online activities. Steven Cullen Membership Director
  14. Blair S - 1358329
    Technology Department A lot has happened behind the scenes with the move to new IT infrastructure and the development and initial implementation of new systems. Move to AWS The transfer of all VATPAC web services is now complete and are all now hosted on AWS. This has led to a reduction in costs by more than 50% as well as improvements in performance and reliability in services. While there were some initial teething issues upon migration, all of these are now resolved and all services are operating correctly. Legacy files Legacy files that were once hosted, on the old services have been made available to the relevant members of staff for their use in the future. Unified Password management The implementation of a password management system for VATPAC staff is being tested and will soon be deployed to all staff. This allows for efficient password sharing with access control to passwords. All passwords are hosted on VATPAC services and are protected from external access. This application is yet another tool to improve the security of VATPAC services. VATSIM Data API The VATSIM data api technology has come a long way and we can now use the data provided by VATSIM and build upon it to provide improved services. With this in mind the IT department has been spending significant amounts of time developing some data analysis technologies to improve and update the data in various VATPAC services. For example, soon we will have access to historical as well as live data from the feed to replace the old, inefficient IPS data collection system, this will allow for efficient queries of data that can then be used in statistics, such as top weekly pilot/controller, etc. This will also help in the redevelopment of VATPAX. VATPAX Steven Brown, the original developer of VATPAX, has reached out and will now be redeveloping VATPAX as a external service to VATPAC whereby it will be available to other divisions as well. The IT team will be working closely with him in any support he will need and provide access to various APIs from within VATPAC, such as the new data API.
  15. Blair S - 1358329
    ATC Training and Standards Department With the recent influx of members and the transition to new and exciting ATC client software, the Training department has created the ATC Standards role to help controllers develop their skills beyond their initial rating training. Stay tuned for regular tips & tricks, as well as additional resources to expand your ATC skillset. This month’s area of interest is airwork and ops normal times. Pilots may advise ATC of intended airwork in order to complete practice instrument approaches, survey work, SAR ops, or a range of other operations. Generally, this will involve advising the vertical and lateral boundaries of the airwork, and nominating an ops normal time, which is the latest time ATC should expect to hear back from the pilot once the airwork is complete. E.g. VH-NEZ is a Piper Arrow operating IFR outside controlled airspace who wishes to conduct a practice instrument approach at Mount Gambier. They are enroute and are currently receiving an identification service from Melbourne Centre. VH-NEZ: NEZ, airwork details. ML CTR: NEZ, send airwork details. VH-NEZ: NEZ will be conducting airwork within a 20nm radius of Mount Gambier, surface to 5000ft, ops normal 45. The Melbourne Centre controller should make a note of the intended airwork and acknowledge the ops normal time, then give the pilot directed traffic information on any applicable IFR or observed VFR aircraft who are currently within, or will be shortly transiting, the defined airspace. ML CTR: NEZ, copy ops normal time 45, no reported IFR traffic. VH-NEZ: NEZ. It is recommended that you update the aircraft’s tag with the relevant airwork details and utilise the timer system in your ATC client to ensure you don’t miss the nominated ops normal time. In vatSys, this can be achieved using the built-in clock timer, or preferably, by setting a SAR timer on the aircraft itself. Right mouse click the callsign to open the SAR Window, then select the nominated ops normal time to set the timer. If the pilot fails to report by the nominated time, the SAR alert will activate. If during the airwork period, a second aircraft was inbound to Mount Gamiber, they would need to be advised of VH-NEZ’s airwork boundaries so they can maintain their own separation during descent and landing. ML CTR: RXA4635, IFR traffic for your arrival is NEZ, an IFR Arrow, currently conducting airwork within a 20nm radius of Mount Gambier, surface to 5000ft. Remember to pass this traffic information to VH-NEZ as well. ML CTR: NEZ, IFR traffic is RXA4635, SAAB 340, inbound from the west, descending from flight levels, estimating Mount Gambier at 29. On completion of the airwork, VH-NEZ will report ops normal and may issue a departure report if departing the vicinity for another aerodrome. VH-NEZ: NEZ, ops normal, 3nm southeast of Mount Gambier, passing 2600ft, climbing 7000ft, estimate NOGIP 04. ML CTR: NEZ, identified, no reported IFR traffic 7000ft. Matt Kelly - Manager ATC Standards
  16. Blair S - 1358329
    Airspace and Publications Department The Airspace and Publications Department has continued to provide the latest aeronautical information for all supported radar clients for AIRAC releases 2101, 2102 and 2103 as well as finalise the update of the Brisbane Local Instructions and a minor update to MATs. As always, the operations team is always looking for people who are passionate and would like to assist the team. If you think you have what it takes to help manage the Airspace over the VATPAC sky, send an email to [email protected]; we would love to have you on board! Projects the last 3 months Monthly AIRAC releases. Commenced a joint project with VATNZ to further automate their radar client AIRAC releases. Updated YBBN Local Instructions Minor update the Manual of Air Traffic Services (MATs) to provide information on Independent Parallel Approaches. Ongoing projects (next 1 – 2 months) Continue assisting VATNZ with the automation of their AIRAC releases. Monthly AIRAC releases Future Projects (next 3 months, subject to staff availability - if you would like to help, contact us!) Melbourne, Sydney and Perth Local Instructions review MATS annual review to be carried out, making use of the real-world MATS provided by ASA. Controller Position and Frequency audit to better align with real world procedures. Controller Position & Rating Policy under review with changes being proposed to make clearer the non-standard position guidelines
  17. Blair S - 1358329
    From the Director of Events Hello Everyone, Welcome to the Events Department section of the scope! I am going to do a little recap of the past 3 months, and then go into heaps of detail further down this post. The past 3 months have been a strong beginning for the year for the VATPAC Events Department. With 4 major events under wraps, I am confident to say that Q1 2021 was a success for our Major Events Category. The events team have been hard at work recently and I am delighted to announce a number of new regular events that will be making their way into the Events Calendar during Q2 for everyone to enjoy. FIFO Friday and a new "Spotlight Series" are amongst some of the new events you will see around the place. Remember that the Events Team is always open to feedback. Please contact us via https://feedback.vatpac.org/ or email me directly via [email protected]. Regards, Joshua Micallef Director of Events VATSIM Australia Pacific Upcoming Regular Events We are delighted to welcome a few new Regular Events beginning in April, with more planned for the future! Staffing Changes There have been a few changes to the staffing team within the Events Department. 22DEC20 | Russel Diehl resignation as VFR Operations Coordinator 20JAN21 | Paris Ioannidis & Tyler Hindle appointed as Event Coordinator 20JAN21 | David Bromage appointed VFR Operations Coordinator 1MAR21 | Nicholas Naumovski resignation as Events Coordinator We look forward to what Q2 has in store for the VATPAC Community!
  18. Blair S - 1358329
    Discord Recently there have been a lot of exciting changes to Discord which will make your experience far more enjoyable. There are also some more changes coming soon so keep an eye out for them. New Moderators New Text Channels Streaming Chat Voice Channels Event Chat Voice Channel New Moderators The VATPAC Discord Team would like to welcome our new moderators to their roles within the team. We hope to be able to offer an enjoyable experience for everyone so if you have any concerns feel free to report it on https://discord.vatpac.org/ or contact one of our friendly moderators. New Text Channels #general-chat A dedicated text channel for all general related conversations. #atc-chat A place for all non-coordination related ATC discussions. #event-chat A text channel dedicated to discussion regarding past, current or upcoming events. #screenshots-only replaces our previous screenshots channel and is a place to share all of your flight simulation or controlling screenshots. #realworld-chat is a place to discuss real-world events and new. Streaming Voice Channels This 'Safe For Work' channel is for users which wish to stream on Twitch, YouTube and other live streaming services but wish to still be present on the VATPAC Discord. This will be the only channel where you are allowed to stream Discord voice communication over a live streaming service. Please also note Streaming and Video Chat's through discord has now also been disabled due to some recent complaints and incidents. Event Chat Voice Channel This voice room is a great location to coordinate group flights, group controlling and replaces our Daily Focus Channel.
  19. Blair S - 1358329
    VATPAC Productions The VATPAC youtube channel is back! This will be a place to watch timelapse of events, live streams and promotional videos. If you wish to become involved email us at [email protected] as we always need additional videos and ideas.
  20. Blair S - 1358329
    Departure Report Tutorial An informative video made by VATPAC's Nick Falcione on the correct procedure of Departure Reports in Australia. VATPAC would again like to thank Nick for his continued work for the community in creating informative and engaging content for everyone to watch. Edit [13:05]: Pilots would not notify ATC regarding clearance in this instance. The correct procedure is purely a departure report.
  21. Blair S - 1358329
    until
    Spotlight Series : NZA Simulations YMHB & YCBG For MSFS | 30MAR21 (0800z - 1200z) Fly into or depart from either Hobart Airport (YMHB) or Cambridge Aerodrome (YCBG) from Melbourne (YMML & YMEN) or Launceston (YMLT) and experience the latest flight simulation has to offer. The spotlight series will showcase new simulator products like planes, scenery and utilities from all simulators and clients. This semi-regular event will follow closely after the release of these new products giving you a great chance to experience these products in all their glory. This week we are exploring the newly released YMHB and YCBG airports for MSFS. Don't fear we will feature the latest addons from X-Plane and Prepar3D when they are released, and you definitely don't require these addons to participate. Who are NZA Simulations? NZA Simulations which stands for New Zealand Australia Simulations, is a development team consisting of 6 developers, 5 of which are from the Oceanic Region and active members within VATPAC and VATNZ. Starting development soon after the release of Microsoft Flight Simulator, NZA Simulations released a series of freeware community-based sceneries for places like Kalgoorlie-Boulder (YPKG) and Rotorua (NZRO) to mention a few. Known for their detailed interiors and stunning PBR NZA Simulations have brought Hobart International Airport (YMHB) and Cambridge Aerodrome (YCBG) both into stunning detail with their payware scenery debut. NZA Simulations - Website NZA Simulations - Discord NZA Simulations - Facebook Hobart International Airport (YMHB) & Cambridge Aerodrome (YCBG) Hobart Airport (YMHB) is Tasmania’s gateway passenger airport, with over 60% of all domestic travel into the state. Located within minutes of Hobart's second airport, Cambridge Aerodrome (YCBG), the airport offers stunning views as both arriving and departing flight paths are over the water. NZA's representation includes over 8800 hand places objects with 41 unique custom buildings and a fully modelled terminal interior and Skybus. Cambridge Aerodrome (YCBG) is the home of general aviation in Southern Tasmania. Today, it is the base of Par Avion, which specialises in day trips and scenic flights around Hobart and the South West Wilderness of Tasmania and flight training. NZA's representation includes over 6140 hand-placed objects, 57 unique custom buildings and 2 custom C172 Par Avion liveries. Event Details Suggested Route (YMHB) YMHB - YMML: HB TASUM H111 LT H215 WAREN W687 ML YMML - YMHB: ML SUNTI H169 IRSOM V33 TASUM HB YMHB - YMLT: HB TASUM H111 KANLI LT YMLT - YMHB: LT MORGO BUSKA HB Suggested Route (YCBG) YCBG - YMEN: HB TASUM H111 LT H215 WAREN W495 MONTY V512 ESDAN EN YMEN - YCBG: MB YTDN YFLI LT YCBG- YMLT: HB KAREN LT YMLT - YCBG: LT CLARK HB Requested ATC Controllers This event is not rostered. Controllers who wish to control during this event should log on early to secure a spot. Additional Scenery YMHB - Hobart Airport: Freeware - George Goodman (FSX/P3D) Freeware - Aus Scenery Design (X-Plane) Payware - NZA Simulations (MSFS) YCBG - Cambridge Aerodrome: Payware - NZA Simulations (MSFS) YMML - Melbourne Airport:Payware - ORBX (FSX/P3D)Freeware - AVSIM (FSX/P3D) Freeware - ISDG (X-Plane) YMEN - Essendon Fields Airport: Payware - ORBX (FSX/P3D) YMLT - Launceston Airport: Freeware - ORBX (FSX/P3D) Freeware - CDG (X-Plane) VATPAC is not affiliated with NZA Simulations and has not been payed to produce this content.
  22. Blair S - 1358329
    Spotlight Series : NZA Simulations YMHB & YCBG For MSFS | 30MAR21 (0800z - 1200z) Fly into or depart from either Hobart Airport (YMHB) or Cambridge Aerodrome (YCBG) from Melbourne (YMML & YMEN) or Launceston (YMLT) and experience the latest flight simulation has to offer. The spotlight series will showcase new simulator products like planes, scenery and utilities from all simulators and clients. This semi-regular event will follow closely after the release of these new products giving you a great chance to experience these products in all their glory. This week we are exploring the newly released YMHB and YCBG airports for MSFS. Don't fear we will feature the latest addons from X-Plane and Prepar3D when they are released, and you definitely don't require these addons to participate. Who are NZA Simulations? NZA Simulations which stands for New Zealand Australia Simulations, is a development team consisting of 6 developers, 5 of which are from the Oceanic Region and active members within VATPAC and VATNZ. Starting development soon after the release of Microsoft Flight Simulator, NZA Simulations released a series of freeware community-based sceneries for places like Kalgoorlie-Boulder (YPKG) and Rotorua (NZRO) to mention a few. Known for their detailed interiors and stunning PBR NZA Simulations have brought Hobart International Airport (YMHB) and Cambridge Aerodrome (YCBG) both into stunning detail with their payware scenery debut. NZA Simulations - Website NZA Simulations - Discord NZA Simulations - Facebook Hobart International Airport (YMHB) & Cambridge Aerodrome (YCBG) Hobart Airport (YMHB) is Tasmania’s gateway passenger airport, with over 60% of all domestic travel into the state. Located within minutes of Hobart's second airport, Cambridge Aerodrome (YCBG), the airport offers stunning views as both arriving and departing flight paths are over the water. NZA's representation includes over 8800 hand places objects with 41 unique custom buildings and a fully modelled terminal interior and Skybus. Cambridge Aerodrome (YCBG) is the home of general aviation in Southern Tasmania. Today, it is the base of Par Avion, which specialises in day trips and scenic flights around Hobart and the South West Wilderness of Tasmania and flight training. NZA's representation includes over 6140 hand-placed objects, 57 unique custom buildings and 2 custom C172 Par Avion liveries. Event Details Suggested Route (YMHB) YMHB - YMML: HB TASUM H111 LT H215 WAREN W687 ML YMML - YMHB: ML SUNTI H169 IRSOM V33 TASUM HB YMHB - YMLT: HB TASUM H111 KANLI LT YMLT - YMHB: LT MORGO BUSKA HB Suggested Route (YCBG) YCBG - YMEN: HB TASUM H111 LT H215 WAREN W495 MONTY V512 ESDAN EN YMEN - YCBG: MB YTDN YFLI LT YCBG- YMLT: HB KAREN LT YMLT - YCBG: LT CLARK HB Requested ATC Controllers This event is not rostered. Controllers who wish to control during this event should log on early to secure a spot. Additional Scenery YMHB - Hobart Airport: Freeware - George Goodman (FSX/P3D) Freeware - Aus Scenery Design (X-Plane) Payware - NZA Simulations (MSFS) YCBG - Cambridge Aerodrome: Payware - NZA Simulations (MSFS) YMML - Melbourne Airport:Payware - ORBX (FSX/P3D)Freeware - AVSIM (FSX/P3D) Freeware - ISDG (X-Plane) YMEN - Essendon Fields Airport: Payware - ORBX (FSX/P3D) YMLT - Launceston Airport: Freeware - ORBX (FSX/P3D) Freeware - CDG (X-Plane) VATPAC is not affiliated with NZA Simulations and has not been payed to produce this content.
  23. Blair S - 1358329
    Hi Everyone, I'd like to take a brief moment to wish everyone a Happy Holiday season and a Happy New Year (finally) - I know some members of our community deserve this in particular, given the circumstances of this year. 2021 for VATPAC looks exciting with a fresh new Board of Directors, looking to be padded out nicely with an extremely wide breadth of experience. It will be great to see some old names/faces around the place again, that's for sure. It's been an exciting few months with the release of MSFS2020 and vatSys, for both our Pilots and Controllers respectively. I'm sure there will be even more exciting stuff next year. Now is also an excellent time to reflect on all our involvement in the community and have a think about how we can be better, to strengthen our very small little world of virtual aviation. It always annoys me when I hear of silly grievances that could be resolved with a reasonable discussion turning into something bigger than it needs to be, affecting many people. We have such a tiny community here of only a few thousand members so let's all do our part and make the effort of working together as best we can! You will hear from me again in the New Year as the changes to the staffing structure are implemented. I will also be excited to see the Senior Controller requirements become cemented and clear for any of our members to look forward to. Once again, have a safe and happy time. Stay away from the fire, the floods and the virus! Cheers, -- Zach Biesse-Fitton Acting Director of Division VATSIM Australia Pacific
  24. Blair S - 1358329
    Well, what a year 2020 has been! It’s been great to hear many new and old voices on the network coming together to enjoy our virtual aviation hobby. I think it’s fair to say that this year would have been one of the training department’s busiest, with many people spending more time at home, we saw a significant increase in the number of students seeking training. Our team of mentors and instructors stepped up to the challenge, helping to ensure ATC training has remained as accessible as ever by maintaining short wait times and delivering high-quality training. This year, VATPAC awarded 95 rating upgrades, more than two times the number we awarded last year. There are too many names to list, but I would like to congratulate everyone who undertook training this year, and I hope you’ve enjoyed being able to control on the network. For those of you with your C1s who are looking for another challenge, I encourage you to keep your ears open early next year as we’re introducing a new Senior Controller Policy with more clarity about how you can work toward your C3. In 2021, we will continue to work on improving the VATPAC ATC training experience. This will include an update of our training materials to include examples from the new vatSys client, as well as the rollout of the next phase of our new ATC Training Admin system. With some changes in the department’s leadership team as well, I’m sure there will be many more developments that you will want to keep your eyes on. Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year. -- Will Smart Acting Director of ATC Training and Standards Department VATSIM Australia Pacific
  25. Blair S - 1358329
    A lot has been happening in the IT department behind the scenes with a new pathway forward being reached. An announcement at the start of new year is expected to come from the department that establishes a new direction for the department. Department restructure With the restructure of VATPAC, the IT department has been looking inward to how it can improve efficiency and capabilities. Two new positions are created within the department, Development Manager and Systems & Support Manager. The latter of the two has already been filled by Sam Wilson and we are looking forward to seeing the capabilities that he will be able to bring to the department. We are calling for expressions of interest for the Development Manager role. If you are interested, please email [email protected] with a brief description of skills, experience and why you suit the position. We are also looking for IT developers, if you are interested please send an expression of interest to [email protected]. Move to AWS A large number of the VATPAC services have been transferred to AWS with only a few services remaining. The remaining services are planned to be transferred over the holiday period. VATPAC Core v2 We have been looking into upgrades to our web services for VATPAC Core v2, expecting to use Amazon’s Web Services (AWS). Core v2 will be the backend of VATPAC’s services, and it will be the one place for all management and permissions. By using AWS, we are able to have: - Lower management costs, as we are paying by usage rather than a fixed fee - Greater security and privacy, with Amazon’s own dedicated issues management team and superior storage of confidential data by AWS - Serverless Architecture, meaning Amazon finds the best available server to serve the requested content - Greater efficiency, with faster response times from AWS servers and negligible downtime - Easier management, as AWS services are all managed by one simple control panel, as well as the ability to dynamically change server requirements. At the moment, we are looking to move VATPAC Core onto AWS services which will allow for a trial of AWS. This also removes some workload off the Vultr server, and may allow for a downgrade in Vultr to save costs. VATPAC Core v2 will also allow for better interactivity with the community and better extensibility for third parties and API access. Pilot Assist and vatSys We are currently developing the new Pilot Assist and ensuring Vatpac's IT infrastructure will support the new vatSys Client! Unfortunately due the voluntary nature of VATPAC staff, progress on pilot assist has significantly slowed. We are looking to further push the project capabilities with the beginning of the year. We are also working with the members of the vatSys team to ensure it is fully supported by the IT Department and Operations Department for full release. VATPAX VATPAX is under redevelopment! We are looking for more developers to dedicate time on this project. If you are interested please send an expression of interest email to Tom Grozev on [email protected]. Cheers, -- Tom Grozev Director of Technology VATSIM Australia Pacific
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