[Reporting Visual]

Hmm just noted that the diagram I included in the above post did not go in.  I’ll try and attach it separately now:

 

Figure 7: Runway centre-line tracking requirements

Runway in sight Vs Visual.pdf

[Reporting Visual]

I’d like to buy in to this discussion with some ‘authority’ to refer to.  I am not a pilot.  However, I read the following in an ATSB review of a reportable event at Sydney airport in 2013.  The report provides as below.  I would therefore think that the above discussions / guesses or presumptions might need to be reconsidered / reviewed and further research be considered.  You can find the full report here: https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/5321892/AO-2013-095_Final.docx  

The difference between reporting ‘visual’ and reporting the runway in sight is significant. A visual call by the flight crew to ATC is all that is required if established on the centreline using electronic indications. In contrast, a specific runway in sight call is required from flight crews if they are not electronically established on centreline (Figure 7).

Any aircraft being processed for an IVA needs to inform the Sydney ATC Director when they have the runway in sight as soon as possible.

Figure 7: Runway centre-line tracking requirements

[Returning Newbie - Great info for returning and new pilots]

Just flew my first flight on VATSIM tonight (NZ Discovery) - enjoyed it (plane disintegrated itself four times so was testing my patience) but I did come away from it with lots of questions.  You've covered a few of them here with this post / sticky so thank you!  It has certainly filled a good gap for me.

I was the knuckle head who was trying to talk to someone (anyone) on Freq. 122.80 and was wondering why I couldn't hear other pilots and thought I had done something wrong but now know why I received a message telling me it was a text only frequency. "My Bad"!

Thanks for this information!  I'll find the right forum and post my other questions there.  But for now I think I will re-read all of this first - thanks again mate!

Paul