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Featured Articles

How To Be a Good Test Pilot for Controllers in Training
By Wayne Conrad (N129P)

Each month ZLA provides over 100 hours of live training sessions. Our students could never gain the required experience without the help of the pilots who provide them with traffic. Wayne Conrad delivers some important ground rules that all pilots should consider when flying in student skies.

NOTAM: ZLA does not simulate ASDE-X
By Ian Elchitz (IE)

The ZLA ATM makes an official announcement for all pilots and controllers regarding the thought process behind ZLA's decision NOT to simulate Airport Surface Detection Equipment, Model X (ASDE-X).

Airspace Transponder and Communication Requirements
By Wayne Conrad (N129P)

ZLA's airports lie within a wide variety of airspaces including 3 class B, 5 class C, and 30 class D's. Veteran ZLA Pilot Wayne Conrad checks in with an article from the pilot perspective aimed at simplifying what you need to know to fly in each of them.

What not to do when flying within ZLA
By Keith Smith (KS)

Many of the same pilot deviations are repeated on a daily basis within ZLA. In the spirit of providing tactical guidance to pilots that are planning on undertaking a flight within the Los Angeles ARTCC, we have compiled a list of the most common deviations and presented them in a single, compact list.

Tips on Recording Your ATIS
By Andrew Doubleday (AJ)

In an effort to assist those of you guys looking to record your ATIS with a bit of a more professional flavor, I'm going to include some tips for how to properly translate the METAR to voice format and make it sound a bit more realistic.

Tips for Pilots flying ZLA
By Peter Grey (PG)

This is the first of a 3 part series geared to help new and experienced pilots get the most enjoyment flying on VATSIM in the ZLA corridor. This covers the basics of getting setup at an airport, who to contact, the proper use of the voice radio, and helpful information you can provide ATC in the remarks section of your flight plan.

Intermediate Pilot Tips
By Peter Grey (PG)

This second part explains the correct aircraft/airline callsigns, how to determine what the active runway will be for flight planning, the fine points of understanding a SID/STAR and approach plates, correctly flying holding patterns, and advanced METAR decoding.

Advanced Pilot Tips
By Peter Grey (PG)

Part 3 builds on your knowledge introducing some advanced IFR maneuvers, such as flying a DME arc, NDB approaches, and Contact approaches. This also covers proper IFR reports to be made to ATC, as well as helpful hints and tips to properly filing a flight plan. Tips for flying VFR in congested terminal airspace are also explained, and finally some advanced weather decoding, such as Sigmets/Airmets, TAF's, Winds aloft, and filing/understanding Pireps.

A Controller's Guide to Instrument Approaches
By Eric Stearns (ES)

Instrument approach clearances cause a lot of confusion among controllers. If you'd like to learn more about the nuances of these types of clearances, this article is for you.

Controller's Guide to Instrument Approaches (Advanced Topics)
By Eric Stearns (ES)

This companion article discusses topics not addressed in the main article.

Ok, I've read the METAR, now what does all that mean?
By Shawn Goldsworthy (SX)

This is the first in a series of articles detailing the intricacies of aviation weather and weather forecasting. If you have always wanted to know how to decode the METAR from your favorite airport, this article is for you!

IFR departures: Don't I Just Fly Runway Heading?? - A Guide for pilots and controllers
By Eric Stearns (ES)

Pilot errors are common when executing departure instructions, this article is meant to address those areas which seem to cause the most confusion. It is written from both a controller and pilot perspective. If you find yourself confused by this topic or just wanting to get into it a little more deeply, read on.

VFR Part 1: How to fly over LAX
By Keith Smith (KS)

This is the first of a two part article covering VFR flights in ZLA. It covers the various options for transitioning the LAX Bravo airspace.

VFR Part 2: Patterns, short hop, long hop
By Keith Smith (KS)

In this second article, we cover the radio work and basic procedures for conducting 3 VFR flights within ZLA. The first flight is basic pattern work, the second is a short hop between two nearby airports. The last flight utilizes one of the LAX transitions covered in the previous article and makes use of flight following.

For more great articles, check out our article archive.

Schedule for Sat March 13th

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Socal Approach (Combined)
Goeggel, Tyler (TG)
SMT?
Local: 8:00am to 12:00pm
1600Z to 2000Z
Frequency: 124.500
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Los Angeles Ground
Dollar, Chase (DR)
Training with TG
Local: 2:00pm to 3:30pm
2200Z to 2330Z
Frequency: 121.650
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Los Angeles Ground
Aaron, Samuel (SL)
Training with TG
Local: 5:30pm to 7:00pm
0130Z to 0300Z
Frequency: 121.650
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Las Vegas Tower
Solon, Tom Jim (TJ)
Good luck, undercover boss.
Local: 7:00pm to 8:00pm
0300Z to 0400Z
Frequency: 119.900
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Los Angeles Center
Meyers, Kevin (KC)
OTS with ZS
Local: 7:00pm to 8:30pm
0300Z to 0430Z
Frequency: 125.800
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Los Angeles Ground
Orellana, Matthew (OA)
Training with TG
Local: 7:00pm to 8:30pm
0300Z to 0430Z
Frequency: 121.650
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Los Angeles Tower
Saffari, Anush (AZ)
ots support
Local: 7:00pm to 8:30pm
0300Z to 0430Z
Frequency: 120.950
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Los Angeles Ground
Cao, Gene (CO)
Training with TG
Local: 8:30pm to 10:00pm
0430Z to 0600Z
Frequency: 121.650
Edit / Remove