Boston Virtual ATC

Boston Virtual ATC

Abbreviation	BVA
Formation	November 2006
Type	Unincorporated
Purpose	Provide an online multiplayer aviation experience for enthusiasts and real-world aviators.
Region served	Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, DC. Occasional "getaways" in other domestic and international environments.
Membership	Free, but must apply to be a member. Over 4,500 members.
Website	http://www.bostonvirtualatc.com/

Boston Virtual ATC (BVA) is a non-profit community of aviation enthusiasts, students, and professionals. The organization connects virtual pilots and virtual air traffic controllers through a multiplayer Microsoft Flight Simulator X server for the purposes of flight simulation and training.^[1]

Unlike many other multiplayer servers running FSX,^[2] BVA does not open its server to the public and restricts it to members only. Prospective users must register for membership through the BVA application process,^[3] and upon approval, may access the BVA server and non-public areas of the website.

Members connect to BVA through Flight Simulator X's multiplayer functionality, and may either fly aircraft online as a pilot, or direct member-flown aircraft as an Air Traffic Controller, in an environment designed to reproduce most aspects of real-world aviation operations.^[4]

The BVA server is online 24 hours per day, seven days a week (including holidays), and focuses the majority of its services around Boston's General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport. However, BVA hosts numerous events in different regions of the United States, and select international destinations, on a regular basis.

Multiplayer

Multiplayer functionality has been included in previous releases at least as far back as Microsoft Flight Simulator 98, with gradual improvements made to each subsequent version. However, the multiplayer experience has been completely overhauled in Microsoft Flight Simulator X, offering better synchronization and graphics rendering to significantly improve realism.^[5][6]

This overhaul unveiled Flight Simulator's new "Shared Skies" feature that allows a pilot to share their cockpit with a co-pilot, instructor, and/or observer(s) in the same session.^[7] This opens the door to numerous customizable interactive scenarios, including orientation flights, flight instruction, real-time cockpit resource management practice, virtual airline realism, adventures, and many others.^[6]

While support for GameSpy-based FSX multiplayer was discontinued, communities like Boston Virtual ATC that host their own sessions are still accessible via a direct connection method that bypasses the former GameSpy-based lobby. BVA's services have not been affected by the shuttering of GameSpy.^[8]

Boston Virtual ATC is differentiated from large, international networks such as VATSIM and IVAO in that users connect to the server without the need for any add-on clients. ^[9][10][11]

Community Overview

Boston Virtual ATC's goal is to provide a realistic air traffic control experience and community that provides real-world pilots and aviation enthusiasts a place to enjoy and learn about aviation from the comfort of their own homes. The community strives to keep the simulation as realistic as possible by using real world communication phraseology and operating procedures.

In doing so, BVA provides worthwhile training experiences to pilots in training (although flights flown online cannot be officially counted toward real-world flight training) and helps private and commercial pilots enhance skills and maintain proficiency in areas such as checklist usage, navigation, radio communications, and simulated emergencies.^[12][13]

BVA concentrates operations in smaller, regional locations across North America with a primary focus on the northeastern United States. Airports throughout the Boston and New York Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs) are often staffed on a nightly basis.

Membership

In addition to pilot and controller interaction, BVA features a number of other attractions to encourage active participation in the community, including military enthusiasts, a virtual airline, regular events, and pilot training.^[14]

In order to become a member of BVA, an applicant must pass a short quiz about the basics of flying online and about unique elements of BVA’s community. Answers to the questions on the quiz are contained on other portions of BVA’s website, making the examination more about reading comprehension than preconceived knowledge.

To become an air traffic controller on BVA’s network, one must pass a longer reading comprehension exam. Then, the new controller begins to work with an experienced controller-mentor in on-the-job training.^[15]

Pilot Resources

Cape Air Virtual, a virtual airline, is exclusive to BVA and operates flights within the same airspace in which controllers normally focus. Flying similar aircraft to some of the airports that real-world Cape Air counterparts serve, the virtual airline offers a sense of purpose to some pilots operating on Boston Virtual ATC's network.^[16][17]

BVA offers a Virtual FBO (fixed base operator), with three options for pilots to improve their skills. The first is a simple orientation program, teaching the basics of flying on Flight Simulator within the BVA virtual environment. It then moves on to a self-train program, called the Pilot Ratings Program, for self-motivated pilots.^[18] The final option is a training airline, where pilots are able to receive flying lessons from experienced members.

Events

To encourage high traffic density and provide a variety of different situations for pilots, BVA often holds weekly events. These events range in focus from crowding aircraft into dense areas, closely simulating the amount of traffic the airports real world counterpart would receive, to an event that highlights a particular skill set or technique.

A major BVA event and philanthropic opportunity was the Flight for the Fight, an event sponsored by a BVA member who used traffic to generate funds donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. During BVA’s Flight for the Fight, The community generated $850.00, $450 of which was donated to the charity.^[19][20] BVA held a similar event in June 2012 called Cleared for the Cause, where over $1,000 was raised and contributed to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.^[21]

BVA also takes part in FlightSimCon; an annual flight simulator conference held at the New England Air Museum, just outside of Hartford, Connecticut. ^[22][23]

See also

• Cape Air
• Flight Simulator X
• Virtual Airline
• Air Traffic Control
• GameSpy
• VATSIM
• IVAO

References

External links

• BVA home page
• BVATC Live! map application depicting real-time flights and active controllers
• FSInsider
• Microvisual