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Civil / Airliner60 min lesson

First VATSIM Flight

Fly your first VATSIM flight with a tutor on your side — handle clearance, ground, tower, departure, and approach comms without freezing on frequency.

About this lesson

The barrier to VATSIM is not the comms — it is the fear of sounding stupid. Your tutor flies alongside you, prompts your readbacks, and corrects phraseology in private before you key up.

Why a human tutor? Comms are built on confidence. A tutor on a private channel, prompting you, is the fastest way to build it.

What you'll learn

  • How to file a simple VFR or IFR flight plan
  • Getting clearance — what to say, what to expect
  • Readback discipline — numbers first, callsign last
  • Frequency changes and position reports
  • What to do when you don't understand ATC

Prerequisites

  • VATSIM account (free)
  • vPilot or xPilot installed
  • A short flight planned

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Prep material

Read these guides before your lesson — you'll get more out of the session.