When ATC is online, follow their instructions. Always. If you're unsure of an instruction, read it back as you understand it and the controller will clarify.
When ATC is offline, use the appropriate CTAF frequency — this is the Tower frequency in Australia, North America and the Caribbean. New Zealand and the rest of the world use VATSIM's UNICOM frequency 122.800. (NZ is expected to move to a CTAF system in due course — date to be confirmed.) Make standard position calls as you would at an uncontrolled aerodrome.
Transponder. Squawk the code assigned by ATC. If departing from an uncontrolled aerodrome with no ATC, squawk 2000 (IFR) or 1200 (VFR) until advised otherwise. In oceanic airspace, retain your last assigned code unless specifically instructed to change it.
ATIS. Check the ATIS before calling for clearance at controlled aerodromes. It tells you the active runway, transition level, and any NOTAMs in effect. Acknowledge it in your initial call — "Information Golf, request IFR clearance."
Under standard ICAO hemispheric rules, eastbound tracks (000°–179°) use odd flight levels and westbound tracks (180°–359°) use even flight levels. RVSM (Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum) applies from FL290 to FL410 worldwide, providing 1,000 ft separation between levels.
In the NZCC FIR, flight levels are allocated on a North/South magnetic basis:
- Odd flight levels on magnetic tracks 270° through North to 089° (the northern semicircle)
- Even flight levels on magnetic tracks 090° through South to 269° (the southern semicircle)
The mnemonic is NOSE — North Odd, South Even. Point your nose north, fly odd. Point it south, fly even.
Transition altitude is 13,000 ft in the NZCC FIR. The first available flight level — the transition level — is FL150.
The NZCC FIR covers the New Zealand domestic environment. Beyond its lateral boundary, you transition into the Auckland Oceanic FIR (NZOO), where standard ICAO hemispheric rules apply — Eastbound Odd, Westbound Even.
The transition is lateral — it occurs as you cross the FIR boundary, not at a specific altitude. A well-planned flight will have you already established at a flight level that is correct for both FIRs before you reach the boundary. If your NZCC level and your NZOO level happen to be the same, no step is required. If they differ, plan your climb or descent to be complete at or before the boundary.
Example: A northbound flight from NZAA to NFFN (Fiji) might cruise at FL350 (odd — correct for northbound in NZCC). FL350 is also correct for an eastbound track in NZOO (odd). No change required at the boundary.
Example: A southwestbound flight from NZAA to YSSY might cruise at FL360 (even — correct for southbound in NZCC). On the YSSY side in YMMM FIR, westbound is odd. A step to FL370 would be needed at or before the NZCC/YMMM boundary — plan for it in your cruise profile.
Controlled aerodromes. Auckland (NZAA), Wellington (NZWN) and Christchurch (NZCH) have full ATC services on VATSIM when staffed. Wellington is notorious for wind — always brief an alternate, and expect significant crosswind components particularly on RWY 16/34.
Uncontrolled aerodromes. Most New Zealand regional ports are uncontrolled. New Zealand currently uses VATSIM's UNICOM frequency 122.800 at uncontrolled aerodromes — a move to a CTAF-based system (using the Tower frequency, as in Australia) is expected at some point in the future. Make standard position calls — taxiing, lining up, departing, joining the circuit, and on final.
VATNZ coverage. VATNZ controllers are active particularly during NZ evenings and event days. Check the VATNZ website for event schedules.
In Chinese airspace, flight levels are expressed in metres. The split follows the standard East/West rule on true track — eastbound (000°–179°T) uses one series, westbound (180°–359°T) uses the other.
The transition between Chinese metric levels and ICAO flight levels occurs at the lateral FIR boundary. China and the adjacent FIRs use a 20 NM transition zone at the boundary in which the level change is completed.
Critically, most ICAO flight levels do not have an exact metric equivalent — they sit between two Chinese levels. As you enter Chinese airspace, ATC will assign you the nearest metric level which may require a step climb or descent of a few hundred feet. The same applies on exit.
Compass flights transiting Chinese airspace should plan the cruise to use a flight level that has the smallest possible step at the boundary. The most common transitions are:
- FL290 (ICAO) ↔ 9000 m (FL295) — step up ~500 ft entering, step down on exit
- FL310 (ICAO) ↔ 9500 m — note 9500 m is FL312, ~200 ft step
- FL330 (ICAO) ↔ 10200 m (FL335) — step up ~500 ft entering
- FL350 (ICAO) ↔ 10700 m (FL351) — minimal step, ~100 ft
- FL370 (ICAO) ↔ 11400 m (FL374) — step up ~400 ft entering
- FL390 (ICAO) ↔ 11900 m (FL391) — minimal step, ~100 ft
Plan your filed cruise level to suit the destination and align with one of the cleaner transitions where possible. ATC will manage the precise level change at the boundary.
Compass cargo aircraft operating into Chinese ports — the B747-8F and B777-200LRF — have a metric altimetry display switch on the PFD. Activate it when entering Chinese airspace and your altitude readout will display metres directly, eliminating the need for mental conversion. Pilots landing in China will receive metric level assignments directly from ATC.
Russia historically used QFE altimetry at aerodromes — meaning the altimeter was set so that it read zero on the ground rather than the aerodrome elevation. This is the opposite of standard ICAO QNH practice where the altimeter reads the aerodrome elevation above mean sea level.
UUDD (Moscow Domodedovo) and ULLI (St Petersburg Pulkovo) have both transitioned to QNH. These are the two Compass ports in Russia and pilots should use standard QNH procedures at both.
If you are flying into a smaller Russian airport not on the Compass network, be alert to QFE being in use — particularly from older VATSIM controllers or community ATC events. If QFE is set, your altimeter reads height above the aerodrome, not altitude above sea level. Do not set QFE unless explicitly instructed to do so by ATC.
Russia uses a standard transition altitude of 10,000 ft. The transition level varies with QNH — broadly similar to Australia, though Australia has more bands. The Russian transition level is:
| QNH | Transition Level |
|---|---|
| ≥ 1013 hPa | FL110 |
| < 1013 hPa | FL120 |
| < 977 hPa | FL130 |
Above the transition level, ICAO standard flight levels apply. Below, altitudes are expressed in metres on the metric altimetry system. The metric levels used in Russia are the same system as China — refer to the China tab for the metric/ICAO conversion.
Wind speed in Russia is broadcast in metres per second rather than knots. The rule of thumb is dead simple:
1 m/s ≈ 2 knots
An ATIS reporting "wind 270 at 10" means 10 m/s — approximately 20 knots. "Wind 220 at 15" means 30 knots. Double it in your head and brief crosswind limits accordingly.
| Ocean / FIR | Routes | Tracks | Oceanic clearance on VATSIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific KZAK, NZZO, NFFN, NTTT, YBBB |
AU/NZ ↔ North America, Pacific Islands, French Polynesia | PACOTS (North Pacific seasonal tracks) or UPR | Not required |
| Indian Ocean YMMM, FAJO, OMAE, FIMM, FSSS, VRMF, VCCF, VABF |
AU ↔ Middle East, Africa, Europe westabout | UPR (user preferred routes) | Not required |
| Tasman NZZO, YMMM |
AU ↔ NZ | UPR | Not required |
| North Atlantic EGGX, CZQX, LPPO |
Europe ↔ North America | NAT Tracks (OTS) | Required |
PACOTS (Pacific Organised Track System) operates on the busier North Pacific routes — primarily between North America and Japan/Asia. Compass Cargo flights on North Pacific routes may use PACOTS tracks. Tracks are published daily by Oakland Oceanic (KZAK) and Fukuoka, and are optimised for wind.
UPRs (User Preferred Routes) apply across most of the mid and south Pacific — the majority of Compass Pacific routes including AU/NZ to North America, the Pacific Island connections through NFFN (Nadi) and NTTT (Tahiti), and routes through Brisbane Oceanic (YBBB). File your preferred route and cruise level. There are no organised tracks — you fly the route that suits your aircraft and conditions.
VATSIM note: No oceanic clearance is required for Pacific or Indian Ocean flights on VATSIM. Maintain your filed flight level, squawk your last assigned code, and make position reports if oceanic ATC is online.
All Compass Indian Ocean flights use UPRs — file your preferred route based on winds and aircraft capability. The Indian Ocean is crossed by multiple FIRs including Melbourne (YMMM), Johannesburg Oceanic (FAJO), Emirates (OMAE), Mauritius (FIMM), Seychelles (FSSS), Maldives (VRMF), Colombo (VCCF), and Mumbai Oceanic (VABF) — you may speak with several over the course of a long flight.
No oceanic clearance is required on VATSIM. Maintain your filed flight level, squawk your last assigned code, and make position reports if oceanic ATC is online.
The NAT OTS (Organised Track System) is the structured series of tracks across the North Atlantic, published twice daily by Shanwick (EGGX) and Gander (CZQX). Westbound tracks are published around 01:00 UTC, eastbound around 13:00 UTC. Tracks change daily based on the jetstream.
On VATSIM, an oceanic clearance is required for North Atlantic crossings. Contact the relevant oceanic sector (Shanwick for eastbound, Gander for westbound) before reaching the oceanic entry fix. Request your track, entry fix, flight level and Mach number. Read back the clearance in full.
If not using an organised track, file a random route (also called a random track) — still requires an oceanic clearance on VATSIM.
Current NAT tracks: notaminfo.com/atlanticmap ↗ — updated with each track message.
- Maintain your cleared flight level. Do not request a level change in oceanic airspace unless operationally necessary — separation is based on your filed and cleared level.
- Transponder. Retain your last ATC-assigned squawk code throughout oceanic airspace. Do not change to 2000 or any other code unless instructed.
- SELCAL. If your aircraft is equipped, register your SELCAL code with the oceanic sector on first contact. The controller will SELCAL you rather than making a general broadcast if they need to reach you.
- Mach number technique. Maintain your filed Mach number precisely. Speed separation is used in oceanic airspace and deviating from your filed Mach affects the separation of aircraft behind you.
- Position reports. Make position reports at each significant point on your oceanic track. The tool below will generate the correct format.