Image: Screenshot of the Month winner Jon H.

Boston Virtual ARTCC's Community Newsletter · June 1, 2025

Facilities Engineer Announcement

By: Josh Nunn

It is my privilege to announce the appointment of Jonathan Halverson (HS) to the position of Facility Engineer.

Jon has been a controller at BVA since 2017 and has been thoroughly integrated in our community ever since. He has deep roots in the flight sim world, serving the community through his work at Flight Simulation Association. Most recently, he has worked for ZID as the Facilities Team Specialist, gaining valuable experience which will help him in the Facility Engineer role here at BVA. He also serves on BVA's Special Operations team as Civilian Mission Coordinator.

I am excited to see what the future holds for BVA with Jonathan in this new role. Congrats HS!

By: Cam Bruno

Boston Virtual ARTCC is pleased to be representing our community and the VATSIM network at FlightSimExpo on June 27-29, 2025 at the Rhode Island Convention Center in downtown Providence.

At the show, we’ll be providing ATC live from the event floor for a special FNO on Friday, June 27. Then, during exhibit hall hours, we’re powering an interactive display to demonstrate the capabilities of the VATSIM network for simmers of all experience levels.

Controllers: please see this Discord post for information on how to get involved with the on-site display.

If you’re attending the show, be sure to stop by our booth on Saturday and Sunday. You can get tickets for FlightSimExpo at flightsimexpo.com, with single-day tickets starting at $40.

If you won’t be attending the show in-person, we hope to see you flying on the network, keeping our controllers busy all weekend long. Planned ATC coverage for FSExpo weekend includes: 

• Friday, June 27 from 1900-0000: FNO featuring KPVD, KBOS, KDCA, KEWR, KIAD, KJFK, and KLGA.
• Saturday, June 28 from 0900-1800: ATC at KBOS, KPVD, and KOQU. 
• Sunday, June 29 from 0900-1500: ATC at KBOS, KPVD, and KOQU.

FlightSimExpo is a three-day flight sim celebration featuring developer announcements, hands-on workshops, panel discussions, and community-inspired seminars. Boston Virtual ARTCC has been a proud partner of the show since the beginning, and many of our members are part of the team that puts the show together. Learn more about our planned presence at the show here.

Pilot Tip of the Month

Top-Down Coverage

One of the most challenging aspects of VATSIM for new pilots is…“who do I talk to?” If you’ve ever tried to depart IFR from a mountainous airport when the Tower is closed, you’ll know this is a question real-world pilots sometimes have to ask too!

On VATSIM, controllers provide “top-down” coverage, meaning that a controller like Boston Center or Bradley Approach will offer radar services and further provide clearance, taxi, and takeoff/landing clearances at towered airports within their jurisdiction.

In top-down scenarios, pilots are encouraged to identify the controller based on the position they are controlling, even when covering a lower position (for example, calling them “Boston Center” instead of “Bradley Ground”). Pilots should also reference their current location on initial contact:

“Boston Center, Baron 931PG, Signature Ramp at Bradley, requesting taxi for VFR departure to the south at 3,500.”

For more information on which controller to contact, check out our Getting Started Guide. As always, if you’re not sure which controller to reach out to, make an educated guess as to the correct frequency, check in with your current location, and ask!

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