Image: Screenshot of the Month winner Francesco D.

Boston Virtual ARTCC's Community Newsletter · December 1, 2024

Happy Holidays & All-Members Meeting!

By: Camden Bruno

As the holiday season approaches, we are pleased to invite the community to an All-Member Meeting on December 20 at 8-10pm ET in the BVA Member TeamSpeak. 

The meeting is open to all community members. It’s designed to highlight and review the year and offer dedicated Q&A time with the Administration Team. You can find connection/joining instructions here.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the A-Team will stick around and invites controller members to join us in a staff-up of the ARTCC, as well as invites pilot members to fly within the airspace. 

We’ll be back in January to share 2024 year-end statistics and our organizational priorities for the coming year. Until then, on behalf of the entire Administration Team, best wishes for the holiday season to our members across the world.

By: Cameron Peterson

60 Hours of ATC kicks off this Friday! Starting at 11am ET, we’re staffing Boston Center non-stop until at least 11pm ET on Sunday, December 8. That means you can fly any time, day or night, and receive guaranteed ATC coverage! 

Alongside the amazing weekend coverage, we’re also hosting VATUSA’s Friday Night Operations (FNO) event on Friday, December 6. This event features extensive ATC coverage from the region's major centers: Boston (ZBW), New York (ZNY), Cleveland (ZOB), Washington (ZDC), and Indianapolis (ZID). With this broad ATC coverage, you'll enjoy seamless guidance and support as you traverse one of the country's most dynamic and challenging airspaces.

Visit our forums for more information on 60 Hours of ATC and our Winter Howl FNO on Friday night. 

By: Camden Bruno

We’re pleased to announce the release of an official Boston Virtual ARTCC paint for the PMDG 737-800 in MSFS. BVA Controller Sean (DY) designed this livery and has emphasized that this is a beta release with additional detailing and features to come at a later date.

This livery gives our members an opportunity to fly throughout the network and within our airspace, showcasing their pride for our great community. Feel free to use the 3LD "BVA" with the callsign 'Fenway' when flying the livery across the network (please include “CALLSIGN FENWAY” within the remarks section of your flight plan).

For more information and to download the new livery, visit our forums.

By: Alec Liberman

On November 24, vPilot released an update to be compatible with MSFS2024, allowing the new sim's users to fly on the VATSIM network! This update was the top priority for VATSIM's development team, and plenty of testing was concluded to ensure compatibility.

Due to how MSFS2024 streams content, vPilot initially does not support robust model matching without a third-party utility. Model matching will initially be limited to the 30 default aircraft in the simulator. However, users can find a reliable third-party solution (such as FSLTL) to expand model matching options. Additionally, users are asked to avoid connecting to the network from Career Mode, as the simulator will automatically change communication frequencies during these scenarios (potentially disrupting your communication with ATC).

For more information, see the full update here. Happy flying!

Pilot Tip of the Month

Runway 33L Approaches

During overnight hours, pilots may be assigned a noise abatement approach when landing on Runway 33L. The two common procedures are the RNAV (RNP) X RWY 33L and the LIGHT VISUAL RWY 33L.

Both procedures are charted and may be found anywhere U.S. aviation charts are published. However, the procedures look a little different from the standard ILS approaches we see in everyday flying.

BVA has produced a new Runway 33L Nocturnal Procedures at KBOS Pilot Reference. We welcome all members to scroll through the document, especially if you're planning some late-night flights into KBOS during 60 Hours this weekend. 

If you are assigned an approach to Runway 33L that you do not have the chart for or are unsure how to fly, request the ILS RWY 33L from ATC instead.

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