Geneva - unrealistic SIDs for runway 22

[Andreas Fuchs]

Hi guys,

maybe you have a good reason for it, but in the real world traffic in Geneva is sent towards UN871 via KONIL SIDs and not via MOLUS SIDs, even if pilots file "MOLUS" as their first waypoint in their flightplans. This is standard and done for all flights that I have ever performed myself there.

Cheers, Andreas

[Jonas Kuster]

Hi Andreas

I'm well aware of that fact. As far as I know, this practise is used for aircraft up to Medium WTC (which covers your aircraft) and if weather conditions are not too bad. We have already challenging routings to provide outbound Geneva for departures via ARBOS, DEPUL and SIROD (because not all of these waypoints are served with an SID from both runway) where we need to provide additional information to pilots about the departure routing. Unfortunately, a lot of pilots struggle with such clearances, which often requires additional transmissions and explanations. It seems this is above the average VATSIM pilots capabilities. So, I think it is fair to make a simplification in the world of VATSIM at this point for routings where no such clearance is essential.

[Alasdair Whyborn]

From my experience it is a matter of practicality, the effort of reclearing most VATSIM pilots is just too burdensome. I personally wouldn't mind doing it for the sake of realism, however my experience trying to reclear pilots is you end up in this endless cycle of "confirm via KONIL/Z63/SOSAL/as filed?" "why? now i need to reprogram my FMC..." "i can't reprogram my fmc can you give vectors instead?".

Sure there are quite a lot of pilots who will very easily take the rerouting, but even if it was half-half, it's just too much effort when its busy.

[Luca Santoro]

I agree with you Andreas, that the KONIL makes more sense operation wise, as the MOLUS 22 crosses all left hand downwind arrivals for 22 which are descending. It can be a tiny challenge when staffing arrival ;-).
KONIL on the otherhand as the advantage that once aircrafts clear 6000ft you can send them direct to MOLUS, which make the departing aircraft climb above the ILS 22 and managing better the airspace (less conflicts).

KONIL is also more fun to fly pilotwise, and it takes less time to arrive to MOLUS waypoint via KONIL rather than MOLUS dep (good for real-life pilots). Every time I can, I fly KONIL as well :-)

But as Alasdair and Jonas said, changing a routing on VATSIM is very complex as pilots often have a limited knowledge of their airplane and of the sourrounding airspace. Asking a vatsim pilot to change between SIROD and DIPIR is not always simple (but neccessary). So I prefer not to change a pilot to KONIL, except if I know the pilot and know that he will be able to switch easily.

However I think that pilots should request KONIL more often, the problem is that most route databases suggest MOLUS (and I do not really know why, maybe because KONIL is available only in 22, while MOLUS is 22 and 05 available?).

Please feel free to request us a KONIL departure next time you fly out of Geneva !

[Andreas Fuchs]

So, I would like to re-visit this topic. With the new and clear voice of VATSIM it should be less of a problem to explain to our pilots to follow a KONIL (4A) SID from runway 22 and then punch in SOSAL or whatever is needed afterwards to re-join their initially filed routing. Everytime I fly from VATSIM's Geneva it irritates me a tiny bit when I get a MOLUSxN SID, although KONIL is the realistic way to go.

I'd say, invest some time and effort to actually force pilots to fly more realistic routes. I'm controlling Langen/Frankfurt and Maastricht and I'm well used to questions like "this waypoint is not part of my flightplan", but in the end 90% of those pilots are able to comply with a little bit of forcing them to do it.

[Florian Hofer]

Hi Andreas

As you and others mentioned, KONIL would be the more used SID for RWY22. And I fully support you in terms of using more realistic procedures.

Saddly, the new Voice doesn't really change anything from the before mentioned. Pilots who already had problems to get the route change via voice (or text) on the old voice (including the required reprogramming of the FMC and really flying it), most likely won't neither get it with the new voice codec.

The same problem happens at Zurich with most pilots who file ZUE-departures. (Or SONGI, or GERSA)

At least this is my experience from events. (During non-event time, the capacity is normally available, but not during evnets..)

[Chiara Paganini]

Personally, I don't think the comparison holds up entirely. Especially with the new voice reclearances (that in Zürich can be a lot more extensive than in Geneva) seem to get understood fairly consistently.

If I'm doing delivery during events I'll always correct them, if I'm on apron or tower I try to do it as long as possible, just because in Zürich there's issues with people flying ZUE departures even in sim. So far I've only had a handful of cases that actually didn't get it.

I feel like we could at least try to reclear using different departures, especially since the transitions are fairly easy to clear (SWR123A, Runway 22 to ADES via KONIL5J departure, from KONIL via Z63 to SOSAL, then as filed, initial climb FL90, squawk 6732). If we then figure out that it doesn't work and we get a majority of people who have issues with reprogramming we can always go back.

Just my two cents, would be interested to hear what the more experienced controllers have to add.

Greetings from Vero Beach

[Luca Santoro]

I agree both with Andreas, and the rest of the vacc crew. It is irritating, but the new codec will only slightly improve the situation. Further to that, KONIL is more "difficult to fly" and we might have some conflict with the right hand downwind aircrafts (LUSAR arrivals for rwy 22) if the speed in the 180 turn is not kept low or if the turn is made too late (high aircrafts at the RH-DW 22 region).


1. Personally, I will try to clear pilots filling MOLUS towards KONIL and see how many of them get it correctly. Normally "beginners" (to avoid calling someone noob) are easy to spot, and I won't insist with them .

2. We could think of adding the connecting bit between molus and konil , i.e. route z63 and n871 to sosal (Adding bit of map SID8 to map SID1) so pilots are aware that konil and molus are "connected")(see annexes)?

3. Andreas, to make sure to fly molus, just put it in your flight plan I always fly KONIL out of geneva!

Dear VACC CH controllers, please let me know what you think and what's your opinion on this

Thanks for your message Andreas !

Annexes:
1. SID1 KONIL MOLUS http://www.vacc.ch/file/23
2. SID8 TRANSIT http://www.vacc.ch/file/356

[Jonas Kuster]

Adding bit of map SID8 to map SID1

NO! The maps contain exactly what their title says. One is the SID procedure. The other is the connecting options to the enroute ATS network.
You are thinking too isolated on this specific problem. There is also a connection to FRI. We can't paste them all to the SID charts.

There is no objection against providing pilots with a KONIL departure if coordinated with the relevant active controllers. Actually as the controller responsible for departures (DEP), you may ask the ground crew for such specific re-clearances, if you feel up to.

[Luca Santoro]

Actually as the controller responsible for departures (DEP), you may ask the ground crew for such specific re-clearances, if you feel up to.

Very good idea indeed. Will apply this when relevant!

NO! The maps contain exactly what their title says. One is the SID procedure. The other is the connecting options to the enroute ATS network.

Fine with me!
Out of curiosity, may I ask why in the case of DIPIR/SIROD/ARBOS we have 1 chart combining the SID procedure and the enroute connexions between the different SID endpoints, but for KONIL/MOLUS we have 2 separated charts (SIDs + Transits)?

[Jonas Kuster]

Out of curiosity, may I ask why in the case of DIPIR/SIROD/ARBOS we have 1 chart combining the SID procedure and the enroute connexions between the different SID endpoints, but for KONIL/MOLUS we have 2 separated charts (SIDs + Transits)?

Sure. The group DIPIR/SIROD/ARBOS has an isolated issue within those 3 SIDs. And since those SIDs are also depicted on a single chart, it is a smart option to have a chart less in the library. But KONIL and MOLUS SIDs are on different charts, mainly due to different performance requirements (RNAV1 vs. NON-RNAV).
I agree that we are not applying the same principle everywhere, but the DIPIR/SIROD/ARBOS mix is even with charts at hand sometimes difficult to explain to pilots. The KONIL case is a much simpler issue and might be solved also with a DCT clearance by DEP since SOSAL is still within his AoR. This is not the case for the other 3 SIDs and Radar should not need to deal with such problems.