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VatIRIS

Overview

VatIRIS is an interpretation of its real-world counterpart:
IRIS - Integrated Real-time Information System,
but adapted and extended for use by VATSIM controllers in Sweden.

IRIS is designed to provide real-time information to various aviation facilities. It integrates and displays critical information such as air traffic data, weather conditions, and navigational aids into one flexible, role-based presentation.

Purpose of VatIRIS

VatIRIS can be used to:

  • Provide situational awareness for air traffic controllers by combining previously separate data into one interface.
  • Improve safety and operational efficiency for airports by allowing seamless communication between controllers and other operational systems.

User Interface

The different modules in VatIRIS are contained in a GUI similar to Windows or MacOS with resizable windows for each module.

Window snapping is enabled by default but can be disabled under SYSTEM -> SETTINGS if desired.

Modules

Below are some examples of the different types of information that the different modules can show:

  1. Dynamic Information

    • Real time weather data (METAR, TAF, Weather sensor values, Weather map).
    • ECFMP Flow measures.
    • Airspace Occupancy data.
    • PLS data.

  2. Static Information

    • AIP (Aeronautical Information Publications).
    • Pushback procedure maps.
    • Manuals and regulations (LOP, GOP etc. from Wiki)

Logging in

Logging in using VATSIM Connect is required to access most features, saved presets etc are also stored connected to your account, this manual assumes you are logged in to IRIS.

Data timestamps

Most modules show a timestamp in the top right corner of each window.

The timestamp is not shown at all if not relevant (e.g. for data from Wiki and AIP).

Sometimes the timestamp only shows (in red) when the data is outdated (METREPORT and METSENSOR).

The Menu Row

All modules/windows can be opened using the menu row,

A short description of the first level of buttons are shown below, modules that can be opened using a button are described in their entirety under Module Descriptions.

System Menu

To the left in the menu bar you'll find the following buttons, affecting the general behaviour of IRIS system-wide.

  • Reload arrows Reload Button - Reloads the data in all open windows.
  • SYSTEM
    • SETTINGS - Open personal options view.
    • PRESET - Create/manage window presets, default presets are also available here.
    • RESET - Reset settings.
    • LOGIN/LOGOUT - VATSIM Connect: log in/out.

Main Toolbar

The buttons to the right of SYSTEM are connected to their specific modules, each button opens their own window or a submenu, see Module Descriptions for a full description of each module.

Module Descriptions

MET - Meteorological information

AIRPORT

Showing a combined view of SUN, METREPORT, TAF and METSENSOR.

METREPORT

Showing decoded weather data parsed from one of the selected data sources depending on view mode.

View modes:

Only available sources for the respective airport is shown. The data source is automatically switched to the preferred source when one becomes available (A>W>M).

Updated data (blue flash):

When new data is available for the selected data source:

  1. The window for that airport flashes in blue.
  2. All text turns blue after the window has flashed.

Left click anywhere in the window to reset the "blue flash" to indicate that you have seen the update.

This is enabled by default but can be disabled under SYSTEM -> SETTINGS if desired.

Legend

image.png

  • ESGG - Airport designator (Göteborg Landvetter).
  • YAN - ATIS letter (YAN=Yankee).
  • 241125 - Date YYMMDD (2024-11-25).
  • M W A - View modes (show above).
    • M for METAR.
    • W for WX.AWOS.
    • A for VATSIM ATIS.
  • RWY 21 - Runway in use.
  • 251520Z - Date of the met report DDHHMM (25th 15:20z).
  • WIND - Wind.
  • VIS - Visibility.
  • -RA - Precipitation, ("-RA" meaning light rain might also be shown as "FBL RA").
  • CLD - Clouds.
  • T09 DP08 - Temperature and dewpoint in Celsius, (minus shown as "MS"=TMS12=Temperature minus 12).
  • QNH 0995 ⯈ HPA

    • QNH Trend Arrow - Shown to the right of the QNH value.

      The trend arrow indicates if the QNH has changed since the last update or not. Sometimes this arrow appears after the first time data is changed/updated.

      • QNH increased: ⯅
      • QNH same: ⯈
      • QNH decreased: ⯆
  • TRL 70 - Transition level (calculated from QNH or loaded from ATIS/WX.AWOS, depending on view mode).
  • SURFACE CONDITION CODE(...) - Used entered NOTAM / Airport conditions, shown only in WX.AWOS and ATIS view modes.

Runway mismatch indicator in ATIS view mode - Compares the RWY in use between VATSIM ATIS and WX.AWOS data and highlights the runway in use as follows:

  •  RWY 21  - No mismatch (ATIS runway matches WX.AWOS)
  •  RWY 21  - Mismatched runway (ATIS runway differs from WX.AWOS)

At Stockholm Arlanda (ESSA), both arrival and departure runways are monitored. A warning is shown if one or both mismatches.

Greyed out information in WX.AWOS view mode - the ATIS letter and RWY designator are greyed out from AWOS view mode when a VATSIM ATIS is available:

  •  YAN  and  RWY 21  - VATSIM ATIS available, no mismatch (ATIS runway matches WX.AWOS)
  •  YAN  and  RWY 21  - VATSIM ATIS available, mismatched runway (ATIS runway differs from WX.AWOS)
  •  YAN  and  RWY 21  - VATSIM ATIS not available.

Stockholm/Arlanda ESSA

For ESSA there are three menu options ATIS view mode is only available for ESSA ARR and ESSA DEP.

METSENSOR

Showing weather data in real time (updated every minute, or more frequently).

Updated data (blue flash):

When new data is available the data field that was updated flashes in blue.

This is disabled by default but can be enabled under SYSTEM -> SETTINGS if desired.

Legend

The data is displayed in three separate columns, depending on which sensor and where it is located (03  M  21), below an example for ESGG.

image.png

  • MEAN02 - Mean wind, this is the wind given to the pilot at takeoff and landing clearance.
  • VRB - Wind variable between
    • only given to pilots when present in METREPORT.
  • MIN/MAX - Minimum/maximum wind
    • only given to pilots when present in METREPORT.
  • COMP - Wind component.
    • +08/L03 shows 8 knots tailwind component and 3 knows crosswind component from the left.
  • RVR - Runway visual range
    • given to pilots on request or during LVP.
  • VIS - Visibility.
  • PRW - Precipitation.
  • CLD - Clouds.
  • QNH - QNH
    • rounded down when given to pilot/shown in met report.
  • TRL - Transition level.
  • QFETHR - QFE for the respective threshold.
  • T SURF/BODY - Temperature at surface/body of respective runway 
  • QFE - QFE for airport elevation.
  • T - Temperature in Celsius
    • minus shown as "MS"=TMS12=Temperature minus 12.
  • DP - Dewpoint in Celsius.
  • HUM - Relative humidity, indicated in percent
    • 100% if T and DP are the same.

METAR/TAF

Shows raw METAR/TAFs.

Buttons:

  • METAR - Toggles visibility of METARs
  • TAF - Toggles visibility of TAFs
  • AERODROMES - Selects which aerodromes are shown

Aerodromes not listed can be manually added using the text field.

SMHI

Shows SMHI "weather radar" from https://portaler-lfvradar.smhi.se/sverige

The map displays precipitation intensity, along with lightning strikes detected by lightning sensors.

New images are available every 5 minutes.

Legend

image.png

SWC NORDEN

Nordic significant weather chart.

Legend available here.

VFR

VFR analysis chart - This chart provides a quick and clear overview of weather conditions relevant to Visual Flight Rules (VFR).

SUN

Shows sunset/sunrise and day/night times.

  • "Separation VFR" is shown during nighttime when VFR needs to be separated.

ATFM - Air Traffic Flow Management

ECFMP

Shows flow measures from ECFMP - European Collaboration & Flow Management Project.

Legend

image.png

The measures are displayed in three different colours depending on the state of the flow measure:

  1.  Active  - This flow measure is presently in effect.
  2.  Expired/Withdrawn  - This flow measure is no longer in effect.
    • Expired=The end time has passed.
    • Withdrawn=The flow measure was cancelled before the end time has passed. (End time column shows withdrawal time)
  3.  Notified  - This flow measure will become active within the next 24 hours.


  • Expired/Withdrawn - Toggles visibility of expired/withdrawn measures.
  • Notified - Toggles visibility of notified measures.
  • Reason - Toggles visibility of "Reason" column.
  • New - Opens ECFMP website to add new measure (requires login and flow manager roles).

"ID" and "Filters" columns can be filtered using the text fields

Enter " ES" in filters so see all measures mentioning any Swedish airport.

When hovering the mouse over a measure type a description is shown.

DOCUMENTS - Wiki/AIP and other operational information.

CHECKLISTS

Shows checklist for controllers, (to be used as reference, not necessarily "read and do") the following are available:

  • Open position - For when opening position.
    • When not taking over any airspace from already open positions.
  • Close position - For when closing position.
    • When no relieving controller is taking over position.
  • Handover/takeover - For when other controller/position is relieving (taking over) your airspace/position.
  • Runway change - For planning and coordinating a runway change.

WIKI

Shows Wiki pages as available from ATC Sweden | Wiki

OTHER

Shows other operational information.

  • ESSA PUSH - Pushback procedure charts
  • ESGG PUSH - Reference to which pushback direction is available from which stand, and information regarding which stands are blocked when pushing back for the respective stand (shown as tooltip when hovering stand number)

Note that pilots may not follow the IRL pushback procedures, depending on usage of tools such as GSX, also depending on updated profiles etc etc...

AIP

Shows AIP pages as available from IAIP – AD 2 Aerodromes

TEXT ALIAS

Shows a searchable quick reference to the text alias included in the Swedish GNG package.

  • Auto - Toggle visibility of "Auto" aliases.
  • FSS - Toggles visibility of "FSS" aliases.

AIRCRAFT TYPES

Shows a searchable list of aircraft types, showing ICAO type code, wake turbulence category, wingspan, MTOW etc.

NOTEPAD

Shows a notepad to write notes, such as non-standard agreements with adjacent positions etc.

TRAFFIC

Shows sector occupancy for the selected sector combination.

The X-axis shows time, the Y-axis shows number of aircraft in the selected airspace volume.

  •           - Indicates airborne aircraft.
  •           - Indicates aircraft on ground and pre-filed flight plans.

DCT

Shows tactical directs (quick reference to LoA, shown at TopSky-map).

PLS (only shown when PLS integration selected.)

Configuring/activating PLS
  1. Activate PLS Integration under SYSTEM -> SETTINGS
    • This displays the PLS timer and PLS icon in the menu bar
  2. Select your PLS logic mode (CID or POSITION)
    • CID - To be used when controlling from home, the PLS timer will show no matter the status.
    • POSITION - Only to be used when controlling at location during real live events etc.
  3. Enter CID/POSITION if needed (normally not needed if using VATSIM Connect).
Using PLS + Legend
  • To "go on position": press the PLS icon and enter the position/callsign you are connecting with/as.
  • To "go on break": press the PLS timer and confirm you want to go on break.

Legend (timer suffixes, only shown in CID logic mode):

  • None - On position
  • P - On break
  • Ö - On break (Övrigt/other)


Postface

Changelog

There is no specific changelog available, however all changes can be viewed on Github - Commits.

Significant changes are normally also announced in the VatIRIS thread on Discord.

Contributing

Contributions of any kind are most welcome.

  • If you find a bug or have a feature request/suggestion, please check that it doesn't already exist, if not, add an issue on Github.
  • Github Pull requests are welcome.

Credits

To get in contact with the developers of VatIRIS (contact via Github might be preferred):

  • Martin Insulander - 814118
    • Discord @mumrikki
  • Max Kuhla - 1157125
    • Discord @maxlk96
  • Among others.
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