How do I use SayIntentions.AI with VATSIM?

You can use our VATSIM-Departure feature to automatically transfer your VATSIM-controlled flight to SayIntentions.AI's ATC network once you departure a VATSIM coverage area.

Please read this article carefully, as there are some important details here about how this works. 

As you are departing a VATSIM coverage areas, use the following steps to automatically move to the SayIntentions.AI ATC Network:

1. Make sure your VATSIM flight plan was also filed on SimBrief.

2. Make sure your SimBrief username has been entered into the SayIntentions.AI App Settings.

3. Depart the VATSIM Coverage area, and wait until they hand you off to the UNICOM frequency on 122.8.

4. Close the VATSIM app, or disconnect from the VATSIM network. (This prevents you from transmitting on both networks at the same time).

5. Start the SayIntentions.AI app.

6. Wait 15 to 60 seconds. The SayIntentions.AI ATC controller will contact you, and ask you to switch to the appropriate ACC/ARTCC or Radar/TRACON frequency.

7. You will hear "Radar contact", and receive your next IFR instructions, if any.

You keep your flight plan. You keep your squawk code. At this point, SayIntentions.AI is your new ATC network!

If I want to run both vPilot and SayIntentions.AI at the same time:

You CAN do this, but you must use a different button for PTT (Push-to-Transmit) for each app / ATC Network. This is to prevent a situation where you are dual-transmitting on each network at the same time (which would be a huge problem for both networks). 

If you're unsure how to do this, or simply don't want to do this, we recommend running just one at a time.

What if I want to do the handoff in reverse? (Switch from SayIntentions.AI to VATSIM as I arrive into a coverage area).

We would LOVE to have this feature. However, this will require a little bit of cooperation with the VATSIM team.  We’ve consistently expressed our strong interest in integrating with VATSIM. We’re willing to offer commercial support and adjust our roadmap to make this a top priority.

Based on the minutes from a recent VATSIM meeting—our only source of insight, as we’ve received no direct communication about the meeting—the following concerns were noted:

A. Resource limitations – [Understandable]

B. Data feeds already exist – [If sufficient, integration would already be complete]

C. Concern over supporting a for-profit entity – [VATSIM already integrates with commercial companies like Microsoft and Laminar. We’ve also offered financial support with no strings attached to help further the project].

D. Potential conflicts with controller instructions – [Can be resolved through joint development of integration standards.]

E. Pilots not monitoring UNICOM – [Easily solvable; for example, we can automatically enable UNICOM on COM2 when connected to both networks].

None of the issues appear insurmountable with basic collaboration and open communication.

To be clear, we believe human ATC will always be superior to AI, and there’s significant value in a system that fills coverage gaps. If commercial concerns persist, our free solution—OpenSky—could serve as a foundation for collaboration.

In summary: We're still open and ready to integrate. For now, VATSIM appears uninterested.

We’ll update this FAQ if anything changes.

Minutes from the VATSIM Meeting: 

https://cdn.vatsim.net/meeting-minutes/bog/BOG_2024_Q4.pdf