On the 28th of October 2023, thousands of virtual pilots will be crossing the Atlantic Ocean for VATSIM’s bi-annual Cross the Pond event.
For those unaware, Cross the Pond is the world’s biggest online flight simulation event run by VATSIM, an online air traffic network. Pilots are invited to cross the Atlantic Ocean with full air traffic control coverage throughout the journey via one of the North Atlantic Tracks (NAT-Tracks). The event runs twice a year, with a westbound leg in April preceding an eastbound leg in October.
As per tradition, pilots and controllers have the ability to vote on the airports that will be a part of the event. Those who want to vote will be able to put their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choice, with each vote being allocating point amounts. Those votes are then tallied up before the final airport selection is made. Event airports are those that are fully staffed for the duration of the event.
As for the airports you can then vote on, below is the list of airports on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Here are the Americas selection:
- Halifax Stanfield International Airport – YHZ/CYHZ
- Winnipeg International – YWG/CYWG
- Toronto Pearson – YYZ/CYYZ
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – ATL/KATL
- Boston Logan Intl – BOS/KBOS
- Charlotte-Douglas International Airport – CLT/KCLT
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport – CVG/KCVG
- Indianapolis International Airport – IND/KIND
- John F. Kennedy International – JFK/KJFK
- Orlando International Airport – MCO/KMCO
- Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport – SDF/KSDF
- Punta Cana International Airport – PUJ/MDPC
- Sangster International Airport – MBJ/MKJS
- José Martí International Airport – HAV/MUHA
- Lynden Pindling International Airport – NAS/MYNN
- Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek – Brasília – BSB/SBBR
- El Dorado International Airport – BOG/SKBO
- Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport – SJU/TJSJ
- Princess Juliana International Airport – SXM/TNCM
And here is the European selection:
- Felix Houphouet Boigny Intl – ABJ/DIAP
- Tunis–Carthage – TUN/DTTA
- Brussels Zaventem Airport – BRU/EBBR
- Frankfurt am Main – FRA/EDDF
- Helsinki Vantaa – HEL/EFHK
- London Heathrow – LHR/EGLL
- Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – AMS/EHAM
- Stockholm Arlanda – ARN/ESSA
- Riga International Airport – RIX/EVRA
- Cape Town Intl – CPT/FACT
- 4th Of February – LAD/FNLU
- Mohammed V – CMN/GMMN
- Blaise Diagne Intl – DSS/GOBD
- Roma Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci – FCO/LIRF
- Vienna International Airport – VIE/LOWW
- Belgrade Nikola Tesla – BEG/LYBE
Voting closes on 16th September (Saturday) at 2000 UTC. You can place your vote on the VATSIM CTP website.
Do you want to learn more about Cross the Pond and how the team put it on? Check out our Behind the Scene editorial where we spoke to them about last year’s event.
