I personally find CTAF just a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist (in my experience). I do agree, if there is a published CTAF frequency, then use that but the vast majority of the time flying in airspace with no active ATC, there is never a time where the frequency was actually busy, CTAF or 122.8. It’s just annoying to have to look up a CTAF frequency when 95% of the time flying in uncontrolled airspace I’m the only one around.
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You do not need to look up the CTAF frequency. In vpilot just use the command “.ctaf xxxx” xxxx being the airport ICAO code, this will provide you the frequency.
You only have to look up CTAF freqs twice, once for the departure airport, and once for the arrival. This is how it’s really done in the US. It turns regional comms into local comms alleviating comm traffic. If you type “.ctaf ksfo” into your vatsim client, it’ll give you the CTAF freq for that airport. How is this a burden. Pilots, real and hobbyists, use Vatsim to simulate real life; it’s in the name. There are AI ATC programs for those not interested in that.
This should have been looked up at the flightplanning and/or briefing stage. If there is any indication of ATC not being on, getting the CTAF is easily done by looking at the AIP or the sectionals (if the field is uncontrolled), and have that information well and truly prior to filing a flight plan, let alone connecting and flying.
BL.
And there are also users who hardly ever use the pre-filing page, because they file through their pilot client.
VATPAC only uses 122.8 for its advisory fequency.