I think this is falling into a bit of a grey area. Yes supersonic flight over land in Canada is illegal, and yes this is just a game, but it is one we try to emulate the real world as closely as we can.
Which is exactly why I was flying the real world Supersonic route and not some random routing across Canada sir
The controller in question would have been more appropriate informing you that exceeding mach 1 is illegal in Canada and speed is at your discretion as controllers aren't there to play cop.
Saying he didn't need you to slow down, you don't know that, you can't see the whole picture and going almost Mach 2, 400 miles gets covered real quick. If they are dealing with a whole bunch of other event traffic and trying to slot you in then your speed is going to be an issue.
I understand that you are trying to defend your colleague sir, I totally get that but to reiterate, I was 400nm+ from the nearest traffic and he specifically told me I needed to slow down because it was illegal (which it isn't), there was no other reason he required me to slow down, so we don't need to worry about arbitrary reasons like, "it could have been for traffic integration". It really wasn't that complicated at all, he didn't like me being supersonic because he incorrectly believed I was not allowed to do so and decided to play sky cop.
As for your point about receiving supersonic clearance from another controller, that's irrelevant, they don't control the other's airspace.
You can see how ridiculous this is right? One Canadian controller clears me supersonic, then hands me off to the next Canadian controller who then looses his cool, raises his voice at me on frequency and demands I slow down because it is illegal on the network. Again sir, I completely understand your position and trying to defend your colleague sir, but no, this is not irrelevant at all but in fact, a little silly
The controller was not in the wrong entirely for reporting after asking you to slow down. I'll refer to the VATSIM Code of Conduct, section B8
I can't agree with that at all, I would likely to kindly remind you that the code of conduct states that a pilot must comply with all instructions and notify the controller if unable to do so. Which is exactly what I did, I was not able to make my destination unless I was supersonic and I was not breaking any rule by being supersonic and this is my point that you and the young controller seem to be missing here sir. It is not against the VATSIM rules to be supersonic over land and I was flying over the real world supersonic route.
In reality though, this probably could have been handled better all around, from both sides.
Correct much better, I also don't really appreciate being addressed as if I am somehow in the wrong here. I did absolutely nothing wrong, I filled the correct Flight Plan, I received the correct clearance and I flew along a route I've done so many, many times in my 17 years on VATSIM.
This is a simple case of someone playing sky cop when they should not have been, there were no valid reasons for the way he acted or treated me and I find it very disrespectful that despite me taking the time to be as polite and as helpful as possible that you have reacted in a mildly hostile way and tried to educate me on the network rules as if I am somehow in the wrong here.
My issue is that VATSIM is not a dictatorship sir, I should not have to disconnect from the network because a young controller is accusing me of breaking rules that don't exist, and that I
must obey him even if he is wrong, because I don't understand the full picture.
The controller probably didn't need to get a SUP, at least not yet, and what would be the harm in you complying and slowing down.
I would have ran out of fuel and not made my destination so that would have been rather harmful sir, plus I had flown the aircraft all the way from London on the same day to take part in this event, so although we don't see eye to eye on this issue I'm sure you can understand just why I was so frustrated to have flown all the way from the UK to take part in a Canadian Fly In event, flying a real world Concorde route only to be told by someone who doesn't know any better than I am not allowed to do that.
Regardless, thank you for taking the time to reply to me, I hope this incident highlights some issues that need to be addressed.
Gareth
