System Operation

Starting Maestro

1. Click the TFMS button on the vatSys menu bar
2. Select an airport from the menu

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If the TFMS menu item does not appear, refer to the installation instructions.

Window Layout

The upper section displays the connection status, TMA configuration, runway acceptance rates, upper and lower winds, achieved rates, units, and UTC time.

The lower section contains function buttons, view selector buttons, and sequence ladders.

Function Buttons

Button	Purpose
DEPS	Open the pending departures list
COORD	Open the coordination window
DESQ	Open the desequenced flights list (turns white when flights exist)

Views

The view buttons switch between different displays of the sequence. Each view defines one or more ladders filtered by runway or feeder fix, a time reference (STA or STA_FF), and a label layout.

Views using STA are called Runway views. Views using STA_FF are called Feeder views.

Ladders

Ladders are vertical timelines displaying flights in the sequence. Each tick represents one minute. Flights are positioned based on the view's time reference.

Buttons to the left of the ladders control scrolling:

• Up/Down Arrows - Scroll 15 minutes
• Center Button - Reset to current time

When scrolled, the time reference at the bottom turns blue. When more than two ladders are present, additional buttons become available for horizontal scrolling.

Flight Labels

Flight labels are mirrored on each side of the ladder.

Labels may include:

• Aircraft callsign
• Aircraft type code
• Wake turbulence category
• Assigned runway
• Assigned approach type
• Landing Time (STA)
• Feeder Fix Time (STA_FF)
• Total delay assigned
• Remaining delay to be absorbed
• Manual Delay Indicator
• High Speed Indicator (displayed when no delay is required)
• Coupling Status Indicator (displayed when flight plan is not yet linked to a radar track)

The colour of each label item can change based on a configurable colour source:

• Assigned runway
• Assigned approach type
• Feeder Fix
• State
• Runway Mode
• Controller Action

See Plugin Configuration for configuration details.

Right-click a flight label to access actions like changing runway, adjusting delay, or removing the flight. See Flight Management for details on each action.

Connection Status

The Connection Status button (top-left) displays the current connection status.

Status	Meaning
OFFLINE	Not connected to a server. All processing is local and all functions are available.
READY	Connected to the server but not synchronised. Appears when connected before joining the VATSIM network.
FLOW	Connected with the Flow role. Processing is done locally and the sequence is shared to all other clients.
APP	Connected with the Approach role. Some functions may be restricted.
ENR	Connected with the Enroute role. Some functions may be restricted.
ENR/FLOW or APP/FLOW	Connected with Enroute or Approach role, but no dedicated Flow controller is online. All functions are available.
OBS	Connected with the Observer role. The sequence is read-only.

Click the button to open the connection settings and start or stop the connection to the vMaestro server.

TMA Configuration

The TMA Configuration button displays the current runway mode.

When a configuration change is scheduled for the future, the button text turns white and shows: [Current Configuration] → [New Configuration] at [Change Time]

Changing the Configuration

Click the TMA Configuration button to open the TMA Configuration window.

From this window you can:

• Select a predefined runway mode
• Adjust acceptance rates for each runway using the sliders
• Schedule when the configuration change takes effect

Scheduling Configuration Changes

The validity period is controlled by two times:

• Last STA in configuration - The last landing time using the current configuration
• First STA in configuration - The first landing time using the new configuration

Use the arrow buttons to adjust these times:

• Single arrows change by 1 minute
• Double arrows change by 5 minutes

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Flights scheduled to land after the "First STA in configuration" time will be processed using the new configuration.

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When a gap exists between the two times, no flights may land during that period. Any flight with an estimate within this gap will be delayed until after the new configuration begins.

Runway Acceptance Rates

The Runway Acceptance Rates button displays each active runway with its current acceptance rate.

The acceptance rate is the minimum time separation between successive landings on that runway.

Wind Configuration

The Winds button displays the current surface and upper winds.

Surface winds are sourced from METAR, while upper winds are sourced from GRIB. Winds are automatically updated every 30 minutes.

Surface winds are used to calculate the average distance between arrivals on the runway. Upper winds are used to augment TMA trajectory calculations.

When manually overridden, the button text turns white.

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The Winds button is only visible to Flow and Approach controllers, and to Enroute controllers when acting as pseudo-flow (when no Flow controller is online).

Changing the Winds

Click the Winds button to open the Wind Configuration window.

From this window you can:

• View and modify the upper wind speed and direction
• View and modify the surface wind speed and direction

Manual wind overrides will be used until the next automatic update, which will overwrite any manual changes.

Achieved Rates

The Achieved Rates section displays the actual landing rate for each active runway compared to the desired acceptance rate. The rate is shown in the currently selected unit (see Units Selector).

For each runway, the section shows:

• The achieved landing rate
• The deviation from the desired rate

If the deviation is not significant, NS (Not Significant) is displayed.

When a numeric deviation is shown:

• Positive numbers indicate the runway is handling more landings than desired (higher throughput)
• Negative numbers indicate the runway is handling fewer landings than desired (lower throughput)

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The Achieved Rates section is only visible to Flow and Approach controllers, and to Enroute controllers when acting as pseudo-flow (when no Flow controller is online).

Units Selector

The Units Selector button cycles through different units for displaying landing rates. Click the button to switch between available units:

• S: Seconds between arrivals
• NM: Distance between arrivals in nautical miles
• Ac: Aircraft per hour

The selected unit affects how runway acceptance rates and achieved rates are displayed throughout the interface.

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The Units Selector is only visible to Flow and Approach controllers, and to Enroute controllers when acting as pseudo-flow (when no Flow controller is online).

Flight Management

Inserting Flights

Departures

Flights from departure airports must be manually inserted into the sequence.

1. Click the DEPS button
2. Select the flight from the Pending list
3. Set the expected take-off time
4. Click OK

The landing estimate is calculated from the take-off time plus a predefined flight time. The coupling status indicator may appear until the flight departs and couples to a radar track.

tip

If Maestro calculates delay before departure, this can be absorbed on the ground.

Overshoot Flights

To resequence a flight that has conducted a missed approach:

1. Right-click on another flight (or the ladder in a runway view)
2. Select Insert Flight, then Before or After
3. Select the overshoot flight from the list
4. Click OK

Before inserts the flight ahead of the target, delaying the target flight. After inserts behind the target without affecting it.

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Flights cannot be inserted between two Frozen flights when the gap is less than twice the acceptance rate.

Dummy Flights

Dummy flights are placeholders for flights not tracked by vatSys (airwork, practice approaches, etc.).

1. Right-click on another flight (or the ladder in a runway view)
2. Select Insert Flight, then Before or After
3. Enter the flight details (or leave blank for an auto-generated callsign)
4. Click OK

Moving Flights

Flights can be moved within the sequence from a runway view.

1. Left-click a flight label to select it (a frame appears)
2. Left-click the destination position on the ladder

Alternatively, drag the flight label up or down the ladder.

To deselect without moving, left-click the flight again or right-click anywhere.

To swap two flights, select one flight then click another. The two flights exchange positions.

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Flights cannot be moved between two Frozen flights when the gap is less than twice the acceptance rate.

Modifying Flights

Change Runway

1. Right-click the flight
2. Select Change Runway
3. Select the new runway

The flight is reinserted into the sequence based on its estimate for the new runway.

Change Approach Type

1. Right-click the flight
2. Select Change Approach Type
3. Select the approach type

The landing estimate is recalculated. The sequence position remains unchanged.

Change ETA_FF

If the vatSys estimate is inaccurate, it can be manually overridden.

1. Right-click the flight
2. Select Change ETA_FF
3. Set the new time
4. Click OK

The flight is reinserted based on the new estimate. Future updates from vatSys are ignored until the override is cleared.

Manual Delay

To limit the maximum delay a flight can receive:

1. Right-click the flight
2. Select Manual Delay
3. Select the maximum delay

The flight is repositioned to not exceed the specified delay. New flights entering the sequence will not push this flight beyond its delay limit.

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A delay of 00 still allows delay up to the runway's acceptance rate.

Recompute

Recomputing resets a flight to its original state, clearing any manual overrides.

1. Right-click the flight
2. Select Recompute

This clears any manual delay or ETA_FF override, recalculates the estimates, and reinserts the flight as if it were new.

Removing Flights

Desequence

Desequencing temporarily removes a flight from the sequence for holding, technical issues, or other reasons. The flight can be quickly resequenced later.

1. Right-click the flight
2. Select Desequence

The flight moves to the Desequenced list.

To resequence:

1. Click the DESQ button
2. Select the flight
3. Click RESEQUENCE

Make Pending

For departures that have not yet taken off:

1. Right-click the flight
2. Select Make Pending

The flight returns to the Pending list and can be reinserted later.

Remove

Removing deletes a flight from the sequence (for diversions, cancellations, etc.).

1. Right-click the flight
2. Select Remove
3. Click Confirm

The flight moves to the Pending list and can be reinserted if needed.

Viewing Flight Information

To view detailed information about a flight:

1. Right-click the flight
2. Click Information

Up to 4 Information windows can be displayed simultaneously.

Slots

Slots reserve runway capacity by preventing flights from being scheduled during a specific time period. For more on how slots affect scheduling, see System Overview.

Creating a Slot

1. Right-click on the ladder in a runway view
2. Select Insert Slot
3. Adjust the start and end times
4. Click OK

The slot appears on the ladder. Any non-frozen flights within the slot are delayed until after the slot ends.

Modifying a Slot

1. Left-click the slot on the ladder
2. Adjust the start and end times
3. Click OK

Removing a Slot

1. Left-click the slot on the ladder
2. Click Remove

Coordination

Maestro supports sending predefined coordination messages to other controllers connected to the same server.

General Coordination

1. Click the COORD button
2. Select a message from the list
3. Click DESTINATION
4. Select the recipient from the dropdown

Flight Coordination

1. Right-click on a flight label
2. Select Coordination
3. Select a message from the list
4. Click SEND

Flight coordination messages include the flight's callsign and are sent to all relevant units.

Receiving Messages

Incoming coordination messages appear in the Information window.

Click ACK to acknowledge and clear the messages.