Does anyone know if there is a way to edit any file(s) so that approach and or tower can be contacted at a reasonable distance instead of being on top of the airport [email protected]

I would like to know this also...I find it often that ATC doesn;t let you contact tower until your like 4 or 5 miles from the airport.....Anyone know?

Yup. that is a pain in MSFS. But in real world generally on an IFR approach the apprch controller sends us over to the tower at the marker which is about 5 out.In US, the local controller (or "tower" as you call it) has jurisdiction about 5 miles out from the airport and the runways. VFR we just call them up 5 to 8 out for sequence (assuming your going into a smaller field, not KORD) What I'd like to see is a way to limit the MSFS ATC's "airport list" to just tower operated facilities. At non-controlled airport we should just snag the freq from the airport map info.Timothy

Hi guys!Looking at your numbers got me interested in what version of FS you are flying as I am contacting the tower out at 20 to 25 miles. Just to be sure I wasn't imagining it, I went back in and, while flying a Connie in So. california, contacted Santa Barbara Tower (KSBA) from a range of 24.7 miles.I'm using FS2002 Pro if it makes any difference.Cheers!Heather

Unfortunately, FS only displays the 10 closest airports. If you are in an area with a LOT of airports, you may not be able to call up your intended airport until you're already pretty dang close!

I don't know of a way to fix the autotune, but if you know the airport frequencies (you can get them from map view), you can tune the COM radios manually.

You can however, bring up the flight-map and get the frequency from there by cliking on the airport. You can then tune that frequency into the com radio manually. I usually type in all frequencies I need in the "Notes" section of the kneeboard before I even contact ground/clearance, along with waypoints and other things I may need during the flight.

Haha, Psychophant1, you beat me to it by less than one minute! :-lol

I agree with both Jimmi and Pyscho and I have dialed in the tower frequency manaully at a reasonable distance (10 - 15 Nm for instance). But what good does that do me? When I bring up the ATC window, at that point, I do not have an option to contact the tower for landing. It seems that I must wait until the target airport appears in the ATC window's list, then select the airport (or tune Com1 manually), then I have the landing options. What am I missing? R-

>Haha, Psychophant1, you beat me to it by less than one >minute! :-lol "Well pardner, this forum ain't big enough for the both of us!" :-bang :-lol

Hi Heather,It really depends on where you are flying. If you fly in coastal California where there aren't many airports, then your airport will show up from quite a distance away (since it will be one of the 10 closest airports). However, try that in the Midwest, (or in the CA Central Valley) where there are lots of little strips, and you'll have to wait until you are much closer.Hope this helps,-- Tom GibsonCalifornia Classic Propliners: http://www.calclassic.com/Cal Classic Alco Page: http://www.calclassic.com/alco/Freeflight Design Shop: http://www.freeflightdesign.com/ San Diego Model RR Museum: http://www.sdmodelrailroadm.com/Drop by! ___x_x_(")_x_x___

In one of my former flight simulators (maybe FU3, not sure) I would get handed off and told to change frequencies within about 30 sec from touchdown. Not fun on a difficult landing in bad weather!David