Hi all,I have just started to learn how to fly using the FMC but how should the built-in ATC in FS9 be used when flying with the FMC?As it is now, the instructions I get from the ATC if flying IFR are far from syncronized with my programmed route in FMC even though the departure and destination airport are the same. Also wondering if it makes any difference if I choose Direct GPS, High Altitude Airways or Low Altitude Airways in the flightplanner in FS9 before the flight? Haven't noticed any difference myself.Or maybe I shouldn't use ATC at all when flying with the FMC? But with the kind of weather we've had here in Sweden the last weeks I wouldn't even get takeoff clearence if not filing for an IFR flight...Would appreciate if someone could push me in the right direction :-)All the best and wishing you all a nice week-end,

Hi Richard>Would appreciate if someone could push me in the right direction The right direction to get real-life-like ATC would be to go VATSIM. Sure beats any automated ATC once you get the hang of it. Draw back is that there may not be ATC coverage in your area of interest. TGIF, :-beerchug

Yeah VATSIM kicks butt, but the built-in ATC should follow your flightplan close to the end. I would recommend using FSNavigator to create your flightplan, not the built-in planner. Much more robust, and almost as easy to use. The built-in ATC won't assign SIDS for your approach, but other than that they should generally use your flight plan. You will always have to fly your approach following vectors, but again it's not necessarily unrealistic.

Hello Mats!Sounds interesting, is there anywhere I can read more about VATSIM-ATC?And as long as I stay flying by myself in FS9 I can forget about working ATC together with FMC?Yep, TGIF :-beerchug :-)

OK, and does it matter which one of the different fligtplanning modes in FS9 I choose - ie Direct GPS and so on?

Richard,>...as long as I stay flying by myself in FS9 I can forget about working ATC together with FMC?Nope. But you have to be load one PMDG flight plan into the FMC and one FS9 flight plan for the FS ATC. The default ATC does not recognize anything else than a FS9 flight plan.For the main route this is usually no problem. Using whatever mode in FS flight planner you like (just be sure you get the same route punched into that FMC). But when it comes to departure and arrival procedures (SID/STAR) the inbuilt flight planner falls way short. Another deal for automated ATC would be to get Radar Contact. Another nice looking add-on. I am thinking about purchasing this myself. They have a support forum somewhere in the neighbourhood.Hope it helps,

Richard,If you're not too sure about flight planning or you don't want to go to the bother of producing 2 plans for each flight, you might like to try my collection of real-world B737NG plans where it's all done for you. The zip file (73ngfpl1.zip - available from the library at this site) contains 2 identical sets of plans - one in *.rte format for loading into the PMDG FMC and the other in *.pln format for the FS9 planner/GPS.Pete

Hello Mats,Thanks for your always kind assistance! I've seen a utility called pln2rte or something like that and I thought I should have a look at it. Will also check that Radar Contact add-on you mentioned.All the best,

Hi Pete,Right now in the beginning when I'm starting to learn I think part of the fun is to enter all needed info into the FMC yourself but thanks anyway for your tip, maybe I'll check it out later on when I'm tired of entering everything myself :-)All the best,