Do you fly with or without atc just curious? I can't see how you can fly with charts and fs9 atc. Will radar contact 4 be the answer?Sorry for the newbie like questions but i'm trying to learn to fly more professionaly with the pmdg and fs9.

If you're looking to fly more professionally then sack the default atc and fly online (vatsim.net), you can use proper SID STAR charts with very real ATC. You are right its virtually impossible to integrate FS ATC with real charts or any form of real flying.

I only use the ATC to request a flight plan for some interaction. This is done once airborne of course. Then when close enough to contact the arrival airport, I just ask for a full stop landing. No it's not realistic, but the IFR option is unrealistic as well. Use the charts and maps the way you want this way. The GRD button is just for show to add realism, but doesn't do anything but give the sound.

So if i you do a visual flight plan and fly the sid star then it would work atc interaction won't it? Just a thought (question) i got when reading both your posts.