I'm trying to complete my first trouble free longhaul flight from KJFK to EGKK. However, I'm getting problems with ATC in two specific areas...Number-1, ATC will not consider or reply to any request of mine to decrease a cruz altitude, but will accept any cruz altitude increase even to FL well above the aircraft's attainable FL...Why?My reason for a drop in FL could be lets say because of "Wind/Turbulence" issues and for weight reasons I can't climb any higher at that time.Is there anything I can update in my FS9, oh yes my sid-stars are up to date and I already use editvoicepack.Number-2, ATC issued a turn left heading to 045 then follow your own navigation just shortly after leaving KJFK. After this ATC left me alone to follow my FMC flightplan only asking for freq changes as and when needed. However, when I finally reached Greenland heading for Iceland on a heading of 105, ATC told me to turn on a heading of 055 and there they left me until I nearly reached the North Pole (slight lie I know but, I'm sure you understand my problem). The only way to finish the flight was cancel the IFR, keep flight watch and Nav myself via the FMC to EGKK, where I landed OK.Surely, the above isn't normal is it..? Can anyone help? or point in the right direction?Many thanks...Pablo Dominguez

Pablo,FS ATC and the 747 FMC in no way interact with each other. By that I mean that the FS9 ATC doesn't care if you are in the Queen or a C-182. That said, I'm not sure why the ATC would honor your requests for descent. The only thing I can suggest is to try another flight to see if it works.Your question number 2: As I said in my first paragraph, ATC and FMC do not interact. If your FMC has plotted a route that ATC isn't aware of (i.e. you entered the routing in the FMC, but FS9 ATC thinks you're on a Great Circle route), then ATC will try to vector you to what it thinks is the "right" route. Be sure the route planned in teh FS9 planner matches EXACTLY what you have in the FMC (exception is the arrival. ATC will ALWAYS vector you regardless of STAR routes.)My final suggestion is to completely ditch the FS9 ATC and fly online with VATSIM or IVAO. There is nothing else like a REAL controller!

One other solution to number two is;Payware: FSBuild can create a flight plan and save it in both FS .pln format and PMDG .rte format. Load the .pln file into FS via the flight planner and load the .rte file into the FMC. Then the built in ATC will be aware of the route you plan to take.Freeware: Get a program called PLNtoRTE, I think you can get it here at AVSIM. It will convert FS created flight plans into .rte format that can be loaded into the PMDG FMC. I haven't tested it with the FMC on the "Queen".

>Number-1, ATC will not consider or reply to any request of>mine to decrease a cruz altitude, but will accept any cruz>altitude increase even to FL well above the aircraft's>attainable FL...Why?If you are told to ascend to FL310 but you are still at FL300, you will not be able to get ATC to ok decrease in the target alt. You will need to be at the target alt, FL310, before requesting decrease in alt from the target.If you are planning on stepping crz alt, it's best to set a lower crz alt in the FS flight planner, then request increase as you burn off fuel.Pat

Hi Pablo,may you have a look to Radar Contact athttp://www.jdtllc.com/ a really good ATC payware addon.If you check this sitehttp://rfinder.asalink.net/free/you can easily add your flight route manually in PMDG FMCWhen you get used to it it's just a couple of minutes...hope this helps.

Hi there, I'd like to locate the program PLN to Rte, but so far I've checked the AVSIM and FLIGHTSIM file sites and nothing comes close to what your suggesting. Please do you have any other ideas where I can fing the file converstion program?Many thanks Pablo Dominguez

Pablo,It's on Avsim. You have to search for "PLN to RTE" (remove the quotes when you search.) v 1.01 is the most current.

Thanks for this I must of missed it on the first search I did?I'll give this freeware a go otherwise I'll get FSBuild asap, I've looked this up on their web site and its look pretty special?Thanks again for all your help...Pablo D.

Pablo,I've got FSBuild v2.2 and is worth every penny! Really simplifies flight planning.