HI to all, i have been practicing flying SID's and STARS withn FS2002 and I have a queastion for you real world pilots. When u are approaching the transiton waypoint for a STAR are u actually instructed by ATC to fly that particular STAR (whatever the name of it is) or will they simply give you a series of vectors that happen to correspond to the vectors and waypoints in the STAR itself? om another more annoying matter is there anyway to disengage the rudder from the nose gear steering- it is most maddening to land in a severe crosswind , lining up with the centreline using the rudder and then as sson as all wheels are down having the &*^%$ plane fishtail all over the runway!! MS has got to fix this for their next release it is just too unrealistic!!

hi gooper,can

That usually is the reason for a STAR/SID, so that ATC does not have to issue commands, that all the routings, altitudes and such are included. When ATC clears you for a STAR/SID, they expect you to fly the routing and altitudes listed in that STAR/SID, unless of course they give you vectors or altitude restrictions. Sometimes the vectors they give, mirror the actual routings, sometimes they don't, and sometimes ATC will instruct you to begin a STAR, then clear you direct to a fix within that star and you're to continue on that star itself. Hope this wasn't too confusing.Lobauex

Here's how we do it on VATSIM (not real I know, but I was trained to do it by a real TRACON controller and it's as realistic as it can be)Let's say you're gonna fly the SILOW1.FMN DP going from KPHX(Phoenix) to KDEN (Denver)...You take off from Phoenix on oh lets say Runway 26. After you're airborne tower tells you "XXX, contact departure on 119.20 good day". You contact departure "XXX, with you through 2500 for 7000" to which they reply:"XXX, Phoenix Departure, radar contact, climb and maintain flight level 210, when able direct THOMM, join the SILOW1 departure."That is basically your clearance to follow the departure.There's a couple varations you could have too - if you're not equiped with an FMS that lets you go direct to a fix, you'd get vectors to join the VOR radial that starts the DP like this:"XXX, Phoenix Departure, radar contact, climb and maintain flight level 210, turn right heading 360, join the PXR R-006 outbound and join the SILOW1 departure."