Is anyone aware of any tools for restructuring the ATC engine in FS2002?I don't know how well it works in the US but in Europe it does not differentiate between a small airfield and an ACC. You can be working Centre (correctly) one minute and then they transfer you to a minor airfield that should have a top limit of 2000ft. After a few seconds they transfer you back to Centre again. Annoying? YES!!!It should be easy enough to redefine the ATC boundaries for accurate simulation but is any work being done in this area?

I fully agree with your complaints.I honestly believe that the FS2002 ATC is the area offering the greatest potential for an FS addon commercial company.Yet, I know of no one working on improving/modifying this default ATC...Thankfully, Radar Contact v3 is near completion so we will have something much much better than default ATC soon, I hope.Stamatis

Just wanna add a comment about ATC.I fly quite often PSS Airbus and I noted that I am only able to contact ATIS to define runway in use within 15 to 25 miles around the landing airport (depending on the number of airports in the area). It is quite annoying because I do usually not have enough time to update the FMC in order to fly a STAR procedure (or SID; I can't remember which one is for landing and which one is for departing).Is it possible to increase the range of ATIS to, let's say 100 miles around landing airport ?Thanks in advance for your replies.Regards,Sro

"I noted that I am only able to contact ATIS to define runway in use within 15 to 25 miles around the landing airport"15 to 25 miles out? I have not experienced this. I am usually able to contact ATIS when 50-70 miles out.Stamatis

Hiprobably intended ATC Approach Center, not ATIS.I confirm you, that in VFR plan, now, is not possible to contact the tower of your destination up to 31 nm.On ATIS report there's what runway is active for landing.But you should contact tower before.:-hmmm :-hmmm :-hmmm

I agree regarding contacting the Tower. But you wrote ATIS in your first message, hence the confusion. But even in the real world you are not handed off to Tower unless you are within the distance you mentioned, if not nearer (i.e. 5-12 miles out)Stamatis

an in teh real world,you wouldn't be VFR in an A320

It happened usually with LSZH (Zurich). As there are many airports near LSZH, I am not able to choose LSZH airport in the ATC list before 15 - 20 miles from airport. Therefore, I am not able to know which runway is active. As the entering point of a STAR procedure is usually around 30 - 40 miles away from airport, I need to fly back to this point which results in a loss of realism.Can I enter the ATIS frequency manually on my radio panel in order to grab this information earlier in my flight ?Thanks for clarifying this pointRegards,Sro

"Can I enter the ATIS frequency manually on my radio panel in order to grab this information earlier in my flight ?"Of course! This is how it is done in the real world too.Also keep in mind that in the real world, radar vectoring begins at around 50 miles out, so a STAR is very, very rarely flown in its entirety. In this respect the FS2002 ATC is pretty realistic.Stamatis

Since you are talking about choosing an aiport from the ATC menu, it is evident you are not flying on an IFR flight plan which would include a destination. AND, therefore, would not require you to choose an airport when arriving at destination--ATC would know what your destination is and vectors would begin at the proper time, including notice as to the runway they are vectoring you for. In addition, as pointed out in another post, entire STARs are seldom flown since ATC will vector you where THEY want you to go. Primary use of STARs is to provide ATC with a proposed route of flight into the terminal area in the event of radio failure. They will then know where you are, even if they cannot "see" you or talk to you.

ha ve to disagree with that,here in Europe a StAR is often completely flown.you'll be vectored by appraoch right before the last fix of your STAR.of course when there's really much traffic,you could be vectored by center ("control" in Europe).SRO,you're flying a STAR,yet you're obvious VFR of course you do what you want,but that's pretty unrealistic

Sorry guys...who am I to say that I loose realism....I never flew an A320 from the pilot seat (;-).Thanks a lot to everyone to add more realism to my flight experience.Regards,Sro

A STAR is an IFR procedure. Obviously, as stated by others already, you are flying VFR in the Airbus and trying to complete an IFR procedure and complaining that you can't complete the IFR procedure while you are VFR. Huh? Here are a few suggestions. Click the "IFR" box when doing your flightplan in the flightplanner. Use FSMeteo, and set it to lock onto the destination weather at least 100 miles out. Start checking the ATIS about 70 miles out. If you catch it fine, if not, it really doesn't matter because at that point ATC will tell you what runway you are assigned.

I heard that someone is trying to "crack" the ATC system. People say that this is one hard thing to do...

A pity.Even if we could just put a height limit on individual airport zones it would improve matters greatly. I'll keep watching - and hoping..