If I create a flightplan with FSNav with all the waypoints and climb rates etc.. and then fly either online or with FS ATC what happens when I start my decent a little bit earlier than directed when using the function "fly flight plan" from within FSNav? In other words say I'm flying to KMSY and 75 miles out my flightplan says I need to start my decent from FL350 but FS ATC doesn't like and tells me I'm below my assigned altitude. I can only imagine what would happen if I were online doing this.What are the correct procedures to do this. Surely if this function is available there must be a legal way to do this. Unless it's meant to be used only without ATC functions.

Standard FS2002 ATC is really useless if you want to stick with realistic flight plans using SID and STARs It's best to use ignor it or do VFR departure. I hope MS comes up with much more sophisticated ATC on the next version. I miss the old days of ATP (Air Transport Pilot(It's a sim)) That one had the absoult best ATC avail. even though graphic was par with FS4.

Hi,absolutely right...FS2002 ATCs give most of times strange flight levels for descent and incorrect vectors for approach. The most irritating thing is when you get a vector in a direction, in a few seconds another vector on the opposite, and so on...Without to say the bizarre App ATCs you get instead the one for your destination airport...So, rely on YOUR flight plans and get rid of those virtual controllers.All the best.

You forgot the last (but not the least):FS ATC ignores mountains while vectoring...If you are lucky to have VMC it's OK after cancelling IFR, but by night or in poor weather let's imagine the worse...Yohann, LFLL