NEWBIE Questions for FSX Multiplayer

[Guest FryingPanPan]

I just had my first online experience on FSX with mic and I have to say that it was the most immersive realistic flight sim experience I have had, period. Absolutely incredible. In fact, the most realistic flying experience I have had since my last real world flight 10 years ago - I have a sadly lapsed PPL.I joined a session overhead London Gatwick. The weather was pretty poor and night was fast approaching. Traffic was fairly light and the controller gave me vectors for a (barely) visual approach. Had a problem on approach with the throttle (I really did - forgot to calibrate the joystick properly!) and advised I was going around. The controller put me in a right hand circuit and on downwind, I solved the problem by leaning the mixture a little. Nice landing followed. On taxi to parking, I turned the wrong way, heading for the fuel area. Was immediately advised by the controller of my error, as if he really was peering out of the control tower with his binos! Such an incredible, absorbing experience. The controller was superb too - clearly real world ATC trained.So, forget all your eye candy - if you want realism, get online and find yourself a good session.Anyway, I digress - being a newbie to this, I have a few questions:1. Does everyone have that annoying session list that keeps jumping all over the place so you can't scroll through and view available sessions easily?2. Can the controller see your transponder code?3. Can the controller set barometric pressure and so advise of changes?4. If you are approaching an airport, how far out can the controller see you on radar, and so when should you first contact approach/tower?5. If you are flying a non default aircraft, what do others see - the nearest equivalent they have on their system?6. I cannot check the box that looks only for sessions in my country (UK). I get a message saying GameSpy cannot find any info in my account about my country. Anyone else get this?7. If you file a flight plan (VFR or IFR) does the controller see this and so know what your route/intentions are?8. It seems that the default starting place when you join a session is on the runway - doh, who thought of that?! Is the only way to start on the apron somewhere to go into flight planner and file a flight plan which allows you to designate a starting position?9. If you are flying from A to B and A has ATC but B does not, what happens? Presumably, when you are out of range, the radios just go quiet? Is there any way setting up a session so that both departure and arrival airports have ATC? Or is this asking too much and I should look at VATSIM?Thanks for any answers I get.Happy flying!FryingPanPan

[bpollock 0]

Wow, that was a mouthful...LOL! I'm no expert, but I will try to answer your questions..>>1. Does everyone have that annoying session list that keeps>jumping all over the place so you can't scroll through and>view available sessions easily?Everyone has that problem...hopefully it will be adressed with SP1. I try to order the list by ping time and then highlight the best ping and that usually keeps the hopping to a minimum.>>2. Can the controller see your transponder code?Yes, and sometimes they will assign you a new one!>>3. Can the controller set barometric pressure and so advise of>changes?ATC has a screen that shows the current weather conditions (assuming they set the session for real world weather). They will usually tell you or you can listen to ATIS. Your setting is usually set initially for you though.>>4. If you are approaching an airport, how far out can the>controller see you on radar, and so when should you first>contact approach/tower?ATC has the ability to zoom in and out . I'm not sure of the limits, but alot of them will have you contact them around 50 DME if you are approaching from a different airport. If you are spawning in the air, I would contact tower immediately and inform them of your location and intention, they will let you know when to contact them again.>>5. If you are flying a non default aircraft, what do others>see - the nearest equivalent they have on their system?Yes...and sometimes the "guess" is not so good!!!>>6. I cannot check the box that looks only for sessions in my>country (UK). I get a message saying GameSpy cannot find any>info in my account about my country. Anyone else get this?Not sure..as I fly only US>>7. If you file a flight plan (VFR or IFR) does the controller>see this and so know what your route/intentions are?I know there is a spot in there windows that show the FP...but I've never seen it work???>>8. It seems that the default starting place when you join a>session is on the runway - doh, who thought of that?! Is the>only way to start on the apron somewhere to go into flight>planner and file a flight plan which allows you to designate a>starting position?The only way to specify where you spawn is in the flight planner section...assuming the host allows you to select that option...some force you to spawn nearest the host or in the air...not real sure why though???>>9. If you are flying from A to B and A has ATC but B does not,>what happens? Presumably, when you are out of range, the>radios just go quiet? Is there any way setting up a session so>that both departure and arrival airports have ATC? Or is this>asking too much and I should look at VATSIM?If you are in a session and have the radios tuned to the appropraite channel, then you will hear comms forever. The host can setup the session to force a user to select a specific channel and then a second ATC at a different airport can be in the tower under a different channel. This is the best part or flying multiplayer in my opinion..it is when there are separate ground, tower and/or approach adn they hand you off and you actually get to use your radio. Some sessions also have multiple airports open!>>Thanks for any answers I get.>>Happy flying!>>FryingPanPan >

[Guest FryingPanPan]

Sorry, it was a bit of a mouthful!! I was just so excited by the whole thing.Your answers are great - truly helpful. Thanks a lot.When I spawned overhead Gatwick (I love that term!) after the initial RT, the controller handed me off to the Tower. I think it was still the same guy, but it didn't matter - I agree, it's great having to re-tune the radios, call back in and hope that they are expecting you.Actually, when I used to fly for real, the Tower and Approach controller in Southampton was the same guy a lot of the time, albeit on different frequencies.Do you have any good FSX online sessions/groups you can recommend? Where do you fly in the US?CheersFryingPanPan (aka Paul)

[bpollock 0]

I just started myself, so I don't really have any one particular session I go to. Probably the best one is the www.fs-mp.com group. They are very professional and are very much like vatsim. However, I'm a bit hesitant becuase they like to use stars/sids and i'm not quite at that level. Another group starting in July looks interesting...www.realworldatc.com. I am also a member of www.torontopearsonatc.com and www.freewebs.com/ashevilleatc. All these groups usually offer multiple airport/multiple atc positions from within the session. See ya in the air!

[Guest FryingPanPan]

Thanks for the recommendations - I'll check them out. Yeah, I too would be hesitant having to use SIDS/STARS from the outset. VFR and ATC vectors and basic VOR tracking/ILS approaches are about my limit at the moment! See you in the air too - although propbably easier said than done!

[Guest N6722c]

>Thanks for the recommendations - I'll check them out. Yeah, I>too would be hesitant having to use SIDS/STARS from the>outset. VFR and ATC vectors and basic VOR tracking/ILS>approaches are about my limit at the moment! See you in the>air too - although propbably easier said than done!FS-MP does NOT "Force" their Pilots to use SIDS & STARS !!Where did that idea ever come from !!!!!However, if you wish to, most of the departure controllers can accomodate you.Typically however, most pilots do NOT file SIDS & STARS on FS-MP, and the controllers are quite happy to accept any flight plan routing, for Vor to Vor, to Direct GPS.Of course, you can also file a VFR flight plan, and fly VFR, without having to bother with any RNav instruments.YOUR Choice .... The main thing is that you, and everyone else has an enjoyable experience flying within the MS-MP Community.Geoff

[bpollock 0]

Nowhere in our posts is the word "force". I merely stated that they "like" to use SIDS & STARS and it was simply an observation. If you read my post you would see that I had nothing but praise for the FS-MP community stating that it was the most professional and offered the best online experience!>>Thanks for the recommendations - I'll check them out. Yeah,>I>>too would be hesitant having to use SIDS/STARS from the>>outset. VFR and ATC vectors and basic VOR tracking/ILS>>approaches are about my limit at the moment! See you in the>>air too - although propbably easier said than done!>>FS-MP does NOT "Force" their Pilots to use SIDS & STARS >!!>Where did that idea ever come from !!!!!>>However, if you wish to, most of the departure controllers >can accomodate you.>>Typically however, most pilots do NOT file SIDS & STARS on>FS-MP, and the controllers are quite happy to accept any>flight plan routing, for Vor to Vor, to Direct GPS.>>Of course, you can also file a VFR flight plan, and fly VFR, >without having to bother with any RNav instruments.>>YOUR Choice .... The main thing is that you, and everyone else>has an enjoyable experience flying within the MS-MP>Community.>>Geoff> >