I just created an IFR flight in FS9 from Maui to Kona selecting IFR and Low Alt airways. As usual, the clearance and takeoff, but instead of vectoring me to my GPS path as usual and telling me to "resume own navigation", ATC ignored my GPS route and kept me off it but somewhat parallel to it. The GPS low airways route created by the flightplanner goes around the high mountains over the ocean before joining Victor 5. ATC ignored this and took me straight over the mountains and staying parallel to V5 for the whole route. I went back to make sure I selected IFR rather than VFR and I did. ATC has always cleared me to my planned GPS route through "resume own navigation" before. I thought it might be because I was only about 75 miles from Kona to begin with, and FS seems to never let you fly your planned route to the destination once within 50 or more miles of the airport, and begins vectoring. Is this why? Thanks. tom

Yes,That close to the destination airport - the ATC had you in approach mode from the moment you cleared the local tower.Once you are in approach mode, the ATC will direct you according to the approach written into the database, not according to the flightplan filed.Did you accepted the novice 'vectors to final' ILS approach for Rwy 17, which flies you straight from accepting the approach to the IAF - without regard to terrain.I would request the ILS Rwy 17 approach with the IAI transition - that will clear you direct to IAI and allow you to navigate clear of the mountains without driving the ATC nuts.There will be problems with altitude near those two airports - because of the grid system which FS uses for setting the MSA. That is always an issue with airports near coasts with high mountains nearby.For the east end of Maui it's 10,400 ft and for the big island its 10,000 ft for approach, 14,100 ft over the actual island.

>I would request the ILS Rwy 17 approach with the IAI>transition - that will clear you direct to IAI and allow you>to navigate clear of the mountains without driving the ATC>nuts.>>There will be problems with altitude near those two airports ->because of the grid system which FS uses for setting the MSA.>That is always an issue with airports near coasts with high>mountains nearby.>>For the east end of Maui it's 10,400 ft and for the big island>its 10,000 ft for approach, 14,100 ft over the actual island.>Reggie:Could you explain a little further what an "IAI Approach" means? Should it be selected on all approaches? Does it provide more pilot flexibility on approach than "Vectors to Final"? Thank you!

The published approach procedure is an IAP which you can I believe request from FS ATC. This means you do your own navigation. Here is a link to the current FAA procedure for RWY 17 ILS:http://www.naco.faa.gov/d-tpp/0801/05761I17.PDFHere is a link to the current list of KOA plates available only for the current quarter:http://www.naco.faa.gov/digital_tpp_search...Complete+SearchIf you download and look at the RWY 17 ILS IAP (Instrument Approach Procedure) in the first link, you will see a VOR labeled IAI just south of KOA. Reggie states an IAI transition meaning you would fly to that VOR, then outbound as shown on the plate, do a procedure turn inbound merging with the localizer.That second link will show all available terminal procedures for KOA including DPs (SIDs) and STARS which you might find interesting to look at. Of interest is:http://www.naco.faa.gov/d-tpp/0801/05761KAYAK.PDFfor arrivals NW through North through Northeast andand thishttp://www.naco.faa.gov/d-tpp/0801/05761VECKI.PDFfor a similar arrival but not using IAI.To get current terminal procedures (instrument) plua airport diagrams for FAA controlled airports you can use this source at no cost:http://www.naco.faa.gov/index.asp?xml=naco/online/d_tpp

Thank you for taking the time to write such a complete and informative response to my question. This was extremely helpful!

A typical route might be PHOG-OPANA-BARBY-ALONE-VECKI-PHKO which ATC won't like. Sometimes it works better to request a GPS/RNAV approach to get more transition options, in this case TAMMI can work better.scott s..

Thanks for all the detailed help, guys. Regards, Tom