Anyone using this program and if so how is it?I am debating an ATC add-on for FSX currently.

Anyone using this program and if so how is it?I am debating an ATC add-on for FSX currently.

I have read good stufff about PFE but i would also urge you to seriously consider radar contact.There is deddicated Radar conatct forum here on avsim where you can find out more about it.I have considered getting PFE myself, but i already have Radar Contact.I dont know which is better aS I have not used PFE, but Radar Contact does a very good Job, the only things i woyuld fault Radar Contact for areATC voice pack could be betterGuidance to chosen depature runway is not aas good as what you get with PFE.Other than that, Radar Contact is cool, but possibly not better than PFE.

I don't have the deluxe, but the original PF2000 + PFE which as far as I know has the same functionality.I would not be without it and it is a must in my book.Good luck with your findings and decision.RTHEdit: Question to WarpAir or any other Radar Contact users? Does Radar Contact have Voice Recognizition where all communication can be by voice rather than keyboard? That is the number one item that I enjoy with PF2000/PFE relative to reality. I also hear great things about Radar Contact, but have never known if it has this capability. The Taxi ATC capabilities by PFE are great as well which I enjoy very much.

I have read good stufff about PFE but i would also urge you to seriously consider radar contact.There is deddicated Radar conatct forum here on avsim where you can find out more about it.I have considered getting PFE myself, but i already have Radar Contact.I dont know which is better aS I have not used PFE, but Radar Contact does a very good Job, the only things i woyuld fault Radar Contact for areATC voice pack could be betterGuidance to chosen depature runway is not aas good as what you get with PFE.Other than that, Radar Contact is cool, but possibly not better than PFE.

excuse the ramble lol...I am one that owns both and use PFE on every flight. Nothing against Radar Contact, I used it for a long time but for me (Insert Personal Opinion Here) PFE wins due to a few things including the the regional voicesets, (nothing like hearing a British Controller at EGLL and a US controller at Newark, or just the handoff from Gander to Shannon) I feel it makes FS SO MUCH more realistic plus you get, enroute traffic advisories, Oceanic Procedures, taxi guidance (orally from PNF or visually with a gauge) runway crossing clearance during taxi, ability to designate a parking spot at your frequently visited airports (I always want a C gate at Newark for example and with PFE I can define that) combined with the fact PFE is updated constantly opposed to years in between updates with Radar Contact, I can create SID's/ STAR's to fly on my own and Dave March is a really nice guy and always available for support. (Not saying JD isn't but I have gotten to know Dave very well over the years and even ended up on his Beta team because he listened to so many of my requests LOL!!!) So that is my .02, Radar Contact is great but my personal preference is PFE for a lot of different reasons, just some of which I listed above. You can also take what I say with a grain of salt because I do Beta for PFE but what I wrote is my just my personal opinion, I just thought it was fair to tell you I do beta in the interest of full disclosure :)Cheers,-Paul

excuse the ramble lol...I am one that owns both and use PFE on every flight. Nothing against Radar Contact, I used it for a long time but for me (Insert Personal Opinion Here) PFE wins due to a few things including the the regional voicesets, (nothing like hearing a British Controller at EGLL and a US controller at Newark, or just the handoff from Gander to Shannon) I feel it makes FS SO MUCH more realistic plus you get, enroute traffic advisories, Oceanic Procedures, taxi guidance (orally from PNF or visually with a gauge) runway crossing clearance during taxi, ability to designate a parking spot at your frequently visited airports (I always want a C gate at Newark for example and with PFE I can define that) combined with the fact PFE is updated constantly opposed to years in between updates with Radar Contact, I can create SID's/ STAR's to fly on my own and Dave March is a really nice guy and always available for support. (Not saying JD isn't but I have gotten to know Dave very well over the years and even ended up on his Beta team because he listened to so many of my requests LOL!!!) So that is my .02, Radar Contact is great but my personal preference is PFE for a lot of different reasons, just some of which I listed above. You can also take what I say with a grain of salt because I do Beta for PFE but what I wrote is my just my personal opinion, I just thought it was fair to tell you I do beta in the interest of full disclosure :)Cheers,-Paul

Sounds great...Question regarding you above post:Do you have to manually add the regional voices or are they updated depending on origin...Example: If I'm flying from KJFK a to EGLL and am hearing American sounding ATC from KJFK when I eventually switch comms to EGLL will the ATC speak with a Brittish accent automatically?THANKS

Sounds great...Question regarding you above post:Do you have to manually add the regional voices or are they updated depending on origin...Example: If I'm flying from KJFK a to EGLL and am hearing American sounding ATC from KJFK when I eventually switch comms to EGLL will the ATC speak with a Brittish accent automatically?THANKS

That will happen automatically, no need to set up anything. You can manually configure any voice set to any region if you prefer though, but no need.

That will happen automatically, no need to set up anything. You can manually configure any voice set to any region if you prefer though, but no need.

Exactly as Jet1 said, it is all automatic and their is nothing to configure... As you move between different regions the voicesets automatically switch over for you. It makes FS much more realistic, that is for sure...-Paul

Have had PFE for a while now and I'm really happy with the program. I have also found the support on their website to be good also. I remember using Pro Flight 2000 awhile ago and really missed it and I would certainly recommend it. Not sure what Radar Contact is like as I have never used it but I have heard good things about that as well.VoxATC is another one to take a look at. It's quite an impressive piece of software especially as it's voice recognition. Rhydian

I am just a bit confused since I read some of the manual for PFE that is available on the Aerosoft website. The manual says you need to have a flight plan filed. If you don't file a flight plan, but simply just take off and fly somewhere random, does the software still work? What interested me most about this program is the different geographical voices depending on what part of the world you are flying in. Does this software replace the default fsx ATC? For instance, let's say I take off from KEWR and decide to head toward KATL, will I be able to just use the ATC along the route, or am I stuck with the FSX default ATC controllers? I apologize for the long question and my confusion, but the manual makes reference all over the place to the ProFlight 2000 program which I am not at all familiar with. Thanks in advance for any help.

I am just a bit confused since I read some of the manual for PFE that is available on the Aerosoft website. The manual says you need to have a flight plan filed. If you don't file a flight plan, but simply just take off and fly somewhere random, does the software still work? What interested me most about this program is the different geographical voices depending on what part of the world you are flying in. Does this software replace the default fsx ATC? For instance, let's say I take off from KEWR and decide to head toward KATL, will I be able to just use the ATC along the route, or am I stuck with the FSX default ATC controllers? I apologize for the long question and my confusion, but the manual makes reference all over the place to the ProFlight 2000 program which I am not at all familiar with. Thanks in advance for any help.

Every ATC replacement (!) program needs a flight plan filed - none of them (neither PFE, Radar Contact or VoxATC) will work without it. You have to turn off FSX ATC.The BIG letdown with all three programs is that the controllers do not sound like they come through the radio, they all sound like standing right at your side (and they sound pretty mechanical). That's an immersion breaker for sure. There is a possible workaround if you have more than one soundcard - yoiu can setup yopur sound system in a way that you make windows default sound coming through the second sound card. Then attach either VERY cheap speakers or , if the sound card is capable of filtering, make them sound like coming through very cheap speakers. But it's just a workaround. I never understood why the makers of all these programs didn't batch process their soundfiles for a more lifelike sound.

Every ATC replacement (!) program needs a flight plan filed - none of them (neither PFE, Radar Contact or VoxATC) will work without it. You have to turn off FSX ATC.The BIG letdown with all three programs is that the controllers do not sound like they come through the radio, they all sound like standing right at your side (and they sound pretty mechanical). That's an immersion breaker for sure. There is a possible workaround if you have more than one soundcard - yoiu can setup yopur sound system in a way that you make windows default sound coming through the second sound card. Then attach either VERY cheap speakers or , if the sound card is capable of filtering, make them sound like coming through very cheap speakers. But it's just a workaround. I never understood why the makers of all these programs didn't batch process their soundfiles for a more lifelike sound.

Thanks for the clarification. So then, as long as I file a flight plan, the program just does its thing without too much prep? Also, the voices samples in the product descriptions sounded pretty good, but you are telling me that they are not quite like that? that's too bad. I ordered this yesterday based on this thread since it was being sold at reduced price at the Flightsim Pilot Shop, and I figured I'd give it a try. Thanks again for your response.

They are slightly mechanical but I don't think they are too bad in PFE in my honest opinion. For me as I am British it feels more immersive when I am sitting at heathrow because they have English, Irish and Scottish (no Welsh, oh well) ATC as well as all the other world voices on offer rather than the generic American voices. I think we have been spoiled by Microsoft's pretty clever ATC speech system. It seems so seamless. I'm not surprised if you take a look at the ATC SDK and the amount of files they recorded they did a tremendous amount of work. I did have a go at trying to produce a voiceset using the SDK with our dubbing studio at work but gave up with the shear amount involved. I think you'll be genuinely surprised by PFE.Rhydian

For the guy who asked, yes you can use voice command with Radar Contact, using a third party free tool, i read this on radar contact forum here on avsim. I just cant remember the name of the tool.After reading all the PFE posts here, think i might consider PFE cause1 - regional accsents2 - TAxi guidance.I hope PFE gives you many enroute options like Radar Contact does1 Shows you ILS course and radio frequency on approach so you dont have to pause flight to check elsewhere for the info2Emergency3Short final4change altitude5Preselect runway before depature, or any runway of your choice on arrival6 - How is PFE for vectoring to arrival runway.7 - Does PFE help in any way in mountanous areas, RadarContact does not help here, you have to use chart or look out the window to dofge mountains.8With RC4 you can get enroute weather or even change your destination.9 Somebody already asked this here, unlike FSX atc, Radar Contact ATC will not allow you to start mid flight, you need to have an fsx flight. It would be nice to be able to take off fly around then start ATC toguide you to destination, but only fsx atc allows this.That said RC4 allows you to chnage your destination mid flight, but the rc4 ATC can get harshe with words if you go off filed flight plan.All said think am gona try PFE, even if just for the taxi help, FSX progressive taxi is great, but tends to dissapear sometimes.Thanks for the PFE info , think am sold........or should i just wait for RC5 which is in beta testing :( :( :( B)

They are slightly mechanical but I don't think they are too bad in PFE in my honest opinion. For me as I am British it feels more immersive when I am sitting at heathrow because they have English, Irish and Scottish (no Welsh, oh well) ATC as well as all the other world voices on offer rather than the generic American voices. I think we have been spoiled by Microsoft's pretty clever ATC speech system. It seems so seamless. I'm not surprised if you take a look at the ATC SDK and the amount of files they recorded they did a tremendous amount of work. I did have a go at trying to produce a voiceset using the SDK with our dubbing studio at work but gave up with the shear amount involved. I think you'll be genuinely surprised by PFE.Rhydian

Thanks for the follow up. It was really the voices that prompted me to buy this. I assume it will arrive today or tomorrow. Although I am American, I have been doing the vast majority of my flying in the Western European region. I have purchased many of Aerosoft's outstanding addon airports and really enjoy operating in those areas. I am assuming there is not too much that needs to be done to get started other than loading up a flight plan, and since I recently got PMDG's MD-11 and 747 as well as the level-D 767, I find myself wanting to fly much more planned routes now since it really enhances the experience. One question though; if I am flying manually (I don't like using autopilot since it is not really flying to me) which tends at times such as bad weather to be a bit sloppy, does that interfere with the functionality of the program, or does it still work just the same? Specifically, if I drift off course a bit or pop up and down along the altitiude a bit, will the controllers throw me to the wolves?Pete

The BIG letdown with all three programs is that the controllers do not sound like they come through the radio, they all sound like standing right at your side (and they sound pretty mechanical).

PFE has the Extended soundset. All these voices have been processed to sound like VHF radio transmissions, either from controllers or AI pilots around you. While the co-pilot still sounds like sitting next to you. I should know, as i did the processing myself. The original PF2000 voices were already processed that way, btw. :( I haven't done it into the extreme so customers wouldn't complain that they can't understand what's being said.