Ahhh ok I see. You really can use any software, they'll all have traffic, just not the same.I also saw something on the VATSIM site that helped me:"FSInn displays the traffic around your aircraft in the liveries, you have placed on your system. So, if you have a large number of AI-aircraft sets, you are able to see the aircrafts in their original liveries (because your ai-collection has it on board)."So I guess that does it. I probably should just go step by step for signing up, installing and setting up. There is an option to just spectate on my first session, no? I'd like to get a feel for it first, never done online ATC before :D

Software, as in Client or AI? FSInn does not have any AI as it is designed to read whatever aircraft you have installed in the sim. This includes AI (WoAI, PAI etc.), Ultimate Traffic or Traffic X, IVAO MTL and any addons that you may have. There is potentially a hit to performance when the latter comes into play but you can omit your addons simply by placing a .cfg file in each of the aircraft folders which is simple to do.As far as being a spectator yes, find a busy airport like KJFK using and place your aircraft at a gate or away from all the action (I like to slew my AC to a cargo area) and connect. If you are using text only send a message to the ground controller stating your intentions by typing .msg KJFK_GND with your message following the address or if you are going to use a mic/headset (here comes your first TX!!) and state your callsign and intention to observer for a little while. I have never heard a controller say no but they appreciate you letting them know that you are going to be in the area and remember that you can observe countless number of times until you feel that you are ready to give it a try.Online ATC is a great deal of fun and adds so much realism to the sim and after your first few flights you will get the flow of things and it will become automatic after a while, dare I say that you will never want to fly again without being online, and remember that you can track your flights using VATAWARE. When you are really hooked, I would recommend a few things to consider to get the most out of online flying, first get yourself a decent USB Headset , for under $40 there are lots to choose from, second I would recommend that you run FSInn from a separate computer with its own screen via a network connection so that you can properly use the program, third purchase Aivlasoft EFB which is network ready, provides all the charts for any airport and is supported by Navigraph which provides monthly AIRAC updates. The newest version also provides online tools such as radio tuning with one click of your mouse, flight tracking and ATC coverage display.Then when you think you cannot add any more to your experience join a VA where you can share your experience and insights with like-minded individuals. In the end it is all about having fun, as long as you remember that you will have little to regret except those nice days that you miss because you chose to fly online.

Sounds great! thanks for the guide. I actually already have a headset, I don't know how one could use online ATC without it.2 more questions..How is the density of Vatsim in terms of users at airports at one time, in essence, how many users could be online? I'd rather not be the only one using ATC departing an airport at any one time.Also, how does VATSIM function compared to real world operations, like SIDS and STARS? Do you have to fly these procedures on your own? May be a stupid question but I'd like to be sure there is an element of realism beyond just talking to actual controllers.Pat

Sounds great! thanks for the guide. I actually already have a headset, I don't know how one could use online ATC without it.2 more questions..How is the density of Vatsim in terms of users at airports at one time, in essence, how many users could be online? I'd rather not be the only one using ATC departing an airport at any one time.Also, how does VATSIM function compared to real world operations, like SIDS and STARS? Do you have to fly these procedures on your own? May be a stupid question but I'd like to be sure there is an element of realism beyond just talking to actual controllers.Pat

Density varies depending on the time of day at any given airport, evening's and weekends are good for larger traffic loads throughout the globe. My recommendation would be to have a look at VATSPY and determine the traffic load in each region or have a look at the VATSIM calender for fly-in or cross the pond events which trigger large volumes of traffic. The events are coordinated based on zulu time so there isn't any guessing as to what time an event starts.VATSIM is totally based on and geared towards real world operations and ATC caters to all levels of competency and complexity, I fly out of EGLL for my VA and they follow procedures to the letter based on the info I provide. For example if you make a remark in the flightplan comments box that you have "X" Scenery for "Y" Airport and that you "have charts" then you should know your way to, from and around the airport. It all depends on what type of workload you would like to have.

you can see ai traffic at online simulatiın but it can get you confused. also i notice, if you you use McAfeee you will have been some trouble at online traffic.i suggest that use vip models for seeing other traffic and get a radar (fsinn has own radar). so i made the radar gauge myself (44nm range)

Ok I have been jumping through flaming hoops trying to figure out how to get AI traffic in multiplayer. I see about 50 different things people are telling me to do to get this to work. As I track down each of these things, I find out none of them actually put AI traffic into multiplayer. If it is not to much to ask, can any of you simplify the steps needed to get AI in Multiplayer. It is just me and a friend doing this, so I am not going to use this info to clutter up someones server. Any help would be much appreciated.

You don't have AI traffic on multiplayer (AFAIK). Every plane is a RW user. What the packages add are liveries for real world and virtual airlines so that you see those other user planes as they are supposed to be seen, not as a generic paint. If you install FSInn, it builds a database of plane liveries based on what planes you have installed yourself. I can't speak for anything else as I've only used FSInn but assume they all work similarly. Just install FSInn and see for yourself how it works.

You don't need any steps to have AI in multiplayer. I use UT2 and get AI when I am on VATSIM.

I don't get it? If you want a sky full of AI planes, fly offline. If you are flying VATSIM, turn AI traffic off completely, otherwise you just have planes flying their own agenda's, getting in the way of VATSIM controlled airspace. It will just create total confusion for you....

Exactly, with on line flying you may miss the AI traffic activity but what you see (visual models matched by the pilot client from your aircraft library) are real live users flying on line like you.

 

IMHO I prefer to have less but "live" traffic with whom I interact (even without ATC presence via the unicom frequency for example) than observing artificial intelligence moving around me.