I know, there are a lot of messages asking some improvements for V.5 but I can't read all, so, I go with my own remarks : - a choice of pre-recorded chatter with the possibility of changing (always the same jokes, in France always the same pilot astonished to meet the same sailplane on his route, please.....!) - when you receive a pilot discretion descent, with 2 minutes later an altitude restriction 12000' lower within 30 Nm : it's not very realistic - when you try of following a real STAR, or SID, with speed and altitude restrictions, it's very strange to hear the ATC asking you something completely different, and impatientant itself if you stay 15" at an intermediate level. Similar for the heading during approaches.. Could it be possible to have connection between STAR and RC, or at the very least, a cooler controller ? - when you are cruising, the RC ATC never gives you instruction to fly directly to a waypoint, except if you ask to. A real ATC will do it very often and spontaneously. - except during descent through 11000' (why always 11000' and never 10000' ?), RC ATC never orders an heading, or a restricted speed, or asking for a different FL. Here were my few remarks, perhaps some users had already formulated all of them, but one never knowsMany thanks for your job, RC never leaves me Pierre - Nantes - France

Please see my comments below: I know, there are a lot of messages asking some improvements for V.5 but I can't read all, so, I go with my own remarks : - a choice of pre-recorded chatter with the possibility of changing (always the same jokes, in France always the same pilot astonished to meet the same sailplane on his route, please.....!) [ronzie] Prerecorded chatter is totally unrelated to your flight and is basically noise. Interactive AI with AI chatter is dependent on your flight phase and presence of AI and its density. We recommend not loading down your system with Prerecorded Chatter and it may be removed from RC5 - I hope. - when you receive a pilot discretion descent, with 2 minutes later an altitude restriction 12000' lower within 30 Nm : it's not very realistic [ronzie] It currently depends on your cruising altitude and whether a near side or far side approach, and your current position and speed determines the interval. I don't know what adjustments will be made in RC5. - when you try of following a real STAR, or SID, with speed and altitude restrictions, it's very strange to hear the ATC asking you something completely different, and impatientant itself if you stay 15" at an intermediate level. Similar for the heading during approaches. [ronzie] In RC4 do not confuse NOTAMS flexibility with filed departure procedures (restrictions) and vectors. For arrival the same applies if getting vectors or deciding to implement the IAP in which case you navigate following waypoints included in your plan sent to RC. RC5 treats terminal procedures very differently depending on your chosen options and your degree of input. Could it be possible to have connection between STAR and RC, or at the very least, a cooler controller ? [ronzie] See preceding.- when you are cruising, the RC ATC never gives you instruction to fly directly to a waypoint, except if you ask to. A real ATC will do it very often and spontaneously. [ronzie] Preceding is in the list to be looked at. - except during descent through 11000' (why always 11000' and never 10000' ?), RC ATC never orders an heading, or a restricted speed, or asking for a different FL. [ronzie] A crossing restriction depends on your arrival path and whether near side or far side and meeting it is at pilot discretion for descent control. These represent an altitude window transition between enroute and approach control. Since headings are immediate that would be a separate command. I don't know what changes are being considered with regard to that for RC5. You are still flying your filed route under your own navigation when a crossing restrictiction is given and a speed restriction may be heard depending on the aircraft type you have chosen in the RC options. Here were my few remarks, perhaps some users had already formulated all of them, but one never knowsMany thanks for your job, RC never leaves me Pierre - Nantes - France [ronzie]. Thank you for your input. Many of your points have already been looked at and recommended by beta testers. The beta teams include real world ATC current and retired personnel, GA and airline pilots, and others.

Well, the whole crossing restriction is a bit odd to me. You say you focus on rules, so tell me, how come in real life you can get clearance from FL180 all the way down to 6000 - without stop over at 11,000? I do not want to go into which software is better from the other, but one competitor can do it.

When we brought this up in our beta conference CDAs were in place at two major airports according to our ATC advisory group. At certain times if controllers agree this can be done but when I last checked this was not routine. In RC4 a few times I did get a quick continued descent down from the crossing restriction. If you look at FAA STARs the majority of major airports do have crossing restrictions as 'expect to cross xxx at . . . RC5 will have some random waivers and maybe in light traffic situations that might occur. Here at KMSP real world they are in place the last time I monitored center. jd refers these questions to the ATC real world controllers for decisions and that includes other than US controllers. In certain situations controllers can deviate from SOPs on their responsibility as long as local conditions allow. It is like deviating from a filed route to skip waypoints. Most try to do convenient operations for aircraft routing with efficiency in mind but not at the expense of compromising safety. But crossing restrictions are in place to provide hand-over altitudes between center and approach and also to provide vertical separation for adjacent traffic areas where traffic patterns overlap. Now, to be clear, I was not stating that RC5 would not have exceptions to the hand over crossing restriction because I don't know. When that point in the coding gets reached I'm sure jd will check with the ATC group for a final decision to bring it up to snuff.

Well, the whole crossing restriction is a bit odd to me. You say you focus on rules, so tell me, how come in real life you can get clearance from FL180 all the way down to 6000 - without stop over at 11,000? I do not want to go into which software is better from the other, but one competitor can do it.