Dealing with ATC

[jakov 0]

Hi, everyone! After quite a long time sailing virtual skies I decided that it would be prudent to learn how to properly create a flightplan. Until now I was using software Wilco/FeelThere PIC 737 and I didn't have a need for learning how to create a flightplan in FMC or to use SID and STARS and so on. Now, though, the new NGX is out and I really want to fly this bird properly. When you create a flightplan in FSX and then use it to make a flightplan by manually inserting waypoints in the FMC, you should get a flightplan that ATC will follow. The problem is that ATC does not understand STARS, for instance, so it gives you instructions that you will obviusly not follow and then ATC gets annoyed ("please expedite your turn to ....). So, the question is How do you fly a fully programmed NGX flightplan and still work with FSX ATC? Also, in every tutorial that I've read the pilot already knows the arrival runway and STAR. In FSX IFR you don't know that. Also, I am always guessing SID's as well, considering that there are sometimes more than one SID's going to the same waypoint. Thanks for the help! Jakov Jandric

[Angelo Cosma 61]

The ability to fly SIDs and STARs with default FSX ATC is not possible, Radar Contact or Vatsim will solve this. Figuring out your STAR ahead of time is something you can use websites to figure out, this site helps, just put the Origin and Destination ICAO in http://flightaware.com/statistics/ifr-route/ this should help.

[El padrino 2]

There are quite a few options: 1) You totally ignore ATC!2) You ignore ATC and use it only for clearance, taxiing from gate to runway, takeoff clearance. Then forget it exists till right before landing (landing clearance and taxi to the gate.2) You follow whatever it says, although in 99.9% of the times it'll vector you to do HUGE circles before landing and in many cases you'll end up being quite high... Of course this is good practicing to learn how to follow ATC vectoring.3) Search, read, analyse carefully and (if you think it's worth the money) buy an ATC addon like RadarContact, PFE, VoxATC or whatever else you may find that I'm not aware of. Have never tried any of these so I cannot comment. IMO these things are no worth the money and time to learn as, although better than default ATC, are still way too standardised...4) Fly online on IVAO or VATSIM. It's the most realistic option. Never tried as I do not have so much htime to commit in FS (it's not nice not to complete online flights) and I'm also afraid I'll screw things up as I do not have time to learn some basic things (like proper ATC phrasing). The choice is yours mate!

[Chock 17,769]

If ATC get annoyed with you, you could always try the good old: 'say ag....n your l..st transmiss... Denver, ou are breaki.. up' trick Al

[jeffhunter 0]

How do you fly a fully programmed NGX flightplan and still work with FSX ATC?

The short answer is that with the default FSX ATC, you can't. The alternatives are VATSIM or an add-on like Radar Contact, which is a major improvement. You will, however, need an external flightplanner such as FSBuild to create the flightplans that you then load into RC. regards,

[Cristi_Neagu 134]

2) You ignore ATC and use it only for clearance, taxiing from gate to runway, takeoff clearance. Then forget it exists till right before landing (landing clearance and taxi to the gate.

If you do that, ATC will cancel you IFR, so you'll have to basically fly VFR to your destination. And if the weather is IFR, it won't let you land. So you either fly all the way with ATC, or you don't. And as far as SIDs and STARs are concerned, SIDs don't exist to ATC. It will route you to your first fix after takeoff. STARs on the other hand, exist. ATC will give you vectors to final. The problem is that ATC doesn't use any real STARs, so you never know what he'll do next. I've flown with the NGX with FSX ATC, and it went ok... You have to remember to start you descent before you get to T/D, because if you wait for ATC to tell you to descend, you'll be arriving high.

[flyerboy 114]

Rule A: Never use default ATCRule B: See rule A

[El padrino 2]

If you do that, ATC will cancel you IFR, so you'll have to basically fly VFR to your destination. And if the weather is IFR, it won't let you land. So you either fly all the way with ATC, or you don't.

Not really. You just need to confirm that you follow his instructions, but never do so. He keeps repeating his instructions every minute or so, but IMO it's better to just ignore him and fly properly than do these 100-mile circles...

[Cristi_Neagu 134]

I do admit that FSX ATC is not very efficient. What it will try to do is put you on approach at about 15-20 DME, which doesn't work well every time, especially if you're flying a GA aircraft and it takes you 30 minutes to intercept the glideslope. This comes from the fact that FSX developers programmed a general STAR and approach route, and let FSX apply it to all airports. Either way... I try to stay away from FSX ATC... It doesn't help at all with the experience. Especially when you get bounced back and forth from one frequency to another because you're flying on an airspace boundary.

[jakov 0]

Thanks for all the info! I'll see what I'll do next, but for now it seems that I'll just ignore ATC and then when I'll have time to learn basics, start to fly online. You guys were very helpful! Cheers!

[Vali 83]

I do like this:- use routefinder (for the route plan) and simroutes.net to generate the route for FS (if necessary, usually I introduce it manually, I am not sure if for PMDG NGX can be imported)- use FSX ATC after I imported the plan, all the way, except approach indications (here only the runway clearance is what I need, then I use charts and program FMC accordingly)- during descent, I ask ATC for altitude decrease in order to match with my flight plan (anyway, my flight plan is important that's why, like it was said above, some ATC indications can be ignored)

[Guest]

1) You totally ignore ATC!

I quote you. The idiot who programmed FSX ATC is still unknown, the reason is that otherwise he would have been heavily insulted and hit by bilions of flight simmers all around the world. Told that, I am still looking to spot him after years, so the hunt is not over yet. P.S: it is also rumored that MS Flight won't have an ATC by the way.

[isaiah 1]

If ATC get annoyed with you, you could always try the good old: 'say ag....n your l..st transmiss... Denver, ou are breaki.. up' trick Al

hahahaha.... sorry, tunnel. Back on topic, if you're not yet ready for online flying - which beats anything else- try RC04, Radar contact. It's easy to learn and very flexible. It lets you fly sids and stars. I've heard great things about Voxatc too, but never used it, so can't recommend. For runways in use you can look up weatther conditions at the airport of destinations and from there choose your runway. If you ever fly to Amsterdam, you can look it up at this site. http://www.luchtverkeersleiding.nl/frameset.php?source=baan_actueel It tells you which RWYs are in use. (click on the pic to see the corresponding designators) Don't know if other Airports have that though.

[yos233 1]

You can safely ignore FSX ATC without fear of a FP cancellation or have to listen to it if you simply wait until a handoff. Accept the handoff but do not make contact with the new controller. Simple.

[logic007 1]

The idiot who programmed FSX ATC is still unknown, the reason is that otherwise he would have been heavily insulted and hit by bilions of flight simmers all around the world.

Must be the same idiot who programmed FS9 aswell then :-)