During a flight into VABB this evening I noted the following: - ActiveSky METAR winds for VABB show: 080/3- I checked the winds on my iPhone application "AeroWeather" and the realworld METAR was: 010/3- FSX ATC assigned me runway 27, so I checked VABB ATIS - it reported winds of 346/15- When I got closer in, the winds had changed to 010/3 (exactly what AeroWeather reported) - and I continued to land on 27 with a tail-wind... I know there are several threads on this, but I'm still confused. Why do the winds keep changing all over the map? I was under the impression that if ASX reported 080/3 80 nm from my destination, that the winds would indeed by 080/3 - this isn't the case. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Regards,Sam Kharey

If you're in DWC mode, switch back to 'Standard' mode and restart ASE and FS. See if arrival winds become more in-sync. I've given up on DWC myself recently because of AI arrivals, which in turn, driectly affects Radar contact.

Hello, I don't believe 3 knots of wind is significant enough for FS to use anything but the "default" runway. Was AI also landing on 27? If so, that confirms that this is FS at work, normal behavior. Winds keep changing all over the map? Can you be more specific? I thought we were talking about landing conditions only? If not, please describe all the details and we will certainly take a look. Have you tried destination wx zone and/or ATC wind lock features? Have you updated to the latest B647 SP3? Al, we worked specifically with Peter Dowson and RC users when implementing the ATC Wind Lock feature, and got the thumbs up from all involved that this was working properly to prevent problematic AI in DWC arrivals. I was not aware there was a problem here, but if there is we will certainly look into it.

Also please remember that in DWC mode, the current depicted (ambient) winds are completely global, including at the surface of your landing airport, so FS ATIS will always show your "in flight - current altitude" winds and not the winds that are expected at arrival. There is no way around this, there is a single wind value for ambient, and that is all that we can use in order for DWC to be effective. We suggest using our own ASE ATIS voice feature for correct accuracy.

Al, we worked specifically with Peter Dowson and RC users when implementing the ATC Wind Lock feature, and got the thumbs up from all involved that this was working properly to prevent problematic AI in DWC arrivals. I was not aware there was a problem here, but if there is we will certainly look into it.

Yup, I remember that clearly as I was the one that got Pete to dive deeply into the very problematic RC voice delays after contacting approach when ASE was in DWC mode. It was at this time he also worked on the ATIS reports between ASE and RC. I think this was extended out to 80nm or so, IIRC. My recent conclusion is that although the ATIS reports might be close, RC is looking at the AI pattern when availbable and because DWC global winds are still depicting the weather at the user aircraft, the global winds are still being applied at the arrival airport as well. Which in turn, is causing AI near the arrival to initialize and remain incorrect while the user aircraft is still some distance away. I've thought about this quit a bit lately and have come to the conclusion that the only real solution might be to apply the forecasted arrival winds/conditions to the global mode, when the user aircraft is about 128 miles away. But then, the user may experience incorrect conditions for the last 100 miles or so of the flightplan, with respect to forecast winds for those last few weather reports in the FP. But, this would allow the AI to initialize in the global weather mode and already be working within the correct arrival conditions well before the user aircraft gets to the terminal area. If I'm correct, ATC wind-lock locks the ATIS reports, but does not apply the ATC-wind lock condition to the global weather pattern itself until some time later, when I'm much closer to the arrival. I was seeing wind-lock statments 30 minutes prior to arrival, but the lock condistions would not apply to the global model until I was very near the terminal area. This in turn keeps AI operating incorrectly with respect to the forecast arrival conditions until the user is very near the arrival. It's almost as if you need a secondary ATC wind-lock sub-feature which if checked, applies the wind-lock condition to global mode immediately, not just when the user aircraft is near the terminal. Also, you might include a distance setting box whereby if the user does enable this wind-lock sub-feature, he can also set the desired distance at which it occures when the user aircraft is that distance from the arrival airport. So, in summary, if I were given these options to test, I would want to use DWC mode, have the ATC wind-lock feature enabled and a checkbox that sets and applies that wind-lock condition to the global weather mode when my aircraft crosses a 128nm boundry from my declared arrival airport. The last 100nm or so of the FP may be unrealistic, but then DWC, AI, and RC should all be dead-nuts accurate with respect to the forecast by the time I get there (in the terminal area). Wheww.... I need a drink... LOL... Too much thinking and it's the weeked.... Time to bust out the NGX and do some drinkin' and drivin'.... LOL... [Edit - moments later] Oh dang, I just found the latest 649 beta was posted - time to do some testing :( I'm still having that drink though.....

Also, in addition to the above, (still on my soap-box, LOL), you might also seperate the departure and arrival atc wind-lock features with seperate checkbox options. In summary, one check box enables atc wind-lock at departure, and another checkbox enables atc wind-lock at arrival - and to that, create the sub-feature checkbox I refer to above. I don't know that departure atc wind-lock really buys me anything and I personally would probably leave it disabled (unchecked). Also an appology - I should have submitted this to the tell-hifisim addy but I just kind of got on a roll here and wanted to get my thoughts down while fresh in my mind. Sorry for the public suggestions... I'm going to shut-up now and go play with 649... Have a great weekend all and thanks again Damian! Without you none of the FS enviroment would be what it is today without you man, job well done.

Thanks Al, no problem with these thoughts, I appreciate it... stay tuned for an e-mail from me soon regarding all this (and more) :)