It's really nice that we have default ATC, but sometimes I just don't get it. I was on approach to KFLL, descending to 12000 per ATC's instructions, and suddenly they want me to turn 180 degrees. After some minor turns I was somewhere around Nassau, and then they completely cancel my IFR flight plan, completely out of the blue. What the hell is going on? Why did this happen? Anybody have any idea? I know I know, I should go to VATSIM or buy a thrid-party ATC program. Problem is I don't have the patience or time right now to learn anything new...

Nothing to learn with Radar Contact: Install it, choose a flight plan, choose a callsign, hit the start button in RC, use better ATC. Al

It's really nice that we have default ATC, but sometimes I just don't get it. I was on approach to KFLL, descending to 12000 per ATC's instructions, and suddenly they want me to turn 180 degrees. After some minor turns I was somewhere around Nassau, and then they completely cancel my IFR flight plan, completely out of the blue. What the hell is going on? Why did this happen? Anybody have any idea? I know I know, I should go to VATSIM or buy a thrid-party ATC program. Problem is I don't have the patience or time right now to learn anything new...

Really surprised at you Benjamin, with your in-depth knowledge of FS, as per your reviews that you opt for a piece of FS as bad as MSFS's ATC. Like Al has suggested, ditch it. There are so many other choices which are 10 times if not better than MSFS's default ATC. Just like MSFS could not get traction in a taxy from the gate right, IMHO, I reckon their ATC is pits.

The reason I keep using it is, however strange it may sound, because it's default. Over the months, trying to get FSX to run, I have come to dislike outside influences regarding FSX more and more. I guess it's a sort of fear that any addon I install could potentially break my current installation of FSX which *knock on wood* still works now for several weeks without crashing and burning unless I do something stupid. For this same reason, I only install addons of which I know they contain gauges or tweaks that can influence all of FS if I really, really want them, or know they are somewhat harmless. As such, sceneries aren't much of a problem to me, since they are specific to one part of the FS world (if they don't contain some sort of module, of course). FS's ATC, while not great, does normally work pretty well for me, and if it doesn't, I tend to ignore it. It's just that sometimes it does something so utterly stupid that it's difficult to wrap your head around it. I have had many a flight that worked out very well, though. Just, sometimes... Ugh. Mind you, I do have PFE, and had it for probably a year now, but I was always scared away by its complexity in getting it working. So why did I choose PFE, and not RC? Because PFE gives some sort of progressive taxi in the form of a copilot telling you where to go, whereas RC just says "we'll see you at the runway".

PFE is a bit daunting at first but once you have your flightplans set up and working they generally go without a hitch. Occasionally there are small problems but they are usuayyly quite easily overcome.The default ATC is so unrealistic as to be an anathema for real pilots.vololiberista

While I haven't used RC since 2004 I don't recall that version being so easy to use. Still that was RC version 3 and things probably have changed ? I don't use built in ATC as it is, for all intent and purpose, just an immersion tool and a frustrating one at that. I got tired of being vectored on some wild prolonged detours on approach. I just fly the flight plan

I recently went from using RC4 (been using it for a few years now) and purchased PFE. I have not looked back. It is awesome. I use Vroute for FP selection, save it to FS Commander, open the plan from FSC to Avilasoft EFB, set up sids & stars as per ASE weather, then save in PMDG, FSX format, load the plan into PFE, compile, and all done.I also purchased the PFE extra voice pack, and honestly, leaves RC4 behind. ( RC4 is showing it's age, and I'm sure version 5 will be something to look out for) .

( RC4 is showing it's age, and I'm sure version 5 will be something to look out for) .

If it ever comes out!!!vololiberista

Hi fellas, I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I've been meaning to post a question or two on this topic so it seems appropriate to ask you guys. I too run FS ATC and have been wanting to make the cross to RC, however, after seeing a vid on Youtube, I was more than a little taken aback at the rather robotic and unrealistic sounds of the AT controller. Is this a fair observation? If so, is there anything available that can sound more human like or is RC the only real option? Bearing in mind I want something easy and straightforward. Cheers guys...

Must say you've got a good point there. default ATC has some very good voice sequencing. That's also a reason I stuck with it, despite the annoyances. The youtube videos for both RC and PFE don't really make them sound good, but I heard that PFE is actually quite good but the vids on youtube are poor. Is this the case?

Hi fellas, I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I've been meaning to post a question or two on this topic so it seems appropriate to ask you guys. I too run FS ATC and have been wanting to make the cross to RC, however, after seeing a vid on Youtube, I was more than a little taken aback at the rather robotic and unrealistic sounds of the AT controller. Is this a fair observation? If so, is there anything available that can sound more human like or is RC the only real option? Bearing in mind I want something easy and straightforward. Cheers guys...

Howard,PFE surprised me to be honest. Was expecting something like RC, but that was not the case. The deluxe version with additional voice pack is the way to go. it was so realistic, I was blown away, and I am fussy when it come to programs working as advertised, and PFE does that. The voices are not robotic, and accents are very good. Once you learn how to use it, it is quite a powerfull atc tool. It is underated I believe, and most who say it is rubbish, or make bad youtube videos are not using properly, or don't have the additinal voice packs.It can be run on a network, and does that really well. EFB does make it easier to use as it can assign sids & stars to your FP. hope that info helps Cheers

Yes. the voices in RC can be a bit "robotic", however it's a small price to pay to a program that makes things much more realistic. And I understand yoiu can greatly improve the voices by D/Ling the meatwater voice paks for RC from Avsim on Lines files section. I have never done this myself. Slip over to the RC forum and do a search for meatwater voice paks. On another point I spent several years trying to understand the default ATC myself and never was able to do so.

Actually not only are the voices in PFE not robotic but it is also much more flexible in the sense that if you deviate it allows that. For example coming from the NW I have to make a dogleg turn to the right in order to line up with the ILS at LIMZ. I usually turn sooner in order to establish in a smooth way and PFE gives me a heading. The same when coming into Heathrow at BIG. BIG is a mandatory holding point so I turn right into the hold and PFE follows through. I rarely get "told off" as I often see RC4 people complain about. It is important to hone you FP to PFE's requirements (also for RC4) once done you will have a well controlled flight. Listening to controllers from the region you are overflying as well as pilot accents from all over the world. It has many other features as well making it in my opinion superior.vololiberista

It's really nice that we have default ATC, but sometimes I just don't get it. I was on approach to KFLL, descending to 12000 per ATC's instructions, and suddenly they want me to turn 180 degrees. After some minor turns I was somewhere around Nassau, and then they completely cancel my IFR flight plan, completely out of the blue. What the hell is going on? Why did this happen? Anybody have any idea? I know I know, I should go to VATSIM or buy a thrid-party ATC program. Problem is I don't have the patience or time right now to learn anything new...

Hello, I too use the default ATC. It may well be anathema to real pilots, but I'm not to worried 'cos I ain't one -lolDaft as it seems the main reason I don't experiment elsewhere is that with the default I can get back into IFR if and when I use the map to move the plane - airliner - to near to the destination. I don't know if the others allow that.That is inportant to me for if I'm flying say Gatwick to Kennedy I don't sit thru the whole trip! Once I'm up to cruise Flight level I usually fast forward to just before descent. Thraini - sounds like the ATC gave instruction to which you didn't respond and so they terminated. That's the only circumstance I know where they do that. I find the ATC quite crafty and a little cruel in IFR in that, say, you are approaching a height they have instructed you to descend to ( in a plane like a Comet in which you have to level off in AP manually ), they will give you other additional instructions just as you are about to make the level off- so you need to decide which to do first, answer them or level off etcIt's good fun really but you can get a bit of a sweat on at times -You can't tell them to "shut up a minute will you" -lol

I also use default ATC. I have considered 3rd party programs but I have not been able to find good examples of them in action on You Tube. I know everyone says the meatwater add on for RC makes it a lot better than the robotic sounding voices but I am not buying it unless I can see an example. Would you buy a add on aircraft or scenery without screen shots? If the meatwater mod is required, promo videos should include it. If someone has some good links, I'd love to see them. Anyway, back to the original question. I have also been on the FLL ATC wild goose chase. I actually think these problems are related to flightplan and ADE design. My FLL works fine now after I made modifications (I'm using the FSDT scenery). Many AFCAD designers fail to verify that all of the approaches are active in their scenery and I highly doubt they test their scenery using the default GPS and default ATC. I have encountered this issue with FSDT and FlyTampa scenery so the quality of the AFCAD does not always match the quality of the scenery. I have mentioned this in both forums and I think they are doing a better job lately but some of their older products may need a little work. To rectify this problem, I open up the AFCAD in ADE and switch to approach mode to see if the ILS's and approaches are in the file. Go to List/Approaches. If nothing is there, go back to Airport mode Tools/Load Stock Data and add in the default approaches, com frequencies and navaids. Once you do this, ATC and the default GPS will recognize everything properly. Now, some designers make no modifications to the default approaches when they release their scenery so I have no idea why approaches at some airports work and others do not. I think it has to do with developers switching between ADE and AFX but I am not sure. The only way I have been able to deal with it is to verify that that the approaches load properly with every scenery I buy. I do this by going to the airport and looking at the default GPS (must do a direct to back to the airport). If the approaches are available, then everything should be fine. The second problem has to do with flightplan design. I make sure that my first waypoint isn't too close to the airport. If you miss that first waypoint, ATC may cancel your flightplan at a later time. Funny thing is that ATC may not direct you back to the waypoint - it will just cancel your flightplan near your destination. Now, if you maintain silence for some time (for the purpose of walking away from the sim or speeding up time compression), ATC will direct you back to the missed waypoint with a never ending loop heading requests. For some reason, canceling and reloading the IFR plan will not rectify the situation either. You are basically hosed and must land without ATC. So, in short, make sure all of your approach data and navaids are available and make sure you don't miss any waypoints.