is there a way, through hard manual labour, third-party add-ons or magic, to get real life approaches into fs?i know it's only a game, but comparing current approach plates with, for example, some approaches on that garmin thingy... i'm sure they would send a pair of f-16's after me, if i actually flew like that.sometimes it's hard to survive in the game, too. i was 10 miles west of lowi and the atc told me to fly right to rwy 26. in one-mile visibility. check it out for yourself for a laugh...:)more seriously, i know it's a lot of information, i know it's being constantly updated. so i'm not criticizing, just trying to be constructive... is there a mechanism to get this right?thanksvilk

>is there a way, through hard manual labour, third-party>add-ons or magic, to get real life approaches into fs?What do you exactly mean by this ? What is a "real life" approach in our "unreal" simulated world ?Before I answer I better understand your question first. Michael J.http://www.reality-xp.com/community/nr/rsc/rxp-higher.jpg

hi,thanks for your interest in my query. :)by "real life approaches" i meant the procedures printed on current approach plates. they can be updated from time to time so it's understandable that those in the fs gps are sometimes out of date (if they were ever correct in the first place ;)). i thought there might be a way to update them also in the game. something like editing navaids with afcad.thanksvilk

Ok, I see. No I am afraid I can't help you with this one. In my simulated world I don't care if I am realy flying a 3-years old approach since few of them changed in a meaningful way anyway.Michael J.http://www.reality-xp.com/community/nr/rsc/rxp-higher.jpg

no prob. i think the answer is no, anyway... i wish i could turn reality off with such conviction. as it is, i play a simulation game in the real world (i pinched myself as i wrote this, just to be sure).;)cheers!and thanks again.vilk

If your question is whether it is possible to be cleared for a full procedure approach as published, the answer is yes. You just have to request the appropriate transition from the atc menu. The routing and altitudes it expects you to fly are based on approach data from the 2002-2003 timeframe that fs9 was developed.

Yes, if you are so inclined! Download the FS2004_BGLCOMP_SDK.exe file from http://www.microsoft.com/games/flightsimulator/ , downloads, FS2004SDK.You will have to exclude the default approaches and design the new approaches, compile into a scenery *.bgl. It is not a piece of cake. You will need to search the web for ARINC 424 documents that define the different approach legs. You will also need to download/obtain all the approach plates for your particular airport.I have been working on KMCO (Orlando Intl) for approximately one month trying to replace the default approaches with the updated approaches.Bear in mind, AI and ATC will only recognize a visual or ILS approach when you are under ATC control. The various approaches available in the GPS are only for your use and have no bearing on AI and ATC, except for the ILS approach defined for a runway.W. Sieffert

thanks w!indeed, thanks a lot. that's what i've been looking for. i will definitely give it a try.i learned to disregard atc completely a long time ago. with the actual approach plates and the current metar/taf in my hand, i can tell where they should be sending me. when i still listened to them, they were sending me into mountains and into somebody else's airspace.:)flying from lazy fields, i don't much care for ai either. so it's definitely a go.thank you again.looking forward to some fun...vilk

My first reply got lost or deleted, but ever since FS2K2 limited ATC and I have FS9 now and have not used FS9 ATC, I have used Radar Contact now on version 3.1. The latest build is AI aware for advisories and go-around issues but does not control it. The next major release will. You get the original on CD, download an .exe patch and a couple of voice libraries to update it. It includes registration for the needed features of FSUIPC 3.x.I use it because it lets me choose options more appropriate to flying IAPs including an option called NOTAMS which lets you deviate from a controller's instructions without getting your flight canceled. This option is individually available at every phase.The approach options in-flight are many such as requesting a particular procedure for a runway of your choice, destination change to alternates declared preflight, waypoint skips/direct-to-next for weather avoidance, altitude change requests, etc. I have had no problems flying to an IAF and performing procedure turns, etc., due to the relaxing of variance rules to allow for this. Also, RC does not cancel IFR flight plans unless you declare visual, but you can hear controllers complain and offer vectoring if you are off course.Preflight choices include selection of transition altitude, selection of minumum AGL altitude for approaches, reselection of route flight level different from loaded flight plan, ability to include random holds, and other features.I suggest you visit their support forum here on AVSIM.I also recommend you look at products from Reality-XP especially their new weather radar. I have the FLA for GPS (not fully implemented yet but useful for FS9) because of its clarity for nav keeping an overall view during an IAP or vectoring, their JL2 and JL4 series especially because of their TCAS implementation. This last goal may not interest you if you do not enable AI.

To do real world approaches all you need a real world approach plates. I have been using MSFS for 4 years for approach practice to supplement my real flying. For the most part the navaids are right on. BTW. You don

hey, i know. ;) i always use my rw plates in the game and i have yet to find a navaid that's off (i hear they can be, just never found one). my gps question was mostly for the sake of completeness. i had never actually used gps here, strictly plates (ehem, procedures) sectionals (vnc's, canada here :)) and tac's, until last week... i pressed shift-2 in the middle of my usual dme arc home, squeezed some buttons, twisted some knobs, the thing was not even mentioned... the faf and the turn were 1 degree off, but i can live with that. :)