I have only ever really flown VFR unless following specific missions and tutorials.

 

I bought Ideal Flight today and generated a random flight from NZNS...

 

Aside from the fact that for the duration of the flight, the ATC had me moving about like a ball-bearing tied to a piece of elastic being toyed with by a stunned kitten, when it got to approach time it:

 

A) kept nagging me for an airport visual some 30 miles out in dense rainclouds

B) Kept telling me to turn left to a heading of 200 when I was already flying straight on a heading of 200 and

C) guided me to an approach vector that had me some 2000ft above the runway by the time I flew over it.

 

Is this common behaviour from the default FSX ATC?

 

Did I do something wrong (probably the most likely scenario!)

 

Does Ideal Flight have an impact on the ATC and IFR instructions that I am not taking into consideration?

 

Apologies for noobish questions - any advice gratefully received.

Yeah... unfortunately, if the scene developpers do not add the proper approaches to their secenery, then FSX ATC does use some "standard" approaches foe every airfield without taking into account your possible SID/STARS... But you should be happy as in real life, almost all the time the controller will modify your approach path...

Take a close look at Radar Contact. After the learning curve it is so much better than default you'll wonder why you didn't buy it some time ago.

To answer your questions more generally, yes the default FSX ATC can be very wonky sometimes, and no, Ideal Flight does not mess with ATC in any way shape or form, except if you use IF's extra AI traffic you'll have more radio traffic to listen to.

Me says the default ATC is there to give you an impression of what it's like to fly being controlled. For this purpose and the corresponding price (being part of the package), it's great. As for the rest on the correct details or procedures, some addon soft like recommended from the other folks may be a good idea.

Or you'll stick to the free character and grab some online ATC at IVAO or Vatsim. Competent folks, sometimes even being rw controllers, are awaiting you.

I recommend online networks like IVAO and Vatsim. Its hard to beat having a living human controlling you. Its by far the best experience in my opinion. You are expected to know about rules, regulations and general airmanship before you connect tho. Not being able to fly some aspects of a flightplan you have filed is not acceptable online

I suggest you repeat your post over on the Ideal Flight forums. Developer Steve Waite gives exceptional support and I'm sure he would comment.

 

http://www.codelegend.com/forums/index.php

Yes it's FSX ATC, IF simply provides a plan, ATC does the same with/without IF.

You are expected to know about rules, regulations and general airmanship before you connect tho. Not being able to fly some aspects of a flightplan you have filed is not acceptable online

One may add that they offer a lot of information and free trainings for the folks being new to the game. The don't plan with the bad learners like me, but they, so far, showed a lot of patience and friendliness towards the new kids in town. Very few exceptions being super pro, but mostly a warm and friendly welcome to the new side of the hobby.

 

Writing this just in case somebody reads Johan's text as 'no beginners allowed' or something.

Thanks for the replies all!

 

Sounds like Radar Contact might scratch the itch in the short term and perhaps IVAO/VATSIM long term - though I think I have a fair ways to go before I am competent enough for that! I had better start practising and reading up now!

 

Is Radar Contact a "live" product or is it no longer updated?

I think the next version of RC is in the 'soon' state since quite some time. Please mind the tongue on that smiley, but I think this state is the same as on the LD757. :P Just means that RC4 is final from what I've read. But folks seem to be very happy with it in general.

 

A talking ATC option would be VoxATC.