A quick fly by of Pro ATC

[propkop2k2 1]

Has anyone noticed that the heading displayed in the moving map does not correspond to the heading actually flown. It gets worse in areas with greater magnetic variation. Where I fly the variation is -23 degrees so I can never hit my waypoints, as the headings given by the ATC constantly make me miss them. Not only that ATC constantly tells me I am not flying the correct heading.

[Guest firehawk44]

I tried a new flight from KORD to KSTL (Chicago to St Louis) in the default 737. The co-pilot set all the course directions requested by the ATC controller but he missed a waypoint. I was monitoring the flight and the plan on the PFD and it appeared he had corrected passed each waypoint but the PFD kept showing the VOR for the waypoint and the DME was showing I was going further and further away from it. So I think that's the problem. You miss a waypoint and ATC stops communicating. ATC did give me a STAR and approach runway though but then it quit. ATC kept telling me to climb to FL300 too even though I was at FL300 and I had the altimeter set to 2992. I manually increased my altitude to FL303, ATC stopped the nag. Regarding missing headings, you have to constantly look at the upper right corner of your PFD and look at the VOR name and make sure it changes when it reaches that location. If not, you're going to have to fly around it until it does change to the next waypoint VOR.

 

I'm quitting testing until it's fixed (if ever).

 

Best regards,

Jim

[ZKOKQ 986]

I think you lads deserve a medal. I would have thrown the towel in long ago.

[Chock 17,769]

I've been especially careful to ensure I was hiting waypoints Jim, because I assumed that would of course be a trigger for various ATC, and I agree that if you miss one it is likely to be an issue. But I don't think that is the issue, since I have made it all the way along a flight plan, continuing to get ATC, but not got a descent, so evidently I hit all the triggers, but the descent itself did not trigger.

 

Al

[Guest firehawk44]

But I don't think that is the issue, since I have made it all the way along a flight plan, continuing to get ATC, but not got a descent, so evidently I hit all the triggers, but the descent itself did not trigger.

 

You may be right Chock but I continued to get ATC too, even a STAR and approach runway, until I neared St Louis then all went dead. I then saw I missed a waypoint on the PFD some 170 miles back behind me. I'm thinking that ATC just sees that I haven't completed all the required waypoints yet and is waiting for me to do it before I begin my descent. The other troubling thing is the fact my virtual co-pilot failed me and missed the waypoint. ATC should allow him to head to the next VOR/waypoint until he has successfully reached the waypoint. I have noticed that ATC gives headings for the next waypoint a few miles before a waypoint so this could be causing this issue(s). In any case, that's not acceptable for any ATC program costing $64. There should be some way to remove that "missed" waypoint much like we can do with airline FMC's. But you can't go into the proATC flight plan and edit it during a flight, you're screwed, start over....

 

Best regards,

Jim

[Glynn 405]

Hello

So there is no way to request a direct to waypoint ?

[Chock 17,769]

It will clear you direct to some waypoints as it runs, but you are basically told which way to go rather than having the option to adjust things on the fly to any great degree. In this respect, Radar Contact is more flexible, as indeed is the default ATC for that matter.

 

I do not mind that it is like that, but what I do mind, is that it doesn't even do that properly. There is quite clearly something that is really stuffed up in the way it assesses things as it runs. 12 pages of a thread in Avsim and still nobody with a successfully completed flight is not a great testament to the product. If this was on the Flight 1 Wrapper system, I bet everyone would have asked for a refund by now.

 

Al

[Glynn 405]

Hello Al

The program worked better in FS9, not perfect and you were always aware that you were following a script, but it did work.

I cannot remember now if it allowed you to ask for a direct to or deviate for weather and such.

What I do remember is that it did scan your scenery files and build its database, does the FSX version do this?

[Guest firehawk44]

Once activated, the help file says it is autonomously beside FSX and is communicating during the whole flight with it. This way it detects all things you do and things you don't.

 

Best regards,

Jim

[N1G 88]

If you miss a waypoint, would you not think that ATC should be aware of that? If your altitude differs from assigned, ATC should see it and let you know yes?. This is not at this point ATC software. The scripting mechanism does not seem to be robust enough.

 

Bob

[Greswolf 0]

On a lighter note, I wonder how many people know what Poguemahone means on MindYourBeak's icon?

[Glynn 405]

Hello

Where does it derive its database from ?, is it the default FSX data

Is it aware of any changes due to third party afcads vs the default FSX data ?

Does it base runway selection on current conditions and are you able to request another runway?

 

I have read the manual that was posted on the ProATC forum and none of this is explained.

 

The paragraph "The program runs autonomously beside Flight Simulator-X and is communicating during the whole flight with it. This way it detects all things you do and things you

don't". leaves a lot unsaid.

 

My advice is to fly the flight outlined in the "How to Fly... section.

If that flight cannot be completed successfully then I would consider contacting my CC company and see if I could get my funds back.

I doubt this Addon will ever work properly with complex aircraft and addon airports as things stand.

[sukhi 0]

I have been re-testing and retesting with every patch and I'm not getting anywhere with this program. Any of you asked for a refund yet ? I'm thinking about it even I'd rather have a working proatc instead.

i got a refund. i think they only gave it to get my message of thier forum. i have never asked for a refund from anyone before but what i dont like is the way they keep blameng add ons. who flies fsx without an add on? when i inquired about the refund i asked them to give me a flight that they had tested. i needed to see for myself that a flight can be completed but they did not answer. for me that said it all. i do want pro atc to succeed but i dont have the time to be a beta tester. thats the sad bit because im sure they would have found loads of people willing to test this programme for them. after it becomes stable with default planes i can see them blamming other add ons like rex, utx. gex etc. after that the blame will go onto overclocked systems due to heating etc. these guys need to have a good look at themselves because they are taking the P.

[propkop2k2 1]

PROblematic-ATC. At least they got the name of their program correct.

[MindYerBeak 73]

t what i dont like is the way they keep blameng add on

 

As I said above yesterday Boutabba sent me a temp patch. I turned on logging and took off..and of course could not complete the flight..I emailed him the logs and this is part of the answer. I think it's interesting.

 

--quote---

 

How ever, what I can see below is that the handover to Approach is initialized and the frequency to set is 119.40 but the frequency recognized is 134.85, which is still the frequency of radar control. I don’t think that it wasn’t set, you probably have seen the assigned frequency (119.40) in your com radio. Normally, when frequencies are changed, PRO-ATC/X is informed by SimConnect (FSX) which doesn’t seem to work when changing to approach – at least in yours and in some others case. The reason is maybe an other Add-On or what ever

 

--end of quote---

 

Maybe he'll find a fix soon ?