ATC - filling the gaps

[Taipan 30]

My trial period of MCE expired before I could get ATC fully working, so I started trialling VoxATC and have been getting improvements in voice recognition probably from the additional training I've done to the MS voice trainer. But Vox is not so good with traffic at all, whereas FSX default ATC and MCE combination doesn't mess with AI traffic.

 

So I want to buy MCE to handle ATC instead of VoxATC, so I can use traffic.

 

We all know that FSX ATC is missing a few things though. I can live with it failing to control AI aircraft 100% properly. But I'd like to try and improve my own procedures.

 

So I was thinking if I add a supplementary "checklist" for the ATC stuff that's missing. For example starting up, we have request engine start, and Radio check.

 

Is it possible if I add this checklist to put a different voice against it? I can't use the program any more due to expiry so I can't check on this, but how does the assigning of "Travis" etc work, is it per plane or just a one off choice?

 

If not, I wonder if we could request the feature.

I think it could be good to have different voices for different checklists in the same plane anyway. For example you could several crew members in the complex planes with different checklists and voices.

[WR269 367]

I dopnt have much experience with the ATC interaction, but from my observations...MCE works well with FSX ATC, in fact, you can, as pilot flying, tell your F/O to handle the radios and he can even ask you to confirm you got the instruction given by ATC.

 

You can also try RC4...this will control your AI traffic, and it interacts well with MCE

[Taipan 30]

Yeah bit I want my F/O to stay well away from the radios :) I'm starting flying lessons so I want to get some confidence speaking in callsigns and phonetic alphabet etc. The flying is easy (Piper Warrior) but the radio is confusing as it happens really fast, Bankstown is surprisingly busy on weekends. Radios too, I need practice tuning alot of stations.

 

So with Radar contact, maybe I could get that and integrate it with MCE. Does radar contact generate it's own traffic like VoxATC? Or does it control whatever traffic is injected by ultimate traffic / mytraffic etc?

 

My biggest issue with Vox is that it tries and fails to create and manage it's own traffic. I'm very happy with UT2 and don't want to disable it for ATC...

 

When in VFR, does Radar contact let you use ATC normally like MCE with default FSX ATC, yet at the same time keep controlling IFR traffic and airliners correctly? Or does radar contact try and force IFR for me too?

I do lots of VFR and don't want to give that up.. but some IFR as well.

 

Thanks

[alpha117 73]

So with Radar contact, maybe I could get that and integrate it with MCE. Does radar contact generate it's own traffic like VoxATC? Or does it control whatever traffic is injected by ultimate traffic / mytraffic etc?

 

RC4 uses whatever AI program you have. I use UT2 with RC4 and it work just great

 

When in VFR, does Radar contact let you use ATC normally like MCE with default FSX ATC, yet at the same time keep controlling IFR traffic and airliners correctly? Or does radar contact try and force IFR for me too?

I do lots of VFR and don't want to give that up.. but some IFR as well.

 

RC4 uses 'real world' ATC all the time and keeps control of ALL ai aircraft. RC4 will not force you to do anything that you should not do in the real world.

 

I use MCE +RC4 on every flight whether its GA or airline. I'm just into the ways of using FSS at non controlled airfields correctly. I fly a lot in Alaska.

 

Yeah bit I want my F/O to stay well away from the radios :) I'm starting flying lessons so I want to get some confidence speaking in callsigns and phonetic alphabet etc. The flying is easy (Piper Warrior) but the radio is confusing as it happens really fast, Bankstown is surprisingly busy on weekends. Radios too, I need practice tuning alot of stations.

 

If you want control of the radios, then don't ask you FO to 'tune them'

 

 

The best combo IMHO right now is MCE+ RC4+REWe(weather).

 

So I was thinking if I add a supplementary "checklist" for the ATC stuff that's missing. For example starting up, we have request engine start, and Radio check.

 

Is it possible if I add this checklist to put a different voice against it? I can't use the program any more due to expiry so I can't check on this, but how does the assigning of "Travis" etc work, is it per plane or just a one off choice?

 

Yes, you can add 'your' checklists by creating VoxScripts; there are some examples on this forum. With regards to the different voices, at the moment it will use the voice that you set in the MCE panel. So that's one voice for the FO and one voice for the Purser per flight or until you change it manually.

[WR269 367]

Oh forgot to add, my trial period ended before i EVER got MCE to work.

 

So i bought it, just so i could give it a go, and havent looked back since!

[Taipan 30]

Thanks for the info

 

I use AS2012 for weather although it probably doesn't matter which weather program.

 

Good to know RC works great with it.

 

So I know that RC can't do VFR, yet you say you fly GA planes with RC, how is this handled?

 

I assume you file your flight plan but how is it on approach, can we land visual with approval or do we have to follow STARS?

 

What exactly is RC actually "missing" from VFR?

 

Trying to figure out if it will help me in PPL, since I'm doing VFR lessons only..

[alpha117 73]

You can do visual approaches in RC4

[FS++ 712]

Trying to figure out if it will help me in PPL, since I'm doing VFR lessons only..

 

For the purpose of PPL training (mainly VFR), I definitely suggest native ATC.

 

You can perform circuit training, and be in touch with tower using the actual aircraft call sign and land as many times as you want. That will build your confidence with radio.

 

No need to file a flight plan either.

 

Disable all MCE features except ATC.

 

MCE has a little known feature that improves realism.

 

If you have one of those radio stacks (hardware), and you happen to be in the air between 2 airfields…

 

Instead of the usual…not realistic menu driven

 

Select [Nearest airport List]

Go through the airports list, which can span across 3 pages

Select the airport

Tune the frequency

Start talking

 

With the feature, you just dial the frequency of the airfield you want to get in touch with (as it’s done in the real world).

 

MCE will monitor your dialling (even if it's just radio clicks in VC). After some timeout (3 seconds by default) MCE will assume you’ve finished dialling.

 

Because MCE can read the ATC window content at any time, it will automatically select [Nearest airport list], scroll through all the available airports, and automatically pick-up the one to transmit to. All you’ll have to do then is transmit your message.

 

Later when you move to IFR training, consider RC4 or VoxATC

[Taipan 30]

Thanks Gerald, I remember tuning in the trial period of MCE.

 

Ideal Flight is my flight planner, and it creates a briefing which includes all the frequencies I need so I can just punch them in without doing the atc menu click thing.

 

Although FSX atc is limited in some ways, at least it works ok generally.

 

VoxATC is a no go, I trialled it and it doesn't work with traffic very well at all. No traffic en route or at other airports and it reacts badly with Ultimate traffic. It Does do VFR however which is why I wanted it... if only it could work without having to generate it's own traffic.

 

Someone else recommended http://www.dwvac.com/ but I don't really want to spend so much time setting up programming it.

 

MCE is good because you guys have programmed it already :)

[Taipan 30]

OK I've just purchased MCE, I must say the AUD against the Euro is very good at the moment! It didn't cost as much as I thought.

 

I hope the ATC will work well for me, I just need to get past the readback issues I had in the demo. I'll spend some time on the training.

 

Cheers

[Taipan 30]

Oh forgot to add, my trial period ended before i EVER got MCE to work.

 

So i bought it, just so i could give it a go, and havent looked back since!

 

Sorry to reply to my own thread again , but I have to say you were completely right.

 

I did a full circuit with voice only ATC first go after activating my license!

 

Maybe Vox atc was useful after all, the very ATC specific voice training it did probably taught the MS engine what it needed.