PRO ATC X flightplans and NGX

[Rocky_53 1,594]

Hmmm, so far I have not been given any STAR

My guess would be to stay with VNAV and let the FD bring you down until you hear from ATC, at least that's what I would do.

 

Hmm, tried that MIke, but VNAV descent has taken me too low and then ATC instructs me to return to a higher altitude. So far I have stayed at altitude until I get an instruction from ATC. Unfortunately, to date, I have yet to finish a flight without something not working correctly. I am persevering!

[Guest Mik75]

Hmmm, so far I have not been given any STAR

 

 

Hmm, tried that MIke, but VNAV descent has taken me too low and then ATC instructs me to return to a higher altitude. So far I have stayed at altitude until I get an instruction from ATC. Unfortunately, to date, I have yet to finish a flight without something not working correctly. I am persevering!

 

That is exactly the same problem I have with this, otherwise very good, product. I hope the whole descent/STAR and constraints thing gets solved in a future update. I started a thread at the ProATC forum concerning this problem and I've been told that the developer is aware of that problem.

[Rocky_53 1,594]

That is exactly the same problem I have with this, otherwise very good, product. I hope the whole descent/STAR and constraints thing gets solved in a future update. I started a thread at the ProATC forum concerning this problem and I've been told that the developer is aware of that problem.

 

Hi Michael, I guess I could be excused for seeing a situation where if it's not sorted pretty quickly, then I would expect a refund of my purchase. I have followed the development of this product closely for months now and am a little surprised that so many people are quite happy with it. I don't want to come across as a grumpy old man, but this product is very expensive for something which has so many issues, god knows what state it was in on release! However, I'll stick with it and support the dev because I think, like many, that it has great potential. How long I stick with it before getting tired of the problems and asking for a refund remains to be seen. BTW, it may well be that my lack of tolerance with the product will be replaced with a more content attitude as and when I accomplish a flight with no issues.

[Guest]

BTW, it may well be that my lack of tolerance with the product will be replaced with a more content attitude as and when I accomplish a flight with no issues.

 

That certainly was the case with me: I cursed at the program the first few days until I finally sorted it out and actually finished a flight... I can honestly say that right now I have zero problems with ProATC/X, although I have to add immediately that not everything goes as I would expect it to go (like being told do climb again during a descent) but it's nothing that I can't handle. ^_^

 

Mike said something that's very true: you simply have to trust the program. In the beginning a LOT went wrong because I didn't trust the program and decided to take over!

 

For instance if ATC didn't tell me to descent before TOD, I would start to descent anyway. Wrong. Do not forget that the TOD (I am talking about the PMDG 737NGX BTW) is calculated with the current flightplan in mind which (as usual with ProATC) has no STAR yet! I found out that ProATC (apparently) knows what STAR I will get and based on that information ATC will often keep me cruising long after TOD! It also happens btw that I am told to descend long before the TOD! It's no problem at all: just trust ATC.

 

I did develop a habit to switch from VNAV to LVL CHG before I reach the FMC calculated TOD. From then on I control descends and everything. I won't use VNAV at all anymore from then on. LNAV will be used until I can intercept the ILS. When I would stay in VNAV and ATC wouldn't let me descent at TOD, the FMC would command a lower speed than needed or it would do other things I didn't want. Besides, I like using LVL CHG and manually controlling the speeds on the panel (still using autopilot/autotrhottle: I don't mean I completely fly manually!)

 

So my advice: give it a try and don't do anything until ATC tells you to do something. That solved a LOT of my initial problems.

 

No guarantees though... ^_^

 

P.S. Don't know if this has been covered yet, but enable the option to NOT let ProATC/X add the SID or STAR to the automatically saved flightplan. I do load the PROATCX-CLR plan into the FMC (I don't like to enter everything manually) but I add the SID and later on the STAR manually (using the DEP/ARR page on the FMC). I only have to clear a discontinuity on the Legs-page after that and I am good to go.

[Rocky_53 1,594]

That certainly was the case with me: I cursed at the program the first few days until I finally sorted it out and actually finished a flight... I can honestly say that right now I have zero problems with ProATC/X, although I have to add immediately that not everything goes as I would expect it to go (like being told do climb again during a descent) but it's nothing that I can't handle. ^_^

 

Mike said something that's very true: you simply have to trust the program. In the beginning a LOT went wrong because I didn't trust the program and decided to take over!

 

For instance if ATC didn't tell me to descent before TOD, I would start to descent anyway. Wrong. Do not forget that the TOD (I am talking about the PMDG 737NGX BTW) is calculated with the current flightplan in mind which (as usual with ProATC) has no STAR yet! I found out that ProATC (apparently) knows what STAR I will get and based on that information ATC will often keep me cruising long after TOD! It also happens btw that I am told to descend long before the TOD! It's no problem at all: just trust ATC.

 

I did develop a habit to switch from VNAV to LVL CHG before I reach the FMC calculated TOD. From then on I control descends and everything. I won't use VNAV at all anymore from then on. LNAV will be used until I can intercept the ILS. When I would stay in VNAV and ATC wouldn't let me descent at TOD, the FMC would command a lower speed than needed or it would do other things I didn't want. Besides, I like using LVL CHG and manually controlling the speeds on the panel (still using autopilot/autotrhottle: I don't mean I completely fly manually!)

 

So my advice: give it a try and don't do anything until ATC tells you to do something. That solved a LOT of my initial problems.

 

No guarantees though... ^_^

 

P.S. Don't know if this has been covered yet, but enable the option to NOT let ProATC/X add the SID or STAR to the automatically saved flightplan. I do load the PROATCX-CLR plan into the FMC (I don't like to enter everything manually) but I add the SID and later on the STAR manually (using the DEP/ARR page on the FMC). I only have to clear a discontinuity on the Legs-page after that and I am good to go.

 

Hi matey, sure, I remember you had similar issues when you started using the prog. I think you may have hit the nail on the head re trusting the program though. Later on I think I will fly an auto created flightplan without sids or stars and do what you have just suggested and see where we go... cheers...

[vidas 0]

Is it ther anyway that you can export FP in IVAO format or just PRO-ATC friendly to VATSIM users?

 

Thanks

[DarkstarF16 72]

Wow I've learned a lot reading this... I can see I've been doing lots of things Erm to put it bluntly, 'my way' some programmes are intuitive others not so. This one does appear to need lots of research. Time to find those reading glasses lol.

[SierraHotel 985]

I might also add that sometimes the STAR given by ProATC does "not" exist in the PMDG 737 NGX database! Even though I am using the latest AIRAC from Navigraph for both NGX and ProATC. I hope this will be fixed in version 1.2 which should be out fairly soon.

[SierraHotel 985]

 

 

Hi Michael, I guess I could be excused for seeing a situation where if it's not sorted pretty quickly, then I would expect a refund of my purchase. I have followed the development of this product closely for months now and am a little surprised that so many people are quite happy with it. I don't want to come across as a grumpy old man, but this product is very expensive for something which has so many issues, god knows what state it was in on release! However, I'll stick with it and support the dev because I think, like many, that it has great potential. How long I stick with it before getting tired of the problems and asking for a refund remains to be seen. BTW, it may well be that my lack of tolerance with the product will be replaced with a more content attitude as and when I accomplish a flight with no issues.

 

Howard, mate I know "exactly" how you feel! But, I can honestly say that once you get used to using it and follow ATC to the letter, all will be fine. I have now been using ProATC non stop for more than 20 hrs with both BAV and Fly UK VA's and completed all flights with no problems, I am currently flying the Fly UK Iberia tour (great fun) and have made perfect landings every time. Keep the faith mate you will get there, and the new update should see some big changes for the better.

[Guest Mik75]

 

Howard, mate I know "exactly" how you feel! But, I can honestly say that once you get used to using it and follow ATC to the letter, all will be fine. I have now been using ProATC non stop for more than 20 hrs with both BAV and Fly UK VA's and completed all flights with no problems, I am currently flying the Fly UK Iberia tour (great fun) and have made perfect landings every time. Keep the faith mate you will get there, and the new update should see some big changes for the better.

 

But when I follow ATC to the letter, it might happen that I got clearance to descend to FAF altitude very early, lets say 3.000 ft, and then, when there are altitude constraints within the STAR, I have to climb again to altitudes as high as 12.000 ft, not very realistic.

[FlightSimToday 59]

I know that this will seem like a long work around. However I stopped using PRO ATC as it just was not working for me.

 

Anyway the way I ended up solving things was to export fs plan and NGX plan from VROUTE and then loading everything seperate from there..

[Rocky_53 1,594]

Howard, mate I know "exactly" how you feel! But, I can honestly say that once you get used to using it and follow ATC to the letter, all will be fine. I have now been using ProATC non stop for more than 20 hrs with both BAV and Fly UK VA's and completed all flights with no problems, I am currently flying the Fly UK Iberia tour (great fun) and have made perfect landings every time. Keep the faith mate you will get there, and the new update should see some big changes for the better.

 

Cheers Mike...

[SierraHotel 985]

 

 

But when I follow ATC to the letter, it might happen that I got clearance to descend to FAF altitude very early, lets say 3.000 ft, and then, when there are altitude constraints within the STAR, I have to climb again to altitudes as high as 12.000 ft, not very realistic.

 

The altitude restraints take second place to ATC, if ATC says descend....You descend..end of.

 

Perhaps I should make a vid of a flight using ProATC?

[Guest Mik75]

[Rocky_53 1,594]

The altitude restraints take second place to ATC, if ATC says descend....You descend..end of.

 

How does that work Mike? The other day I filed a flightplan from KLAX to KLAS and during descent I was vectored into a mountain range! When I filed a query on the forum I was told that there should have been alt restraints at waypoints within the flightplan...(?)