Hi, I am getting crazy with an issue on RC4 + FSX that I can't figure out.

My flight is LIEO (Olbia, Sardinia, Italy) to LFBO (Toulouse, France) and the flight plan is

 

LIEO POZZO UP980 OKIVA UP872 AJO UY268 DIVKO UM731 FJR MASAM ARVEL ADIMO LFBO

(FJR MASAM ARVEL ADIMO are the STAR FJR6L), with landing runway 32R (that I previously enter into RC controller info window).

 

Now everything goes perfectly until I am cleared to FL 110 during the descent to LFBO, the controller clears me to FL 110 and, reached FL 110, to reduce speed to 250 knots, plus the restriction to be at FL 110 within 30 miles or less (by the way, in my opinion this option should be made a bit more random, rather than being met in every flight, but this is an offtopic).

I reach FL 110 *within* the commanded 30 miles (I am absolutely sure about that, did that more times), quite before reaching MASAM, heading around 266, and reduce speed to 250. At that point the controller gives me a heading of about 170 or 350 (at times about 170, at times about 350, I don't remember the exact value, but close to that) and, after that, no more clearances. I fly say 50 miles to the north with that heading 350, then, realizing that the controller has forgotten about me, I use the option "DIRECT TO CHKPT", asking direct to ADIMO. He clears me, but, after some time, before reaching ADIMO, he reproaches me by saying "I say again, fly heading 320", but he never told me to assume that heading! At the end I disregard his instructions and perform the approach. Finally, at some point during the approach, the controller wakes up and gives me the final instructions.

I tried 5 times the complete flight and ALL TIMES the same thing.

I rebuilt the scenery several times and have the latest versions of makerwys.exe and FSUIPC.

The strangest thing is that, after rebuilding the scenery, I wanted to do a test and did the flight quickly, with acceleration 4x or 8x, just in order to get quickly to the approach. In this case each time the controllers behaved correctly! Convinced that the issue was fixed, I tried again the "serious" flight with all the procedures and once again, before the approach, the same issue...

What could be the problem?

Thank you!

 

 

Hi James,

 

My guess is that RC believes you have missed a waypoint and has ordered you to fly back to it. The top line in the RC display will always show the waypoint RC expects you to be flying to.

 

Without a log it's difficult to be more precise. If you feel you can reproduce this situation then make a log (instructions pinned on forum) and send it to JD. He will tell you exactly what is going wrong.

 

Incidentally, I also agree with you that more randomness would be preferable but not just on approach but also on flight level clearances but that's for another day hopefully.

Thank you, Ray, for your reply. I paid particular attention to not missing the waypoints and the confirmation was given by the top line on the showtext window, the distance to the single waypoint decreased to zero and then the waypoint name was replaced by the next one.

I will try and make a log, anyway.

HI James,

 

The crucial part here is when you're instructed to fly heading 170 and then 350. It won't have escaped your notice that those are different by 180 degrees. That is not something I have come across before unless it was for a missed waypoint.

 

So after passing MASAM (at FL110) I presume the next waypoint is ARVEL. Is that what is displayed on the top line?

 

But bear in mind you are now under Approach control so will be given different headings unless you select 9 followed by Option 4 - Select IAP Approach. Choosing that option allows you to fly the STAR. But if you don't then you are expected to fly the headings instructed.

what is the transition altitude? where did you set the altimeter to the standard pressure?

Been meaning to try out RC4 as the Fsx ATC leaves a lot to be desired. Any other issues other than stated above? Probably should have started a new thread.

James,

 

I'm flying this route now and have just reached MASAM. It's 40 miles from LFBO so as soon as I reach MASAM I'm instructed to contact Approach. I do that and I'm told to expect vectors to Rwy 33.

 

I have two choices. I can take vectors or I can request an IAP Approach. I took the vectors.

 

I'm told to fly heading 235 and to descend to FL70. Shortly after I'm cleared down to 4,000ft, QNH 1006.

 

Then cleared down to 3,000ft.

 

Then given heading of 295 to intercept ILS and cleared again to 3,000ft.

 

ILS comes alive at 20DME.

 

Your alternative if you wish to fly the STAR after MASAM is to request IAP Approach after first contact with App. Menu option 9 followed by 4.

 

Hope that helps. :smile:

Been meaning to try out RC4 as the Fsx ATC leaves a lot to be desired. Any other issues other than stated above? Probably should have started a new thread.

Adam,

 

RC4.3 is a mature product that has been out for around 6 years, maybe more. It does a lot of things very well and will be a breath of fresh air if you're tired of the default ATC.

 

I couldn't imagine flying without it. I'm on the beta team but have no financial connection. Probably best if others sing its praises. :wink:

Ray, thank you for your test. I tried once again, too and got exactly the same vectors as you did, I really can't explain why those 5 failed flights. I am quite sure that I did not miss any waypoint, anyway I will do some more tests starting from next wednesady, unfortunately I will be out till then.

I must say that I have done dozens of flights with RC4 and they have always been flawless.

John, the transition altitude in the area of Toulouse is 5000 ft, while in Italy 6000 ft, thus I set the altimeter to standard when I passed 6000 ft during climb in the area of LIEO.

Hi James,

 

Good to know it worked for you. It will remain a mystery why you had the problems you did.

 

One thing you could check is Deviations. Go into General Options and check:-

 

Heading = 15

Altitude=300

Speed=15.

 

If you've changed them from those defaults they may have a bearing on what happened.

Ray, in my settings I have

Heading = 15

Altitude=500

Speed=15,

so it is even more conservative regarding the altitude.

If I had missed a waypoint, shouldn't the controller have given me a heading to go back to that waypoint? Or, if I had missed the FL 110 within 30 miles, he should have given me a heading outbound and then again inbound, as it always happens in this case. He did instead give me a heading outbound and then nothing more, at least for about 50 miles... Anyway tonight I will do some more tests.

James,

 

Those settings look okay but if you have any problems just set Altitude back to 300.

 

If you've had a successful flight after several unsuccessful ones then only you will know what, if anything, you changed.

 

Before you try that flight again I strongly suggest you create a log so if anything untoward does happen you can send it to JD for analysis.

Ray, I think I have understood the cause: the controller did not see me at 11000 ft, but higher, even if my altimeter read exactly 11000. Today I tried again: I was flying at 11000 ft (as instructed) towards MASAM, with a heading of 265 and again I got that strange outbound heading of 350. Disregarding that command, I tried to descend to 10000 ft and, just after the descent started, I was instructed with a correct heading and then to contact the approach.

Could it depend on that "Altitude=500" that I have in my settings? Shouldn't this value be better than 300, since it gives me a higher tolerance on the altitude deviation?

By the way, just to avoid any doubt on the altimeter settings, before the flight I made sure that the correct transition altitude of 5000 ft was entered in the RC Controller Info window and, while I was flying at 11000 ft, my altimeter was still at the standard pressure of 1013.

James,

 

If he didn't see you at 11,000 or FL110 to be more precise then you should have heard "you missed your crossing restriction". Did you hear that?

 

You should still be on standard pressure of 1013.2hPa enroute to MASAM. Were you?

 

I can't see 200ft making that much of a difference. I suspect it's happening because you have your altimeter pressure set at local rather than standard pressure.

No, Ray, I did not hear the "you missed your crossing restriction", but it was strange that, after starting to descend, so say when I was at 10800 ft, I got the correct vectoring. If I hadn't started that descent, the controller would have left me with heading 350 forever...

I am 500% sure that I was still at standard pressure while at FL 110 towards MASAM, as I was in my previous flights. I have flown with FS for 20 years, now, and that is quite a mistake for neophytes... Further, I have the NGX with FS2Crew, thus all correct procedures are scrupulously followed.  

James,

 

In that case change the default altitude back to 300. That must be what is causing the problem.