I have REX essentials plus with OD with I use flight aware schedules which pre loads routes in FSX.  FSX has its own waypoints when I schedule IFR within FSX, but they are completely different from the real world schedule.  I would like to use the default ATC in FSX but it always tells me to turn this way or that way or puts me on a different runway than the route I have planned through flight aware.  Is there a way to accurately use both?  Right now I just don't open IFR until I am ready to land that way I don't have to keep listening to them say turn this way etc.

There are some alternative ATC programs available that are much more accurate than the FSX default. I use Radar Contact and like it. There's a Pro ATC and a Vox ATC that I know nothing about. I'm sure a Google search will give you lots of research material.

Is radar contact a offline program or is it talking to live people like vatsim? I don't know how to communicate with ATC.

Like you, I use FlightAware, but not through REX (which I also have). For instance, today I went up and clicked on flight 624 for Allegiant from Sanford (KSFB) to Allentown (KABE), and in the flight stats box on the right, the flight plan is shown (WORMS J53 CRG J55 SAV J51 CAE J75 GSO LDN SCAPE HAR), so I just add KSFB to the front and KABE to the end, and import it into my flight planner, FS Commander. And out pops the actual plan flown by Allegiant, ready to load into FSX. But not straight up - when you load it into FSX by clicking "Load" at the Flight Planning screen, and then click on "FInd Route", you'll usually get a straight line between the departure and destination points. You have to click on "Load" on the map screen and reload the plan to get the one you actually loaded.

 

I have found that in both FSX and with Radar Contact, once established on the route, you shouldn't be bothered by useless vectors until you start your descent, and that's when the AI ATC leaves your flight plan in the trash. I fly the CoolSky MD-80 Super Pro, and enter the plan into the FMC, and then fly the plan with no ATC. That way I can fly it the way it's supposed to be flown. If you want realism, the only alternative is to join VATSIM and to fly with real-time, real-person ATC. I have joined the group, but am still "in training" and a little shy about going "live" until I'm sure I won't make a fool of myself.

Is radar contact a offline program or is it talking to live people like vatsim? I don't know how to communicate with ATC.

Radar Contact is an FSX add-on, and gives you a small window on your screen similar to the FSX ATC. But it is a lot more intuitive and programmable. I prefer it to the FSX ATC, but still by-pass it when using the FMC in my MD-80,

abh_jc_03 and jpbarth (Gary):

 

Please visit our websites at www.ifrjethops.com and www.vfrprophops.com  

 

The IFR Jet Hops has a two pages you might be interested in - one on flight planning (including our current flight plans - see our route map) and one on the basics of ATC communication for IFR flight.

 

We fly on VATME and VATSIM (and HoverControl and the DVFC server) - VATME is pretty much wide open - rarely any ATC but we can arrange some (we have a resident VATME ATC in our group) and can do some mock ATC sessions - walk through the communication you would expect and let you get used to two way human-human conversations.  We are working with our group in general because we have several folks who are still nervous about VATSIM (their controllers are by and large very good - just a couple that have apparently given VATSIM a bad reputation) and if we are able to develop a 'critical mass' we can set up some regular sessions - so, basically asking if you can help us out then we will help you out!

 

I think you will find flying on VATME is pretty much pressure-free - there are very few folks on at any given time and we are free to do quite a bit.  There are other controllers that we can try to arrange to provide ATC sessions with.  We use TeamSpeak for in-group communication and VATME has their own TeamSpeak channel and some auto-switching software so when you tune your Comm1 it auto-swithes you to the right TeamSpeak channel. 

 

And Gary - You can get all the flight plans in FSC format - If you contact me at [email protected] I'll be happy to send you the current version if you don't want to go through our group. 

Sounds great but one more question, if my plane doesn't have GPS how do a plan VOR to VOR for long distance? Am I going to loose the radio connection at some point? When I should tune the next VOR?

 

Doing that all the time in AUSTRALIA Its not a problem.

 

Say you got:

VOR1 and inbound radial 130

VOR2 and inboung radial 150

Distance 300 nm between em. so when you over VOR1 - you'll have no contact with VOR2.

 

So you tune VOR1 to NAV1, IDENT it, select radial 130 and fly TO VOR1.

When over VOR1, select radial 150 and fly it FROM VOR1. So radial 150 will be outbound VOR1 radial. AND inbound VOR2 radial. its the same line.

At about 120 nm from VOR1 - you'll hear VOR2. IDENT it, and fly TO it on radial 150.

Piece of cake!

 

Fly safe

Really thanks, piece of cake, just one question, in some planes there is a switch to select nav1 and nav2 how do you ident? Just switching from time to time? Or just being tunned it can be identify?

No, there should be separate NAV radio morse code audition button. You have to hear beacon's morse code to identify it. Dont fly to unidentified beacon.

 

IDENT - i mean not on transponder, i mean its nav radio audition button

Sorry for mislead  

A great tool to help with planing and situational awareness whislt in flight, is Skyvector.Com

For instance a portion of the flight mentioned previously would be shown like this:

 

 

You copy your routing to the planning box and all your freqs,tracks/distances and timings are shown:

 

You can zoom in/out to show as much detail as you need:

 

Or use sectionals for more local information, or low level GA type flying:

 

I keep it running minimised, and bring it up from time to time to get a visual picture of the route, that is less easy to imagine from a long list of waypoints tracks and distances provided by the Nav Log.

Best of all, totally free!

Eugene