More realistic ATC rather than the standard.

[ANAMIV 21]

PFE.... compatible Win 7???

 

regards

ANAMIV

[tf51d 284]

Ok good to hear, I will definitely get that one.

 

Any idea if there's a way to put ATC on hold for a long haul flight when I go away from computer, then continue handling ATC later in flight so that I won't get disconnected from the ATC or anything? 

 

There are a few ways to use PFE.

 

1.  You change freq manual and handle ATC yourself

 

2. Handle ATC yourself, but PFE changes freq automatically (Like FSX default)

 

3. PFE handles ATC and freq, You can use this option for your long haul flights.

 

4. PFE handles ATC, freq, and Auto-Pilot. This option works only on AP's using standard FSX AP's It won't work on the more complex aircraft, that uses their own code, like the NGX or AXE. This will automatically set headings, altitude changes that ATC assigns. Note You can adjust altitudes at specific waypoint's So you can setup step climbs in your flightplan.

 

5. As stated above if you have Multi-Crew-Experience (MCE), you can also control PFE by voice.

 

Speaking of flightplans, there is a couple of things you should know. Since development has stopped, and it doesn't have the ability to update it's NAV database, not all waypoints will be used in your PFE flightplan, also if the waypoints are less than 10nm from each other they will be suppressed. So far I haven't had any big issues with this, it's just something you should be aware of. This is where PROATC/X has the advantage as it's database is updateable. I do believe though they also suppress waypoints less then 10nm.

[Paul J 349]

PFE.... compatible Win 7???

 

regards

ANAMIV

 

Yep - Win 7-64-bit.

[xplanery 250]

 

 

There are a few ways to use PFE.

...

 

Thanks for posting such a complete answer, just bought PFE & additional voice pack and then downloaded the freely available one from their website. Proper ATC has been the final thing my FSX experience has been lacking, now this should add a lot to the immersion. 

[ZKOKQ 984]

Thanks for posting such a complete answer, just bought PFE & additional voice pack and then downloaded the freely available one from their website. Proper ATC has been the final thing my FSX experience has been lacking, now this should add a lot to the immersion. 

You won't be disappointed. I certainly cannot add to what has been said so far, but once you get use to how it is set up, you will thoroughly enjoy it. The fact that it calls just about every airline you can think of by the correct call sign is a testimony to the immersion you will experience.. Just a shame it is no longer on the further development list.

[MadDog 353]

 

 

I've found that the best way for a uneventful flight in PFE is to pull out the STAR you want to arrive on and plug vaguely the right kind of altitudes for the various waypoints along it. At some point you'll be vectored off the STAR to final, just like real life.

 

That sounds promising !!! Do you know at what point it normally vectors you off the STAR? Is it configurable?

 

I also read in the patch notes where it supports pilot's discretion descents. It looks like I may be purchasing PFE soon.

[tf51d 284]

A tip when you build your FP in PFE, when you run PF2000 There will be a setting to select the type of aircraft you are using. It will have definitions for Cruise speed, ascent, and descent rates. I find for most airliners a descent rate of 3000FPM works best. At that rate PFE will start your descent in the vicinity of the planned TOD point in most complex models, like the NGX, In some cases you will start it a little earlier, but at pilot discretion . If you want to start a little earlier, set 2500FPM, or later 3500 or 4000FPM. (Then it's a mad rush down.)

[Pete Dowson 558]

vololiberista, on 08 May 2013 - 3:44 PM, said:

Really? RC is regarded as the most robotic!!

I never understood why anyone ever thought that. All the speech is recorded by real people, some of whom I actually know, and it sounds just like them! They are not robots. Programs like VoxATC must surely sound more robotic because they are using speech synthesis, not true recordings. I think you have to pay a lot for non-robotic sounding synthetic voices!

 

Also, at least with airliners, the real ATC sound is not as tinny, scratchy and interference-ridden as folks here seem to think it ought to be. I suspect radio technology has come aways since the early years! If you want it to sound like it comes from a headset, use a headset!

 

Pete

[tf51d 284]

I never understood why anyone ever thought that. All the speech is recorded by real people, some of whom I actually know, and it sounds just like them! They are not robots. Programs like VoxATC must surely sound more robotic because they are using speech synthesis, not true recordings. I think you have to pay a lot for non-robotic sounding synthetic voices!

 

Also, at least with airliners, the real ATC sound is not as tinny, scratchy and interference-ridden as folks here seem to think it ought to be. I suspect radio technology has come aways since the early years! If you want it to sound like it comes from a headset, use a headset!

 

Pete

 

I think this is why! It's not free flowing speech there are unnatural pauses, here's an example

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxphFyKLY8s

[Pete Dowson 558]

I think this is why! It's not free flowing speech there are unnatural pauses, here's an example

It doesn't do that here. You do realise you can speed it up to reduce gaps between the inserts and the context? Also if it is being run on an already overworked PC with FSX it may sometimes has a job spitting it all out properly, but it certainly sounds pretty realistic on a Networked PC, which is also ideal because the sound is much more esily directed to my headsets.

 

My biggest gripe against some of the others is the inabilty to separate it as completely from the FSX PC and its display. With RC the menu is on a small screen inside my cockpit, and the selection (mainly just ACK or Contact) is by single or double clicks on the PTT button on my yoke (press and hold is for real PTT with IYP which also handles responses and requests to RC).

 

Anyway, none of the ATC offerings out there are fully satisfactory. RC doesn't select and assign SIDs and STARs nor provide taxi routings, though these things were semi-promised for the hypothetical version 5. The one with most promise at present is ProATC/X, mainly because that's being very actively developed still -- the only one that is I think!

 

Regards

Pete

[Kuckoo 2]

I don't know if it's been mentioned already as I haven't read all the posts in this thread, but for a free product, and for someone who doesn't fly online, EditVoicePack is excellent for making ATC chatter in FSX a whole lot more realistic than it is by default.  I use ICAO phraseology at the maximum rate of speech, and tons of custom voicepacks for all the add-on civilian and military AI traffic installed.  Absolutely essential stuff.

 

It kills me whenever I see an FSX video on YouTube that still uses default, catatonic ATC chatter!  Ugh!

[tf51d 284]

 

 

The one with most promise at present is ProATC/X, mainly because that's being very actively developed still -- the only one that is I think!

 

I agree, but it needs to add AI interaction (Preferably control, but that's willful thinking :LOL:) before I would consider switching from PFE. (I already bought the program early on!)

I don't know if it's been mentioned already as I haven't read all the posts in this thread, but for a free product, and for someone who doesn't fly online, EditVoicePack is excellent for making ATC chatter in FSX a whole lot more realistic than it is by default.  I use ICAO phraseology at the maximum rate of speech, and tons of custom voicepacks for all the add-on civilian and military AI traffic installed.  Absolutely essential stuff.

 

It kills me whenever I see an FSX video on YouTube that still uses default, catatonic ATC chatter!  Ugh!

 

No argument from me! Before I switched recently to PFE, I used default with editvoicepack as well as my own modifications, which is available in the library. PFE just added so many more options, and the biggest, is being able to set traffic advisory limits, so you don't get so many unnecessary traffic alerts.

 

[bennyboy75 85]

That sounds promising !!! Do you know at what point it normally vectors you off the STAR? Is it configurable?

 

I also read in the patch notes where it supports pilot's discretion descents. It looks like I may be purchasing PFE soon.

Well the way PFE compiles a flightplan is a bit of a black art, but I do it like this, and it usually works fine:

 

Fire up AS 2012 and get the dep and arrival weather. Then I fire up vroute and choose my flight and export that flightplan (including the SIDS and stars) as an FSX .pln file. You plug this .pln file into PFE and it compiles the route, probably dropping a few waypoints along the way (any closer together than 10 miles, apparently). Then I tell PFE I want a SID but not a STAR in the 'runways' section. This way, I fly the SID, the main route and most of the STAR (as PFE treats the early part of the STAR as your route, so happily let's you fly it) and sooner or later will start to vector you off the STAR to the localiser. You can't really configure it, which is good because it's more fun that way. Sadly you don't get cleared for 'X' STAR as PFE doesn't really know you're on one, it just thinks it is vectoring you to final off your route, but that's the only drawback of doing it this way. You also need to close the opposite runway to landings in an afcad editor as PFE takes runway use from that used by ai. If it's the opposite one to you then you'll be flying directly into traffic! Better to force the use of the runway you've planned for.

[ZKOKQ 984]

You also need to close the opposite runway to landings in an afcad editor as PFE takes runway use from that used by ai. If it's the opposite one to you then you'll be flying directly into traffic! Better to force the use of the runway you've planned for.

I have used the option in the sids/star page in PFE and put an "X" next to runway I don't wish to use, seems to work. Pity Pro ATC does not have this option...yet.

[tf51d 284]

 

 

Sadly you don't get cleared for 'X' STAR as PFE doesn't really know you're on one,

 

Actually you can In the Sids and stars section you can define a name for the SIDS and STAR, and the end waypoint for the SID, and Starting waypoint for the Star. (The name is limited to 4 characters though). If set you will be cleared for the SID on clearance. (It will be read phonetically) as well as takeoff clearance/ At the waypoint you defined for the STAR (Actually I think it's the previous one) You will be cleared for the Star, again read phonetically). It's up to you to set it up though. Here's one I setup