Ok, I've been under the assumption that it is not possible to fly anything other than vectored approaches. However, A few people have led me to believe that after you are given instructions to begin the approach, that the ATC menu includes published arrivals. I am going to check this out tonight, but can't right now, and wanted to see if anybody else could elaborate on this.Is it true? Can I fly a STAR with FS9 ATC?

you may have STAR's and APPROACHES mixed up...yes, you can fly a MS ATC STAR, as most STARS exceed 70 miles you will indeed start to fly the STAR if it is of this length or greater as long as it is in your IFR flight plan. I often fly the first 75% of the STARs that I plan and MS ATC has no problem. You will be vectored starting about 70 miles out. Being vectored is very realistic however 40-50 miles would reflect realworld for airliner operation in the US.yes, you can fly APPROACHES with MS ATC, you must request the approach and it is no problem. You CANNOT request an opposing landing direction. Again, STAR's and APPROACHES are not the same thing.You cannot request a STAR by name with MS ATC, but you can plan it and fly some (often most) of it.You can request a specific APPROACH with MS ATC, it works very well for this.

Well, the way it's always been for me is that I am vectored as soon as I begin my descent, effectively eliminating the STAR and transition. Forgive this very basic description (I have no real-world IFR training), but I thought it goes Victor to transition to STAR?Shouldn't Approach be telling you what STAR to expect, and give you the transition to get there? Sorry if this sounds stupid...

The ATC does not recognize published SIDs or STARs. If you want to fly them, you have to fly them yourself. Even if you put the STAR in your flightplan, the ATC will being using its own approach.

>Well, the way it's always been for me is that I am vectored>as soon as I begin my descent, effectively eliminating the>STAR and transition. Forgive this very basic description (I>have no real-world IFR training), but I thought it goes Victor>to transition to STAR?FS ATC, again, will start vectors about 60-70 miles out from the arrival airport. These are often associated with step descents. If you are below a step descent altitude, you may very well get a vector and descent close together.The transition is a PART of the STAR, there are many STAR's with only one trasition.>>Shouldn't Approach be telling you what STAR to expect, and>give you the transition to get there? IRL ATC can but often do not. In order to receive a STAR clearance you must be on an IFR flight plan. The vast majority of the time is filed with ATC prior to takeoff (usually before you get in the plane). If there is any issue with the plan, you will get the adjustment right then and there. Keep in mind that approach is only working out to about 30-40 miles from the airport, with a 200 mile STAR, approach is not going to give you diddily with a STAR. Airliners may get a inflight route change with an included STAR every now and then. If your GA and single engine, for gettaboutit - too low and too slow. You will fly the plan, when you get in close where it matters you will be vectored.