Hi all,

 

I am looking at upgrading from the default ATC, which does not handle SID/STAR.  I have tried saving the flight plan with SID and STAR inserted from AivlaSoft EFB and then loading it in FSX to use with the default ATC, but no luck.  I have seen reviews so far with VOXATC, RC4 and PRO-ATC but got no definite answers,  these add-ons are expensive and reviews have been mixed in term of their effectiveness.  Do you have comparative experience to share?  In addition, if I were to stay with the default ATC, how do I use it with tube liner using SID/STAR?

 

Someday, when I have enough free time, I will get on with VA and fly on VATSIM but for now a simulated one will allow me to fly at any airport and at any time.

 

Thanks in advance.

In RadarContact you can file Departure Procedures (or enable 'NOTAMs') and request 'Instrument Approach Procedures', so RC will let you fly any SID or STAR you want. But RC neither assigns nor monitors a specific SID/STAR. The choice of a SID/STAR and following the correct procedure is up to you.

 

In VoxATC, ATC may assign a SID and/or a STAR for your flight, depending on whether Vox is able to identify waypoints in your flightplan, that are used in SIDs/STARs as well. So, with Vox, you may or may not get them assigned, depending on your specific flightplan. It will also monitor those portions of your flight. (Navdata in LVLD format required.)

 

You can download and read the complete RC manual and more documentation before purchase. VoxATC offers a demo version (time-limited), which also includes the manual.

 

Can't comment on ProATC, I'm afraid. I don't own it.

Thanks Oliver.  I figured a way to save the procedures in FSX Fln format from Aivlasoft EFB, so for now I just fly the SID and STAR along with the default FSX.  I added hold at the end of the STAR to wait for vector from FSX ATC and then just install the approach before proceeding.  This arrangement seems to work fine for my need currently.  

I can't comment on RC4, but VoxATC works very well for me. It provides reliable ATC from gate to gate, including SIDs and STARs as well as voice recognition. It works exactly as advertised and you can try the demo before you buy it. The only thing I don't like about it is that it takes over AI traffic and always puts it out of your way.

 

Stay away from Pro-ATC, at least for now. It is very buggy, many features do not work as advertised. For instance, the Pro-ATC web page claims that

 

"The actual traffic (AI) continues to be controlled by Flight Simulator X but is detected and considered by PRO-ATC/X. That means you won't get a clearance for takeoff when an aircraft is on final approach or still on the runway."

 

I've got clearance while waiting behind another aircraft for t/o, or when an AI plane was landing 15 seconds later. And there are many more bugs in the program.