hi,i was curious if theres anyway to get the default atc to direct you (and ai traffic) to land and depart following published procedures, does anyone make files that do that? i know it can be done in online multiplayer, but i'm not quite up to that challenge i thinkthanks

Are you including the waypoints of SIDS and STARS in your flight plan? ATC should follow some of them.I use Radar Contact which allows some choices via menu settings before flight and during flight. It also has certain rules regarding departure based on how far your first waypoint is from the departure airport.On approach, the waypoints should be partially followed until you approach the destination close enough where ATC must vector you into the existing flow for the current landing pattern. This might happen before you reach your last STAR waypoint.If you choose to fly the published approach as opposed to vectors, then include the IAP IAF in the plan and fly the STAR waypoints followed by targeting the IAF.With Radar Contact regarding departure if the first waypoint is within 30 nm you may be given an intial heading and then required to navigate to it. If outside 30 nm you will receive vectors to get you pointed toward it. I do not know how this is handled in FS ATC.

sounds like i need another program.fs atc vectors you off of the any procedure far too early, also there are no interesting approaches - for example, fs will never direct you to fly a published final, like lga, expressway visual. it will always vector you to line up w/ the runway at least 10-15mi out, which is less than perfect.thanks for the suggestion

Although I'm not using FS9's ATC, I understand you can now request specific approaches at some point after you are in contact with approach control. You'll need the plates and the IAF in your flight plan.

Its a limitation in the programming unfortuneatly...What I think would be a great addition is if you are under IFR rules, FORCE the IFR approach unless you accept a visual. (This includes AI traffic). 3 Miles and 1200 feet and I'm cleared for a "visual" approach.. I guess thats why they made the overcast transparent :)

SID and STARS are not included in FS and so far noone has implemeted them when using default ATC. There are other programs like Radar Contact but they have other shortcomings. What you can do with FSATC is request a certain approach. I usually simply implement the STAR in my flightplan. At some point usually before you reach the end of the STAR ATC will contact you and give you a certain approach. At that point you can "Request another approach". Not all existing approaches are listed but at least many of them. ATC will clear you direct to the IAF. From there you are on your own until you are on final, then you contact the Tower.That's how I do it, and it works perfectly. Alex

I do not want to start a big discussion of Radar Contact vs. FSATC, but I found more shortcomings with FSATC than RC.The big advantage of RC is the flexibility it optionally allows and it never cancels an IFR plan. It will nag you and vector you back to enroute.Version 3.1 calls traffic targets to you. Version 4 will offer some AI control and also recognise active AI in airport patterns to do a better merge.It is a personal thing, but having flown VFR for severeal years and gone through some IFR flight training, I found RC closer to real world experiences. Here at KMSP I frequently monitor all three phases of ATC and it seems Radar Contact offers similar communications and control. FSATC did not in 2K2 and while better in FS9 does not offer for me the control I would expect to see.I use an external flight planner which does have a database of DPs and STARS and I also invested in a US "bible" of low altitude IFR routes, the few real IFR high altitude charts, and a CD database of plates, DPs, STARS, and airport facilities listings including the Preferred Routes listings. As you correctly state FS does not provide the DP and STAR info but if you include them in the plan it will pay some attention.Another choice is of course online ATC with something like VATSIM. For me with my personal schedule that is not an option but I did not want to leave that option not mentioned.So FSATC has some shortcomings, RC has some, etc. It is just a matter of choice. It seems any flight control add-on has some short comings but they are becoming less as time goes on.Those interested in RC can browse the support forum here on AVSIM to get user pros and cons.(I'm just a user and not affiliated with the RC development team.)

In reality, ATC either vectors your are tells you to follow the published procedure. ATC will not vector you along the procedure, there is no point.When you are following the procedure, ATC will ask you to report at certain points. Such as "beacon outbound/inbound" when in the hold, or "base turn" when cleared to descend with the procedure.When you are being vectored, you just get the headings to fly.Airfields with radar will usually vetor you to expedite the flow. However, they usually ask if you wish to follow the procedure, in which case they will ask you to report at a certain point.Airfields without radar will expect you to always follow the procedure and will ask you to report at certain points. Obviously, without radar they can't vector you.

I guess i'm disapointed by fs atc in busy areas, for instance, chicago or nyc. in these places all traffic from certain directions fly on prescibed routes - even if they are being vectored, that are more complex than those that fs atc allows. heres a for instance - at laguardia, all traffic from the west flys in the same way to about 12 mi out, no matter which runway is in use. they then either fly up the hudson past the airport and back (rwy 22), or they fly straight in to rwy 04, or fly on the straight in runway's (04) ils, then turn right 4 mi out and circle back to the crossing runway (left traffic to rwy 31). so i guess what i was hoping for would be a way to simply stop atc from vectoring you away from these approaches - as they are essentially the same approach, until about 12 mi out.i realise at this point that nothing exists which will take care of this, i sometimes simply fly vfr so i can use the appropriate routes. i realize its a bit picky, bit its more fun (and difficult) for me to try to fly the real routes.anybody else got strategies for dealing with this?