I'm familiar with the Radar Contact method to fly a STAR that contains altitude restrictions, but don't know how to do it when flying a SID (DP).  A good example is the SHEAD8 out of KLAS.  There are several altitude restrictions but RC assigns altitudes above the restrictions and then continues to chide me for not getting high enough or leveling off beforehand.  Is there a way to change this in RC?  I've used the NOTAM but that doesn't seem to make any difference since the clearance is to a higher altitude?  Thanks.

Unfortunately not Chuck. I can almost hear Doug Thompson (former ATC at Memphis) tell you that your FMC doesn't control the aircraft - ATC does. Once RC instructs you to climb to an altitude / FL there's no way to deviate from a climb until you reach the assigned altitude. It's too soon to request higher / lower so I think it's just a case of going with the flow.

 

I'm sure if we were working on v5 now it's one of the things that would be addressed. Sadly, we're not. :(

Thanks Ray.  I understand the limitation.

Hi!

 

I think you can thick "Altitude restrictions" in the Controller Page, and you will be able to fly the SID with the published ALT restrictions without having ATC shouting at you.

 

Regards

Johnny

Hi!

 

I think you can thick "Altitude restrictions" in the Controller Page, and you will be able to fly the SID with the published ALT restrictions without having ATC shouting at you.

 

Regards

Johnny

Those optional altitude restrictions only apply during the first thirty miles or so during the departure stage.

 

Note that if your first plan checkpoint is within 30 nm of departure airport, RC assumes you are flying a departure procedure and the only options (on the Controller page) are altitude restrictions and no altitude restrictions. When this is required or optionally chosen no vectors are issued and it is the pilot's responsibility to line up with the first waypoint outside of 30 nm.

 

Please see page 108 in the RC v4.3 manual. There are also some good operating hints there.

 

"If you see your DP might cause you to remain level at an altitude for some period or until a certain DME, this is the DP feature to use. Use this checkbox if you do not want the RC controller pestering you for not maintaining a continuous rate of climb to your assigned altitude. There will be no lateral “watch-dogging”, there will be no vertical “watch-dogging” from RC until you are at or beyond 30 miles from the departure field."

 

Page 43 of the manual regards departure NOTAMS. RC will advise headings and altitudes but will not hold you to them until you advise RC you are on course. (On take-off, no initial heading will be issued.) The distance limitation is not stated so it does carry out further than the departure phase.

Unfortunately not Chuck. I can almost hear Doug Thompson (former ATC at Memphis) tell you that your FMC doesn't control the aircraft - ATC does.

Yeah, this is OT. I don't know who Doug Thompson is but I like the guy already. I can't tell you how much it annoys me when on VATSIM you hear a vPilot have problems with following instructions because of their inability to fly without the FMC.

Yeah, this is OT. I don't know who Doug Thompson is but I like the guy already. I can't tell you how much it annoys me when on VATSIM you hear a vPilot have problems with following instructions because of their inability to fly without the FMC.

Doug Thompson is the other half of JDTLLC - the owning company of RC. John Dekker (JD) and Doug Thompson (DT). See how they used their initials to create the company name? Doug was a professional AT controller at Memphis until his retirement a few years ago.

 

Although I haven't tried VATSIM (obviously! :biggrin: ) I can understand the sentiment about a pilot's ability (or not) to follow all instructions issued to him / her.