I just bought RC today. My first flight was KTPA to KPBI using the plan: GANDY6 SABEE RSTAA WLACE2

I put the WLACE2 STAR waypoints into the flightplan so that I could fly the STAR until the vectoring started.

 

Before I reached GULLO, the last waypoint, I was vectored at 130 for RWY 9L. The approach should have been almost perfectly straight in from where I was. I assumed that eventually, I would be turned back towards the runway.

 

Then RC forgot about me  :( and I eventually turned around and asked for a visual approach. 

 

I saw this post: http://forum.avsim.net/topic/439812-radar-contact-straight-in-approaches/, but wasn't sure what to do.

 

So, what is the solution in order to get a vectored approach to succeed? WLACE2 is the correct STAR. Should I not include all of the STAR in the flightplan? If my last waypoint were BOBIO, which is further out, would I be vectored from there?

 

 

thanks,

Mike

Well, it seems to me that RC isn't that good with straight ins.  So what I would do is request an IAP, and then vector yourself in.  Hope this helps.

If I request an IAP, I'm guessing that RC stops watching me until I'm on final. In the IAP case, does RC do anything to keep AI traffic out of the way and avoid go arounds?

If I request an IAP, I'm guessing that RC stops watching me until I'm on final. In the IAP case, does RC do anything to keep AI traffic out of the way and avoid go arounds?

Yes, RC will stop watching you and you have to find your own way in.  And I think RC will watch for traffic if you request an IAP.

RC begins vectors at about 35 miles out after approach assigns a runway. If your STAR is not runway specific, include all of the STAR waypoints from which RC will pull you off it as it deems necessary. If your STAR is runway specific you can include all waypoints and request a specific runway which might get you into ai conflicts or just include common waypoints to all runways.

 

WLACE2 shows BEKAH common to all runways so I'd put it in since you do not know which runway will be assigned. However it appears that GULLO is about 40 nm out loose guess so RC as expected issue the straight in from there for runway nine. Notice on the chart that BEKAH has a breakout option to go to KPBI. If you elect to do an IAP to runway nine continue to BEKAH, turn left to a base entry and start turning right as the ILS starts moving to center. This a more in line with the instructions on the chart which want you to cross BEKAH. Tower should still contact you when you are lined up on final but things will quickly happen so go slow. The current charts show 9L as 10L, a renumbering change due to magnetic drift. Since RC gets it runway data from your scenery, it used 9 or 9L. 9R might have been not considered because of its short length

 

For additional traffic protection I recommend trying from the FSX utility library here installing AI Smooth version 1.2, good for both FS9 and FSX, but turn off the ATC message options to avoid confusion.

 

Be sure Interact with AI is enabled in the RC options.

 

Make sure all communications from RC are promptly acknowledged when close in to keep RC from stalling. Keep an eye on the status window of the RC fsuipc window to insure all waypoints are credited. You want to insure RC is not waiting for you to do something.

 

See if using the arrival NOTAMS option improves things for you on straight ins.

Hi Ron,

 

Thanks for the reply. I must admit that I'm guilty of deleting BEKAH from my flightplan. When I fly without ATC and use 10L, on this route, it's always never reached. I'll keep it in and hopefully it will make the approach less straight in.

 

I also flew into KMIA with RC and it was amazing. I turned up the AI to 95% and I have a lot of AI loaded into WOAI. While on the downwind I saw 3 AI flights on final. By the time I was cleared to land, all 3 were down and clear of the runway. Amazing!

 

After being put on the left downwind, I was vectored away from the airport to the right for a while, before being vectored back in. I'm not sure if that is normal procedure for RC if it has the smarts to delay me in order to sequence me into traffic. Whatever the reason, it worked out very well - so much better than the usual FS9 go-around.

 

Mike

Include BEKAH but it likely will not be crossed since RC will start vectors about 35 nm after you ack the first vector. However include it if you desire to go IAP for your own nav. It can't hurt.