Version 1.4 Preview Released

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 864]

Hello Everyone.

I just uploaded version 1.4 as a preview.  I will be making it the standard download as soon as I get the documentation updated.

 

It adds some new functionality, but more importantly, it improves speech recognition accuracy!  This should reduce some of the frustration we've all been feeling.

 

Some key features introduced in 1.3.0.2 and 1.4 are:

 

Improved Speech Recognition

Fly SID / STAR Option

Fly Full Route Option

TOD (Top of Descent) Calculations and Controlled Descents

Smoother IFR Vectors to Final

User Option to Increase / Decrease Standard Pattern Sizes

Enhanced Grammar Helper Practice Screen

Ability to Add New Controllers to an Airport

 

Download and Enjoy!

Dave

[DrumsArt 270]

Hi Dave,

 

Thanks for this new version.

 

I noticed :

1-In the Grammar Practice the program don't understand me 9 out of 10 cases (Speech not Recognized).

 

The only sentence which works everytime is "say altimeter". Fortunately the various controls seem better recognize me during a flight.

 

2-Like I wrote in the Chuck post, Approach control seems not to give vector to land, whatever the airport distance. Just acknowledge "Radar Contact".

 

3-What do the Fly Full Route Option ? I don't find nothing about in the manual.

 

4-Have you implemented the ability to save new frequencies (ground, tower and so on) ?

 

Regards,

 

Richard Portier

[peppy197 165]

3-What do the Fly Full Route Option ? I don't find nothing about in the manual.

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Richard Portier

 

Say you want to fly over the city first and then come back to the airport to complete the approach

Full route enables that, of course you have to detail your route version you actually want to follow...

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 864]

Richard,

Thanks for catching the missing new feature for adding controllers!  I edited the post.

 

The practice pane in the Grammar Helper can help you learn the proper phrases and pronunciations that work.  Try saying the examples exactly as written and if they are not recognized, change your pronunciation of the words.  As pointed out in some other threads, reading the phrases as a normal rate without pausing between syllables, is the best way to be recognized.  If you have a specific example phrase that is giving you trouble, let me know and I'll check the Grammar to make sure I didn't type the example incorrectly.  1.4 should be better than 1.3.

 

The documentation for 1.4 is now available in the View Users Guide button on the download page.  It should explain all the new features, including the adding/deleting of controllers.

 

Thanks,

Dave

[DrumsArt 270]

Richard,

Thanks for catching the missing new feature for adding controllers!  I edited the post.

 

The practice pane in the Grammar Helper can help you learn the proper phrases and pronunciations that work.  Try saying the examples exactly as written and if they are not recognized, change your pronunciation of the words.  As pointed out in some other threads, reading the phrases as a normal rate without pausing between syllables, is the best way to be recognized.  If you have a specific example phrase that is giving you trouble, let me know and I'll check the Grammar to make sure I didn't type the example incorrectly.  1.4 should be better than 1.3.

 

The documentation for 1.4 is now available in the View Users Guide button on the download page.  It should explain all the new features, including the adding/deleting of controllers.

 

Thanks,

Dave

Hi Dave,

 

The practice panel in the Grammar Helper works ! It was me which don't work. I was not reading the sentence with my callsign, stupid I'm :rolleyes: .

 

Thank you for the updated manual and to have implemented the possibility to save new frequencies. Not tested yet.

 

Some problems I have :

 

1- If I want to correct a typo in the Descent Rate or the TOD Descent window with the Backspace key, there is an Unhandled exception error message with "continue" or "quit" option. This happens everytime.

 

If you want I can copy and paste here the long error details text...

 

2- Often the approach control give some curious and erroneous vectors. Sometimes he asks for upper altitude relative to the glide just before intercept an Ils. For example I'm at 2000ft, he asks "Clim And Maintain 2700ft" !

Sometimes he asks to turn on final to intercept the Ils just after passing the runway threshold during the downwind phase.

 

Regards,

 

Richard Portier

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 864]

Hi Richard.

I tried to cause an error in the Numeric pad with a backspace and could not.  Perhaps I'm not understanding exactly when and where you are getting the first error.  Please email a screenshot of P2A when you get the error next time.

 

On the second error, let me know what your MinApproachAGL is.  That could be affecting the altitude.  On the early turn, if you could press the Approach button and then take a screenshot when you are being vectored too early, that would help. 

 

There were some vectoring problems in earlier versions, but thought we had rid ourselves of them with version 1.4.

 

Thanks,

Dave

[DrumsArt 270]

At this time I encountered this with the Descent Rate or the TOD Descent window only. You must enter a number (what you want) and try to erase it with the window Backspace key. The error occurs every time. I'll sent you a screenshot by email.

 

"On the second error, let me know what your MinApproachAGL is.  That could be affecting the altitude.  On the early turn, if you could press the Approach button and then take a screenshot when you are being vectored too early, that would help."

 

My MinApproachAGL is 2000Ft.

I'll make the same flight again, I'll send you the flight plan and a screenshot.

 

Regards,

 

Richard Portier

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 864]

Richard,

Thanks for the screenshots of the backspace error.  Found the problem and the fix will be in v. 1.4.0.3.

As a workaround, using the keyboard to enter the values does not cause the error.

 

Flight plan and screenshot of the pattern problem will be most helpful.  Thank you again.

 

Dave

[Dave-Pilot2ATC 864]

I just uploaded update 1.4.0.5 that fixes a few reported bugs.

Just download, unzip and install over your current installation to get  the latest and greatest!

 

Dave

[peppy197 165]

Thanks for the heads up

[Gregg_Seipp 565]

Just ran across this app and have a couple of questions...

 

Can you practice VFR/IFR pattern work with it?  E.g. VFR touch and go's?  IFR practice approaches with vectors to final and touch and go's?  I think I understand that the ATC window can be outside of FSX, correct?  (I run FSX on one screen and have a second screen for apps.)  Does it also talk to the other traffic or does it just fake that?

 

Gregg

[peppy197 165]

• There are VFR options
•  
• For the USA in particular, lots of airports have ATC live coverage for background effects (manually downloaded and put in). Although the UI does not talk to AI, you can leave the Voice sound active in FSX to hear where they are.
• I prefer the live ATC there is sections for delivery/2 ground/departure/2 towers/approach/enroute ATC
• All three voice sources as mentioned can be run simultaneously with their own volume controls through windows and FSX and P2ATC
•  
• Also, you can call your airplane allmost anything, like Air Cannabis and it should say just that since it is a speech machine
• Speech recognition pronounces full names of all airports ,usually correctly ( some words like real pronounced re-all, Philadelphia is a bit strange< but most are really cool)
•  
• You can verbalize a request for a full stop landing or touch and go and be answered accordingly, IFR requires a flight plan but can practice inflight requests to IFR landings, at another airport of the one your planned for
• You can file while airborne although that has a few bugs i think since it expects you to start at departure, but I have not figured it out yet so unsure there
• You may request another runway, you may or may not get that runway depending on winds or configuration
• You may call downwind etc...
• The window that includes ATC/Radios/map/flightplan etc.. is outside FSX/P3D/XPX
• You hold a push-to-tack (PPT) from a button on your joystick no need of the UI. No pop-up annoyances
• If you find you are being over-vectored to ILS, you can jump to tower frequencies and ask for landing clearance, and once you can do you own ILS waypoints. Cheating but effective.
• There is a sort of SID?STAR accommodation (first way-points only)
• You can include fly-by of airport or terminal area for a return to vectors to same airport (included in flight plan).
• You can easily skip waypoints and request any other in plan.
• You can plan descent points or use UI calculator according to speed characteristics
• You can request other altitudes, although might have to modify flight plan inflight first
• Seems that approach descent restricted to nearby terrain for minimums automatically by app (nice)
• You can use it for 14 days free full version
• For the US there are charts
• Elsewhere there is the ability to import them...set something up
• 80 page manual updated regularly
• Its fun, useful, educational (within limits)
• AI alerts reasonable
• Many configuration modifications possible
• You can yell at me if I am wrong

 

PS:  Having authored 27 reviews at AVSIM, I had considered doing a review of Pilot2Atc but I am quite busy this year and no longer a staff member here

 

So I will skip the hard part and give them 4.5 stars out of five. Recommended

Much better than other similar apps that I have used extensively over the past 17 years of skipping work  to play

 

Cons:

• Does not consider AI on runway ahead of you so no number in line, No mention of landing AI either
• AI Traffic display on UI does not always seem to work right
• Has been known to crash near approach (only one in fifteen times maybe more maybe less (?))

[Gregg_Seipp 565]

Not sure if that answers the practice approach question or not.  The ability to get vectors for IFR practice approaches to touch & go's as well as VFR pattern work for touch and go's, by itself, would set this product apart.  Nothing I know of does that. 

 

The ability to choose whatever runway (assuming conditions are okay) would also be great.  Often ATC only seems to know one of the runways.  I've never gotten a departure from the parallels at KSBA...ever...let alone a landing.   

[peppy197 165]

I will try that practice routine sometimes

 

You can get a free trial for 14 days and try it yourself and then tell us (?)

 

There is a learning curve for the basics though

[DrumsArt 270]

Hello,

 

Nothing to add to the long useful and very informative John's post.

Maybe one important thing, P2Atc computes vectors or FP in AGL altitude. It's the only one with native Atc ! Even in mountainous areas he never sent me straight in the mountain like some other Atc program I have.

And last but not least the author pays close attention to comments and suggestions from users.
 

Regards,

 

Richard Portier