FSX-MS PRO-ATC/X version 1.4 is out

[Dougal 165]

Thanks Phil. Hope you get it to working properly. I've had successes and failures (mostly caused by me). With any complicated addon, it takes some time to figure it out.

 

Best regards,

Thanks Jim

My next issue is to work out why my flight plans are not being saved across the network.  Tried turning OFF my firewall to no avail.

 

If anyone comes up with an idea, I'd be most grateful to hear it;-)

[peppy197 165]

I still prefer Pilot2ATC

[pete_auau 1,158]

I still prefer Pilot2ATC

 

Have to agree seems  not as complicated

[HighTowers 1,434]

Well here is my impressions after finally getting it installed after not using it for awhile. ...

 

happy to be back to trying out this software which I believe has potential. 

I had not used this in a while because it simply did not meet my needs yet. 

 

Finally getting this installed, and updated, importing AIRAC, aligning and all that jazz, I immediately wanted to try a flight out.  It was going to be EGCC-KIAD B752 UA.  

 

Right out of the box, I thought I would see if it would accept the awesome pfpx flight plans just by copying pasting and to my surprise it did with a couple modifications.  Great to see.  I dont need pro atc to send the flightplan to my aircraft, because pfpx does that, which I then call up the coroute. They should now both be in sync. 

 

Pasting the plan in and checking it out, was pretty straight forward, with no SID and a DCT to off the bat. Clearance and Ground control was as expected, but listening to AI communicate with ATC is a huge step for the immersion factor. Pretty sweet. Not sure if ground control of AI is fully implemented, but one aircraft did get stopped 90deg to me in order for me to pass although I was not mentioned hold for. Still pretty cool. Finally. will see how solid it holds up. 

 

Now the funny thing but out of EGLL and EGCC  and perhaps others nearby are restrictions of 6000 and both test flights I did I got instructions to climb to 4500 and 5500. Why the odd altitudes and can pro atc see those kind of restrictions? They are hard coded into the waypoints when loading the STAR in the FMC and will be valid unless ATC cancels it.  Now also to my surprise, the same problem as we had last year has now just reappeared. Or there is an issue once again of importing AIRAC data and reading them properly from different formats.   I was going to select the Hyper5 STAR into KIAD.  This STAR and Entry Transitions at BAF,ALB,PARKE,RBV, or MXE. However bring up the Hyper5 STAR in the flightplanner, and im presented with two STAR transitions.  LRP and MXE.  LRP Lancaster is not an entry at all. Its a meet up point from two different entries.  MXE is the only that is correct. Where is the others?  This happened all last year and took a video to explain it. So now we are back to the same thing, and I can see other STARS from other airports with the same situation. KJFK  CAMRN4 STAR. Entering at Deer Park DPK. RBV, COYLE, and ACY, yet my options are none. Find that very odd theres not even one.   Into KSEA is JAWBN3 with entries at YVR,YYJ,TOU, CVV or PAE.  The ones that are present on mine are YVR YYJ and TOU. I would imagine there is many more examples.  If no one else has this then its me.  Sure would like to know. 

 

This is a problem like last year  because Pro ATC being passive, is only going to be able to read whats present, so if ATC think I should suddenly be way down the STAR when im heading for the entry there is going to be problems because all points inbetween the entry and say a junction waypoint will not be there for ATC. (Hope that makes sense. I kinda explained in video before)

So either this a problem with the way it reads the AIRAC and cant distinguish what waypoints are entries or my database is messed up. I use navigraph, if any one cares to check it out and compare. 

 

Anyhow the approach into KIAD I changed to LEGGO2 through the Willaimsport transition. Center and then arrival started bringing me down very early, and in weird step increments.   From FL340 I was cleared to fl300, fl250

fl230,fl180, fl170,fl130,fl100,fl90 all in steps. level off, then get the instruction.  Pax were loving that. lol. It then kept me at this level for a while despite me being adjacent to the airport on the downwind. Yet here is now another problem.   On downwind legs in which you would then spin around to meet the ILS, you normally would do this 6-12 miles for the majority of aircraft.  I think what Pro ATC is doing is just reading the charts but dont take human reasonableness into consideration, because it sends me out 20 miles out before making the turn. How to rectify this im not sure.  Its only used when there is big traffic loads otherwise, aircraft will turn inbound at around 10 miles. No need to go so far out. 

 

The communication now between ATC and the AI around me in the air is just awesome, just simply for the immersion factor. Is ground control fully implemented? I did not test it fully out, but an aircraft was held that was going to cross my paths.

 

Also the moving map is helpful in getting around. Kinda like a mini EFB. 

 

All in all it seems like there is quite some improvements, particularly in the voice communications sounding alot smoother. The background chatter I think I need to change out. Referencing an aircraft from the 90s doesnt bold well for the present of 2014  (Its the comment Canadian Nine Zero which was a DC10 or 763 out of YVR to EGLL. )

I think just keeping voice on for ATC and the AI around you is perfect enough for the chatter around.  

 

Its just that a program is linear. How do you program ATC and its dynamic decisions it makes every day according to traffic and issues that arise at the airport? How can you possibly program different pharseology by regions? Procedures? What about dynamic decisions?  

Dont think you can as in the case of ATC not making a shortcut if there is no need to go thru the whole STAR or Arrival waypoints.  And the differences in Europe vs North America are enough to cause problems for either region. One will be correct one not so much. BTW  why am I being given QNH into a North American Airport?   Again Europe being where the devs are, will have alot more correct going on, whereas other parts of the world dont exactly follow those rules therefore ATC might behave "badly" in these regions. 

 

Not sure how one would code to get around those kind of dynamic changes. 

 

Im sure there is more. Great to see it in development again and hopefully we have much more progress. There is certainly alot of potential here and its making good strides, so long as we get some of these issues sorted out. 

 

 

Cross posted on the pro atc forum as well. 

 

[patrico 5]

That's a good video Jim great toys. After reading this forum my appetite was wet enough to go out and buy it for E49.. I downloaded V1.4 but I cannot open to even find  the manual. I keeps asking me to insert the next disk it looks a good program. I would like to post a few screen shots of my problem on here  but how do I do that?

[Jarkko 59]

Please report any problems on the product's main forum as this sound like like either a corrupted download or possibly you have only installed the update and not the main software. (ProATC shouldn't as you to insert a disk as it is only available as a download install)

[tf51d 284]

+HighTowers , are you sure you have the latest update (now 1.4.2.0) I had a problem with SIDs in v1.4, and it seems to be corrected in 1.4.1.0 (Haven't tried 2.0 yet, as I'm just updating it now.) Except for one issue where it doesn't actually save the selected SID name, it no longer affects the flightplan itself. For example  I use the MCOY9 SID out of KMCO, with a transition of SAV. In version 1.4 I only had options for the JAG4 SID, and modifies my flightplan accordingly, that is corrected in 1.4.1.0. When I save the flightplan though it doesn't appear to save the selected SID, although now the FP remains correct. So in the sim instead of clearing me to for the MCOY9 Sid with a Transition to SAV, it clears me for the JAG4 SID SAV Trans. I was going to report this over at the PATC-X forum, but seeing there is a new version, I try that first to see if it's still an issue. Other than that PATC-X seems much better, note though I haven't completed a flight yet. Not because of anything in PATC-X, it's just that I've been pretty busy the past week or two.

[razalom 19]

After a few teething problems I am really enjoying this addon. To me at least it adds so much to the whole flight experience.

[HighTowers 1,434]

+HighTowers , are you sure you have the latest update (now 1.4.2.0) I had a problem with SIDs in v1.4, and it seems to be corrected in 1.4.1.0 (Haven't tried 2.0 yet, as I'm just updating it now.) Except for one issue where it doesn't actually save the selected SID name, it no longer affects the flightplan itself. For example  I use the MCOY9 SID out of KMCO, with a transition of SAV. In version 1.4 I only had options for the JAG4 SID, and modifies my flightplan accordingly, that is corrected in 1.4.1.0. When I save the flightplan though it doesn't appear to save the selected SID, although now the FP remains correct. So in the sim instead of clearing me to for the MCOY9 Sid with a Transition to SAV, it clears me for the JAG4 SID SAV Trans. I was going to report this over at the PATC-X forum, but seeing there is a new version, I try that first to see if it's still an issue. Other than that PATC-X seems much better, note though I haven't completed a flight yet. Not because of anything in PATC-X, it's just that I've been pretty busy the past week or two.

I have not tried the latest version yet with a flight. I just found it odd, it did not direct me to the STAR properly. skipped the transition and went DCT to the main junction point. The SID im not too worried about. ATC wants you out of their airspace asap. But the weird flight level request need to be fixed. Its 6000' out  of EGLL not 4500. 

 

I agree there is improvements, but I dont see it making dynamic decisions like real ATC does. Do you not get sent out 25 miles out to the IAF instead of just turning in 12 miles and joining the ILS early. But pro atc cant decipher that. It just reads and does what the entire chart says. Or at least it should. 

Lots of potential, but it needs alot of work.  I know someone on here that is ATC tower at major airport. The phraseology used in it would drive him nuts. lol  But that being said the voice is much approved in variety and easier to understand. They just dont give instructions properly.  

 

Which just brings up one more.   If im travelling along an airway, why am i getting instructions to continue on xxx heading travelling its length every so often.  I believe the words are continue as filed or something to that effect. Off to try the new version then. 

[tf51d 284]

 

 

Which just brings up one more. If im travelling along an airway, why am i getting instructions to continue on xxx heading travelling its length every so often. I believe the words are continue as filed or something to that effect. Off to try the new version then.

 

In the in flight options menu, make sure you have the "Always assign waypoint" option unticked. With it it will give vector instructions as you cross each waypoint. The only other time you would get vectors, is if it thinks you are off course. This was my issue in 1.4, While I was following the MCOY9 SID to the SAV transition, PATC-X was trying to send me to a JAG4 transition instead. As I said this problem is fixed (For the most part) in V 1.4.1.0. I just checked the FP screen in PATC-X and it still appears the save problem of the SID name I mentioned in my earlier post is still there.

[Jim Young 2,356]

I would like to post a few screen shots of my problem on here but how do I do that?

Agree with the comments posted by Jarkko. In addition, the manual is located on the main ProATC-X website and anyone can download it.

 

For posting images of problems, screenshots, etc., I use the donationware at Oz Image Hosting - http://fsfiles.org/flightsimshotsv2/. When you upload your image there, scroll down to the line that says BBC and copy that line and then paste it here in your post.

 

Best regards,

[deetee 164]

Tried the 1.4.2.0 version yesterday evening, and for some reason the runway ATC chose for take off was completely opposite to the wind direction. I had even turned off the "choose the r/w the AI is using" option ! I need to tell them about that.

[patrico 5]

 

 

[patrico 5]

as you can see by the above blank reply I am stupid when it comes to IT, it was supposed to be a screenshot. Jim I have my screenshot on a word document but that hosting site will only do images it will host a text file. I  looked at the main web site and could not find any reference to a manual

 

Jarko FYI in case their was any corruption, I deleted everything and did a fresh install,, but still the same

[Griff 5]

Also, make sure you enable full logging in the program options (options-application tab-log events).  Pro-ATC has a folder called "Logs" and will keep all of your logs for each flight.  That way if you experience a problem you can post it on their web page for the developer to review.  The program is coming along but still has some issues that need to be ironed out.  I'm glad to see the frequency in updates since the recent release of 1.4.