I have seen cases in which FS9 ATC brings me in at a very high alitude, making it imposible for me to desend down to the runway. For example, they had me at 15,000 feet, and I was very close to KJFK. There was no way I could make it down to the runway given the short distance.Most times, FS9 ATC works OK, but once in a while this happens. I wonder if I did something wrong, such as not slow down enought, but I do not think this was the case. Have you had this happen to you? Is there something I might be doing to cause this situation? Notice I was not even below 10,000 feet so my speed was at 260 at 15,000. ATC need to get me down further out, but failed to do so.Thanks,Jim

There are holding patterns for proper descent in the approachs for almost all large airports in FS.Which approach and transition are you using?The main reason the ATC will ignore your aircraft is when you fail to cross waypoints at anything close to the required altitude.Since FS does not tell you the names of these waypoints, nor the required altitude - it's very hard to avoid this issue without regular approach charts in hand.I strongly recommend that you do not accept the default ILS approach for any runway. The RNAV/GPS approaches are much better to fly and take you out of the que with the AI aircraft. Gives you a better priority.You should also bring up, load and activate the approach you are assigned on the GPS. Then in the GPS autopilot mode - the aircraft will fly the approach correctly. If you hit the hold point at too high an altitude, the GPS will put your aircraft into a holding pattern and fly that pattern until you reach the altitude programmed into the approach - at the end of that circuit, the aircraft will break out of the holding pattern and continue the approach toward landing.

Hello Rfields,Thank you for this input. I want to ask you another question. I built the flight plan using FSNAVIGATOR. I had it build the plan using its selection for the best SID/STAR procedures. But, what always happens to me is that FS9 ATC calls me when I am something like 85 miles out, and reassigns me a different heading and alitude to fly. This always takes me off the planned route I orginally set up. Normally, following FS9 ATC I still have suscess. But in some cases I do not.How do I get FS9 ATC to allow me to continue the planned flight I orginaly programed into the FMC? Also, I always export the same flight plan into FS9, and then load this flight when starting off. But as I said, about 85 miles out the give me new instructions.Thanks,jim

I use FS Navigator for some higher level flight planning, but usually prefer to stay within Flight Simulator for the actual flight.I really wish FS Navigator would read the database of approaches and procedures already in FS rather than ignoring them and flying "outside the box".Since I can setup almost any departure or arrival with the FS Flight Planner - that's how I tend to actually fly. It's a bit harder not being able to choose the entire set of waypoints in one click - but not impossible.That's your basic issue - your flight plan source is different from Flight Simulator's source.Another issue is that FSNavigator does not work as well as a real world FMS in that it is very common for real world pilots to have to change the STAR or Approach or Arrival Runway while in the air. (There may be ways to do this in FSNav - I could just be too lazy to find out).The FS2004 GPS does this very well. It is also common in my experience for real world ATC to skip points on the STAR and issue "Cleared Direct to ....". (Not I am not a pilot - this is based on a lot of help from real pilots who fly Gulfstream and Challenger aircraft into KHPN, among other places, and who are not flight simmers - also some great help from real world pilots who are flight simmers)For KJFK - let's look at the Kennebuck FOUR STAR and a planned landing on Rwy 31L - which would be appropriate for a heavy coming in from Europe.For that we need a few references (paste these into your browser address bar - save / print):KENNEBUNK FOUR ARRIVAL - http://204.108.4.16/d-tpp/0509/00610KENNEBUNK.PDFILS RWY 31L - http://204.108.4.16/d-tpp/0509/00610I31L.PDFRNAV(GPS) Y Rwy 31L - http://204.108.4.16/d-tpp/0509/00610RY31L.PDFRNAV(GPS) Z Rwy 31L - http://204.108.4.16/d-tpp/0509/00610RZ31L.PDFNow here is a critical point about using STARS in your FMS or other program - it's on the Kennebunk plate:ROBER INT. Direct JFK VOR/DNE. Expect radar vectors to final approach course.For all practical purposes the STAR ends 34 NM from the JFK VOR at the ROBER Intersection - there must be an approach programmed into the GPS / FMS / ?? for the final part of the flight.Also note there is a holding pattern over the Claverton VOR - which can be used for traffic separation - or used in FS2004 to descend are a reasonable rate.Also the altitudes on the STAR are the MSA - minimum safe altitudes - not the altitude you should expect.Note that you should cross the TRAIT intersection at FL240 and cross Calverton at 12,000. You should expect to cross ROBER at 9,000.Another piece of information from the FS2004 setup can be gained from the AFCAD for KJFK - you will see the DPK VOR is part of the group of NAVAIDS associated with KJFK and it is the IAF for the ILS approach and on the course for the RNAV approaches for an IAF at SESKE.Now that I'm familiar with the approach systems - I can see what FS 2004 has for the ATC to follow - I open any FS2004 aircraft with the G500 GPS at KJFK - and open the GPSClick on the PROC buttonClick on Enter to Select an approachEnsure the hi-light is flashing on KJFK- Click on the outer ring of the cursor button - right side to move forward until the flashing cursor is in the Approach blockClick on the inner ring right arrow to bring up the approach listKeep clicking until RNAV 31L is selectedClick on the ENT ButtonThe Transition will be hi-lightedYour choices are Vectors, CHANT, DPK, WUNKA, SESKEA review of the RNAV (GPS) Z Rwy 31L approach plate tells me that DPK is the outer point on an approach from the north and CHANT is the outer point on an approach from the south. WUNKA and SESKE are the IAF Points for the approach.Since the flight will be arriving on the KENNEBUNK FOUR STAR - with a final fix of the Calverton VOR - CCC - I setup my flight plan for that. I also set up the Deer Park VOR DPK as the LAST waypoint on my flight plan before landing.Then I can close the default GPS - and setup and fly my flight.When I get 100 miles or so from arrival and am assigned an approach - I will tell the FS ATC to Standby and Request the RNAV 31L approach with a DPK Transition.The ATC will assign that approach. Then I must fly the STAR as shown on the STAR Plate and be setup to depart CCC and cross the DPK VOR at 3,000 ft turning to a course of 230.The approach plate also tells me that I need to descend from 3,000 at DPK or CHANT to be at 2,000 at the IAF point. The Plate also says I need to be at 2,000 at ZACHS when I turn on final - capture the localizer and land. Though the ATC may give you some descent instructions - the majority of the descent and hitting the waypoints at the right altitiudes and speeds is the pilot's responsibility.From looking at the plates you can see that the RNAV(GPS) plate mirrors the ILS plate. This does not occur at all airports. You might ask why to not Select the ILS 31L approach with a DPK transition.That should also work - but I have found that not being on the ILS approach minimizes conflicts with AI aircraft and also makes it much less likely for the ATC to position me far out in a sequence with AI traffic.Anyway - that's how I use the ATC system to give me freedom to follow what I preceive as real world flight procedures and yet still work within the FS system.