Default ATC for takeoff and landing only

[Mephic 129]

Proatc x that is I guess and until that time I stick to take off clearance and no communication until after land taxi

[Dave_YVR 968]

If you are flying airliners as I do , not being able to fly SIDs and Stars is totally unrealistic. 

 That being said, you don't need to use any ATC to fly a STAR or a SID.

On that same line of thinking, STAR's and SID's were created to assist in congested airspace, getting traffic in and out of airports within specific confines and routes. If in the sim, the AI isn't flying the correct or any SID or STAR etc then it's already completely unrealistic throwing the whole premise out the window.

[Jarkko 59]

 

 

in the sim, the AI isn't flying the correct or any SID or STAR etc

 

It dependens. If you use a program called AI Controller, then you can have the AI aircraft follow SIDs and STARs.

[Bobsk8 12,492]

 That being said, you don't need to use any ATC to fly a STAR or a SID.

On that same line of thinking, STAR's and SID's were created to assist in congested airspace, getting traffic in and out of airports within specific confines and routes. If in the sim, the AI isn't flying the correct or any SID or STAR etc then it's already completely unrealistic throwing the whole premise out the window.

 

I like the idea of flying realistic departures and approaches. I live near Atlanta Airport, and listen to the ATC from there, and when I fly out of Atlanta with my VA, I use the same procedures as I see and hear from the  ATC in the area.  Makes for more immersion for me. I couldn't care less what the AI is doing, frankly. 

[Nick Dobda 24]

I've found flying VFR is the way to go in default ATC. Tune in ATIS when your doing preflight to get an idea of which runways are active. Once pushed back, request taxi, then ATC assigns you a runway to takeoff, and instructions on how to get there, and takeoff clearance.

 

Once you takeoff, ATC pretty much says seeya later... and you're on your own to fly any sid / route / and star you want, and follow everything the FMC has to offer. Somewhere when I'm at cruise, tune to the ATIS of your destination airport to make sure the runway you planned on landing on is being used. When you get verification, then verify that its programmed into the FMC, or change if necessary.

When you get about 30 - 50 miles from the airport, prompt the ATC window to pull up the nearest airport list, and wait till your airport pops up. When it does, click it and request landing clearance, then land. There is a problem with default ATC and traffic management, so if its a busy airport be prepared to go around... sometimes a few times... or to just ignore the virtual traffic and force a landing. Once down they'll even assign you a gate and give you progressive taxi.

IFR.. I'll have a simbrief plan saved that Im using for Active Sky.. you can load that into FSX too, but I think it truncates off the SID and STAR, so if you're flying a SID ATC doesn't know it and it's trying to put you on a direct course to the first point in your core route. And the STARS forgetaboutit. But sometimes in real life if the traffic is dead, you'd probably forget the star anyway and get instructed to take a shortcut.

 

95% of the time I'll fly VFR (even if its IFR conditions) 5% Ill  fly the VFR just to practice how to manually fly the plane following instructions from ATC.

[fppilot 4,338]

Back to his original question. Yes you can. And easily. All you have to do is hit your ~ key when nearing the destination airport.  From the dialog box select Nearest Airports. Scroll through them until you find your destination airport. If you are in a densely populated area with many airports your destination may be deep in the list, or may not appear until you get closer. When it does appear in the list simply click on it, then select full stop landing.  ATC will give you clearance to the runway it considers active.  If that is not the runway you have set up for the approach and you are firm on your runway selection then click the entry to select another runway. It will let you select from the available runways.  ATC will clear you for an approach and will not care about your STAR or approach, but when you are on final it will clear you to land.

 

I have a more complex set of steps I can use to literally file a flight plan while in the air and deep into my flight, including waypoints in a STAR and approach. However I fly GA and the steps I use start with setting up the route in a Reality XP GPS unit, which can then save the plan in FSX format to then load in FSX. I can later use the saved plan in any aircraft, Reality XP equipped or not.  I do not fly PMDG so do not know if the FMS will save a plan in FSX format.  

[NM5K 1]

I use the default ATC with the flights made at Simbrief.  The approach is the only weak spot.. Departure works great, and

you could fly LNAV/VNAV from 400 AGL all the way out if you want to. ATC won't squawk a bit. But I've never been able to

really get the approach to do the usual real world paths. No matter what you do, it wants to vector you around town to the runway.

Often on a path totally different and farther than the usual real world path. I just live with it. Actually, I really don't care that much,

as I think it's good practice being ordered around, and do whatever they want me to. Whatever they want, I'll do...  lol

I run ATC the whole way, clearance delivery to ground after landing..  The only exception is if I want to fly a FMC path to the runway..

In that case, I don't even bother with ATC, as it can't cope and will have a hissy fit.  :(

[NM5K 1]

>  I do not fly PMDG so do not know if the FMS will save a plan in FSX format.

edit.. actually, the FMC does not make any "flights" for FSX. You either have to use FSX itself, which is

pretty lame, or an outside program such as Simbrief. Used to use Simroutes for a long time, but it got

unreliable lately, and Simbrief is a lot better. Simbrief can spit out the PMDG co route files also in addition

to the FSX flight.

 

unedit..

 

Sorta, but there is no real way to use SIDS/STARS. But you can make one with other programs such as Simbrief

no problem. So my FSX flights exactly match what's in the FMC, including the SID/STAR. It's just that FSX seems

to have issues letting you fly say a STAR to an ILS approach by the book, unlike the SID which it handles just fine.

Once you get the runway to be used from center at or around TOD, they are steering you around at that point,

or will begin to, and the by the book STAR to the approach goes out the window.

[fppilot 4,338]

>  I do not fly PMDG so do not know if the FMS will save a plan in FSX format.

edit.. actually, the FMC does not make any "flights" for FSX. You either have to use FSX itself, which is

pretty lame, or an outside program such as Simbrief. Used to use Simroutes for a long time, but it got

unreliable lately, and Simbrief is a lot better. Simbrief can spit out the PMDG co route files also in addition

to the FSX flight.

 

unedit..

 

Sorta, but there is no real way to use SIDS/STARS. But you can make one with other programs such as Simbrief

no problem. So my FSX flights exactly match what's in the FMC, including the SID/STAR. It's just that FSX seems

to have issues letting you fly say a STAR to an ILS approach by the book, unlike the SID which it handles just fine.

Once you get the runway to be used from center at or around TOD, they are steering you around at that point,

or will begin to, and the by the book STAR to the approach goes out the window.

 

Like I stated earlier. If you have an airplane with a Reality XP GPS gauge, you can set up your flight plan there, then save it as an FSX plan. It is the easiest way I have found to create a plan, and no add on is needed.  You can include all the waypoints along your STAR and Approach. Once saved, you can load it via the FSX flight plan menu for use with any airplane.  You can start with it. Cancel when you are climbing to cruise if you wish, then load it back when you are nearing your destination. You simply select "no" when FSX asks you if you want it to place you at the departure airport and it will then just pick you up where you are.

[NM5K 1]

Like I stated earlier. If you have an airplane with a Reality XP GPS gauge, you can set up your flight plan there, then save it as an FSX plan. It is the easiest way I have found to create a plan, and no add on is needed.  You can include all the waypoints along your STAR and Approach. Once saved, you can load it via the FSX flight plan menu for use with any airplane.  You can start with it. Cancel when you are climbing to cruise if you wish, then load it back when you are nearing your destination. You simply select "no" when FSX asks you if you want it to place you at the departure airport and it will then just pick you up where you are.

 

But the problem is not the file, it's the way FSX handles the STAR and approach. But I'm talking about using a constant flight

plan, and constant ATC contact. Sure, I could probably ditch ATC before the descent, and just call the airport when I'm on final,

but to me that's a worse compromise than having to use a goofy path to the airport. 

Unless I'm missing something here anyway.. The plan, etc is good.. It's just FSX wants to ignore the by the book path, and do

it's own thing.

One example is the way FSX will route you to 13R at Dallas Love when coming in from the south.. "Houston".

From what I see, most tend to take the by the book STAR which most will take you east of Love Field, and you don't have

to fly halfway to Wichita Falls before getting routed back to the ILS. In FSX, it always takes you waaaayy out west of Love,

even west of DFW, and then makes you dart across the north side of DFW to catch the ILS to 13R. It's silly.. But I live with it...  

I wish I could get it to fly the STAR and ILS by the book.

[Bobsk8 12,492]

But the problem is not the file, it's the way FSX handles the STAR and approach. But I'm talking about using a constant flight

plan, and constant ATC contact. Sure, I could probably ditch ATC before the descent, and just call the airport when I'm on final,

but to me that's a worse compromise than having to use a goofy path to the airport. 

Unless I'm missing something here anyway.. The plan, etc is good.. It's just FSX wants to ignore the by the book path, and do

it's own thing.

One example is the way FSX will route you to 13R at Dallas Love when coming in from the south.. "Houston".

From what I see, most tend to take the by the book STAR which most will take you east of Love Field, and you don't have

to fly halfway to Wichita Falls before getting routed back to the ILS. In FSX, it always takes you waaaayy out west of Love,

even west of DFW, and then makes you dart across the north side of DFW to catch the ILS to 13R. It's silly.. But I live with it...  

I wish I could get it to fly the STAR and ILS by the book.

 

If you have ever flown in the real ATC system, FSX and P3D ATC is a joke, period. 

[Dave_YVR 968]

 

 

If you have ever flown in the real ATC system, FSX and P3D ATC is a joke, period.

 

 Oh without a doubt, the problem is the payware alternatives are still pretty rough.

[fppilot 4,338]

Until something better comes along....  adapt!

 

Best ATC in a PC based simulator? subLogic Flight Assignment ATP. Circa 1991.

[NM5K 1]

If you have ever flown in the real ATC system, FSX and P3D ATC is a joke, period. 

 

Thus my whining... But I've been cheap and haven't tried any other ATC programs. I've never flown anything in the real world.

But I can tell by the usual tracks to the various airports that what the RW does, and what FSX does are usually quite different.

To me, if FSX ATC would only stick with the STAR I give it,  and wait until the appx normal point to start vectoring to the final

approach course, it would be fine. Or good enough for gov work.. But it throws the STAR I give it totally out the window.

 

In the past I had thought that Radar Contact was supposed to be the best ATC program, but I'm not up on the various 3rd party

ATC programs that have come out.  Like Frank says, I just adapt.. Most of the time I stay in contact, and just do what they want.

But sometimes I'll pretty much ditch ATC if I want to fly a STAR and approach by the book.

[Orlaam 306]

Has anyone considered my option of picking a transition waypoint when cleared via ATC for a specific runway?? You can choose a few options and they work decent enough. Yes the direct-to XYZ option is kinda poor management and messes up your descent profile but it's a viable option in many cases.

 

Regardless, nothing will simulate real world ops it seems. Vectoring can be very fluid and depend on a variety of factors in the real world. The option to simply be cleared to fly RNAV approach on your own would be nice. It's not uncommon however for air traffic to deviate from a STAR at some point and head direct to a certain waypoint. They don't all fly the entire STAR every time. Especially in visual conditions they will simply have them fly a fairly standard visual approach like you'd fly at a GA airport. Typical downwind with base and final is extremely common here at KPHX. Sometimes I will hear a pilot request RNAV approach to runway 26 or whatever and ATC pretty much leaves them alone.