Although I use Radar Contact for in flight ATC, I have begun using MSATC after landing to guide me to a specific gate, as RC doesn't do this. Everytime, however, it taxis me to the same gate. I use the PMDG 747, and at EGLL I am always taxied to gate W40. On a recent flight to KORD, it directed me to a cargo stand, despite the fact that AI was not switched on, and many heavy gates were free.The SSTSim Concorde is always directed to gate 1 at KJFK, and gate T6 at EGLL. I do not use any add-on AFCAD files. They are the stock versions. Is there any way to get a bit of variety in the gate assignment?Thanks for any suggestions.-Phil

There is a list of gates for each airport that ATC uses to assign parking. It will always send you to the gate closest to the top of the list that in not currently occupied by AI traffic and is big enough for your aircraft. So if you have AI turned off your gate will never change because the closest to the top of the list will never be occupied. This list can be edited with AFCAD if you want a different gate, but the gate will always be the same one that is closest to the top of the list.-Gary Letona

Hi Phil,<>Although RC cannot guide you to a gate you can specify your preferred gate number in the Controller section of RC. Okay, so you still have to navigate to it but if you have FSNavigator or FS FlightKeeper that's an easy job.Cheers,

Try using AFCAD221 and its included aircraft editor. In each aircraft.cfg (FS9) you can enter the type of parking and an airline code when usings its editor. If you do not have a downloaded AFCAD file from the libs with parking codes already added, you can edit each gate with AFCAD221 to add these codes. This applies to FS9.There is a trick to use with Radar Contact. You can assign a very tiny radius to a gate to rerserve it for you so AI can't fit. Make a note of that gate and put the number in the RC options page as noted by Ray in his post. I do not do that but use AFCAD printouts to plot the airline parking codes and mark them on an airport diagram so I know what area I need to go to. I then choose an empty gate.

The aircraft you fly does not work with the parking code system in FS - that is only for AI.Radius is the overwhelming deciding factor in the parking for your aircraft.

Phil, As Ray indicated RCv4 will allow you to specify the gate you want to use to park. FS ATC is good to "cheat" that is show you where to go. I have cut all FS ATC off and use my airport diagrams to for proper taxi lanes. It is a greater challenge to do this, but you certainly as real pilots learn the ins and outs of taxi lanes at each airport. Once you pass the right points and have to come around again you never forget what to do. (smile).I think you find that using RCv4 and good airport plates you will get to your desired gate easily. I don't think I have ever missed the UAL gates at EGLL when I fly to the UK. KORD at night is still a "challenge"Take a look at this site to get plates for the US:http://www.myairplane.com/databases/approach/index.phpI find that doing it this way is much more realistic and keep your eyes open for AI that are taxing around you.Bob JohnsonKDFW

Thanks for all the info.I use the MS ATC to guide me to the gate because I want the assignment to be random, ie not known by me until I land.What I plan to do is to make the radius of the planes I fly a little smaller than the radius of a default heavy gate. This means I should get sent to the heavy gate rather than the cargo heavy gate as the cargo gates tend to be a fair bit smaller than the others.Once I get RCv4, I will also get UT or MyTraffic and enable AI.Thanks again for all the replies.-Phil

BTW if your on the RC Google notification group for existing users the upgrade URL should be posted today. I believe the actual shipping date remains 12/8.If you don't mind the immediate credit card charge to get in the delivery queue you'll be all set for the mass shipping.I can verify the release/distribution package exists.Works great with UT2. You should know that UT2 supplied AFACADS do not have parking airline codes assigned for your AI.

Hi Phil,One more point on this subject. They way I know which gate to go to via the airline web site. For example I fly UAL routes. I go there web site check the flight number they have for the route I am flying and then check their travel support section to see where they assigned the gate. Today I am flying SFO-IAD on UA198. I am leaving from SFO gate 86 and parking at IAD gate C9. This really gets pretty realistic.Bob