Unable to Contact VFR Destination

[vp49p3 216]

Hi--using 7.3 in P3Dv3.4.  Indexer runs without problems.  My flight plans are generated by Plan G and its IFR plans work in VOX.  VOX starts fine with VFR plans, and works OK until I get close to my destination (20 miles or less).   In the options when I select the fourth option to contact the VFR destination, it loops back to the select option message.  I just cannot get VOX to allow me to contact the VFR destination.  Also, when requesting position and bearing/distance to the VFR destination, I only get position--no distance or bearing the destination.

Anyone encounter this?  I'm going to test it with VFR plans generated within P3D, but thought maybe someone had come across this before.

Thanks,

Jay

[vp49p3 216]

Well, I used the same flight plan but created within P3D.  Same result. 

[jaybird1nyc 24]

On 5/1/2017 at 4:17 PM, jaybird1nyc said:

I'm still having some issues with 7.3 when flying VFR to/from non-towered fields. First, if I'm told to contact "Utopia Radio" to open my flightplan nothing happens, no response at all. If I'm told to contact any other FSS other than Utopia Radio, then it's fine. I know that "Utopia", like "Oceanic" are just generic names if the airport in use doesn't have the appropriate frequencies, but, if you can't open your VFR flightplan then you don't get any further with Vox, you're pretty much stuck.

The second problem I'm having is while airbourne, enroute to a non-towered field, after being handed-off to approach, I am prompted to "report airfield in sight". This is being given at approx. 40 miles from the field. There are no further comms, no traffic advisories, no chatter from other AI, nothing, silence. When I respond, "airfield in sight" (at around 10 miles out), there is nothing from Vox, no additional prompts or instructions, however, the traffic advisories begin again. I have attempted to contact the destination field via unicom, and I can even sometimes get the menu prompting, "Nxxxx, XY Miles from XYZ, At XYZ feet, Landing XYZ", but this is always met with. "unavailable at this time". I have not been able to overcome this problem. This was not the case with v6. You were always told to "contact XYZ unicom, frequency change approved..." and then you switched to the destination unicom, asked for airport information, and then you were given the menu with choices for pattern entry, base, final, etc.

These 2 issues are deal-breakers for me. I can't switch to Vox7 if these issues aren't fixed. I have reported them to Tegwyn again, but no reply as of today.

Can someone please confirm that these 2 specific issues are repeatable? Or, is it just me that is having these problems?

Above is a post I made back on May 1st, so, yes, this is a verified bug. Only way around this is to use only towered airports for your destination. Seems to work OK using towered fields, even under VFR plans. The other issue I mention in the post, about being unable to open a VFR flightplan when asked to contact "Utopia Radio" seems to be a deal breaker. Only way I've found to avoid this error is to inspect the departure airport's bgl using Airport Design Editior and checking the Comms list to see if it has a dedicated FSS frequency. If it doesn't then it will use the dreaded "Utopia Radio" and you're stuck. So, I just add an FSS frequency, re-compile the bgl and replace existing one with the modified version.

 

Jay

 

[vp49p3 216]

On ‎6‎/‎23‎/‎2017 at 4:58 PM, jaybird1nyc said:

Above is a post I made back on May 1st, so, yes, this is a verified bug. Only way around this is to use only towered airports for your destination. Seems to work OK using towered fields, even under VFR plans. The other issue I mention in the post, about being unable to open a VFR flightplan when asked to contact "Utopia Radio" seems to be a deal breaker. Only way I've found to avoid this error is to inspect the departure airport's bgl using Airport Design Editior and checking the Comms list to see if it has a dedicated FSS frequency. If it doesn't then it will use the dreaded "Utopia Radio" and you're stuck. So, I just add an FSS frequency, re-compile the bgl and replace existing one with the modified version.

 

Jay

 

Thanks much Jay.  I'm also having some of the other problems you've mentioned.  Unfortunately many ORBX airports (which are all I use) are non-towered fields.

The last time VOX worked practically without issue was in P3dv2.5, and I don't feel like going back to that one.

For now, I'm going to use VOX only for IFR flights between towered airports.  If that doesn't change with VOX, don't know if that will be enough to spend another $99, though when it finally comes out. 

[jaybird1nyc 24]

Well, sure, you can fly only IFR until it's fixed (we hope!) You can even fly to/from non-towered fields under IFR. The developer added a feature that was my suggestion, that being, the ability to get IFR clearance at a non-towered airport. This feature was not available in previous versions and it really works well. I've made a number of suggestions but most have not been implemented, but this one was.

You actually can fly VFR FROM a non-towered field. You just have to take a look at the bgl with ADE to see if it has a dedicated FSS frequency, and if it doesn't, add one, compile, and replace the existing bgl with the updated version. For me it's not a big deal. I only use add-on airports and ones that I have done myself. So, it's not that many to deal with, and you only have to do it once. You still can't fly VFR TO a non-towered field due to the issue we've already discussed.

I'm also having some really weird issues with Vox processing add-on bgls. I think I'll start another thread, maybe somebody smarter than me has an idea.

 

Jay