Getting back in to vox - how to Sids/Stars?

[pegruder 65]

Hey folks, I'm getting back in to vox again and am really enjoying it, not sure why I stopped using it.  Anyway, since its been awhile, I'm having a hard time getting sids/stars going right.  If I remember right, you need to fire up the vox flight plan extras and load your plan there, save, then initialize vox?  I do this and things kinda sort seem to work.  The SIDs seem to be random, which I can't remember if this is or isn't normal or not.  Reading the manual, I only saw something about doing a custom sid/star, but I wasn't sure what that was.

A side question to all this - when this all works on approach, and ATC assigns the STAR, how does one know what the arrival runway is going to be?  This could all be part of the my lack of real world piloting experience as well combined with most using Pilot2ATC for such a long time.  I could just glance at the P2A window and see all the details I needed well in advance.  For some reason approach and descent timings are always my weakest suit in my simulated aviation career.

[vadriver 248]

10 hours ago, pegruder said:

using Pilot2ATC for such a long time

chris

firstly, go for a walk & breathe some fresh air.

when you return (for your Cat C & D IFR ) just load your enroute (no sids or stars) in the sim's plan & you're good to go.

unfortunately you're on your own then "responding to Vox's assignments" which suits the weather etc as required (not random if you check your TAF's etc, particularly for approach). 

there's no way you can hop out of your plane to see the "controllers panel as you can in P2A" ... but hey, it's more real that way.

11 hours ago, pegruder said:

vox flight plan extras

 extras are about options to that route ... holding / vectors / alternates etc.. but if you want them, run the indexer after input.

[pegruder 65]

12 hours ago, vadriver said:

chris

firstly, go for a walk & breathe some fresh air.

when you return (for your Cat C & D IFR ) just load your enroute (no sids or stars) in the sim's plan & you're good to go.

unfortunately you're on your own then "responding to Vox's assignments" which suits the weather etc as required (not random if you check your TAF's etc, particularly for approach). 

there's no way you can hop out of your plane to see the "controllers panel as you can in P2A" ... but hey, it's more real that way.

 extras are about options to that route ... holding / vectors / alternates etc.. but if you want them, run the indexer after input.

So when I've done this, I've never received any stars, only vectors, which hey - has never let me down I guess.  Just not exactly what I was expecting, unless I'm misunderstanding you of course.

[vadriver 248]

11 hours ago, pegruder said:

I've never received any stars, only vectors

if your enroute plan begins at a sid (transition) & ends at a star (transition), you should be assigned both as per voxatc's airac .... if they don't, you will receive vectors to/from your enroute's.

approaches (after the star) on the other hand are assigned from those included in the destination afcad.

you will receive vectors to the approach if no suitable approach transition is included in the afcad (what voxatc calls for example a full ILS). 

[ddavbou 3]

Hi, I would like to jump in, I have been using voxatc for a little while the issue I am having and I think vadriver might help is flight planning and descending via star which i have seen this in the voxatc manual but they don't explain how to get this to happen. One flight plan I use is KSFO to KPDX. the sid is TRUKN2 then how follow GRTFL DCT MACHU to the star TMBRS2 i will usually be cleared via the star but will not get any descent direction for a while and many times it will require me to exceed speed to increase my descent to reach proper altitude for the ILS approach any clues on how I can get the instruction to "descend via STAR" thanks to anyone who can help.

David Boudreau

[vadriver 248]

2 hours ago, ddavbou said:

the instruction to "descend via STAR"

david

• firstly, i have not been assigned a "descend via" star (or "climb via" sid) clearance with V742, just a "cleared via" ..... though regularly after such i will receive initially an altitude restriction to the star's limit, but then shortly after that an altitude restriction to an earlier & higher level (roughly for example, a sequence of "cleared via timbers 2 mark you transition", then after a while "descend to altitude 5000" then after a short while "descend to FL240", this later restriction being the one imposed)

it seems somehow that vox does not find a "flag" of some sort in the airac to completely distinguish a legacy star from an rnav one.

the bottom line seems to be not to expect a "descend via".

• the other issue involved with your example is how v742 calculates a TOD to initiate a descent clearance. one understands the default vnav profilev742 uses is 2.5nm per 1000' from one's destination and that it does not recognise any star restrictions such as the vnav gates on the TMBRS2 arrival ..... which for an arrival at KPDX say from FL360 at TOD would be only 80nm to run (over MOXEE) whereas to be at WIDMR at 5000', your preferred TOD (for a 3^o fpa) would be near AARON.

so, i believe you should expect to request a descent to suit & not rely on vox.

one can add to the VASettings.xml file .... <DescentRatio Value="4.0" /> ..... or similar to create earlier vox initiated descent calls (but which may not suit other profiles)

the devil is unfortunately in the "tweak".

Edited December 12, 2019 by vadriver

[ddavbou 3]

Thanks so much for the reply, I found some things in other posts regarding descent and believe I inserted it correctly into the VASettings.xml file although I just checked it and it did not have it in there after i saved it. should I put it under settings in the top section that is for U.S. airspace or at the bottom where settings is listed with nothing under it at the moment. Thanks again.

 

David Boudreau

[jabloomf1230 2,445]

As long as the line is not placed in either of the two regions (UK or AU/NZ), it doesn't matter where you add it. Just check your file one more time to make sure that the line doesn't exist. Anywhere near the top of the file is fine.

[jabloomf1230 2,445]

Here's the original thread regarding DescentRatio Value, which defaults to 3.5:

 

 

Edited December 13, 2019 by jabloomf1230

[vadriver 248]

11 hours ago, vadriver said:

say from FL360 at TOD would be only 80nm

my medical examiner is trolling my posts ..... and as he remarked, 90nm is the answer 😶