7 hours ago, regis9 said:

Vatsim I haven’t  really used, but I do check to see what ATC coverage looks like when I’m flying and it’s typically pretty thin to nonexistent for the places I want to fly.  I wouldn’t bother logging on just to take to myself on a Unicom, that’s less realistic than using default ATC IMHO.

OP here, yeah this would have been my problem last night with this flight.  Even though I do want to try VATSIM, in this case it would have been pointless since nobody is on in the Los Angeles area at 3am lol.

9 hours ago, Armchair Pilot said:

telling them I'm on MSFS sounds like I am asking to get a beating after all the turf war I see going on between sims around the traps.

Not at all, they are used to it by now.

27 minutes ago, flyinion said:

OP here, yeah this would have been my problem last night with this flight.  Even though I do want to try VATSIM, in this case it would have been pointless since nobody is on in the Los Angeles area at 3am lol.

Which given covid flight restrictions may actually have been realistic, especially since LAX has limited runways between midnight and 6.00 am due to noise restrictions  😄

1 hour ago, Glenn Fitzpatrick said:

Which given covid flight restrictions may actually have been realistic, especially since LAX has limited runways between midnight and 6.00 am due to noise restrictions  😄

Might have to start doing it FS98 style and remember how to calculate TOD etc and just fly it myself with no ATC at all lol. Only other problem there is real weather never matches the actual real weather.
 

Just landed at KPUB and for my entire flight of two hours Wundergound said wind was out of the east around 80 degrees which matches up great with 8R. However the sim showed around 310 in the planning screen and wanted 26L. Then it was out of 015 when I got there but at least only about 4kts.   Thought about breaking down and giving REX a shot but my understanding is the sim ignores REX weather unlike previous msfs versions. 

Edited October 27, 20205 yr by flyinion

37 minutes ago, flyinion said:

Thought about breaking down and giving REX a shot but my understanding is the sim ignores REX weather unlike previous msfs versions. 

What do you mean by the sim ignores REX weather?

6 hours ago, regis9 said:

What do you mean by the sim ignores REX weather?

Sorry should have said ATC in the sim.  I.e. I have read here that ATC in the sim doesn't see REX for use in things like active runways etc.

In real life, I code scripts that carry out mundane tasks for our IT teams in my healthcare organization.

Essentially I work with the various teams and evaluate their workflows to see if I can code scripts to take over the routine tasks they have to free them up for more complex work...replacing a human with a coded script.

That said, and with experience coding scripts that try to replace human functionality, I've learned through experience that there is simply no way at this point in time to convincingly replace a human with a computer app for complex, instant decision-making....that is off in the future, and its called Skynet. 🙂

There are some really good ATC apps out there, but even they pale in comparison as a fully staffed VATSIM Cross-the-Pond event (or Friday night flights).  Sadly there is the catch 22 of reality, lack of controllers at any given place/time.

Not saying anything that we all pretty much don't already know, but I've completely given up on artificial ATC to enhance my immersion in the sim.  In fact I rarely fly with it at all, as even with VATSIM's real controllers, it's a huge let-down when you've planned a flight from point A to B, look to see IF there is coverage at least at departure/arrival, see that not only there is, but even ENROUTE!!!!   You get giddy because you're going to have a very immersive flightsim experience.

You have a beautiful, fully controlled departure and enroute, and as you're getting to your TOD and expect ATC to chime in and guide you down into the busy SOCAL sector, you hear in the background of the Controller's headset as he's telling you...."via SEAVU 2...." ..."Jonny, supper time, get off that computer now!!" 🤣

Even real controlling has its limitations. 😞 

Yeah PilotEdge really is the only way to guarantee quality coverage.  I’ve actually been thinking based on this thread that I will try a one month subscription again for the western expansion only (no need to enter the VFR zoo of ZLA just yet!), take my time getting comfortable with it away from the larger centres and stick to class d and e airspace and see where I go with it from there with some more practice.  

While it’s still a limited area it is a pretty large, varied and interesting area to do some GA flying.

Edited October 27, 20205 yr by regis9