Hi, just wanted to hear if you have already heard that a new version of PF3 has been released...? It has a few* new features that, in my opinion, might concern MCE's interfacing with this ATC add-on. Just a heads-up!

Kind regards,

Dimitrios

* The new version actually has an impressive number of fixes, features and enhancements, and I'm looking forward to using them, but not all concern MCE.

29 minutes ago, d.tsakiris said:

Hi, just wanted to hear if you have already heard that a new version of PF3 has been released...? It has a few* new features that, in my opinion, might concern MCE's interfacing with this ATC add-on. Just a heads-up!

Kind regards,

Dimitrios

* The new version actually has an impressive number of fixes, features and enhancements, and I'm looking forward to using them, but not all concern MCE.

Yes, aware of the release. Congrats to OnCourse software.

Should work just as before provided you have option "Active=1" in "PF3_MCE.ini"

There might be adjustments needed for the new VFR related features. Maybe Ralf or yourself can elaborate on those.

Two new hotkey functions have been introduced in PF3 which need to be taken care of by MCE:

Hotkey 1 to request handoff / transition to Approach when on Radar on a VFR Free Flight

Hotkey 5 to request the current Radar frequency on FSS.

 

Other than that there have been many improvements to the phraseology but I'm not sure if that affects the functionality of MCE at all. If MCE just reads back whatever is transmitted it shouldn't be an issue.

 

what i have noticed, that the phrase "push and start approved" has changed. Its now continued with "...report when ready to taxi" instead of "contact ground..." Therefore the MCE FO isn´t responding with readback.

On 12/18/2020 at 9:31 PM, RALF9636 said:

Two new hotkey functions have been introduced in PF3 which need to be taken care of by MCE:

Hotkey 1 to request handoff / transition to Approach when on Radar on a VFR Free Flight

Hotkey 5 to request the current Radar frequency on FSS.

 

Other than that there have been many improvements to the phraseology but I'm not sure if that affects the functionality of MCE at all. If MCE just reads back whatever is transmitted it shouldn't be an issue.

 

Since this is new, maybe a good opportunity to let users come up with speech variations to cater for that.

On 12/22/2020 at 9:13 AM, BerndB said:

what i have noticed, that the phrase "push and start approved" has changed. Its now continued with "...report when ready to taxi" instead of "contact ground..." Therefore the MCE FO isn´t responding with readback.

It is being worked on. However, not quite sure which hotkey to use in order to report ready for taxi.

2 hours ago, FS++ said:

It is being worked on. However, not quite sure which hotkey to use in order to report ready for taxi.

Hi Gerald, the existing command for "request taxi" is working well. It´s just that the FO isn´t backreading the Push&start approval because he don´t know what´s meant by report ready for taxi.I haven´t seen a new hotkey in PF3 for "report ready for taxi". It´s still the usual taxi request.

18 hours ago, BerndB said:

Hi Gerald, the existing command for "request taxi" is working well. It´s just that the FO isn´t backreading the Push&start approval because he don´t know what´s meant by report ready for taxi.I haven´t seen a new hotkey in PF3 for "report ready for taxi". It´s still the usual taxi request.

Thanks

Try this patch

 

On 12/30/2020 at 6:18 PM, FS++ said:

Thanks

Try this patch

 

Happy New Year to you and your Family, Gerald.

I thought it could be nice to start into the new year about a positive message. I´ve installed the patch you linked and made 3 legs today from EDDF to LSGG and back and EDDF to ESSA. MCE worked perfect again together with PF3. The FO does NOT change the squawk anymore when departure says "squak ident QNH 1234". Second, the FO reply to Ground when the new push and start approval is given. And also the overall performance of MCE with PF3 is just outstanding. 

But i have noticed a very little and small issue, what´s may not an issue of MCE at all. Not allways, but on 2 of my legs i´ve got the message from a center like "aircraft at FL300, squawking 1234, contact XY-center on 123,45". I was meant at that point, but the FO wasn´t able to recognize this new phraseology and though he didn´t tune to the next center. It could also be the case, that PF3 has given the usual passing to the next center, but for what ever reason the FO wasn´t able to tune in the next center frequency, or has forgotten to make the initial contact. I can´t say for sure, if this "new" phrase came from the new center we where entering. I can´t even say this is new in PF3, but i´ve never got that message before the PF3 update. May you know this allready. Generally i would say it´s anyway wrong in PF3, because it seems to be something out of VFR flight following. I´am quite sure, that a sheduled, commercial flight under IFR laws would never get this kind of message, because the centers along the route are informed in advance about those flights and would not ask such kind of things to a commercial airliner.

Many thanks for your ongoing and instant improvements.

Cheers

Edited December 31, 20205 yr by BerndB

Gerald, related to my observation that Center is asking me "Traffic at FL300, squawking 1234, contact.... " it seems that my FO missed the handover to the next facility. Here you see an extraction from the PF3 log file

"...Lufthansa 808 Contact Hannover Radar on 125.1  
Hannover Radar WizzAir 6761 is with you, out of Flight Level 130  
Hannover Radar Easy 5909 Level at Flight Level 190  
Roger Easy 5909  
Traffic at Flight Level 300 squawking 1651  Contact Hannover Radar on 125.1"  

As you can see, the handoff was called, but because the MCE FO missed this somehow, we where asked by our squawk again. We where LH808 with squawk 1651 in this case.

1 hour ago, BerndB said:

Gerald, related to my observation that Center is asking me "Traffic at FL300, squawking 1234, contact.... " it seems that my FO missed the handover to the next facility. Here you see an extraction from the PF3 log file

"...Lufthansa 808 Contact Hannover Radar on 125.1  
Hannover Radar WizzAir 6761 is with you, out of Flight Level 130  
Hannover Radar Easy 5909 Level at Flight Level 190  
Roger Easy 5909  
Traffic at Flight Level 300 squawking 1651  Contact Hannover Radar on 125.1"  

As you can see, the handoff was called, but because the MCE FO missed this somehow, we where asked by our squawk again. We where LH808 with squawk 1651 in this case.

OK, got it. He is ignoring any intructions that don't start with your call-sign. He thinks they are intended for other traffic.

He'll be trained for the new things added to PF3. It's just someone has to report them as you did. Thanks and happy new year.

 

Edited January 1, 20215 yr by FS++

9 hours ago, BerndB said:

... Center is asking me "Traffic at FL300, squawking 1234, contact.... " it seems that my FO missed the handover to the next facility.

 

Yes, that is done on purpose by PF3 and was introduced with the latest update. It is to make sure you always stay in contact with the appropriate facility so you don't get lost by PF3. So if you do not check in with the new frequency you will be reminded (no matter what frequency you are on) and eventually PF3 should make the check-in automatically if you still don't do it. Not really completely realistic but it ensures PF3 does not lose you.

 

Two issues I found with MCE and PF3 in MSFS:

 

MCE-FO does not automatically set the transponder code after the intial clearance is issued by PF3 (using the custom FBW dev mod of the A320 in MSFS).

MCE-FO sets the transponder correctly when I tell him the squawk.

 

"Going to Delivery", "going to Tower" etc. does not work. MCE-FO always asks me to confirm the frequency, seems not to be able to read the frequencies from PF3 any more.

 

On 1/3/2021 at 11:30 PM, RALF9636 said:

Two issues I found with MCE and PF3 in MSFS:

 

MCE-FO does not automatically set the transponder code after the intial clearance is issued by PF3 (using the custom FBW dev mod of the A320 in MSFS).

MCE-FO sets the transponder correctly when I tell him the squawk.

 

"Going to Delivery", "going to Tower" etc. does not work. MCE-FO always asks me to confirm the frequency, seems not to be able to read the frequencies from PF3 any more.

 

just for info, it works in P3D well as usual. So it seems related to MSFS.

10 hours ago, BerndB said:

just for info, it works in P3D well as usual. So it seems related to MSFS.

Maybe the Neo Mod again breaking things?