Hi all,

So I know that for takeoffs and landings, the proper runway to be used is largely determined by wind factors and ATC will tell you. In the case of MSFS, it seems to automatically assign the runways for you in the world map planning stage.

What I'd like to do is incorporate that into my flight planning stage in SimBrief or Little NavMap so the game doesn't automatically switch runways on me when I select a parking spot for my plane (I like to go through the entire procedure).

How does one determine which runways to use prior to entering the game and without relying on it to tell me?

I use whichever runways Simbrief recommends, and disable MSFS ATC and Live Traffic, as I fly with VATSIM.

MSFS's ATC will often assign a runway for takeoff or landing with a tailwind, even though ATIS has the correct windspeed.

E.g. At PHL, the wind was 280 but the runway MSFS selected was 9L. 

You'd think this would be something simple to program, but I guess not, so my suggestion is don't bother with default ATC because it's very unrealistic at times.

Edited April 11, 20215 yr by NightOfDreams

I'd consider VATSIM if I didn't have to interact with real people (not being a jerk or asocial, I'm mostly deaf, so...yeah, that'd be kind of difficult).

I don't have much of a choice but to use the AI version of ATC and I typically let the AI handle ATC for me.

4 minutes ago, CLE_AA-5B_GrummanTiger said:

I'd consider VATSIM if I didn't have to interact with real people (not being a jerk or asocial, I'm mostly deaf, so...yeah, that'd be kind of difficult).

I don't have much of a choice but to use the AI version of ATC and I typically let the AI handle ATC for me.

Almost every experience I have had with vatsim in the last couple of years wound up with me talking to myself on Unicomm. 

Edited April 11, 20215 yr by Bobsk8

You already mentioned wind. I am not sure if I understood exacly what you mean by the asigned runways by msfs in the main menu, however, I would suggest to check flightradar24 to chech which of the runways are active. Otherwise you could also check e.g jeppesen charts, there you'll find a document in most cases that states the prefered runway in use.

One simply can't.  I have started the sim at an airport A, on the select departure point screen it will highlight the end of the runway in use, this is not true.  Once in the plane at said airport, in game atis will report a wind direction, but AI traffic will not be landing into the wind directed runway and they will not be landing on the indicated runway in use as seen on the prior loading screen.

I have then spawned at my destination airport B to determine the landing runway.  Since atis is incorrect, I simply watch to see which runway the AI is acutally using.  Then I repawn back to airport A and expect the land with the traffic at B.

Often, when spawning back at A, though the atis has not changed, the AI landing traffic runway has.  This will also be the case when going back to airport B.  Keep in mind that that this is all done over about 5 minutes.

At this point the atis is often incorrect, does not inform the AI aircraft landing in any way, and changes randomly upon reload at that location.

In summary; there is no way to determine the correct atis or active runway at any airport in the sim.

(note, I am not talking at all about any real world wx or metar, just what is in the game)

27 minutes ago, CLE_AA-5B_GrummanTiger said:

I'd consider VATSIM if I didn't have to interact with real people (not being a jerk or asocial, I'm mostly deaf, so...yeah, that'd be kind of difficult).

I don't have much of a choice but to use the AI version of ATC and I typically let the AI handle ATC for me.

You could always try pilot2atc - does voice & text, great with a second monitor.....

 

G

1 hour ago, Bobsk8 said:

Almost every experience I have had with vatsim in the last couple of years wound up with me talking to myself on Unicomm. 

I fly in the Northeast US and I have more flights with ATC than not, mostly from New York or Boston Centers. I don't bother talking to myself on unicom when theres no one around, only on takeoff and landing 

Edited April 11, 20215 yr by NightOfDreams

1 minute ago, NightOfDreams said:

I fly in the Northeast US and I have more flights with ATC than not, mostly from New York or Boston Centers.

I fly all day, and the number of controllers during the day in the entire US you could fit in a phone booth.