Been looking for a better alternative to the in-game ATC but not quite going on VATSIM either. Been reading up a bit on PF3 and it seems to tick all the boxes for me. Are there any fellow flight sim enthusiasts who use PF3 that can shed some light on its quality and effectiveness? $50 is a bit on the steep side and would rather be more informed about it than to pay for it and regret it after. I see they mentioned a free demo to try it out, but can't find it!

TIA!

I have used PF3 for around 6 years now. I have tried all the ATC programs including Pro ATC ( I was a beta tester for it for around 2 years), and I like PF3 the best. PF3 gives you around 110 controller voices, which I live. The free demo only gives you 3-4 voices and they are not the best voices. If there is a voice that you don't care for when you hear it, you can quickly eliminate that voice or voices . The thing that bothers some people, is that PF3 does not chose Sids or Stars for you, the pilot does that. When you import a flight plan, you tell Pf3 if you are going to use either a Sid or a Star or both. You then mark where the Sid will end ( the first waypoint of your flight plan, and where your Star will start ( the last point of your flight plan. If you don't want to use a Sid or a Star, PF3 will give you vectors all the way from departure to destination. 

https://www.firstwebdesign.co.uk/pf3-demo-download-request/

I'm using PF3 for years and never felt the need to look at anything else.

It works reliably both when flying the FBW A320 IFR and for short VFR hops with the C172.

There is a learning curve but when you get to understand how PF3 works it takes just a minute to set everything up for your flight.

And it can easily be combined with a speech recognition software like VoiceAttack - or Multi Crew Experience if you want to go all the way.

 

29 minutes ago, Bobsk8 said:

I have used PF3 for around 6 years now. I have tried all the ATC programs including Pro ATC ( I was a beta tester for it for around 2 years), and I like PF3 the best. PF3 gives you around 110 controller voices, which I live. The free demo only gives you 3-4 voices and they are not the best voices. If there is a voice that you don't care for when you hear it, you can quickly eliminate that voice or voices . The thing that bothers some people, is that PF3 does not chose Sids or Stars for you, the pilot does that. When you import a flight plan, you tell Pf3 if you are going to use either a Sid or a Star or both. You then mark where the Sid will end ( the first waypoint of your flight plan, and where your Star will start ( the last point of your flight plan. If you don't want to use a Sid or a Star, PF3 will give you vectors all the way from departure to destination. 

https://www.firstwebdesign.co.uk/pf3-demo-download-request/

Thanks for the input! Well, as far as SIDs/STARs, I'm accustomed to picking one out anyway in Little Navmap and can see the appropriate waypoints. I don't mind inputting that data, it gives me greater control and knowledge of *exactly* how the procedure will be carried out.

Thanks for the link to the demo. I'm awaiting their e-mail for the file. I guess it's not quite instant.

Just now, CLE_AA-5B_GrummanTiger said:

Thanks for the input! Well, as far as SIDs/STARs, I'm accustomed to picking one out anyway in Little Navmap and can see the appropriate waypoints. I don't mind inputting that data, it gives me greater control and knowledge of *exactly* how the procedure will be carried out.

Thanks for the link to the demo. I'm awaiting their e-mail for the file. I guess it's not quite instant.

That is what I like about PF3 the most, it doesn't try to micromanage you on a sid or star, you do that yourself. 

Is PF3 speech only? And is it correct that you manually have to setup each and every sid and star you want to fly? That sounds extremely tiresome... Seems it needs a lot of input and preparation before you can get going? Or did I watch the wrong video's? 

1 minute ago, tup61 said:

Is PF3 speech only? And is it correct that you manually have to setup each and every sid and star you want to fly? That sounds extremely tiresome... Seems it needs a lot of input and preparation before you can get going? Or did I watch the wrong video's? 

That’s my worry, not really looking at needing extra set up time when I have a timed window to sim, which is pretty much every sim session! 

18 minutes ago, Bobsk8 said:

That is what I like about PF3 the most, it doesn't try to micromanage you on a sid or star, you do that yourself. 

Picking a sid or star and flying it is not a problem but it seems PF3 can't read the procedures from the MSFS data and you have to somehow enter them all yourself... That what's keeping me away from PF3. 

1 minute ago, flyinpilot212121 said:

That’s my worry, not really looking at needing extra set up time when I have a timed window to sim, which is pretty much every sim session! 

Indeed. Maybe PF3 users simply have a lot of time? 😉 I should look for a video that shows me how PF3 is used on a regular flight. But first I need to find out if it has some sort of button control. 

16 minutes ago, tup61 said:

Is PF3 speech only?

No, not at all. It works with hotkeys. It does not come with speech recognition itself.

You can use a speech recognition software to trigger these hotkeys, but you don't have to of course.

 

Quote

And is it correct that you manually have to setup each and every sid and star you want to fly? That sounds extremely tiresome... Seems it needs a lot of input and preparation before you can get going? Or did I watch the wrong video's? 

It depends on what you want to achieve. I never manually entered any SID or STAR when using PF3. You just choose your last waypoint before the STAR, then PF3 clears you for the approach (or gives vectors if configured respectively). You fly the STAR yourself according to the charts then contact Tower when stabilized on final.

If you expect ATC to assign a STAR and micromanage you along the STAR though, PF3 is not for you.

 

Edited January 27, 20224 yr by RALF9636

2 minutes ago, tup61 said:

Indeed. Maybe PF3 users simply have a lot of time? 😉 I should look for a video that shows me how PF3 is used on a regular flight. But first I need to find out if it has some sort of button control. 

Yes on button control as well as different virtual co-pilot modes to handle frequency changes, frequency and comms or nothing at all, setup involves your initial settings, choosing your voice, Co-Pilot voice, Taxi Guidance voice, and general preferences then nothing more than loading a flight, checking the flight altitudes and choosing if you want a SID/STAR at all.   You can even pre-designate an arrival gate.  Used it for years.  

12 minutes ago, tup61 said:

Is PF3 speech only? And is it correct that you manually have to setup each and every sid and star you want to fly? That sounds extremely tiresome... Seems it needs a lot of input and preparation before you can get going? Or did I watch the wrong video's? 

If you use the G 1000, your sids and stars are there, as well as in the MSFS flight planner, or Simbrief. I use EFB to look at my Sids and stars, but you can use any charts too. Takes a few seconds for me, normally to figure out a star or a sid. It's called piloting. I usually let PF3 vector me away from airport, and all I do is find the appropriate approach and if it has a star or not. There is a free demo, try it. 

Edited January 27, 20224 yr by Bobsk8

4 minutes ago, tup61 said:

 Maybe PF3 users simply have a lot of time? 

Absolutely not. Setting up PF3 adds two minutes to my preflight procedures at most. After a little practice it's a no brainer after you have set up and prepared your flightplan using Simbrief and Navigraph Charts anyway.

 

I purchased it but shelfed it. I do not like the robotic voices (although I understand it is hard to get them fluent) and I have been in contact with the author about the STAR. THe program calculates waypoints that are not part of your route. These are for internal use only and If you wish to alter altitudes in the STAR you should also adjust the altitudes the program uses in its own waypoints. Hence, you need to calculate all these in advance. That doesnot add to my feeling of freedom since a change of wind cannot lead to a well executed STAR.

Edited January 27, 20224 yr by phmcr

3 minutes ago, RALF9636 said:

No, not at all. It works with hotkeys. It does not come with speech recognition itself.

You can use a speech recognition software to trigger these hotkeys, but you don't have to of course.

 

It depends on what you want to achieve. I never manually entered any SID or STAR when using PF3. You just choose your last waypoint before the STAR, then PF3 clears you for the approach (or gives vectors if configured respectively). You fly the STAR yourself according to the charts then contact Tower when stabilized on final.

If you expect ATC to micromanage you along the STAR though, PF3 is not for you.

 

Interesting. And no, I don't want micromanagement because that defeats the purpose of sids and stars. Does PF3 give you vectors at random (like when it's quiet and a star isn't really needed)? 

Edited January 27, 20224 yr by tup61