ATC addons comparison (first draft)

[tup61 1,564]

In another topic it was suggested that a topic in which ATC addons would be compared would be quite handy. Now we can wait for one guy who owns all ATC addons to create such a topic or a video on YT but maybe it's also an idea to start with a topic in which we try to find out what we all want to see in an ATC addon. And once we've got a rather complete list of features we can add which ATC addon has which feature. This way, after some time, if everyone who owns one of the mentioned ATC addons chimes in, we will all be able to choose the ATC that is best for your specific set of wishes.

If you know if a certain addon has a certain features, reply to this post with 1. the used addon and 2. the list of features it has (if possible in the same order). Take note that some addons can have multiple options (like STAR being planned during preflight but also being assigned by ATC during the flight).

If you know a feature which I have missed and which you are very interested in, reply to this post with that (list of) feature(s).

This is a first draft! The list below probably is far from complete (also because I ran out of time 😉 ) but perhaps it doesn't need to be a 100% complete in order to make an educated decision on which addon to get. If possible (and time permitting) i will gather all replies and either edit the OP (adding the various addons (MS, PI, PF, FS and PR) behind each feature) or start a new topic for it. Maybe all replies will be sufficient and more than enough on their own.  We'll see how this goes. 😉

PLEASE ONLY SHARE INFORMATION for ATC addons you actually OWN and USE!
(Which is why my replies to this posts are for FSHud and default MSFS only, even though I do know quite a lot of the features of other addons. 😉 )

List of currently available ATC options for MSFS

• Default MSFS ATC (MS)
• Pilot2ATC (PI)
• PF3 (PF)
• FSHud (FS)
• ProATC/SR (PR)

Features

SID, STAR and approaches
Planned during preflight
Assigned by ATC during the flight
Planned procedures can be changed during the flight by ATC depending on weather
Planned procedures can be changed during the flight by the pilot

Simbrief support
Yes (one click import, direct link with Simbrief account)
Yes, (load a downloaded Simbrief plan)
No

Speech recognition
Yes
No

Voices
Pre-recorded real voices
Text-to-speech (fixed set of voices)
Text-to-speech (new voices can be added)

QNH in hPA and InHg
Yes
No

Transition altitudes and levels
Yes (automatically)
Yes (manually)
No

Terminology
Realistic
Realistic (geared towards USA)
Realistic (geared towards Europe)
Unrealistic (or incomplete)

VFR support
Yes
No

Virtual Reality support
Yes
No

Needs other tools/plugins/addons (like FSUIPC or Makerunways)
Yes
No

Navigraph support
Yes (can be installed with the Navigraph tools)
Yes (can read the data without an extra install)
No

Needs to create database
Yes (one time only)
Yes (after addition or airport or scenery)
No

Requests that can be made during the flight
Another take off runway
Direct to
Another SID
Another (cruising) altitude
Descent
Another STAR
Another approach
Another gate

ATC vectors
Yes (in the general direction)
Yes (to the exact intercept path)
No

Controls AI aircraft
Yes (only seperates traffic on the ground)
Yes (only seperates traffic on the ground and during take off and approach
Yes (controls all traffic)
No

Starting position
ATC can only be started at the gate
ATC can be (re)started at any time

EDIT: additional features

Chatter
Chatter with AI traffiic
Canned realistic chatter
No

Holdings
Yes (planned)
Yes (automatic due to traffic of weather)
No

Declaring emergencies
Yes
No

Co-pilot
Yes (handles communications)
Yes (handles communications and various other tasks)
No

Flight planning tool
Yes (edit imported plan)
Yes (create from scratch)
No

Respects MSA (no vectoring into terrain)
Yes
No

Edited August 17, 2022 by tup61

[tup61 1,564]

FSHud

SID, STAR and approaches
Planned during preflight
Planned procedures can be changed during the flight by the pilot

Simbrief support
Yes (one click import, direct link with Simbrief account)

Speech recognition
No

Voices
Text-to-speech (fixed set of voices)

QNH in hPA and InHg
Yes

Transition altitudes and levels
Yes (automatically)

Terminology
Realistic

VFR support
No

Virtual Reality support
No

Needs other tools/plugins/addons (like FSUIPC or Makerunways)
No

Navigraph support
Yes (can read the data without an extra install)

Needs to create database
No

Requests that can be made during the flight
Another (cruising) altitude
Direct to
Another STAR (only once, when aproach is assigned)
Another approach (only once, when aproach is assigned)
Another gate (only once, when aproach is assigned)

ATC vectors
Yes (in the general direction)

Controls AI aircraft
Yes (controls all traffic)

Starting position
ATC can be (re)started at any time

EDIT: additional features

Chatter
Chatter with AI traffiic

Holdings
No

Declaring emergencies
No

Co-pilot
Yes (handles communications)

Flight planning tool
Yes (edit imported plan) text only
Yes (create from scratch) text only

Edited August 17, 2022 by tup61

[tup61 1,564]

Default MSFS ATC

SID, STAR and approaches
Planned during preflight

Simbrief support
No

Speech recognition
No

Voices
Text-to-speech (fixed set of voices)

QNH in hPA and InHg
No (InHg only)

Transition altitudes and levels
No (18000 ft only)

Terminology
Unrealistic (or incomplete)

VFR support
Yes

Virtual Reality support
Yes

Needs other tools/plugins/addons (like FSUIPC or Makerunways)
No

Navigraph support
Yes (can read the data without an extra install)

Needs to create database
No

Requests that can be made during the flight
Another (cruising) altitude
Another STAR
Another approach
(Not really sure what is exactly possible)

ATC vectors
Yes (in the general direction)
(Not really sure what is exactly possible)

Controls AI aircraft
Yes (controls all traffic)
(Not really sure what is exactly possible)

Starting position
ATC can be (re)started at any time

EDIT: additional features

Chatter
Chatter with AI traffiic

Holdings
No

Declaring emergencies
No

Co-pilot
Yes (handles communications and various other tasks)

Flight planning tool
Yes (edit imported plan)
Yes (create from scratch)

Edited August 17, 2022 by tup61

[ConstVoid 110]

Some possible extra features:

Realistic chatter with AI traffic (ie not canned regional chatter)

Holdings - none, pre-planned, automatic due to do traffic/weather

Alternates - e.g. weather at destination, emergencies en route etc.

[Ohmsquare 101]

Pilot2ATC

SID, STAR and approaches
Planned during preflight
Assigned by ATC during the flight
Planned procedures can be changed during the flight by ATC depending on weather
Planned procedures can be changed during the flight by the pilot

Simbrief support
Yes (one click import, direct link with Simbrief account) including call sign (very handy).

Speech recognition
Yes

Voices
Text-to-speech (fixed set of voices)
Text-to-speech (new voices can be added)

QNH in hPA and InHg
Yes

Transition altitudes and levels
Yes (automatically)
 

Terminology
Realistic (geared towards USA)
 

VFR support
Yes

Virtual Reality support
No

Needs other tools/plugins/addons (like FSUIPC or Makerunways)
Yes (all freeware though)

Navigraph support
Yes (can be installed with the Navigraph tools)

Needs to create database
No (apart from the initial installation). 

Requests that can be made during the flight
Another take off runway
Another SID
Another (cruising) altitude
Another STAR
Another approach
Another gate

Descent 

Direct To

Requests that can't be made: holdings, emergencies, heading deviations (due to weather).

ATC vectors
Yes (to the exact intercept path). Vectors are automatically provided when required by the procedure (usually with STARs where the last fix requires manual transition to IAF).
 

Controls AI aircraft
No

Starting position
ATC can be (re)started at any time

OTHER FEATURES

Respects MSA / MEA quite well (no vectoring to terrain).

Allows to modify taxiways, gates and runway TO/LND preference. The latter is actually a really great feature.

Provides traffic advisory on ground and in the air.

Powerful speech recognition grammar tool helps to practice speech and improve recognition rate. 

Copilot can handle most coms. 

Integrates with ATC chatter.

Joystick support.

Flight planning tool.

 

 

[tup61 1,564]

Thanks! The first three posts have been updated (while that's still possible).

[SierraHotel 982]

 

ProATC/SR

SID, STAR and approaches
Assigned by ATC during preflight
Assigned by ATC during the flight
Planned procedures can be changed during the flight by ATC depending on weather
Planned procedures can be changed during the flight by the pilot

Simbrief support
Yes (one click import, direct link with Simbrief account) Yes
Yes, (load a downloaded Simbrief plan) Yes
No

Speech recognition
Yes
No

Voices
Pre-recorded real voices, new voices can be added
Text-to-speech (fixed set of voices)


QNH in hPA and InHg
Yes
No

Transition altitudes and levels
Yes (automatically with FSFO or FS2Crew
Yes (manually)
No

Terminology
Realistic (Choice of All phonetic, phonetic and alphabet, all alphabet) Choice of Pilot, Co-Pilot and Controller voices:- UK, US, Spain, Germany, Australia, Sweden, Algeria, Montenegro. New voices and dialects can be added.
Realistic (geared towards USA)
Realistic (geared towards Europe)
Unrealistic (or incomplete)

VFR support
Yes
No

Virtual Reality support
Yes? Needs testing
No?

Needs other tools/plugins/addons (like FSUIPC or Makerunways)
Yes, Makerunways (included)
No

Navigraph support
Yes (can be installed with the Navigraph tools)
Yes (can read the data without an extra install)
No

Needs to create database
Yes (one time only)
Yes (after the addition or removal of airport/scenery)
No

Requests that can be made during Preflight and the flight
Another take off runway YES
Direct to YES
Another SID YES
Another (cruising) altitude YES
Descent YES (choice of manual or auto)
Another STAR YES
Another approach YES
Another gate YES

ATC vectors
Yes (in the general direction)
Yes (to the exact intercept path)
No

Controls AI aircraft
Yes (only seperates traffic on the ground)? Detected and considered and even changed by PRO-ATC/SR. That means you won't get a clearance for takeoff when an aircraft is on final approach or still on the runway.
Yes (only seperates traffic on the ground and during take off and approach? I use AIG Traffic Control

AI - Automatically generated traffic by MSFS, Prepar3D, FSX/SE

The actual traffic (AI) continues to be controlled by the flight simulation, but is detected and considered and even changed by PRO-ATC/SR. That means you won't get a clearance for takeoff when an aircraft is on final approach or still on the runway. It will even be controlled to avoid collisions with your aircraft when airborne.

Starting position

ATC can only be started at the gate
ATC can be (re)started at any time

EDIT: additional features

Chatter
Chatter with AI traffiic YES ProATC/SR communicates with the AI traffic both on the ground and airborne
Canned realistic chatter YES
No

Holdings
Yes (planned)
Yes (automatic due to traffic of weather)
No

Declaring emergencies
Yes
No

Co-pilot
Yes (handles communications)
Yes (handles communications and various other tasks)
No

Flight planning tool
Yes (edit imported plan) YES
Yes (create from scratch) YES
No

Respects MSA (no vectoring into terrain)
Yes
No

Edited August 17, 2022 by SierraHotel

[tup61 1,564]

Thanks so far! I think this already helps with making a good decision what ATC addon to get. Now if one of the PF3 users would be so kind to add some information we would get quite a complete picture already. Of course it helps if others would post about already described addons too because some may see things a bit differently. ;) And don't forget to post features you'd like to see described.

When enough information from various sources has been posted, I might create some sort of excel-sheet which shows everything in an easy to view lay-out so you can see very easily and quickly what your best choice might be.

[Virtual-Chris 682]

Wow!!! I haven’t got time to go through this right now, but will do so later today. Thank you so much for doing this!  This will be an incredibly helpful resource. 

Edited August 17, 2022 by Virtual-Chris

[Virtual-Chris 682]

So the default ATC can definitely assign a runway and approach on arrival, if you don't specify one in your flight plan.  If you use the built-in flight planner, and don't choose a runway from the drop-down list, you will get one assigned by ATC.

[Virtual-Chris 682]

3 hours ago, SierraHotel said:

ProATC/SR

SID, STAR and approaches
Assigned by ATC during preflight
Assigned by ATC during the flight
Planned procedures can be changed during the flight by ATC depending on weather
Planned procedures can be changed during the flight by the pilot

Can someone explain this further?  Does it make sense for ATC to assign an approach during pre-flight?  That is usually done by ATC at the arrival airport.

[Avwriter 85]

FSHUD

The following announcement was just made in their forum, indicating a major improvement of of the controlled AI traffic injection, among other items, is imminent.  This addresses one of the biggest complaints that users have had is that there is not enough traffic at airports:

 

https://www.simforums.com/forums/fshud-traffic-injection-and-performance_topic65051.html

"We wanted to post some information on what is planned in an upcoming release which will be targeted for MSFS Sim Update 10  (SU10).

We are aware of several AI Traffic problems which may cause no or reduced AI traffic at an airport or in the air, as well as associated application performance issues that may cause the simulator FPS drop on some computers.

Several major improvements are in development which should improve traffic injection and performance. Users will also have better control in configuring traffic to better fit their environment.  This will be an important milestone on the path to achieving  better performance and improved traffic in your simulator.

It is important to realize that FSHud – Air Traffic Control must be both pilot and controller, for every aircraft, even if you do not hear communications. We do not let the simulator fly aircraft on its own, then adjust ATC, as this would make for an unrealistic scenario in the sky or on the ground. We need to be pilot and controller for every aircraft (except the user aircraft). This means that no turn or altitude change is made on any aircraft that is not distinctly under FSHud’s control. It is this aspect of the application which is most CPU intensive. We hope the milestone release after SU10 offers some nice improvements to the application."
 

[Bobsk8 12,730]

34 minutes ago, Virtual-Chris said:

Can someone explain this further?  Does it make sense for ATC to assign an approach during pre-flight?  That is usually done by ATC at the arrival airport.

No it is not realistic, and that is why I use PF3 which doesn't do that. 

[Virtual-Chris 682]

2 minutes ago, Bobsk8 said:

No it is not realistic, and that is why I use PF3 which doesn't do that. 

Interesting.

So the default ATC, Pilot2ATC, and PF3 are the only ones that assign approaches on arrival.

[SierraDelta 1,342]

3 minutes ago, Virtual-Chris said:

Interesting.

So the default ATC, Pilot2ATC, and PF3 are the only ones that assign approaches on arrival.

The data is not complete, nobody has added information for ProATC/SR yet