Are there difficulty settings BATC and SI that I don't have set right? Lately, just as a test,  I have been taking off from and landing on wrong runways in both BATC and SI to see what happens. And actually ...nothing. For instance, I will land on the wrong runway, ATC doesn't say anything and just tells me to contact ground as if all was normal?

Is that the way these programs work, or are there difficulty settings I don't have set properly?

It's the way they work. Neither of them have what I'd call true AI and situational awareness.

In some ways, it's a bonus because both will sometimes insist you land on a runway inappropriate for your airframe.

 

I’ve only been scolded once for calling tower too early for departure and was told “…..you are nowhere near the runway” lol. But that was the only time. I’m not aware of any difficulty settings, but it would be nice to get Radar Contact like scoldings like back in the day. 

If you want to be scolded, you can go on VATSIM 🤣

I have both, but I only use SI now. From what I understand, they are working on getting everything working well before the scolding can begin.

1 hour ago, BrammyH said:

In some ways, it's a bonus because both will sometimes insist you land on a runway inappropriate for your airframe.

 

Agreed, I’ll only be ok with scolding when the virtual ATCs get better at their jobs 😀

Mind you, they’re generally quite good, but when they assign me a departure or arrival runway with a 10 knot tail wind I’m not accepting that suicide mission!

15 minutes ago, regis9 said:

when they assign me a departure or arrival runway with a 10 knot tail wind I’m not accepting that suicide mission!

What are you flying? The 737 has a max tailwind component of 10 knots, most other airliners are similar. If the performance numbers work out, that's hardly a suicide mission?

That said, while many airports do have a preferential runway system that accepts a slight tailwind, the maximum tailwind they will usually accept is 5 knots, for the performance considerations alone.

I can note that SayIntention didn't improved in this area since Alpha/Beta ;( It was a no-go past the and no one has changed 😉

4 hours ago, Peter Z KCLE_EDDN said:

“…..you are nowhere near the runway” l

This is one annoyance for me - the scolding phraseology is totally unrealistic - in 40+ years of flying I have never heard any ATC speak in that type of language.

Edited November 10, 20241 yr by DavidP

2 hours ago, martinboehme said:

What are you flying? The 737 has a max tailwind component of 10 knots, most other airliners are similar. If the performance numbers work out, that's hardly a suicide mission?

Just a bit of an exaggerated example…not a suicide mission of course but also not ideal.

Edited November 10, 20241 yr by regis9

1 hour ago, DavidP said:

This is one annoyance for me - the scolding phraseology is totally unrealistic - in 40+ years of flying I have never heard any ATC speak in that type of language.

Well, New York TRACON on a bad day might get close... 😜

But yeah. More like "N12345, possible pilot deviation, advise when ready to copy a phone number".

49 minutes ago, martinboehme said:

But yeah. More like "N12345, possible pilot deviation, advise when ready to copy a phone number".

That would be awesome, a much better option than scolding 😀

I do remember getting good laugh way back in the Flight Unlimited days if I drifted off the taxiway the ground controller would ask why I was cutting the grass 😂

SI does scold you for incorrect readbacks  all the time, and will tell you which bit they need you to repeat properly.

 

 

I got yelled at with BATC, because I started descent too early after getting an approach assigned. 

1 hour ago, martinboehme said:

But yeah. More like "N12345, possible pilot deviation, advise when ready to copy a phone number".

I got one of those last week from BATC , when I started to taxi to the active after pushback and forgot to ask ground for taxi instructions. 

Edited November 10, 20241 yr by Bobsk8