Default ATC handling Traffic?

[Guest Hocking]

I am running "Ultimate Traffic" in FSX, and I am having a terrible problem with the Default ATC handling this traffic. The biggest problem is the Default ATC control giving landing clearances to many arriving planes at once. You end up having 2 to 4 planes coming in with only the first one being able to land while the others are told to go around. I was just arriving at KMEM and was given clearance to land about the same time my TCAS went off with a red warning about traffic in my immediate vicinity. When it told me the traffic was clear, I noticed that there was plane immediately in front of me on the Glide Slope to the same runway I was landing on. In the end, I touched down within seconds of him touching down, and I ended up running into the back of him.Why is this happening? Is there any fixes to this? If I bought an Add-On ATC package such as "Radar Contact" or "VOX-ATC" would this problem go away? I know the Default ATC is completely worthless, but you are forced to use something if you are using an Add-On Traffic package.

[Guest jshyluk]

There are several possible solutions to your issue. The first, free piece of advice is to simply lower your traffic percentage. You have too much traffic for FSX to handle. UT uses models that are lower in detail than FSX, so it also cranks out more models than FSX expects. Probably, you should have the Traffic slider no higher than 60% to get realistic results. The second piece of free advice is to search the AVSIM Library for the excellent AiSmooth utility. What this little freeware gem does is create a "bubble zone" of operations around your aircraft that prevents AI planes from getting in your TCAS hot zone, especially on final. If you absolutely have to have that traffic slider maxed out, then you absolutely need AiSmooth, no question.Then, there are payware options. Radar Contact and/or VoxATC will definitely improve your ATC experience. Both programs are primarily concerned with how the user interacts with the ATC. As a result, you do see some improvement on how the AI aircraft are handled in FSX.I use VoxATC and UT. Me personally, I had problems getting VoxATC and UT to work together properly. However, this is just me only, and probably due to the fact that as an AVSIM reviewer I am installing and uninstalling many products at once. I have been told that UT and VoxATC are totally compatible.Even so, when you dial up Traffic to 100% on VoxATC (which overrides the FSX setting), you're going to get clouds of AI aircraft, and if you have realistic ATC holds enabled, you will spend hours orbitting every single VOR, NDB, and any other marker on your route. Again, the first lesson applies: unless you absolutely have to see every aircraft that ever was made all in the air at the same time, dial down your Traffic slider!Jeff ShylukAssistant Managing EditorSenior Staff ReviewerAVSIM

[Guest Hocking]

Thanks for the information Jeff. That was very helpful. I do have my traffic cranked up to 80%, so I am sure this is probably a big part of my problem. I will try lowering that down a bit. I will also take a look at the "AiSmooth" utility.

[eldar2112 10]

AISmooth is a must have. I run UT as well. I'm flying only in the Caribbean and SW Florida right now and have Airline traffic at 100%! I know that is typically overkill with the AI, but the skies are a little quiet down there in the evenings when I fly after getting home from work. I noticed a major improvement using AISmooth when I do fly into a busier airport.Thank you,KailFlightSimmer since 1987C2D E6850 3.0GHz 1333FSBXFX Nforce 680i LT SLI2x XFX 8800GT 512MB SLI'd2GB Crucial Ballistix PC6400 800MHzCreative SB Audigy2 ZSUltra Xfinity 600W SLI PSUSeagate 320GB 7200RPM 16MB SATA-3GB/S HDWindows XP SP2 / FSX SP2 / FS9 SP1

[Guest Hocking]

I did the same flight again with AISmooth. This time I had not trouble. I believe it was a combination of me reducing AI Traffic to 60%, and using AISmooth. One thing I noticed which makes AISmooth worth it alone is the fact that ATC now gives you Approach information when you are as far away as 100 miles. That is great! Much more realistic than the Default ATC giving you Approach information at about 20-30 miles out.