can someone explain to me how to persuade fsx atc to consistently provide me with vectors and approach instructions? although these are occasionalloy given, even when i am flying with a flight plan, atc apparently ignores me.steve chavin

Well, you've got to file an IFR flight plan first.As in the RW, you've got to open the flight plan. Then, even the FS ATC will know to provide you with separation services. However, when you leave busier areas, it is likely to tell you to "resume own navigation" which means you just follow your flight plan without any further direction from ATC. Once you're close enough to your destination you'll get vectors to the final approach course if you request such an approach. Otherwise you'll just be cleared to fly the full approach via XYZ transition. But I'm sure your problem is related to you not opening the flight plan after you have filed it.

I think you need to file an IFR flight plan and get a clearance. If you file VFR, or nothing, ATC will give you a direction to the airport, but that's it. Note that even on an IFR flight plan, ATC might direct you to make a visual approach. The only way to ensure getting vectored to an IAP is to set the weather below VFR minimums.scott s..

thanks for the quick reply. i do not wish to appear obtuse, but i thought that all one needed to do was to load an ifr flight plan when setting up a flight. are there additional steps required to open or file an ifr flight plan? also, is there a specific step to request vectors, other than opening an atc window towards the end of the flight plan?steve chavin

>thanks for the quick reply. i do not wish to appear obtuse,>but i thought that all one needed to do was to load an ifr>flight plan when setting up a flight. are there additional>steps required to open or file an ifr flight plan? also, is>there a specific step to request vectors, other than opening>an atc window towards the end of the flight plan?>>steve chavinDo you request IFR clearance before you start your flight?

>thanks for the quick reply. i do not wish to appear obtuse,>but i thought that all one needed to do was to load an ifr>flight plan when setting up a flight. are there additional>steps required to open or file an ifr flight plan? also, is>there a specific step to request vectors, other than opening>an atc window towards the end of the flight plan?If you load an IFR flight plan, you MUST "Request Clearance" before you can even ask to taxi...I cannot fathom how you could not see this required step......unless you're simply taking off without requesting permission! :)

bill:thanks for the direct reply and your suggestions. i am embarrassed to say that i have not generally (or perhaps never) requested clearance to taxi. i usually start a flight from the runway, even when filing an ifr flight plan. i confess i have occasionally taken off without permission from atc, especially when some ai aircraft overfly me. i also have never chosen to open a new flight plan, as atc sometimes suggests, because i did not know why this was necessary. i shall henceforth obey basic flight etiquette and do some basoc bookwork on ifr rules. steve chavin

Don't forget it is possible to request a change of the given approach and runway (if available) when the ATC gives you approach clearance. You cannot of course receive an ILS approach if there are no active runways with ILS navaids available.

>>thanks for the quick reply. i do not wish to appear obtuse,>>but i thought that all one needed to do was to load an ifr>>flight plan when setting up a flight. are there additional>>steps required to open or file an ifr flight plan? also,>is>>there a specific step to request vectors, other than opening>>an atc window towards the end of the flight plan?>>If you load an IFR flight plan, you MUST "Request Clearance">before you can even ask to taxi...>>I cannot fathom how you could not see this required step...>>...unless you're simply taking off without requesting>permission! :)>At a controlled field, yes, you would have to request your clearance before taxi. At an uncontrolled field, you can take off and then pick up your clearance from the air. Even in the RW, not every tower out there has the ability to activate IFR flight plans via computer and depending on how busy they are and what the prevailing weather is like, you may be asked to pick up your clearance when airborne from an overlying approach control or center. There's no practical reason to simulate this unless someone is just striving for absolute realism though.

>At an uncontrolled field, you can take>off and then pick up your clearance from the air. You could also get a clearance by phone.Michael J.http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/9320/apollo17vf7.jpg

Here's a suggestion: create a new flight and at the originating airport start at a parking space instead of the runway. After pressing "Fly Now" you'll see that one of your first choices is to get on the ATIS freq of the airport. Listen to ATIS and then select the clearance frequency; center will give you clearance. Then go to the ground frequency and request permission to taxi. From then on ATC will control your flight. ATC is just a program that expects certain responses from the operator. Since you've been skipping the early ATC instructions and the responses, ATC just drops you and leaves you on your own. Hope this helps.