On 10/10/2025 at 8:18 AM, cowpatz said:

I considered this a while ago……and briefly. Subscription models sound great, but at the end of the day when the collective cost of all household subscriptions is added up, it becomes a sizeable chunk of income. Navigraph is the only FS related subscription I maintain. 

Spot on - too many subscriptions these days.   They add up big time.  I got rid of all mine, except Navigraph, and I'm considering not renewing that either.

54 minutes ago, Matt Webb said:

Navigraph, and I'm considering not renewing that either.

I gave mine up.  With the improved EFB in 2024 and the fact that I gave up tubes, It is not worth it anymore, to me anyway.  If MSFS goes subscription, I am done with it.

10 hours ago, Georgleboui said:

There was also talk of pilot activated lighting coming soon.

Whilst I am not a real pilot, to me this sums up this thread with all the "extras" SI is putting in that it appears the a lot don't really want.

 

What has pilot operated lighting go to do with ATC and don't I already control my own lighting with my switches etc, I'm intrigued, I control Landing/Taxi/Strobes/Nav/Beacon and the in cockpit lighting myself with switches...Is there any other lighting I'm missing?

 

Or is it to get the co-pilot to do it when using a checklist?

23 minutes ago, davenicoll said:

Whilst I am not a real pilot, to me this sums up this thread with all the "extras" SI is putting in that it appears the a lot don't really want.

 

What has pilot operated lighting go to do with ATC and don't I already control my own lighting with my switches etc, I'm intrigued, I control Landing/Taxi/Strobes/Nav/Beacon and the in cockpit lighting myself with switches...Is there any other lighting I'm missing?

 

Or is it to get the co-pilot to do it when using a checklist?

It has a lot to do with comms. Pilot Controlled Lighting allows you to activate airfield lights via a special frequency. You’ll often see it on airfield charts either as PAL or PCL. 

You basically tune to a frequency, push transmit - usually once for low intensity, twice for medium, three for high.

Edited October 11, 2025Oct 11 by Georgleboui

6 minutes ago, Georgleboui said:

It has a lot to do with comms. Pilot Controlled Lighting allows you to activate airfield lights via a special frequency. You’ll often see it on airfield charts either as PAL or PCL. 

You basically tune to a frequency, push transmit - usually once for low intensity, twice for medium, three for high.

I thought that MSFS airfield lights are always on...

4 hours ago, Georgleboui said:

It has a lot to do with comms. Pilot Controlled Lighting allows you to activate airfield lights via a special frequency. You’ll often see it on airfield charts either as PAL or PCL. 

You basically tune to a frequency, push transmit - usually once for low intensity, twice for medium, three for high.

That’s not possible as far as I know. There’s no API for changing airport lights, else someone would have already made a simple mod for it

5 hours ago, ha5mvo said:

I thought that MSFS airfield lights are always on...

They are in msfs.  However, in xplane they only turn on at dusk or inclement weather, and therefore may have more ability to control airport lighting.  Keep in mind SI is a multi-sim product with one fee for all.

Edited October 11, 2025Oct 11 by Gilandred

11 hours ago, ha5mvo said:

I thought that MSFS airfield lights are always on...

That's fixed in 2024, kinda, they don't turn completely off, they're just rendered extremely faintly. You can't really tell that they're still on unless you're on the ground.

Edited October 11, 2025Oct 11 by Tuskin38

11 hours ago, Georgleboui said:

It has a lot to do with comms. Pilot Controlled Lighting allows you to activate airfield lights via a special frequency. You’ll often see it on airfield charts either as PAL or PCL. 

You basically tune to a frequency, push transmit - usually once for low intensity, twice for medium, three for high.

"Type J systems are activated by keying the microphone five times within five seconds, while type K is initially activated by clicking seven times within five seconds. Once activated, the intensity of type K systems may then be turned to low, medium, or high intensity settings by keying the microphone three, five, or seven times within five seconds, respectively."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot-controlled_lighting

One of the things that really gets me is the idea to implement recorded examples of the interactions of the other pilots that talked to SayIntentions. 

That sounds good in theory, but the amount of totally clueless people who are on frequency with non standard phraseology is way worse than on Vatsim, were people usually know their stuff.

I really have to switch those off in Say Intentions, they bother me to no end.

11 hours ago, ha5mvo said:

I thought that MSFS airfield lights are always on...

Not all, there are smaller airfields that have a paved runway - not just dirt strips - but no lighting at all. I imagine it's primarily for those.

 

57 minutes ago, Tuskin38 said:

That's fixed in 2024, kinda, they don't turn completely off, they're just rendered extremely faintly. You can't really tell that they're still on unless you're on the ground.

Actually from my testing just now, I don't think they render in any practical way during daylight - zoomed right into one of them.

32 minutes ago, martinboehme said:

"Type J systems are activated by keying the microphone five times within five seconds, while type K is initially activated by clicking seven times within five seconds. Once activated, the intensity of type K systems may then be turned to low, medium, or high intensity settings by keying the microphone three, five, or seven times within five seconds, respectively."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot-controlled_lighting

 Those pilot controls functionality is mostly for uncontrolled fields or controlled field when tower is closed. Pilot control lightings are usually attached to CTAF or tower frequency . So when tower is on duty you can ask them to change intensity 

Had it for a year.I'm out. Even at 19.95 not worth it.

I remember that when SI first launched, they were eager to say that prices would drop fairly quickly as AI technology evolved. But the exact opposite has happened.  

Why? In my view, it’s because of all the unnecessary bloat they keep adding to the product. A far better approach would’ve been to focus solely on vectoring and general IFR/VFR ATC, and then offer traffic injection as an optional add-on for those who wanted it…maybe as a small extra monthly fee.

They’re in a pretty unique position, offering a solution that works across both sims. If the base product were truly solid, which, after multiple tests, I don’t believe it is, I’d happily be a long-term subscriber.

39 minutes ago, GCBraun said:

Why? In my view, it’s because of all the unnecessary bloat they keep adding to the product. A far better approach would’ve been to focus solely on vectoring and general IFR/VFR ATC, and then offer traffic injection as an optional add-on for those who wanted it…maybe as a small extra monthly fee.

They’re in a pretty unique position, offering a solution that works across both sims. If the base product were truly solid, which, after multiple tests, I don’t believe it is, I’d happily be a long-term subscriber.

So many people are saying this (myself included) but for some reason Brian doesn't seem to think its a factor. Its an odd business model over there...doing a bunch of things to an average standard as opposed to doing one or two things to a high standard...