I'm just learning IFR on my FSS E175 experimental. I loaded my Simbrief flight plan into the MCDU going from Anchorage to Juneau. When I got near Juneau the flight plan disappeared off of my MFD but it caught up with it a little later I guess it was a discontinuity. Anyways ATC told me to drop from 25,000 to 2,000 when I got near Juneau and I was on the leg of the flightplan that reappeared and I was heading straight for a mountain I would have it but I switched AP off to avoid crashing. Is it a mistake I made or is it just the MSFS ATC?

It is just MSFS ATC. I doubt that you made any mistake. 

Unfortunately, yes, Todd, I too recall my rude awakening in IFR learning with MSFS default ATC.

Indeed, the MSFS ATC will send you at times on the direct course for a CFIT type incidence.

Thanks fellas another thing I noticed was that ATC waited till I was over my destination airport before it told me to lower from 26,000 to 2,000. Don't know why it waited so long. This was on a second flight in the Dash 7 with no Simbrief just the MSFS EFB IFR flightplan. 

ATC in real life has done this.

My mother steered me into accountancy, when I always wanted to be a lumberjack. Or a pretend pilot. 

More seriously, whatever ATC says, it's up to you to fly the plane. Both approaches into Juneau are over mountainous terrain and it's up to you not to hit it! Just say "No!" 

In short, however, it probably MS's ATC. 

That happens occasionally with every ATC service (in-game or 3rd party) and even happened to me on Vatsim with a human controller. The general rule in aviation is: aviate, navigate, communicate. That means make first sure that you are in control of the airplane, then make sure you are not heading into something unknown or dangerous, and then coordinate with ATC. If ATC tells you something that you anticipate to be bad, you can say "unable to comply" and tell them what you will do instead. With the in-game ATC, you did the right thing: if it does monkey business, just ignore it.

Peter

1 hour ago, The_Flying_Potato said:

My mother steered me into accountancy, when I always wanted to be a lumberjack. Or a pretend pilot. 

More seriously, whatever ATC says, it's up to you to fly the plane. Both approaches into Juneau are over mountainous terrain and it's up to you not to hit it! Just say "No!" 

In short, however, it probably MS's ATC. 

[Those Canadian lumberjack TV shows, I recall, on the History or/and Discovery Channels were really good. I need to get back watching some of those again. After all, the (required) skills-set between the professions of lumberjack and a pretend pilot, are roughly, co-aligned, I would say...🙂...]

Anyway, on the topic, yes, it's finally up to the PIC, to stay safe, in the mountainous regions, with supplementary add-ons or/and constant situational awareness, especially at low altitudes.

@Todd2 Here is another post from a short while ago, on the same topic. @RobJC was happily coasting along U.S. at 10,500 ft, in the vicinity of the Rockies, until he came face-to-face against these formidable mountains. Obviously, 10,500 ft will not do for the Rockies, and the FSHud (ATC) didn't seem to mind, and was fine with it.

Below is the post, with some tips included, to keep safe, over and above the ATC instructions:

4 minutes ago, P_7878 said:

[Those Canadian lumberjack TV shows, I recall, on the History or/and Discovery Channels were really good. I need to get back watching some of those again. After all, the (required) skills-set between the professions of lumberjack and a pretend pilot, are roughly, co-aligned, I would say...🙂..

I thought he was referring to this 🙂

 

2 hours ago, The_Flying_Potato said:

My mother steered me into accountancy, when I always wanted to be a lumberjack. Or a pretend pilot. 

More seriously, whatever ATC says, it's up to you to fly the plane. Both approaches into Juneau are over mountainous terrain and it's up to you not to hit it! Just say "No!" 

In short, however, it probably MS's ATC. 

You saved me a post. Cheers, 🫡

2 hours ago, The_Flying_Potato said:

My mother steered me into accountancy, when I always wanted to be a lumberjack. Or a pretend pilot. 

More seriously, whatever ATC says, it's up to you to fly the plane. Both approaches into Juneau are over mountainous terrain and it's up to you not to hit it! Just say "No!" 

In short, however, it probably MS's ATC. 

Please share with us the origin of "The Flying Potato" handle.  Did it come from the food fight scene in Animal House?

When I used the default ATC, I would just go vfr and ignore it and fly myself.  Calculate your proper top of descent, arrival, etc.  Basically learn the proper procedures yourself and ignore the default ATC.  

4 hours ago, vp49p3 said:

Please share with us the origin of "The Flying Potato" handle.  Did it come from the food fight scene in Animal House?

Right. This is going to be fun. 

I went to Douai School, between 1978 and 1983. A school mate - who went on to be singer Paul Young's producer - wherever he laid his hat...

So, Kev, the producer, decided that everyone from 'up north' - I am now in Scunthorpe but was in Sussex / Surrey - ate 'nobbut chip butties'. Hence.. 

So, Chip Butty, it is. Mangled reasoning,  vp49p3

 

Edited February 12Feb 12 by The_Flying_Potato

4 hours ago, Ron Attwood said:

You saved me a post. Cheers, 🫡

It's a thing I do. Meh... 

4 hours ago, vp49p3 said:

Please share with us the origin of "The Flying Potato" handle.  Did it come from the food fight scene in Animal House?

No! LOL