Do you guys have much success with IFR? Flying in Alaska they always tell me to descend to a level that would put me straight into a mountain.  When they do this, I end up cancelling IFR anyways. then when IFR is cancelled by me my copilot requests it again.  Are there better alternatives I've never looked into 3rd party ATC.

You can fly IFR without ATC...  Just use IFR for navigation.. that is what I do..

When I fly IFR I don't follow the default ATC. I just follow the Simbrief flight plans along with Navigraph charts. I never run into any mountains flying around Alaska or anywhere else. You should be following the approach charts into any airport anyway.

I only do RNAV excluding ATC until close to IAF then request a landing.

I believe ATC (the sim) knows the approach I'm tuned too and with the appropriate actve wind usually grants the request.

Edited February 19Feb 19 by Sky_Pilot071

Todd: 

Yes, as said, you can e.g., fly IFR navigation with a (carefully) pre-created flight plan (but without ATC) to ensure safety around these mountains (such as flying along the valleys low or fly over the mountains at sufficient altitude).

Of course, you must use appropriate en-route charts and such, to not run into mountains,

It can be done. I’ve done it often, myself being a mountain lover, and a frequent mountain explorer in MSFS.

Simply don't use MSFS ATC.

If You really want ATC, then look for Sayintentions.AI or Beyond ATC.

Sigh... i made a thread on ATC in hopes that one day it is buffed. Bummer everyone is just content with using third party

I try to fly with BATC most of the time, but sadly, due to the occasions when it gets things wrong, I have got rather tired with the regular disconnects. Recently, I would get a disconnect within seconds of starting the app. I have tried every single suggestion on their help page, reinstalled both the PMDG, FSLTL and BATC itself and it still has not been corrected. To me now it's unuseable, so I have reverted to starting up FSLTL on it's own, flying the Simbrief FP with some generic ATC files I have that add a bit of immersion. 

I used to enjoy interacting with ATC in P3D, and watching AI planes land and depart (with half decent animation). I do not bother with ATC in MSFS 2024 at all, and I use the AI planes as static aircraft. I am still enjoying my flights, but it would be nice to recreate the ATC/AI environment that I enjoyed in P3D (including the visible landing gear).

Edited February 19Feb 19 by Christopher Low

Same here as you @Christopher Low😉 I've recreate this ambiance, far better, with MSFS2024 + Say Intentions traffic injection (GA VFR + IFR/Liners) using AIG models. Can't remember an issue with the landing gear. Watch a Embraer landing at KSFO this morning and it was all OK.

9 hours ago, Todd2 said:

Do you guys have much success with IFR? Flying in Alaska they always tell me to descend to a level that would put me straight into a mountain.  When they do this, I end up cancelling IFR anyways. then when IFR is cancelled by me my copilot requests it again.  Are there better alternatives I've never looked into 3rd party ATC.

Todd:

With all that said, I’ve closely examined all your Alaska posts, in the Screenshots Forum, and have enjoyed the beauty and ambience of those (MSFS) images, attempting to bring out (and share) the best of this remarkable region of the world.

TBH, to enjoy Alaska up close (in our virtual world), the only way to go is VFR, along with the freedom of a Bush airplane (no ATC and no IFR); just as the early pioneers of Alaska’s aviation used to do…🙂…Of course, virtual (or RW), we need to be extra careful around these mountainous regions.

If you feel like IFR and the ATC (of your choice), you can always recreate a flight e.g., between a pair of cities such as Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. Your new 737 NG, in the Alaska livery, will do very well for that purpose…🙂…

That’s what I do.

Cheers…!

Edited February 19Feb 19 by P_7878

Sadly pretty much all of the ATC software is worthless, especially when it comes to terrain.

I do all my flights semi realistically (when I want) without.

If you're flying more flat land areas, and are in an airliner, BATC can be acceptable.  As long as you stick to SIDs/STARs.

Yeah basically I ignore default ATC and just fly myself.  You can either just radio them that you are going vfr and fly yourself, or just ignore them when they hand you off.  Default ATC sadly doesn't really tell you much useful, other than maybe the active runway (and often that's wrong, I just do that myself as well).  

I recently switched to BATC which is a big improvement (but still lacking at times).

Edited February 19Feb 19 by kerosene31

9 hours ago, Todd2 said:

Are there better alternatives I've never looked into 3rd party ATC.

Then it's time. FSHUD, BeyondATC and SayIntentions. I tried them all and for me BeyondATC is the clear winner, even though FSHUD is currently already taking care of seperation, something which is not yet implemented  in BATC, and FSHUD makes it easier to configure any approach and runway you'd like.

 

SayIntentions is overpriced AI Slop that is best for VFR flying.

Edited February 19Feb 19 by Farlis

Default ATC is just trash period!

Even a certain amount FSLTL traffic will choke and bug it to a point of unresponsiveness.

I would check out a third party ATC program, but at this point I really don't care to pay a monthly/yearly subscription for anything.