Hi Captains,

There are some very fair questions here, so let me clarify the SimBrief point in a simpler way.

First of all, yes, ACE of ATCs is not architecturally married to SimBrief forever. In our architecture, SimBrief is an adapter. If another source can provide the same level of structured operational data later, we can build another adapter for it.

But for v1 and for the first beta, SimBrief gives us something very important: a consistent OFP-level operational starting contract.

For ACE, SimBrief is not just “import the player’s route and read it back.” It helps us set the operational scene.

It tells ACE what kind of structured airline IFR operation the player is trying to fly: departure, destination, accepted route, timing, aircraft context, alternate, fuel and reserve assumptions, NOTAM context and the dispatch picture around that flight.

Once that scene is established, ACE can build the traffic world around it. Departing AI traffic can be generated with proper departure intent and SID service. Arriving AI traffic can be generated with arrival intent, STAR service, vectors, visual approach logic where appropriate and sequencing pressure around the player’s operation.

So the important distinction is this:

AI aircraft do not need SimBrief because ACE can generate their internal dispatch objects itself.

The player aircraft is different. We do not want to guess the player’s operational intent in v1. SimBrief gives us that intent in a standardized OFP form.

After the session starts, ACE is not simply replaying SimBrief. ACE owns the live operational state: traffic, runway state, clearances, readbacks, airport state, weather, sequencing, AMAN/DMAN decisions and the moving bubble.

So SimBrief is not the whole ATC system. It is the initial dispatch/OFP anchor that lets ACE build a disciplined operational world around the player.

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ACE of ATCs is being developed with a hexagonal architecture. That means external data sources are adapters/plugins around the core domain. Today, for v1, that adapter is SimBrief. Tomorrow, if another source can provide the right structured operational contract, we can build another adapter for that too.

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I do not want to sound pushy about the SimBrief requirement. It is simply the cleanest way for us to keep the first beta focused, consistent and operationally disciplined.

As always,

With love and blue skies,

/Anil

Agree SimBrief is the way to go if you're expecting quality thanks Anil