Hello!I have a question about how Radar Contact Ver 3.01 handles the altitude assignments when on radar vectors.I do 95% of my VFR and IFR flights in the mountain regions (Colorado, Montana, Idaho, ect.) using the built-in flight planner in MSFS 2002 to plan the route.When using RC3 for ATC on these flights, and when I am in the range of about 60-80 miles or so of the destination, RC3 consistently gives me instructions to descend from my cruise altitude to some lower altitude and places my aircraft on radar vectors in preparation for the approach.This is not a problem for the most part except that the altitude assignments are so low that I am only clearing some peaks by about 100-200 feet AGL at times! Even in IMC or MVFR conditions (1-2 miles) the aircraft is barely missing the top of the mountain peaks and trees located on those mountains!For example, I was flying an IFR route yesterday from Missoula, Montana to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and when I was around 60 miles out of the Coeur d'Alene airport, RC3 had me descend from 14000 ft MSL to 6000 ft MSL. Then when I was within 25 miles of the Coeur d'Alene airport, RC3 had me descend to 5000 ft. MSL. This only gave me around a 50 foot clearance over the peaks of the mountains and I almost hit the trees on them a couple of times! The published MSA in that are is around 7100 feet.According to the FAA Airman's Information Manual, when receiving radar vectors, ATC normally guarantees a minimum of 1000 foot obstacle and terrain clearance when being vectored to an approach.Is there some setting in RC3 that I need to change so that the program doesn't ask me to descend to an altitude that doesn't provide for obstruction / terrain clearance? Or is the RC3 program reading this data from an external source or from Flight Simulator's scenery database?Any info. on this would be appreciated!ScottATP/CFII- KCOSFrom the Far Side: "Hey Captain - what's that mountain goat doing way up here in the clouds?"

notams will fix the problem you are having

I'm new to RCv3. I know what NOTAMs are in the real aviation world, but what do you mean by them in relation to radar contact?Sorry to be ignorant on this. Is it a setting or something that needs to be downloaded into Radar Contact?ScottATP/CFII - KCOS

page 82 of the manual:NOTAMsCheck these where appropriate for your departure, arrival, alternate 1, and 2 airfields. Check this whenever you takeoff or land in hilly or mountainous surroundings. Normally, RC gives you clearance for certain altitudes during departure or approach. When you fly in the Swiss Alps or in the Rockies or near Mount Everest, it is quite possible that RC will vector you straight into the side of a mountain. But if you have thought about it, done some reconnaissance, and checked these NOTAM boxes, RC would in effect leave you free to pick your own altitude.When filing a NOTAM on departure, RC expects you to tell the controller when you are on course and able to follow his altitude instructions. Only then will it be possible for you to hand over the plane to your co-pilot. If you have filed a NOTAM during approach, your co-pilot will hand back the plane when you contact approach. After all, the whole purpose of the NOTAM is that RC doesn

Thank you! I guess I missed that page!Scott :-)