Radar contact Version 4 what I want in an ATC program

[flightsimmer747 0]

Hi guys i never bought v3 of radar contact and v4 sounds pretty good but the users that already have dealt with RC what has been your experience, do you like it what is the coolest feature? I've been tempted to consider purchasing RC when version 4 comes out but honestly fs9 atc will do for me. Its not the greatest but i can live with it.Also i think RC forces to look at charts like real life as much as i find that realistic i also find it time consuming and the sim pilot I am already takes 20 minutes to setup a flight in my PMDG 737 and probably longer in the upcoming 747. Not to mention all the things i need to open when launching fs9 and fs auto start etc....What i would like from a ATC program is different voices (many different real voices) realistic vectoring able to recognize sid and stars and most importantly AI vectoring (string of pearls) and speed restrictions from tower (on final speed restriction) to center (center calling mach speed separation). Is this asking for to much or is v4 like this? Thanks!P.s thanks but don't suggest vatsim i personally prefer AI traffic (for now)P4 3.0ghzasus p4p800 dx2 x 512mb gig ram pc 3200 400 mhzati X800 XL 256mb420 watt psu

[jd 57]

if fs9 atc works for you, then rc v3 or v4 may not be for you.i've never used a chart with rc. and in v4, when told to taxi to rwy 36, i'll pick my path. if there other planes going to rwy 36, v4 will actually tell you to follow the american 757 to rwy 36.you say you spend 20 minutes setting up the pmdg, which i assume you do for realism. if you demand that level of realism, it would seem that charts should be part of it. but like i said, i don't use them, so you don't have to use them eitherwe will have many different voices. and, you can add yours to the mix if you wish. that's pretty realistic.you say you want realistic vectoring for sids and stars. but the definition of sids and stars means you don't get vectors. sids and stars replace a bunch of vectors. it's a controllers shorthand for getting you from a to b. if your planner supports sids, and stars, then rc will handle sids and stars. but rc isn't going to vector you through each of the sid's legs. that's your job.and a star ends when you contact approach. same for rc. if what you really want is a precision approach, then you can ask for that. but if you ask for that. rc assumes you know how to fly it. by definition that means rc won't vector though each precision approach leg.ai vectoring? i'll be moving them out of your way, so they cause conflicts enroute. in approach, i will move slower planes from in front of you, out of your way. i will also slow faster planes behind you, so they don't fly up your, well, tail ;-)is that what you mean?speed restrictions? i give you 230, 210, etc. since i move ai on final out of conflict (see above), there isn't much need to slow you up or speed you up.center speed restrictions, same. i don't need to have you change what you are doing because of conflicts. conflicts are avoided.i'll let the more eloquent beta testers chime in here. with a uk controller, doug at zme, and a whole host of people that do a lot of flying - they all think we're close to what we're trying to do. there is always room for improvement and features.but for me, when confronted with the choice of figuring out how to add a purple line for taxi or handle discretionary descents from cruise - i'll always take the realistic feature.hope this spurs more comments, and a continuing dialogjd

[CactusDx 0]

Joe,Going from default ATC to Radar Contact is similar to going from the default flight sim 737 to the PMDG 737. There is a bit of a learning curve but if it's realism you seek (and you must be since you're an NG user) then it is worth the effort.I guarantee that it'll tighten up your flying and force you to be a better sim pilot. Michael CollierDispatcher/SOCAmerica West Airlines

[bobbyjoh 11]

Joe,As a RCv4 beta tester that uses the PMDG 738, it also takes me 20 minutes to do a preflight also. When I am ready to go, V4 does an excellent job telling me to taxi to a runway, where I am to hold. Now for your point. In the real world, you would have an airport layout chart. I have Jepp charts for every airport in the world that FS supports with Jepp Sim Charts. Not having a chart is like driving cross country with no maps.I use FSBuild V2 to build my flight plan which also has SID/STARS functions. I use FSB on each flight. As John indicated a "vectored" approach means that ATC will vector you when it needs to, same as real world. At times the STAR must be corrected in the FMC to reflect what ATC wants you to do. Just had that happen going into KIAH. If you want to fly a pure STAR, then you request from RC approach an IAP, which allows you to fly the STAR as published. When in mountain terrain I always use it. Look at the approach into KSNA and you will know what I mean. Now lets talk real world, vs the FMC, ATC has NO idea what your FMC is displaying. Due to traffic, weather, and flow control, R/W ATC will vector you, slow you down or speed you up due to the factors I just mentioned. NEVER assume that a STAR is the way it is really done. I use the STAR plates as a reference to where I am in the airport arrival airspace. Once you contact ATC ARRIVAL they own you. RCv4 will put you right at the edge of real world, now the question to you, are YOU ready? (grin)Since you and I both fly a very complex airplane, RCv4 will make you work your tail off just as the real world two pilots do, remember there are two pilots doing what we must do alone, so get ready to work. (smile)Lots of recorded voices in V4, so look out it will be fun.Bob

[flightsimmer747 0]

Hi guys 1st off I want to thank all of you for your input, I've read everything you mention and I do agree the purple line should go, I understand the vectoring a little better too. So the way i understand it is I can just use use any taxi way even with (assuming ground) gave me a clearance they will not tell me your going the wrong way if i took foxtrot tango to get to the rwy instead of alpha bravo (examples) right? All in all no charts are needed, just orientation of the airport? Also suppose i choose not to fly sid stars will it be like default atc (but better) where it will or can vector me all the way to final (ILS) and then contact tower just curious (probably dumb question)? I understand there will be a manual for RC v4 any other way i can read everything it has to offer?edit: JD i understand the ai vectoring now and thats good enough guess i need to dump ai smooth right?Also speed restrictions i understand what you mean and thats fine and more than enough however do we hear the other planes being told their speed? Center restrictions not really needed in this case either. What is the interface of the program does it work by itself or does fs9 atc run in the background? I mean if i want to get rid of it can i completly and V4 will talk to AI the whole time without fs9 atc at all?Last but not least i'm guessing there is background chatter is this real life archived recordings or is it all real time, based on whats happening in the sim and no other chatter exits?Sorry for the long post but its getting very interesting!!!!

[jd 57]

correct. since i don't know how to get there, i can't yell at you for going the way you're going.absoluetly, if you don't ask for an iap, you will get crisp downwind, base, intercept and final vectors. or depending on your arrival direction in respect to the runway, a turn to base.when you're 7 miles out, you're told to contact tower (assuming there is one)i've posted several times, on v4 features. download and read the v3 manual, and get ready for v4not sure what ai smooth is, so i can't say whether you need it or notjd

[flightsimmer747 0]

Sorry AI smooth is traffic separator but i guess you take care of that? Ai smooth puts everything in holding positions and releases them one by one.

[ronzie 21]

Beta tester Ray P. has replied to me in another thread that he is using aismooth along with RC 4. AI Smooth controls traffic further out placing them in hold patterns whereas he stated RC 4 works closer in, so there should not be a conflict in AI control.AI Smooth ver 1.00 still needs a few things worked out. This freeware version is included with the new Traffic 2005 product as well as being available on various libraries. I have been using AIS with RC 3.1 along with Ultimate Traffic 2 at 80% AI and the AIS option to respond to my aircraft disabled. This has helped thin down the aircraft on final so what aircraft remain have a better chance of clearing the runway and better yet the takeoff queues are shorter due to less hold short times for take-off, both me and AI. There are settings in AI Smooth that determine at what distances to have AI control and release it so conflicts should be avoidable.