Why does ATC Only on occasion along my route, keep telling me to maintain my assigned altitude when I can clearly see that by pressing the shift/Z I am at that altitude. I fly in Real Weather so that can give problems with sudden wind shifts in speed and direction but that is easily overcome simply by pressing the "B" key. This flight was in Great Britain flying from London-Gatwick to Glasgow (Scotland). Only an hour trip in my default FSX 737-800.What should the FSX setting be? Because I am flying in Europe, do I need to make sure that is in Hybrid (Feet, Millibars) as opposed to US (feet, inches)?

i suspect you do not have standard pressure dialed in. outside the united states, the transition level is not 180, and hitting the "B" key is the worst thing to do.open up the manual, and search for the topic of transition altitude, transition level, and setting the altimeter. there is even a tutorial across the pond, which helps you understand it.rc isn't busting your chops, just because he wants to. if you are at 6000, but 6000 is really FL60, and you're not at FL60, of course you're going to be slapped around. just like any pilot that doesn't have the altimeter set correctly, and is flying outside the altitude deviation that you chose under options.now don't go changing the options and give yourself 1000 ft altitude deviations, that's cheating :-)jd

Thanks for your reply jd.So let me just make sure I understand this properly. When ATC tell me to climb FL 11000, I must make sure the altimeter is set to 29.92. If ATC tell me to descend to 7000 (seven Zero), and gives me a QNH reading, then I set the altimeter back to local from 29.92 to 10.13.PS, there is no way I would give myself 1000ft altitude deviations in the options menu. I have it set to 200, 100ft below default. The 200 is to compensate for the odd nutty moment when ASX Real Weather has a sudden and abrupt wind change in speed and direction.

Hi Temp,<>Yes. By the way, it's FL110. FL11000 would put you well on your way to the moon! :-hah When you're instructed to climb or descend to any Flight Level you should always be on standard pressure. If, for example, you're at 4,000ft and are instructed to climb to FL110 you would ack the instruction and immediately switch from QNH to Standard Pressure.<>Yes, you would set the altimeter to QNH after acking that instruction. Standard pressure is 29.92" or 1013.2 hecto-pascals (AKA millibars). QNH will probably be something different.There's a very simple rule you should always adhere to... when instructed to a Flight Level you should be on Standard Pressure and when instructed to x thousand feet you should be on QNH. :-)You should be quite safe leaving the default altitude deviation alone. Strange winds may affect heading and speed but should have little effect on altitude.Cheers,

Thanks a great deal Ray for your comments. I really am understanding how this works now with regard to altitude.

OK, I've cracked it now. PHEW!..I've actually beaten the Critique this time. He said..."Excellent! carry on like this and I'll put (didn't quite catch everything he said.) out of business. Anyway, I appreciate that there's still a lot more to learn from RC4.

Nice one! Well done. :-) Once you're comfortable with Flight Levels try a flight into an airport with high ground close. You'll need to check NOTAMS. Innsbruck in Austria is challenging ;-)Cheers,

>Nice one! Well done. :-) Once you're comfortable with Flight>Levels try a flight into an airport with high ground close.>You'll need to check NOTAMS. Innsbruck in Austria is>challenging ;-)>>Cheers,That does sound challenging Ray. I have made a note of that and I will give it a go but as you say, once I'm comfortable with a few more flights under my belt like the one I've just successfully completed then I'll go for more challenging flights with RC4.Many thanks.

I think what he says is: "you'll put FSDO out of business". FSDO (he pronounces it "fizz-doe") is the Flight Standards District Office. In the US, they're the guys who take away your pilot's license if you really screw up!Someone should correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's what it says.

You're correct, he does say that.."Fizz-doe". He just said it again.

<>Now you're just showing off! :-lol

Speaking of FSDO i'm turned over to them alot mainly for busting altitude. Is there anyway to let them know you are in a stall? There is where I mess up with them when I get into a stall. The plane I fly ERJ 145 don't have A/T so I have to do it myself and sometimes I do get into a stall and end up starting over.

Decalare an Emergency. That switches off the altitude watchdog and you won't get chewed up.Better still, switch to an aircraft with an A/T and your enjoyment will increase enormously.Cheers,

>Now you're just showing off! :-lol :-lol :-lol