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Good afternoon, Ken.........Ray Landolt here."Stuck" - Hmmmmmmm.....don't know that I'd call it that. For me, that is the immersion of it. Besides, the interaction between you and VoxATC is completely script driven - what I mean - there is a text prompt on your computer screen "telling" you what to say - all along the way. Optionally, with v 6.05, you can opt to have your FO handle all the radio "chores". I do both - depends how "lazy" I feel. I guess, in the real world, the FO handles the radios normally - yes?The other big bonus (for me) - is that I do NOT have to engage MS Speech - I turn it off completely - then no chance of errors. I use a button on my CH Yoke as a PTT switch (configured from within VoxATC.)It is very easy to use - even if one has no idea what to say (for non-pilots like me). :( This alone makes this program better (for me) than RC4 - as much as I love that program - (I really do) - this is just more "pleasant" for me. The new 6.05 version is just great.All Best, Ray Landolt

P.S. - Ken, I wrote this in another reply - "I just thought of something: if you let the FO to handle the Radios (in the VoxATC setup, click enable First Officer to enable the FO......then once FSX (or FS9) is running and you startVoxATC, press the "K" key on your keyboard - this makes the FO "wake up" (FO will be in green lettters) and s/he will handle the radios for you - you don't need to speak at all - when you are prompted to "call for clearance", "call for taxi", etc - just press the PTT key on your flight yoke/joystick. When I do that, I can fly the whole flight without uttering a word". :( This way, Ken - you wouldn't have to speak at all - how's that?Best, Ray L.

OK, I bought VOXATC last night. I spent most of this morning trying to figure out exactly what I was doing. I finally figured out how to save and load a flight(I knew how to do it,I just didn't realize you had to do it for this program), and away I went. The Voxpop voices that come with it are alright, but it's probably going to take an investment of some of the pay voices to really make a difference. That being said, it was pretty cool interacting with ATC. I use FS2crew also, so I could use my virtual FO to tune the radios. Unfortunately, I didn't get to complete the flight, as the ORBX scenery I was using locked up on me again. I'm going to have to move to a different part of the world to be able to finish a flight. All in all, it was an enjoyable experience. I'm sure it will be even better once I figure out what I'm doing.

Hi, Mike......Ray Landolt here. By saving the flight, do you mean you use a flight planner and save the flight, or do you also mean the extra step of setting everything up in the flight sim, then save that flight? (as an FLT file). 'Cause you don't have to do the 2nd step. You only need to make a flight plan and save it. VoxATC will "understand" once you start the simulator and load your flight plan - it will "read" it. Not sure I made any sense here - :(.All best, Ray L.

Hi folks,I have one question about VoxATC. I have found that sentence on their hompage:So I have to run my german windows in english to use VoxATC? Also I don't need voice control. Is there any possibility to use it without this future?Best regards Jonathan

Hi, Jonathan.......sorry, I don't know the correct answer to your question as I speak only English. My suggestion: jump over to the VoxATC Forum here on AVSIM and ask your question again. I'll bet you'll find soemone who knows! Best of luck! As far as I know VoxATC only uses voice (hence the name - Vox). Again - maybe worth a shot asking at the VoxATC Forum here on AVSIM. Many knowledgeable users.I just thought of something: if you let the FO to handle the Radios (in the VoxATC setup, click enable First Officer to enable the FO......then once FSX (or FS9) is running and you startVoxATC, press the "K" key on your keyboard - this makes the FO "wake up" (FO will be in green lettters) and s/he will handle the radios for you - you don't need to speak at all - when you are prompted to "call for clearance", "call for taxi", etc - just press the PTT key on your flight yoke/joystick. When I do that, I can fly the whole flight without uttering a word. :( Let me add one more thing, please - (sorry if I sound like a VoxATC salesperson) - :( - I'm not.Last cool feature (for now) - you can start VoxATC at ANY TIME during your flight (I know - why would you not start from the beginning??!!) To prove something to myself - I have started VoxATC as late as just before TD, and it gave me precisely the right controller - how's that for cool!!!???? I know you would never do this as a SOP, but it's fun to see the program "react" so well.All best, Ray Landolt

Good afternoon, Ken.........Ray Landolt here."Stuck" - Hmmmmmmm.....don't know that I'd call it that. For me, that is the immersion of it. Besides, the interaction between you and VoxATC is completely script driven - what I mean - there is a text prompt on your computer screen "telling" you what to say - all along the way. Optionally, with v 6.05, you can opt to have your FO handle all the radio "chores". I do both - depends how "lazy" I feel. I guess, in the real world, the FO handles the radios normally - yes?The other big bonus (for me) - is that I do NOT have to engage MS Speech - I turn it off completely - then no chance of errors. I use a button on my CH Yoke as a PTT switch (configured from within VoxATC.)It is very easy to use - even if one has no idea what to say (for non-pilots like me). :( This alone makes this program better (for me) than RC4 - as much as I love that program - (I really do) - this is just more "pleasant" for me. The new 6.05 version is just great.All Best, Ray Landolt

Good morning, everyone! Ray Landolt (Blackbird) here............a couple of replies ........To Alaa - you're most welcome.......To Andrew Simmons - yes indeed, you can go into the VoxATC voice configuration (get to this from the main VoxATC Folder - use start button). Once in voice configuration - please notice that there are 2 tabs - assignments and settings. It is "settings" that you want, to control speed and volume of your voices. I find that I have to make some of these voices louder and some softer - as well as make some of them talk faster or slower. Also, the free VoxPOP voices that are filtered and have static built in, I must turn up the volume on those as well. Another possibility would be to go into FSX config and turn down your engine sounds a bit - yes, I know, then all your planes' engines will be a bit softer. One more idea: you could go into the sound files and directly edit the volume of your engine sound files (this is what I do) using a digital sound editing program (like Cool Edit Pro - which is now called something else, as it was purchased by Adobe, I believe.) This is a more complicated endeavor, and not for the "faint of heart". :Big Grin:Through the years, I have made many adjustments to the sound files of my different aircraft (flaps, landing gear, spoilers, switches on overhead panel etc, etc. I adjust them to my liking (i.e. -If I want the reversers to be louder, then I just go and make them louder. Other things I make softer - the disarming of Autopilot, for example, drives me nuts - too loud. Yes, I know, I am changing "reality" - well, it's my reality after all. Another one that drives me bonkers (sorry - I'm an old man!!) is GWPS volume - waaaay too loud (for me) - so, I edit all those "nag" files - Woop woop, pull up, pull up! Shut up!!! Haa haa! I turn down the volume on those.Alright - I've ranted too long - I'm sure I'm boring anyone reading this. Sorry.All best, Ray LandoltP.S. - Indeed - version 6.05 is a big update for VoxATC - MUCH better than v 5!!!

Thanks Ray & Akila

Hi, Alaa - you are most welcome!Best - Ray Landolt

Ray, I have a question concerning the ATT voices. Am I correct in assuming that if I bought a German voice that all commands would be in German and not English with a German accent? I only ask because I do a lot of flying in Europe.

Hi, mwilk - to help you in your inquiry - here is the address for you to listen to samples - and purchase if desired. I am quite amazed at the non-English voices (though I do not use any of them). www.nextup.comEnjoy!Best, Ray Landolt

Hi, Akila - thanks for all the info you provided........even though the questions were not mine, I always learn interesting things here on the Forums. (ie - I didn't know that there is a Forum on AVSIM for VoxATC). Excellent! I'll have to check that out!All best, Ray Landolt

+1 - have read quite a few of your reviews - always insightful and thorough - thank you!!Ray Landolt (Blackbird)Going shopping - now!

Good morning, from beautiful Southern NH, USA!!! It's Ray (Blackbird)..........spectacular day here!I I just wanted to reply to Alaa and Gerard.......but first - my disclaimer: I am NOT a real-world pilot, so there are aspects of flying of which I am unaware - sorry. (ie - the direct application of SIDs / STARs) and many other things!Alaaar - this is what I've found - I build my flight plan in FS Build (amazing program, IMHO), I keep the SIDs and STARs it recommends, then export the flightplan to my different aircraft, which is then available right in the aircraft as a CO-route. (company route?)Anyway, the SIDs and STARs seem to be there in the flightplan - I don't know if you can adjust them during flight - I know that VoxATC has done some "tweaking" to same - it's in the main VoxATC start menu - called SID & STAR setup and SID & STAR Wizard. I have not yet messed with either one, so I can't tell you anything useful - sorry. I am not qualified to comment on many of the other questions you asked about the program.Gerard - my "guess" is that the VoxATC UK version would have European procedures and expressions - using the word "decimal" instead of "point" on radio frequencies. As far as accents - ATT voices now come in different accents (and languages). Also, a couple of the free VoxPOP voices are different accents. (I believe Scottish and Indian).Oh, one more thing I DO know - you can use VoxATC with ANY addon aircraft - you can let it add itself to the panel, or you can do it manually (very easy). It reads the flightplan, whether it's one you created in FSX (FS9), or any other program.Well, fellas - I'm off - no, not to fly (I wish!) - I must go food shopping with the wife (I go, so I can get stuff I want...... You know.....guy food - sausage, beer, etc.. :( All best, Ray Landolt ('Bird)

Hi guys - Blackbird (Ray Landolt) again........MWILK - yeah, VoxATC is kind of expensive, especially when you add ATT voices - I bought my ATT voices over a couple of years time.That is one that was nicely done in RC4 (the addition of Meatwater's voices - he did a great job with those - very real.)Evan - I agree with you about the ground incursion issue - however, the AI traffic never runs into me - but I do occasionally run into them (if I'm taking a corner, and do not look out the side window - DUH! Go me! :( I wish ground did a better job of letting me know who's around. I also have not been able to find any sort of support forum for VoxATC.Of course, after the day's events (2 planes on the ground clipping each other), maybe VoxATC is not so far off - :( But - I still enjoy VoxATC - it seems (to me) to be a big improvement over v 5.I wait - (like the rest of us who don't use VATSIM or IVAO) for Radar Contact v 5. Should be amazing. He writes great stuff!!!Have a great night, all. The old 'Bird is off to bed. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Hi Folks - Blackbird here.......not sure this thread is approriate in this forum, but I will reply anyway (please move this if necessary - thanks!).I have used all 3 ATC programs, with differing amounts of satisfaction. My fav is the new (v 6.05) version of VoxATC. :( (I was using v5 of VoxATC for a while, but then changed to RC4, and have used that for the last 8 months.)Before I expound on the "virtues" of the new VoxATC, let me just say this - I've used both PFE and RC4 - both are nice programs - both are well supported. I preferred RC4. The new VoxATC has handled my IFR flights with perfect aplomb, has worked without lockup, crash, and does NOT forget that I'm in the air (the old version of same program used to do that frequently - to me, anyway).The new version works seamlessly with my weather (ASX), and with the ATT voices I have purchased, which really sound quite good. I even figured out how to make those voices work with 64 bit Windows 7 (which is my OS). I also use the VoxPOP free voices with it (they are just ok - but hey....they're FREE! All together I use 8 voices for controllers, and use all the VoxPOP voices for other AI pilot voices. My FO is an ATT voice - very clear and "friendly" (I go back and forth between a female and male FO - equality and all :( ). Sometimes I'll let the FO handle the radios (which the whiz-kid does perfectly), and sometimes I'll press the PTT button myself, and handle all comms as well as fly the aircraft - fun, you bet! When I'm feeling really lazy, I'll start up Speech Buddy (Free), and speak my commands (like Flaps down/up, tune radios, set heading, air speed, altitude, etc..) I load 2 profiles into Speech Buddy to do the radio and atittude setting - strange, but it works. The only thing I don't like about using Speech Buddy (and most other speech programs, for that matter!) is that it is dependent on my starting Microsoft Speech recognition - which I don't care to do, as it sometimes confuses things I say, and will all of a sudden run an errant program. (I have done a lot of trainng to MS Speech - doesn't matter. Works very well most of the time, but every once in a while - Bammo!)Which brings me to the best part of the new VoxATC - it does not need Micorosoft Speech to be running at all..... This is great!! No misunderstandings!!!For me, at this time, VoxATC beats the others hands-down. (And I used to love Radar Contact v4 - can't wait to see his new version, when it's done - but that will take a while.)Oh, one more thing, as was mentioned earlier, VoxATC will use all your AI traffic - it does a wonderful job of generating same. (However, you must turn down traffic in FSX - down to zero) - no worries, you'll have plenty of traffic!. VoxATC gets my planes from Traffic X, which is my AI trafffic program.Ok - I've monopolized this thread long enough.........that's my 2 cents about VoxATC.All best, Ray Landolt (Blackbird)

Andysim - I have used Acronis True Image for a long time - (upgrading its version along the way). I currently use version 11 Home. The program has been updated since this version, but I have read conflicting reports of problems with the newer versions, so I stick with v. 11 Home. It has never failed me. I boot into Acronis from a startup CD that I had Acronis make.FYI: what I do is make a complete backup of my C drive (where I have FSX installed) - this backup is made to my D drive (then the backup is copied to an external drive). Then I copy just the FSX Directory to that same D Drive. That way, if I make a mess of FSX, I have the option of replacing just the files I messed up, or do a complete re-install of the OS (Win 7 64 bit) - this in turn replaces FSX with a "clean" working version.Sorry for the long "tome" about my backup.All best,Ray Landolt (Blackbird)

To: Mike MurawskiFrom: Ray Landolt RE: Any DVD's have complete procedures (before start, push and start, etc, etc..)Mike - I re-watched the ITVV DVD called 737-300 - Go Airlines. I am not a pilot, but it seems very complete to me. Just thought I'd share that.Also, the World Air Routes DVD called the Westjet 737-600 has an interesting beginning - a 737-600 Simulator that is shown for about 30 minutes - fascinating stuff (for me, anyway!)Also, thanks again to everyone for "chiming in" with names of favorite Flight DVD's (videos). There were some names that I did not know (like Pilotseye.tv).All best, Ray Landolt

Hi, Mr. Murawski - the DVD on the MD-11 is quite complete - I will have to rewatch my 737 vids to see if I can recommend one of those. My guess is that most will NOT offer complete procedures, but I'll check again.I will have to check out the Aero Presentaion DVD and Flightvideo productions. I have been very happy, though, with the World Air Routes DVD's that I've purchased. Always interesting to hear about other stuff.Thanks!Ray Landolt

P.S. - Mr. Bradbury - INS navigation is indeed a fascinating topic in its own right - flying by LAT/LON is just a little more cumbersome than using GPS/FMC!! :(

Hi to you all - thanks for writing. Yes, I can see where the info in these videos might be of help (whether one is writing a review, or just for one's own edification and gratification!). Interesting......My current "collection" of vids includes the follwing.......From World Air Routes:Polar Air Cargo 747-200F & 400F (great video!) - if I recall - 10 flights (4 continents), rainy, sunny, crystal clear ATC, great cockpit presentations - one of WAR's best! My new favorite!WestJet 737-600 - multiple flights - very good presentation of the "600" (the little rocket!!) - all in Canada - some nice scenery - nice!Air Canada 777-300 - one of my favs - tremendous cockpit prep presentation, Captain is very relaxed in his delivery (has great voice) - Canada to Japan (Narita and back), plus a bonus flight from Canada to Germany. Very fine video work. This is another long DVD - 233 minutes!! You get to see the famous Electronic Flight Bag at work - WOW! I hope PMDG includes this in the 777 they are doing!!! (Are you reading this, Mr. Randazzo??!! Haa haa!!!) SpiceJet 737-800 - very good - 12 flights to 7 places in India. Very good cockpit presentations, nice scenery, clear ATC, some night flights, DVD is over 3 hours! Lots of takeoffs and landings! My only negative: it has some "spurious" noises in places - they are a little annoying (distracting) for me.From ITVV:The MartinAir Boeing MD-11.......goes from Schiphol (Netherlands) to Palma de Majorca, Spain (and back). Amazingly clear presentation by the Captain, Ruud Baker and his F.O. (F.O.also does a presentation in a Full Motion Simulator.)The procedures are clear, concise, and very interresting - I learned a lot from Capt Baker's presentation. This was my first DVD of this type, and I have enjoyed it over and over.The Boeing 737-300 - by Go Airlines - another terrific DVD by ITVV - Very good Captain and F.O. presentations (Capt John Mahon - F.O. Joe Wholihan). Clear ATC, F.O. is Pilot in Command of return flight. Very detailed explanation of all instruments. Flight goes from London, Stanstead to Lisbon, Portugal. Very enjoyable and informative video.Fokker 100 - British Midland - goes from East Midlands Intl Airport to Nice, France. Good explanations of the different panels on the "little 100" (lots of info!). Good clear ATC, briefings, checklists. FO. is P.I.C. on return flight - which has a CAT III landing - very interesting stuff.Well - that's it! Hope it wasn't too long or boring! I am still adding to my collection of flight DVD's by World Air Routes and ITVV.Thanks for reading!All best,Ray Landolt (Blackbird)

Hi everyone - long time "troller" of Forums like this, first time writing to this one. Before I ask the question listed in the topic title, I would like to share a couple of thoughts. (If this topic is not appropriate,or "wanders" too long, Admin please feel free to edit or delete as you see fit.) While I (like the legions of "Rabid" Flight Sim fans) await the release of what will surely be one of the finest examples of PMDG's work, I thought I'd take a moment to thank PMDG for all the great planes they have produced. Amazing stuff, these computer airplanes........I have been simming since the days of Bruce Artwick (yes, I'm old - I like to think of it as having many hours on my HOBBS meter :(. I have purchased planes too numerous to mention, and have enjoyed them all (to varying degrees). At the moment, we are all fixated on the impending 737 NGX release.......just be patient, my Grandfather would say...........think of all the fun you'll have with it - imagine the flights, etc.etc..Mr. Randazzo (et al) - thank you - for being so tenacious in your work. It would be easier, I'm sure, to just reach a point and say "the heck with it - let it out to the public - we'll fix probs later", as is more the norm today in software. But you do not - you have stuck to your guns, and will release the 737 NGX ONLY WHEN IT IS READY. We who use this software cannot possibly have an understanding of the scope of a project like this. I personally thought you folks could never outdo the fabulous J4100 - it is a remakable achievement in itself (and a joy to fly by hand). OK - enough "stroking" - you're all going to think I'm related to Mr. Randazzo!!! :( On to my question: does anyone in the PMDG "Family" watch any of the real airliner DVD's - like the ones by ITVV or WorldAirRoutes? I have about a dozen from both companies, and when I'm not flying on the computer, I'm watching one of these (it drives my wife of 32 years crazy - I love it!!!!) She knows I love flying (in any form). I once told her if her "girly" movies had more flying in them, I'd be happy to sit and watch those. :( How many of you folks watch these DVD's? Just curious.Anyway - thanks PMDG for making a good hobby even better!!All best,Ray Landolt (Blackbird)