fjr_nate

I'm looking for some tips some of you might have in my attempt to make flying the big jets as real as possible. Here is the way I currently fly the PMDG 737. First I go to FlightAware.com and find the route I would like to travel. I generally try to keep the flights relatively short. For example, from Las Vegas (KLAS) to Los Angeles (KLAX) I find another 737 flying the route BOACH5, HEC, RIIVR2 at 28,000 feet. Then I go to Liveatc.net to the destination airport (KLAX), and listen in for the current active landing runways. In this case, it seems 25L and 24R are active for arrivals. I choose 25L for programming the FMC and will ignore FSX. Then I tune in the departing airport (KLAS) using liveatc.net ground or tower. I start up FSX and set my 737 cold/dark to a gate at KLAS. I have FSX set for no collisions with other aircraft and simply use the real weather within FSX. I tune in the FSX ATC ground and listen to confirm the departing runway (25R) while I'm preparing everything. When ready for pushback I contact FSX ATC for instructions to the runway and takeoff etc. Once I'm airborne the FSX ATC will hand me off to monitor departure and then I'm done with FSX ATC until I land. I like to listen to the relevant liveatc.net channels during the flight. During decent and arrival I don't tune in the FSX ATC. After I land I'll contact FSX ground for directions to the gate. Until an awesome ATC addon is available for FSX this the how I attempt to make it as real as it almost gets. I would buy an ATC addon that included SIDS and STARS and actually sounded real. I just recently got back into flightsimming, so any tips, ideas, addons, would be appreciated. FJR_Nate