ATC phraseology

[Piper_Pilot]

First off, in the sim, I fly out of mostly untowered airport, because I think they're the most intresting. However, in the Sim I always get Eight Alpha Six (8A6) Traffic, Piper 4751S five miles out...

There's two problem with this. 1. In the real world, we don't say 8A6, we say Wilgrove Traffic. 2. It's not Piper, it's Cherokee, or Tri-Pacer. I think the only time I've ever heard anyone use the manufactor of the aircraft instead the aircraft name is when it's a Cessna. Someone can correct me on that if I'm wrong. Anyways it gets annoying after awhile.

Also, with AI traffic and airports like Wilgrove, most AIs always have to go around, because they land too late on the runway. These AI traffic cannot land at Wilgrove like an airliner, they have to slow down. This is the Runway specs for Wilgrove.

Runway Information
Runway 17/35
Dimensions: 2835 x 40 ft. / 864 x 12 m
Surface: asphalt, in fair condition
Weight bearing capacity:
Single wheel: 10000 lbs
Runway edge lights: non-standard
NSTD LIRL; NO THLD LGTS.
Runway edge markings: SMALL NUMBERS AND FADED CNTRLN.
RWY 35 SMALL NUMBERS AND FADED CNTRLN
RUNWAY 17 RUNWAY 35
Gradient: 0.0 0.0
Traffic pattern: left left
Displaced threshold: 100 ft. 200 ft.
DSPLCD THLD MKD FOR DAY OPNS WITH THREE CONES EACH SIDE OF RY.
Markings: NSTD, in fair condition NSTD, in fair condition
Runway end identifier lights: no no
Obstructions: 60 ft. trees, 200 ft. from runway, 100 ft. right of centerline
APCH RATIO 0:1 AT DSPLCD THLD DUE TO +45 FT TREES 90 FT L.
RWY 17 +60 FT TREES 0-200 FT FM THLD 50 FT L & R OF CNTRLN. 30 ft. trees, 200 ft. from runway, 66 ft. right of centerline
APCH RATIO 0:1 AT DSPLCD THR DUE TO PARKED ACFT.
+5 FT FENCE 20 FT FROM ASPH ON CNTRLN; ROAD 60 FT FROM THR ON CNTRLN.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/8A6

I would like to say that I'm only using my airport as an example, I'm sure other small fields are having the same problems.

[n4gix]

>First off, in the sim, I fly out of mostly untowered airport,
>because I think they're the most intresting. However, in the
>Sim I always get Eight Alpha Six (8A6) Traffic, Piper 4751S
>five miles out...
>
>There's two problem with this. 1. In the real world, we don't
>say 8A6, we say Wilgrove Traffic. 2. It's not Piper, it's
>Cherokee, or Tri-Pacer. I think the only time I've ever heard
>anyone use the manufactor of the aircraft instead the aircraft
>name is when it's a Cessna. Someone can correct me on that if
>I'm wrong. Anyways it gets annoying after awhile.

First off, there's already over 236,000 .wav files in the voicepak. Adding specific "placenames" instead of the ICAO code would require a significant increase in the number of .wav files needed. Nine voices times ~14,000 GA airports would be another ~126,000 .wav files...

Even so, would it be accurate? Does every GA airport in the world follow the same convention? No, it does not. So, even though the number of .wav files would certainly be less, now there's the added complication of determining when to use the ICAO code and when to use the "placename."

With regards to the "Piper" issue, that may be solved by installing Edit Voicepack (a freeware program) that will allow for adding new and different aircraft manufactures, models, and type designators to the stock voicepack.

AI traffic is another subject entirely, and one in which I have no particular expertise... ;)

[tgibson]

Hi,

And EditVoicepack will also allow you to change the ATC from referring to the airport from the ICAO code to the actual name of the airport. If it hasn't been done already after a web update of the EVP voicepack, then you can do it yourself (Custom Modifications/Airports/ICAO Code, right click, Create New). There is a tutorial on the EVP web page on how to create a new callsign, use it to create this new airport name too.

Hope this helps,

[n4gix]

Good point, Tom... I quite forgot that you can do that in EVP as well... ;)