ATC.....confused?

[MongooseMike]

While flying an IFR flight recently on a heading of roughly 150, directly at the airport, I was within 35 miles of the airport when ATC directed me to come to a heading of 135. I did. Then ATC directed me to a heading of 165. I did. Before I could repeat the turn, ATC directed me back to a heading of 135. This repeated itself a couple of more times with different heading until I was finally allowed to fly one heading to interdict the runway and land. This has happened on several flights.
There was no mountains or even other aircraft that I could see to avoid.
The question I have is; is this normal in real-world flight or is it just FSX ATC having a little fun?

[Bankie]

If real-life ATC was like FSX ATC we would be in real trouble. Landing at Bristol, England, I was vectored out into the Atlantic Ocean without further instruction. Any change of heading and I got my hand slapped. By the time I reached the coast of Portugal I knew the AI ATC was just having a laugh.

[MongooseMike]

That happened when I first got FSX. On a flight from San Diego to Sacramento, CA I was vectored towards Hawaii. The same thing happened when I tried to change course. About halfway to Hawaii, I canceled IFR and turned back toward SAC. When I got about 200 miles out I re-loaded the original flight. ATC turned me around! LOL
I try real hard not to credit my pc with independent intelligence but sometimes.....

[vgbaron]

There are real world situations where that could occur. You were essentially making small S turns which has the effect of increasing separation between you and traffic in front.

S turns can also be used to bleed off a too fast approach speed.

I don't know if FS ATC is that sophisticated but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Vic

[sanh]

Hi,

FS ATC gives you those instructions i.e. turn 165 degrees then turn 135 degrees and back again when you are off course. Its trying to keep you on the correct line towards whatever waypoint it is vectoring you towards. You will especially notice this in windy conditions when you tend to drift off course more.

I havent had any problems with ATC vectoring me way off course. If it does, i hope i end up in the bahamas!

[n4gix]

>Hi,
>
>FS ATC gives you those instructions i.e. turn 165 degrees then
>turn 135 degrees and back again when you are off course. Its
>trying to keep you on the correct line towards whatever
>waypoint it is vectoring you towards. You will especially
>notice this in windy conditions when you tend to drift off
>course more.

Realize that the vectors ATC gives you are based on a zero/zero wind condition. As the PIC you are responsible for making any necessary corrections (IOW crab-into-wind) that're required for you to maintain the actual vector given.

Whenever I forget the "crab factor" I too receive a lot of zig-zag vectors... :)