ATC questions

[Jimbo156]

When flying "the pattern" /touch and go, ATC does not vector my aircraft (even when IFR) as to what level to fly, when to turn to base, nor does it give me instructions to climb/descend/turn for AI traffic avoidance. The ONLY thing it will say after takeoff is this: after turning onto final, it will tell me usually that I am #1 for landing. Unless there is some setting I have overlooked, this is very poor and very unrealistic ATC....better than nothing, but poor.

[lnuss]

Real world ATC doesn't give you those instructions in the pattern either, unless they need you to do something specific for separation from other aircraft.

Larry N.

http://www.flightsim.com/dcforum/Use...8f655d5d5a.jpg

[jhender501]

I've spent countless hours at airports, armed with a scanner,
watching them come and go, and I've never heard ATC directing
anyone on pattern work as you suggest should happen.



Jim

[flyinggriffin]

IFR in the pattern?

[nwabri]

If you are in the pattern, ATC expects you to do your own navigation around the pattern. As another poster said, the only time they will do any kind of vectoring, and it really isnt vectoring, is if there are alot of aircraft in the pattern, ATC may tell you that they will call your "base". That is for seperation of aircraft on final. There is really no IFR in the pattern....


Brian A. Neuman
Wooodbury, MN

[Frederf]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Dec-31-01 AT 03:42PM (EDT)[/font][p]The level to use around the pattern is given by the TPA (traffic pattern altitude) it is usually 800/1000AGL (piston) 1500AGL (lager turboprops, jets).

This info can be found in an Airport Facility Directory (A/FD) or at http://www.airnav.com

For directional information, I'm not sure what the procedure for IFR pattern work is, but I assume the weather must be above certain minimums and it is flown with visual reference to the airport.

In situations where the weather does not meet these minimums, I do not believe ATC will authorize touch and go's.

Edit: For realistic multiple passes in IMC, on final, declare a missed approach then fly the published missed approach. After declaring, you can probably touchdown on the runway without consequence.

[YNGController]

When you're in the patern, you're under VFR flight rules, eventhough you might be under an IFR flight plan. The same goes for visual approaches, the can be blended into a VFR traffic pattern. The approach controller will vector to an approach, or to the airport itself. I still have to agree that the ATC on FS2002 is pitiful and is completely unrealistic. how it vectors you to your route is horrible, and how it has you climb to your filed altitude immeadately is lame. SIDS/STAR routes are completely forgotten, and I remember them being on prior ATC add ons for FS like ProFlight, and why won't ATC have you proceed direct to a navaid?

[YNGController]

And with IFR in the pattern, aircraft doing practice approaches and ones on the visual approach will fly the pattern.

[bluemax]

I know other people than me explained this but I hope this will help you, too.

The usual circuit (Canada)/the pattern (US) procedure is:
(Left hand circuit VFR)
1. Take off runway course

2. If you are 500 ft AGL turn to the left (90°)

3. Climb 500 ft higher to 1000 ft AGL / crosswind

4. If you are at 1000 ft turn left on the parallel curse to your
Runway (90°)/ downwind

5. If the runway is 45° to you turn left (90°) and descent
500ft / base

6. Turn left (90°) to runway course if you are 500 ft AGL / turn to final

7. Descent to runway altitude and if you did all right you will get a nice landing.

If there is a right hand circuit, use the same procedure only to the right.

Happy New Year Blue Max