Getting the ATC controller voice, and the pilot voice, to describe your aircraft the way you'd like it described can get a bit tricky. Perhaps this little article will help if you are having trouble in this area.

You may have had the experience of downloading an aircraft only to find that the ATC bears little resemblance to the plane you are flying, or perhaps you have brought over one of your favorite FS2000 aircraft only to find that you are "experimental". Let's have a look at what is involved in the aircraft.cfg file to control all this.

     atc_id=
     atc_airline=
     atc_flight_number=
     atc_heavy=
     ui_manufacturer=
     ui_type=
     ui_variation=
     description= (Text describing the aircraft. Will already be provided.)

     [General]
     atc_type=
     atc_model=

The aircraft.cfg file can be edited with Notepad (or whatever text editor you use) or manipulated with the Aircraft Editor (fsedit.exe) which has been supplied with FS2002.

In the aircraft.cfg file the first set of ATC information should always be placed just above the "description" lines. The "ui" lines have nothing to do with ATC, but are used to define the aircraft within the FS2002 aircraft selection screen. Anything you like can be typed there. I show them above only to indicate where you will find them and to mention their purpose, so we will no longer refer to them.

Now for the "atc" items. These trigger spoken words that will be articulated by the ATC controller and the pilot, so you cannot type any old thing there and expect it to be sounded out -- there are only certain words or codes that are legitimate, and we will discuss these as we progress.

Let's now take up the various combinations you have available to define your aircraft and its flight.

TYPE and IDENTIFICATION: Controller addresses you as "Cessna N700MS". This is likely to be the setup you would use for most private, civilian aircraft. The fields would be filled in as follows.

     atc_id=N700MS
     atc_airline=
     atc_flight_number=
     atc_heavy=
     
     [General]
     atc_type=Cessna
     atc_model=C172

The "atc_type=" and the "atc_model=" fields must be in the [General] section for this to work properly. (The [General] section is a standard part of every aircraft.cfg file.) These two items are articulated by the pilot to the controller as "is type Cessna Skyhawk" when transitioning under VFR from tower to class B or C airspace. Where did "Skyhawk" come from? Sorry, but this can be a little sticky. The "Cessna" comes from the "atc_type=Cessna"; the "Skyhawk" comes from the "atc_model=C172". Oh, really?

The solution to the model confusion is easily remedied: download Don Janusz's file (DIG2TIPS.ZIP). It contains a lot of good information, including complete, alphabetized lists of both types and models. The list of models decodes the esoteric letter/number combinations (such as C172 produces "Skyhawk").

This setup also can be used for a corporate (private) jet, for example. The controller here addresses you as "Bombardier N733T".

     atc_id=N733T
     atc_airline=
     atc_flight_number=
     atc_heavy=
     
     [General]
     atc_type=Bombardier
     atc_model=CL60

The "atc_model=CL60" results in the spoken word "Challenger", by the way.

AIRLINE and FLIGHT NUMBER: Controller addresses you as "Continental 813". This is the setup normally used when flying an airliner.

     atc_id=N655CS
     atc_airline=Continental
     atc_flight_number=813
     atc_heavy=
     
     [General]
     atc_type=Boeing
     atc_model=B734

You must enter a flight number to trigger the use of the airline name.

Where do we find the legitimate names for airlines? The Aircraft Editor program contains a complete list of all the types (Boeing, Cessna, Bombardier, and many others) as well as the models that are recognized by the ATC. The airline list found there, however, is small and fictitious. You can download a complete list, such as one by Richard Taylor (ACCALLS.ZIP), which will replace the rather pathetic default "airlines.cfg" file with 190 airline names. He points out that Southwest has not been included (there are others, such as AirTran). Remember, too, that there are nicknames: British Air is "Speed Bird" and Aer Lingus is "Shamrock", for example. The airlines.cfg file is found in the FS2002\aircraft folder, and it is important that you obtain the complete list. Another list (ATC_AIR2.ZIP), by Erik de Meijer contains all the airlines and their associated names (such as Shamrock is actually Aer Lingus).

Upgrading the airlines.cfg file will not cause it to be displayed in the Aircraft Editor program. The new list will show up, however, in FS2002 when you go to the Aircraft Selection screen, click on the "Change" button by the tail number, and then see the airline scroll box that is displayed.

AIRLINE, FLIGHT NUMBER and HEAVY: Controller addresses you as "Continental 813 Heavy". If you're in one of the biggies (747, 767, 777, etc.) merely indicate "atc_heavy=1" and suddenly you are recognized as one of the biggies.

MILITARY AIRCRAFT: Controller addresses you as "Navy 212". The full list of airlines (the new airlines.cfg file) contains the various military services (Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, Coast Guard).

     atc_id=N93-212
     atc_airline=Navy
     atc_flight_number=212
     atc_heavy=
     
     [General]
     atc_type=Lockheed
     atc_model=S3

Remember -- You must enter a flight number to trigger the airline name.

CONVERTING FS2000 AIRCRAFT: You may have noticed that when you bring an FS2000 aircraft into the FS2002\aircraft folder and fly it for the first time, a new aircraft.cfg file will be created for it. The new file is of the FS2002 variety with information gleaned from the aircraft's .air file. This helpful operation permits us to easily use the Aircraft Editor program, or our favorite text editor, to insert all the necessary ATC data.

Let me make a few comments about the FS2002 ATC. While it is not perfect, it is in my opinion amazing in that every airport, every center, is referred to by name. What a fabulous piece of work that is! What a joy it is to depart Atlanta airspace, emerge into Jacksonville center, hear Valdosta traffic, and finally enter Tampa approach. Wow! Got to love it. This is in addition to the innumerable airlines, aircraft types and models. The IFR vectors into ILS approaches seem to be very good, although I have not flown dozens of them by any means. One thing I find a bit disappointing is that on takeoff (IFR) you are immediately instructed to attain cruise altitude. It would seem more realistic to be instructed to climb and maintain, say, 3000 and later given clearance to cruise altitude. Another is the inability to request vectors (or am I missing something?). Despite all this, the ATC in my opinion is one fine addition to MSFS!

Summary Of Downloads

Replace the airlines.cfg file with the one found in ACCALLS.ZIP
Store for reference the listings of types and models in DIG2TIPS.ZIP
Store for reference the airlines (with nicknames) in ATC_AIR2.ZIP

Happy flying!

Robert Seitz
rseitz1009@aol.com