ATIS Question

Hi there,

 

From what I have seen elsewhere online, it should be possible to receive the ATIS around 100nm from the airport.

 

However, I have the COM1 radio tuned to the correct frequency, and I don't get ATIS until about 20nm away.

 

Is there something I am doing wrong?

 

Any help is greatly appreciated. :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

The range will vary depending on the location of the transmitting antenna, weather conditions, power of the station and your altitude and line of sight.

I second what Mr. Zippy said. I presume that in the flightsim world, the max distance from which you can pick up a certain frequency is defined by some variable in the program code.

 

I have to say though, 100nm sounds a bit too excessive, especially if you're a GA plane flying below 10000ft... Heck, there's an airport in my local area (Rusk County Airport, RFI) where you can't pick up the AWOS until you're like 4nm away...

Thanks.

 

Now I am wondering what is the main factor FSX uses to determine the active runway? Is it always the wind, or something else?

If it is the wind, how do you tell which runway/s will be used?

For example, if the wind at YSSY is 160°, would that be 16L/16R or 34L/34R? :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Wind is normally specified as the direction it comes FROM, and you want the nose into the wind when landing.

 

If the wind is stated as something like, "Wind 160 at 10," then the wind is FROM 160º at 10 knots, therefore you want the aircraft's heading on final (and on the runway, of course) to be about 160º, so rwy 16 -- whether Left or Right, that's for tower to say. Actually, since it's probably a towered field (with parallel runways), then you use what tower says, PROVIDED that it's not unsafe (you don't want a 15 kt. plus tailwind on final, so you tell ATC unable, and get a better runway).

So in FSX, is the wind always the deciding factor?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

In the game wind is usually the deciding factor unless you have crosswind runway implementation in your AFCADS. Then it's like the game doesn't care and will assign all runways. I was flying into Cleveland KCLE yesterday onto runway 28 and at the same time I heard and seen a AI plane land on 24 right in front of me. That would NEVER happen in real life. I real life wind ALWAYS dictates what runway you land and take off on. You always take off into the wind and you land into the wind. So if you have say wind at 200 degrees and a runway 31, you land on 31. The idea being the closest runway from the wind direction as possible.

 

But in real life wind component can have a bearing on whether the pilot will land or not as the aircraft is only design for so much of a cross wind.

 

Cross wind landings are a real PITA. It's aileron into the wind opposite rudder. And you have to do it in such a way. It's a fine art for me. I do have pedals.

 

Oh, your other question was ATIS distance. In the game I find it's about 30NM or so. I always preprogram that into the com well before landing and then about 30NM out I flip the switch and listen.

CRJ_Simpilot, your 28/24 scenario can happen in real life. Last week as I was driving past my airport I witnessed a Cessna landing on runway 1 and a Learjet landing 32 at the same time. Of course both pilots are aware of each other and the tower would tell the Cessna to land and hold short of 32. It was really cool to see them land at the same time.

I real life wind ALWAYS dictates what runway you land and take off on. You always take off into the wind and you land into the wind.

 

Always is a pretty strong word. There are exceptions. It's not at all uncommon for tower to clear you to land with a 5 knot tailwind, though you're certainly able to refuse and ask for something you like better. Much more than that, though and (even with looooong runways) it's not really safe. However, there are certain fields (not generally associated with airlines, usually remote) where it is a one-way strip, dictated by terrain, either because it is too steep uphill for takeoff (and too steep downhill for landing), or because of obstacles (perhaps a mountain) at one end, or both causes may apply.

 

So be careful with that "always" word.

 

Cross wind landings are a real PITA.

 

A lot depends on the aircraft, the environment, and how cross the wind is, as well as how well trained and experienced the pilot is. I've had a lot of fun over the years landing (and taking off, for that matter) in crosswinds. Of course I've had some bad ones, too. Try a Cessna 180 with an 8-12 kt. quartering gusty tailwind landing downhill (mild slope) for size. I occasionally got stuck with that in my glider towing days, though usually I could land the other way if absolutely needed.

In the real world, the formula for VHF range (taught in flight schools) is:

 

d=1.25∗√h

 

where d is the range in nautical miles and h is the vertical distance, in feet, of the receiver above the transmitter.

 

So, in theory at least, an aircraft 10000ft above a transmitter should be able to receive transmissions at well over 100NM. In practise, many countries tend to legally limit the range of transmitters by making them operate at reduced power.

 

There are actually other factors, including transmitting power (as you noted), obstructions (trees, buildings, etc.), orientation (and type) of the antenna on the aircraft (belly mount is usually better for range than top mount, though not always), and a few others such as electrical interference and even weather.

Flying from Cleveland KCLE to O'Hare Chicago I was able to tune ATIS from about 75NM. I never thought that was possible in the sim.

CRJ_Simpilot, your 28/24 scenario can happen in real life. Last week as I was driving past my airport I witnessed a Cessna landing on runway 1 and a Learjet landing 32 at the same time. Of course both pilots are aware of each other and the tower would tell the Cessna to land and hold short of 32. It was really cool to see them land at the same time.

 

 

Interesting.

Thanks.

 

Now I am wondering what is the main factor FSX uses to determine the active runway? Is it always the wind, or something else?

If it is the wind, how do you tell which runway/s will be used?

For example, if the wind at YSSY is 160°, would that be 16L/16R or 34L/34R? :)

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

I wouldn't get too hung up on which runway. Usually, its the one favoring prevailing wind. However, I landed in KATL airport last night about midnight. While I was entering my logbook time and fuel performance data, I tuned in Tower and Ground frequencies, and was in a look-down view of the airport. There were planes cleared to takeoff on rwy8R while other planes were cleared to land on rwy 26R. At the same time, a plane was instructed to taxi onto rwy 9L and hold. Low a behold, another plane was cleared to takeoff on rwy27R and flew right over the top of the plane holding on 9L. So, it was an interesting night at ATL airport. Gipper

I have just purchased ActiveSky 2016, so that fixes the ATIS problem.

 

But now I have a new question.

 

Last night I was on the way to EGLL, and the wind direction for EGLL was 10°, which falls almost halfway between 270° and 90°. So which runways would be used in this situation? Does FSX have a general preference for a runway when the wind is like this (or calm?)

 

Any help is greatly appreciated. :)

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

You would most likely take the one with an ILS or what ATC assigns. I'm sure they all have ILS though. It would be what ATC gives you and if you don't like that runway you can take another. In that wind situation I would take the runway most direct to me. So if I was flying on a heading of 300°, I would chose 27 left or right. I would pick the appropriate runway where my turn off gets me to the gate or parking easier. So if the gate is near 27L I would take 27L.

Thanks, but that doesn't exactly answer my question.

 

Does FSX have a particular factor that decides the runway when wind is calm or falls between two runways?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

I'm sure it does, but I don't know how it determines the runway to use.

I am still hoping someone knows about this, as "Wind Calm" tells me absolutely nothing.

And, knowing the way things happen, if I assumed the runway was 16, of course it would be 34, and vice versa.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Sent from my PNDP60M7WHT using Tapatalk

"Wind calm" usually means less than 8 knots.

 

In the sim, for most airports, in visual conditions with calm winds you will be assigned the runway with a heading that is closest to north.

 

This is why you got 34 instead of 16.

 

peace,

the Bean

Thanks Mr. Bean! ;)

"Wind calm" usually means less than 8 knots.

 

In the sim, for most airports, in visual conditions with calm winds you will be assigned the runway with a heading that is closest to north.

 

This is why you got 34 instead of 16.

 

peace,

the Bean

 

Thanks, but I still have one question.

Yesterday I was flying into Adelaide with calm winds, and I got runway 23. I would think that the other end (rwy 5) would be closer to north.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thanks, but I still have one question.

Yesterday I was flying into Adelaide with calm winds, and I got runway 23. I would think that the other end (rwy 5) would be closer to north.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

1. There are no absolutes in flying in the RW but, especially that's so in Flight Sim!

 

2. If you mean Adelaide Australia, 23 is closer to the "pole" in your part of the world. When you cross the equator lots of things reverse.;)