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I just started VA flying and never used ATC before other than to listen to them & add realism to the sim. I have a question. I use a flight plan and before I start my flight, I "PLAN" the Runway I want to land on. Usually a straight line in from Point A to Point B. I contact ATC with landing intentions on the predetermined Runway, I am appx. 20 miles out when I'm setting AP to Approach, ATC tells me to land coming in from the total opposite direction. Keep in mind, runway is clear, hardly any other aircraft in the area. Is there a logical reason for FSX ATC to Not just have me come in on the Runway set in my Flight Plan & that my Nav is set too? Thanks for any light you can shed on this.
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I just started VA flying and never used ATC before other than to listen to them & add realism to the sim. I have a question. I use a flight plan and before I start my flight, I "PLAN" the Runway I want to land on. Usually a straight line in from Point A to Point B. I contact ATC with landing intentions on the predetermined Runway, I am appx. 20 miles out when I'm setting AP to Approach, ATC tells me to land coming in from the total opposite direction. Keep in mind, runway is clear, hardly any other aircraft in the area. Is there a logical reason for FSX ATC to Not just have me come in on the Runway set in my Flight Plan & that my Nav is set too? Thanks for any light you can shed on this.

 

You can plan the runway all you want, but it's up to ATC what runway they will give you. If you have any weather turned on at all, that will be the main decider of what runway ATC will give you. If you are using real weather, check the reports at the airport you are flying too to fine out which way the wind is blowing, then you can plan on the runway from there, but even so, that still may change by the time you get there. Another thing I've found, if the airport has only one runway and you don't have the weather running, ATC will set you up on the Primary runway, which at most airports in the most north to east runway. Another thing I've found is if the runway has ILS, it tends to lean towards that end of the runway, if the runway only has one end that has ILS that is.

 

You can always land on the runway and ignore the ATC though, there isn't any ATC police in the game!!!!! :)

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You will get permission for the runway that's heading into the wind.

If 60 knot airspeed is landing speed, then with 10 knot headwind your speed over ground will only be 50 knot.

(50 knot speed over ground plus 10 knot from headwind makes 60 knot speed at which air flows over wings to keep you in the air.)

 

Lower ground speed on landing means shorter stopping distance.

 

----

works on takeoff too. You already have 10 knots of 'airspeed' while standing ready on the runway.

After accelerating to only 50 knot speed over ground you lift off. (60 knot airspeed at that point). Means shorter takeoff distance, more runway remaining if you need to stop, and more control if you need to use the brake because you are less likely to slid/skid.

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You can plan the runway all you want, but it's up to ATC what runway they will give you. If you have any weather turned on at all, that will be the main decider of what runway ATC will give you. If you are using real weather, check the reports at the airport you are flying too to fine out which way the wind is blowing, then you can plan on the runway from there, but even so, that still may change by the time you get there. Another thing I've found, if the airport has only one runway and you don't have the weather running, ATC will set you up on the Primary runway, which at most airports in the most north to east runway. Another thing I've found is if the runway has ILS, it tends to lean towards that end of the runway, if the runway only has one end that has ILS that is.

 

You can always land on the runway and ignore the ATC though, there isn't any ATC police in the game!!!!! :)

 

Thanks for your insight. I usually ignore ATC honestly. Just trying to make sense of why they tell me to come in on the opposite end of the ILS runway when I'm already flying straight in on the ILS Runway I chose. FSX I guess. Thanks again

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Frankly I find default ATC to be the most disapponting feature of any flight sim software I've tried. I've heard some folks say there is pretty good payware ATC available. But frankly, I've never thought it was important enough to try some.
Being an old chopper guy I usually fly low and slow.
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The answer to your question is, how real do you want your sim experience to be? There are some who want it, "as real as it gets". Others are satisfied to approximate the flight sim experience. From what I've seen and experienced myself the latter is OK.

 

Keep in mind that the ATC Controllers are doing the same thing you are. But, instead of flying a simulated aircraft they are manning a simulated radar scope. I appreciate the time and effort they put in to learn that aspect of our hobby.

 

The other guys that have responded to your question have given you you sage advice. The only thing I would add is to go to the VATSIM website and go thru their training so you get the gist of how to do things correctly. Then get online, let the controller know you are new to this and accept the help they'll give you to really enjoy this aspect. Have fun!

 

Bill

Bill Mattson

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Airspeed, altitude and ideas, bad to run out of all three at the same time

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...ATC tells me to land coming in from the total opposite direction. Keep in mind, runway is clear, hardly any other aircraft in the area. Is there a logical reason for FSX ATC to Not just have me come in on the Runway set in my Flight Plan & that my Nav is set too? Thanks for any light you can shed on this.

 

Like to play "Chicken" with the other aircraft, eh?

 

The same "logical" reason you are not permitted to drive down the freeway in the opposite direction. Your not flowing with the direction of travel as the rest of the traffic.

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Frankly I find default ATC to be the most disapponting feature of any flight sim software I've tried. I've heard some folks say there is pretty good payware ATC available. But frankly, I've never thought it was important enough to try some.

 

I agree with you Rupert, not worth paying for & is kind of useless especially if it doesn't work. I guess I'll just try to make the best of it with what I have

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Like to play "Chicken" with the other aircraft, eh?

 

The same "logical" reason you are not permitted to drive down the freeway in the opposite direction. Your not flowing with the direction of travel as the rest of the traffic.

 

LOL Dogdish, Thing is I like to use the ILS Auto Pilot feature so if I have to go around that means I'm stick & rudder all the way in unless I go out far enough to reprogram everything to come in the other side. I have patience but sometimes that's asking too much. LOL. I'll deal with it. Thanks

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LOL Dogdish, Thing is I like to use the ILS Auto Pilot feature so if I have to go around that means I'm stick & rudder all the way in unless I go out far enough to reprogram everything to come in the other side. I have patience but sometimes that's asking too much. LOL. I'll deal with it. Thanks

 

Autopilot feature works just as well from the other end of the runway. Use the other ends' ILS, or switch to Back Course on the original ILS.

You can also switch to an alternative Approach on the GPS.

And it has nothing to do with `patience` - you can select the correct approach from as much as 125 miles out, even with default ATC...

 

More lessons from the Learning Center needed! Also try: http://www.navfltsm.addr.com/index.htm to upgrade your knowledge.

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I agree with you Rupert, not worth paying for & is kind of useless especially if it doesn't work.

 

Radar Contact v4 works, and it's freeware now. You can select your own runway for take-off AND landing.

Tim Wright "The older I get, the better I was..."

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  • 4 weeks later...
I have been having a similar problem with ATC. On approach, after I have notified ATC that I have seen the runway, I get several alternate heading and altitude changes that really don't make sense, especially when there are no other aircrafts on the runway ready to take off. Or, I will get multiple headings - again, that doesn't make sense, and I'm sure does not happen in real life, that has me flying in circles. If I don't comply, ATC will cut me off and stop transmitting. I have the latest X-plane installed and update every so often. Is this normal for ATC to do, or is there something I'm Missing? Thanks for the reply.
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You have to follow the directions closely, and reasonably quickly.

If they say: turn left heading 280 and descend to 2500ft.

then you have to do exactly that. They expect you to end up at a certain spot in the air.

 

If you fly heading 285 instead, they will wait a while for you to correct. If you don't they will try to steer you back to where you need. "turn left, heading 260"

 

If you still don't correct enough, and fly right by where you are supposed to go, they sort of give up.

 

 

Also, the altitude is important. If they say: "descend 2500" you need to do exactly that too.

If your barometer is not set correctly to pressure given in ATIS report, your altimeter will show the wrong value.

So it may show 2500, when you are actually at 2700 or so.

That means not following instructions, and again ATC gives up on you if it takes too long.

 

 

No problem though, just return to the airport and ask for landing clearance again.

 

Btw, this is the FSX forum, better post in the X-plane forum next time.

(And my explanation is how it works in FSX but I assume in x-plane it works pretty much the same if you don't follow the instructions. (I don't have x-plane just yet.)

 

Here's a link to the x-plane forum:

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/forumdisplay.php?11-X-Plane

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I have been having a similar problem with ATC. On approach, after I have notified ATC that I have seen the runway, I get several alternate heading and altitude changes that really don't make sense, especially when there are no other aircraft on the runway ready to take off. Or, I will get multiple headings - again, that doesn't make sense, and I'm sure does not happen in real life, that has me flying in circles. If I don't comply, ATC will cut me off and stop transmitting. I have the latest X-plane installed and update every so often. Is this normal for ATC to do, or is there something I'm Missing? Thanks for the reply.

 

That will happen when you fly to an airport rather than an airport-specific runway. And it makes no difference if it's X-Plane or FSX.

 

It's just poor flight planning. And the solution in in your hands...

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Just want to add that if you are VFR with no flight plan and you open the ATC window to request tower or announce position, base, final, etc, you can access that airport when you are exactly 30 miles from the runway. Or approximate it with your GPS to the airport. If your 30 miles or so from the airport you will then see the airport in the long list of airports to chose from. Right there and then perform your ATC stuff because you're gonna have to setup for the approach, etc.

 

How do I know that the Sim uses 30 miles to show you the airport in the list? Because I have a WAAS gauge in my F-22 and it shows EXACTLY the distance to the runway I select. As soon as it hits 30 miles on the mark that airport is available in the ATC airport list to communicate to.

 

 

Now sometimes there are so many airports small and large all around you that no matter how deep into the ATC airport list you go that airport just won't show up. But as you get closer and closer that airport should show up. If it still doesn't (and this has happened to me) just pretend like you are squawk 7600 (radio comms down) and setup approach and just land.

 

FS's ATC in the game is pretty mundane and generic. If you really want good ATC, I'd check out VATSIM. But I'd advise you to first know and understand ATC lingo and know your aircraft before you jump in.

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Now sometimes there are so many airports small and large all around you that no matter how deep into the ATC airport list you go that airport just won't show up. But as you get closer and closer that airport should show up. If it still doesn't (and this has happened to me) just pretend like you are squawk 7600 (radio comms down) and setup approach and just land.

 

Just a slight add to CRJ's excellent information, if you add the Target airport Tower frequency to your COM 1 When you are within 30 miles the option to talk to the tower automatically appears in the ATC box, saves a ton of searching in the nearest airport list :).

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Just a slight add to CRJ's excellent information, if you add the Target airport Tower frequency to your COM 1 When you are within 30 miles the option to talk to the tower automatically appears in the ATC box, saves a ton of searching in the nearest airport list :).

 

Now that I didn't know. Will have to try that.

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Monitoring ATIS recording (frequency selected in the Com1/Com2) will let you know well in advance, of the active runway in use at your destination airport. If you find that a different runway is being used, you will have the time to make your changes accordingly! Most of the time things will happen the way you want them to, but occasionally you do have those times where someone has spoiled your desired plans. "It is, what it is!"

 

Same thing may happen on your desired takeoff runway! My favorite airport is Charleston, SC, and I usually anticipate taking off from RWY 33. I pull up ATIS, and I usually find that RWY 33 is in use for takeoff. If I don't pull up ATIS, I stand the chance of ground control clearing me to RWY 3, which is a long way from RWY 33. When that happens, I simply select, "Reset Flight", and then pull up ATIS and then the recording will state that RWY 33 is in use.

 

Another thing that I do like, is airports with parallel runways, ATC may clear you for RWY 5R (non-ILS runway), but, you have planned on landing on 5L (ILS runway). Sometimes FSX will offer you an option of requesting the alternate runway, and they usually will approve the requested change. This is a nice feature, but not always offered!

 

Anyway, we do as we are told, that way we stay out of trouble! We all get through the obstacles we are faced with.

 

Happy flying! Rick :cool:

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  • 2 years later...

Hello, I have been using MSFS since conception a thousand years ago :) Anyway I have been using 2020 here lately and I am still learning it. My question is on AI ATC instructions, I for the life of me can not understand why they are giving me directions to land which is way off course from the runway they provided me (BTW I am talking about the AI ATC not human). . I have been testing and testing this with same results. Anyone else see this as an issue? For instance I am given command to turn right 90 degrees with is way off from directions to field. So I follow commands and AI ATC just keeps steering me way off track. I have tested this with VOR to VOR IFR GPS and VFR. Any ideas what am I missing here?

I have other issues with 2020 but will save them for another topic.

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What if you go on 'Weather' in the drop down box at the top and change the wind, will you get the runway you want?

I've often changed the weather in the middle of a flight.

 

Col.

 

Weather is controllable by the FSX user..? Are you not using it? What is your weather engine?

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I use pre-set weather themes, so I just change them mid flight sometimes.

 

Col.

 

Real life is not like that.

I often select an Approach based on weather on take-off, only to find its swung by morer than 90 degrees since then. Listening to the radio is the only way to field such changes... I can't tell you the number of times I've had to re-plan my approach based on local weather, even down to quite dramatic changes when just a few miles from the Destination!

Pre-set weather themes just suck, no matter the sim you use. Proper Pilotage is the only way to fly!

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