ATC Window Missing?

I have been getting settled in with MSFS over the last week and getting familiar with "the new normal", as they say.

 

One thing did just come out of nowhere, though. I was starting up an IFR flight normally, went to pull up the on-screen icons to open the ATC window, and the ATC icon (the control tower) wasn't there. Also, the "ATC" switch under the Settings icon was not only off, but greyed out as well. All setup settings were the same and I can hear live ATC message traffic going on all around me. I just have no way to open the window to get in on the conversation.

 

I'm baffled. Anyone else ever have this issue?

 

Some additional info in regards to this issue...

 

- Verified that there is a key assigned on the keyboard to open ATC window - there is and it does nothing

 

- I can enable the AI copilot to handle ATC communications. It works fine but again, no visible ATC window.

I have been getting settled in with MSFS over the last week and getting familiar with "the new normal", as they say.

 

One thing did just come out of nowhere, though. I was starting up an IFR flight normally, went to pull up the on-screen icons to open the ATC window, and the ATC icon (the control tower) wasn't there. Also, the "ATC" switch under the Settings icon was not only off, but greyed out as well. All setup settings were the same and I can hear live ATC message traffic going on all around me. I just have no way to open the window to get in on the conversation.

 

I'm baffled. Anyone else ever have this issue?

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]222811[/ATTACH]

 

Try clicking on "Reset Panels" in your settings window.

I've tried that (a couple of times). No luck.

I've tried that (a couple of times). No luck.

 

A couple of other observations...

 

- I verified that there is a key assigned on the keyboard to open ATC window - there is and it does nothing.

- I can enable the AI copilot to handle ATC communications. It works fine but again, no visible ATC window.

Just a caution if you are submitting support requests to Microsoft Community...

 

I received this response regarding the Missing ATC Window Icon...

 

(Sort of ironic the footnote about "fake tech support phone numbers". Theirs certainly looked fake)

 

Well, I received no help at all contacting the "Microsoft Executive" phone number above - just a series of handoffs to somewhat combative, barely understandable help desk associates who clearly had no knowledge of this product. They also had no access to the original support request and therefore wanted me to describe in detail, from the beginning, exactly what the problem was, over a crappy phone connection, to someone whose only familiarity with the product is that it owned by Microsoft.

 

I normally try to be patient in this type of situation, but I finally lost it when, in the midst of this confusing conversation, the associate suddenly proclaimed, "Sir, it is obvious to me that your drivers are bad" (never saying WHAT drivers), "and I will now help you reload them. I wish for you to let me connect to your computer in order to do this".

 

And at this point I lost it and hung up.

 

What connection the support link above has with MSFS 2020, I do not know. The first person I spoke to assumed I was calling about Microsoft Office.

That phone number was to a fairly obvious SCAMMER site. Never let anyone you don't know "connect" to your computer remotely. These Scammers look to be jumping in on the actual Microsoft/Assoboe site to steal from the people that have problems.

 

I occasionally get phone call from these guys pretending to be from Microsoft service and they tell me they can see errors coming from my computer. Please let me connect to your computer and we will "fix" these error for free!

 

Stange, because I'm using a Chromebook and not a Windows computer!

Odd that it came from a Microsoft domain.

 

Microsoft Community

 

You would hope that they would be onto someone successfully jacking into their system.

Did you actually contact the zendesk or whoever they are about your problem?

 

https://flightsimulator.zendesk.com/hc/en-us

Edited October 9, 2020 by mrzippy

This was the Microsoft Community website where I submitted the original support requests. From the main Microsoft site.

 

But yes, I opened a Zendesk ticket yesterday as well as a forum submission at flightsimulator.com four days ago.

I had this exact problem. I would post the link to where I found the solution so the proper credit could be given, if I could remember where I found it. What the post suggested was to go to Options/Assists and select All Assists. Fly for a few minutes then reset your options to your preferred settings. Restart MSFS and everything 'should' be back to normal. Hope this works for you.

Thanks! I will certainly give it a try.

This was the Microsoft Community website where I submitted the original support requests. From the main Microsoft site.

 

I would not use that site for flightsim answers. Anyone can jump in with "answers" even scammers who pretend to be from Microsoft.

Lowbeam, you da man, as they say! In my case I just selected "All assists" and the ATC icon was there as soon as I opened the on screen menu. Looking back I may have even considered trying that at one time but obviously never got around to it. I guess that's one more item to tick off of the big list!

 

Thanks so much!

Great. I'm glad that worked for you. I can't claim credit for the solution but it worked for me.