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Yikes!

 

Went rather well (I thought). Best to use the "Ack" key, usually #1, rather than try to set the freqs yourself, then get heck for being slow on the reply. I found RC to be a bit light on zone coverage - it let me get away with overshooting the airport. Then I had to declare a missed and request another ILS approach. I might have missed a step and confused it. I don't recall getting any vectors.

 

Somehow RC could not work out the runways at CYYC. The GPS has them nailed, but the RC ILS choices don't include 34. There is a choice for "No Rwy" and I chose that then dialed in the ILS and set up for it. No problems: I got clearances.

 

I'm going to try some other airports, like maybe CYVR and CYYZ and see how it goes. So far it's a long shot better than the stock FSX ATC. I've only read about half the manual, so I'm expecting to get better at understanding what RC wants from me.

 

Has anyone tried using RC in Air Hauler?

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March,

Is it possible that CYYC has had its runway numbers changed due to magvar changes since FS was published?

Have used RC successfully with AH many times in the past, but am dormant on AH1 due to AH2 testing - not using RC there yet.

Agree it's not perfect but immensely better than FS ATC. After a while with it you will be able to manage manual frequency changes too.

John

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March,

Is it possible that CYYC has had its runway numbers changed due to magvar changes since FS was published?

clip..........

John

Thanks John,

 

There's no question that Calgary has had some major changes that are not present in FSX. The old 16/34 (12,600ft) is now 17R/35L with a new parallel runway 17L/35R (14,000ft) being commissioned recently. So there has been a change due to magnetic precession. Obviously, the new runway is not shown in FSX.

 

However, what reading of the manual that I did do told me that RC reads the current airport database and uses that information for generating runway assignments. If that is the case, then runway 16/34 should have been depicted. Maybe it was in a strange sort of way: I'll take a screen shot next time but if memory serves, RC dealt me runway 16/0 with the wind from 360 degrees. 

 

I called "missed" and went around for another kick at the cat. This time asking for an ILS approach to 34 which I was given and all callouts matched the approach. I'm just left wondering if I was supposed to make this choice on the first approach to the A/P. I don't recall seeing anything in the little text box but I was pretty busy and might have missed the instruction. I'll try for another flight tonight and pay careful attention to the text box.

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I recall something about having to run a utility called "makerways" but don't recall the exact circumstances - probably something to do with accommodating add-on scenery.

John

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Update, Tuesday morning:

 

Third flight went much better. I'm now getting the hang of the interface. I must have confused the poor thing on the first two flights as I wasn't getting anything meaningful out of ATC.

 

As a 'frinstance - on the second flight I'm being vectored to the IAF for Rwy09 at CYYJ. Initially cleared down to 4000' which is the normal intercept altitude at the IAF (BRANY), with the instruction " maintain 4000 until established............" I did this and then started getting read the riot act for descending below my assigned altitude. I was "established" on the GS and as CYYJ is close to sea level it was imperative that I fly below 4000ft if I were to get on the ground. Somehow, RC and I were on different pages.

 

I bailed out of that one and tried CYYC to CYEG, a bit longer flight and hopefully enough time for RC to get its act together. This time I paid religious attention to the text box (as well as, obviously, listening to what the controllers had to say). I was also back in a familiar cockpit (737) which made things a bit easier. In any case, all went well and I had a nice visit with the rellies in Edmonton.

 

The only objection I have to RC's handling of that flight was the choice of runway. I was parked at Gate 50, on the end of (old) concourse "D". RC assigned Rwy07 with real world weather wind direction 70 deg at 7kt. Not a great decision as it is a short runway and about 1-1/2 miles from the apron. Rwy 10 would have done the job admirably and been well within the 737's x-wind tolerance. RC kept hounding me to get in position and hold while I was still a mile from the hold line.

 

I'm going to spend a bit more time with the manual (RTFM!) as there does not seem to be any front and back end (SID & STAR) capability. This may be due to the fact that I'm using everything from the box-stock FSX software, flight planning, scenery, airports, aircraft, etc. I'll be looking for a procedure to insert a STAR at the last minute as it seems vectors is the only choice at this point. If vectors is the only choice then this is going to play heck with trying to use more sophisticated aircraft software such as PMDG's 737NGX. I'm thinking it shouldn't be too big a programming step to read the Airac cycle in use and supply SIDS and STARS based on what is available. 

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RC gives you an opportunity to request a different runway but it happens early, on the first contact with Approach. When he tells you to "Expect Runway nn...." the text box menu will have a choice for "Request different runway". If you don't take it then, I don't think you get the chance later. It's best to have the destination WX in hand and know what runway you'd like before that initial contact with Approach so you're prepared to exercise the option if it's needed.

EDIT: I also recall some cases where there are parallel runways. Requesting a different one from the assigned one gets you an instruction to "sidestep" to the requested runway after flying the approach to the one he gave you.

John

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I've progressed from RC to VoxATC, but RC is a great piece of software.

It doesn't really do STARS and SIDs though, and that was really the reason I started looking for a replacement.

You can use them, if you set up the flight correctly, but RC will never assign a specific procedure.

For a STAR make sure the waypoint prior to your destination is the first waypoint in the STAR you plan on using, and once you're handed over to approach you can request to do "the full intrumental" or something similar. This basically means RC will leave everything up to your discretion until it deems it fit to hand you off to the Tower.

A SID can be simulated too, but you need to prep for that while setting up the flight plan in RC. Can't remember the exact way right now as it was more than a year ago since I last used it, and I think I might have removed it from my PC as well :(

Good luck with your future flights ;)

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Thanks John and Mikael,

 

I'm doing much better these days as I become familiar with the requirements for interacting with RC (and I read the manual). I still have no clue why I got heck for busting assigned altitude while on the GS - but I've gotten over it.

 

There's no question that RC is far superior to the canned ATC stuff that comes with FSX. At least I'm not being sent on an easter-egg hunt every time I fly in IMC.

 

@Mikael, I'll look into your suggestion to try VoxATC. 

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I love VoxATC, but it has it's quirks as do most ATC-software. The main thing to get over is the fact that you need to speak to your computer as it's mostly voice controlled. The only real downside is that it uses synthetic Text-to-Speech

 

I think there is a two week demo available on their website if you want to try it out. Also, if you do get it, make sure you pick up the free voices available on the website as well. Having just Microsoft Anna talking to you all the time is a tad tedious...

 

I opted for the download version available on the website, but there is also a Delux DVD version available here but I found that to expensive. The difference is that the Delux version comes with 4 professional Text-to-Speech voices from AT&T.  

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@Mikael - thank you for the comments.

 

I looked into VoxATC and it looks to be the Cat's pajamas. Something to think about for the future. I'm going to give it a miss for the time being - remember, I live on a boat. This is a very small space for two people, especially if one is talking to a computer. SWMBO already complains that we don't "talk" enough as it is. Introduce competition and my life will be unbearable.

 

I'm getting better at RC and I really like it over the FSX default. I think I'll stick with it for now.

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It may be out of date info, but the last I knew you could not use other traffic with VoxATC, only theirs, which is mighty thin. That may long since have been fixed - not sure, but it was a deal-breaker for me.

John

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