Does anyone use the ATC in X-Plane?

This probably goes under the heading of “Stating the Obvious”. I tried it today and found it very kludgy to say the least. Having to file a flight plan to chat with ATC causes a bunch of issues, mainly, if your flight plan has navaids or waypoints not in it’s database. That cause you to get steering directives that might be contrary to your flight plan. Then, it repeats communications over and over, and won’t shut up, even when you change the radio frequency and cancel you flight plan. While this is going on, it’s probably out back of my house looking to see what it can steal as well. Not a big fan. :confused:

10.50 atc is a lot better. Not saying much but it is better.

It still repeats commands really quick, but you don’t get the nonsense “you are off course” a million times, it vectors you back.

There’s still issues with descent handling, but I’ve filed a bug report for that, because Ben said it should be fixed.

It’s not great, but it’s better. It’s usable in 10.50 where it was not in 10.45 and earlier. Not sure if it still vectors you in mountains or not… Haven’t tested that.

I don’t use it. I just file my own stuff, fly it, and if I need an IFR departure or arrival, I usually just fly the full procedure as if it were non-radar.

i havent used it in a long time. I use to use it when I was flying freeware aircraft. But now that I fly payware with SIDS/STARS support. I dont use it at all. Only thing I do is tune my radio to departure ATIS and Arrival ATIS.

For VFR I don’t use it, although will try again on the latest beta.

For IFR, either a paid aircraft FMS set-up, or if the airports are supported I use X-Life:

http://jardesign.org/x-life/www/

X-Life is good for more realistic traffic and arrival/departures, but it doesn’t do comms between centres etc, so still some ways to go.

Here’s a typical X-Life ATC log using it:

ATC LOG ———————————–

Pilot: HAMBURG Delivery, JAR123, Stand Apron 2, A320, with information C, QNH1013, request clearance
ATC: JAR123, HAMBURG Delivery, Cleared to DUSSELDORF as filed, Runway 33, BASU9G departure, Squawk 1169
Pilot: Cleared to DUSSELDORF, Runway 33, BASU9G departure, Squawk 1169, JAR123
Pilot: HAMBURG Ground, JAR123, Stand Apron 2, request start up, information C
ATC: JAR123, start up approved
Pilot: Start up approved, JAR123
Pilot: HAMBURG Ground, JAR123, Stand Apron 2, request taxi
ATC: JAR123, HAMBURG Ground, taxi to holding short runway 33, via Apron,L,S,Apron,R
Pilot: Taxi to holding short runway 33, via Apron,L,S,Apron,R, JAR123
Pilot: HAMBURG Tower, JAR123, approaching holding short runway 33
ATC: JAR123, HAMBURG Tower, hold short runway 33
Pilot: Holding short runway 33, JAR123
ATC: JAR123, HAMBURG Tower, line up and wait runway 33
Pilot: Lining up and wait runway 33, JAR123
ATC: JAR123, runway 33 cleared for take-off
Pilot: Cleared for take-off, Runway 33, JAR123
ATC: JAR123, contact HAMBURG Radar 124.6
Pilot: Contact HAMBURG Radar on 124.6, JAR123
Pilot: HAMBURG Radar, JAR123, BASU9G departure, passing 1500 feet, climbing to 25000 feet
ATC: JAR123, HAMBURG Radar, radar contact

…fly…

Pilot: Ready for Descend, JAR123
ATC: JAR123, Descend to FL190
Pilot: Descending to FL190, JAR123
ATC: JAR123, contact DUSSELDORF Approach 123,625
Pilot: Contact DUSSELDORF Approach 123,625, JAR123
Pilot: DUSSELDORF Approach, JAR123, FL244, descending to FL190, information A on board
ATC: JAR123, Identified, expect XAMO2X arrival, ILS approach Runway 05L, descend FL60
Pilot: Descending FL60, expect XAMO2X arrival, ILS approach Runway 05L, JAR123
ATC: JAR123, Descend 3000 feet, QNH 1013, transition level FL50
Pilot: Descending 3000 feet, QNH 1013, transition level FL50, JAR123
ATC: JAR123, cleared for ILS approach Runway 05L, report established
Pilot: Cleared for ILS approach Runway 05L, will report established, JAR123
Pilot: Established ILS Runway 05L, JAR123
ATC: JAR123, continue approach
Pilot: Continue approach, JAR123
ATC: JAR123, contact Tower 123.45
Pilot: 123.45, JAR123
Pilot: DUSSELDORF Tower, JAR123 with you, ILS approach runway 05L
ATC: JAR123, continue approach
Pilot: Continue approach, JAR123
ATC: JAR123, Cleared to land Runway 05L, wind 0 degrees 0 knots
Pilot: Cleared to land Runway 05L, JAR123
ATC: JAR123, take first, when vacated contact Ground 118.35
Pilot: Take first, Wilco 118.35, JAR123
Pilot: DUSSELDORF Ground, JAR123, runway vacated
ATC: JAR123, Taxi to stand B09 via 05L/23R,K1,L1,L2,M,P4,T
Pilot: Stand B09 via 05L/23R,K1,L1,L2,M,P4,T, JAR123
ATC LOG END —————————-

You use the plug-in’s own ATC like this and it uses speech synthesis to talk back:

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