Altitude Question

[Michael]

Hello their,

When flying from an airport such as Paraparaumu to Wellington I am quite often told to fly at an altitude the would put me stright into the hills? (This is once ATC has cleared the approach)

What am I to do? When I ascend a bit they get angry with no flying at my assigned altitude. Is ATC suppose to realise that I am going into the hills and tell me to ascend?

Cheers

[Alex]

Simple answer is that the default ATC is stupid. If you are flying IFR make sure you enter a cruising altitude into the relevant field in the flight planner. That might help.

Alex

[Michael]

Yeh I do the cruise height, but this is once ATC has cleared the approach.

Any ATC "smarten up" packs on the internet?

[ZK-Brock]

My advice- don't even touch the default ATC. Plan your route, climb as high as you want, descent when you want, and do the approach you want.

[NZ255]

That, or join Vatsim.... highly recommend it

[husker]

QUOTE (Michael @ Apr 9 2009, 06:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeh I do the cruise height, but this is once ATC has cleared the approach.

Any ATC "smarten up" packs on the internet?

Radar Contact or voxatc

[mfraser]

I have VoxATC for both FS9 and FSX. It is certainly a step up up from default ATC and uses voice recognition instead of keys to enter your ATC clearances. However there are LOTS of limitations and the procedures are based around JAA and FAA (UK and US) procedures and phraseologies. Being in the industry, I ended up abandoning it as it doesn't accurately reflect the NZ aviation environment enough for my liking and I was concerned that I might develop bad habits for both my controlling and flying!

My short list of problems with VoxATC include:

* Heights below 13,000ft should be referred to as an altitude and not a Flight Level. IE: It should be said as SIX THOUSAND FEET......... not FLIGHT LEVEL ZERO SIX ZERO as in VoxATC
* Standard Instrument Departures (SIDS) need to be entered for each runway in FS - and some runways in NZ have multiple SIDS which means a lot of work and testing
* In NZ we generally issue descent instructions in whole thousands of feet. Both default ATC and VoxATC will give you stuff like "Maintain three thousand two hundred feet"
* The phraseologies used are not what we use in NZ and can't be varied - so you have to read the stuff that appears of screen (Until you learn it rote) or you'll get nowhere
* When its all said and done its still a script - and if you want anything else outside the script you're gonna have to push a button to bring up a different script for you to read out

Don't get me wrong - the program is great and miles ahead of default ATC. But if you think you can buy it to give you a taste of realworld ATC you'll be sadly mistaken. If you just want to use it to 'sound' like a pilot then its the best thing currently on the market. My advice is to save your money, use it to buy a headset and get into VATNZ.net! Like Nick said above, if you want a real taste of ATC then you need to talk to real (simulated) air traffic controllers! This Saturday night on VatNZ will be a doozie!! Check it out guys, even if its only just to listen whats goes on. PM me if you'd like more info on being an observer!!!

VATNZ Event - Panic Stations! Saturday 11 Apr

YouTube VoxATC Demo

Another YouTube VoxATC Demo

My 50cents worth,
Mat

[NZ255]

Are you with Vatsim Mat?

[waka172rg]

Im on Vatsim/VATNZ Ill see yas sunday

[NZ255]

Are you going to do the Saturday Dunedin invasion?

Should be......hectic!

[Michael]

Appreciate all the replies.

I have a question about under explained VATSIM.

Once I click the "VATSIM" button on the FSInn control panel does that then connect? How do I talk to controllers? Do I still use the normal plane's radios?

[NZ255]

Yeah,if there is a controler at the airport/where ever you are., you just tune into the real world freq in the FS plane radio's.

Have you read much about it?
Vatsim
vatnz.net

[Michael]

They don't talk that much about the fine details that I see as crucial

Another question though, when you use the text chat does that goto the controller?

[NZ255]

Goes to everyone, unless you open a private chat with someone

What fine details do you want to know about?

[Michael]

Mainly that sort of thing.

Thank for help, might come along to this event on Sunday.

[mfraser]

QUOTE (NZ255 @ Apr 9 2009, 10:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are you with Vatsim Mat?

Yeah Nick - I signed up last week and did the 'Tower Hopping' last Sunday - I had tons of fun!! And wife permitting I'll be flying Saturday and Sunday (Callsigns EAG915 and NZM535). Panic Stations will be an interesting event!!

QUOTE (Michael @ Apr 9 2009, 11:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Appreciate all the replies.

I have a question about under explained VATSIM.

Once I click the "VATSIM" button on the FSInn control panel does that then connect? How do I talk to controllers? Do I still use the normal plane's radios?

Just as Nick said - you simply tune the FS cockpit radios to the controller you need to talk to - or in this case listen to. IMO Squawkbox (SB) is a much easier program to setup and use than FSINN. After connecting to SB it will initialise and then list the ATC sectors and frequencies in use.

QUOTE (Michael @ Apr 9 2009, 11:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They don't talk that much about the fine details that I see as crucial

Another question though, when you use the text chat does that goto the controller?

Being a new user myself I was amazed at how simple the system is - and I wondered why I hadn't explored it sooner! If you can download, install and run the software then you should be able to work out how to use it without creating too much havoc!! For instance someone sent me a text chat message and although I didn't know how to open the chat box, a quick rightclick on the SB window revealed how do it. Also, the tutorials on the VATSIM and VATNZ websites are a great place to start.

So yeah! Come along and have a listen. If you get brave you could have a go at doing some VFR circuits. When you submit your flightplan just put a comment in that you're a first time user and may need help. Feel free to ask us all questions here - or if you do log in look for our names and callsigns and feel free to chat with us thru VATSIM!!

Best of luck!!
Mat

[NZ255]

Were you on Hamz tower Mat?

[mfraser]

QUOTE (NZ255 @ Apr 10 2009, 09:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Were you on Hamz tower Mat?

No way!! I get far too much traffic and stress being a 'realworld ATC' in Hamilton without signing up for more 'virtual' stress. I stick to the flying side instead and get to cause the stress for a change!! There is another guy (David Walsh) who is currently training in the 'realworld' Hamilton Tower - he's been into VATSIM a fair while before he managed to get accepted for training - he still goes online for virtual ATC though I don't know for how much longer!

[Michael]

Another vatsim question, what to do if no ATC is online? Is their a traffic frequency?

[Timmo]

For FSX and FS9, there is a handy little tool called EditVoicePack- While this doesn't smarten the ATC, it does speed up their delivery (which is useful when things get crowded) as well as correct various phrases and NZ names

Id recommend it
http://www.editvoicepack.com/