I have recently returned to FSX now that hardware capable of running it smoothly is readily available. I've bought a number of addons, and I'm enjoying it immensely. My pet peeve, at the moment anyway, is that IFR flight over UK airspace is spoiled by the constant frequency changes demanded by the FSX ATC controller. I loaded up Captain Sim's 727-200 in a smart Dan-Air scheme and departed Birmingham for some circuit training at Shannon. On leaving Birmingham I was passed along to numerous controllers working the surrounding region, even some repetition, being passed back to a controller I had left on the previous switch, In addition, let-down altitudes are ridiculously low, I'm descended to 2,000 while still 20 miles out.
Am I doing something wrong? Any thoughts on alternatives to FSX ATC? Not really looking to go the voice activated route, the other half already thinks I'm nuts pretending to fly from point A to point B without a whole lot going on in the middle - I don't need comments to the effect "who you talking to in there"?
FSX ATC does leave a bit to be desired!
As for other options, you could try "Radar Contact" (http://www.jdtllc.com/) which is supposed to be much more realistic, although I haven't tried it myself.
The other option is to use on-line ATC such as VATSIM.
I too have commented some months ago about the very same thing. I'm going to investigate alternatives but whatever they are, they need to deal with the way I fly. ( explain later )
When I posted on our "problem," IIRC someone suggested that if the flight plan - I fly IFR - has a Direct route, as opposed to Low or High Airways, then this happens because the plane can find itself right on the border of two ATC "areas".
So, I always fly Low or High airways, but I still get some irritating back and forth instructions. I think it is not the full answer, if at all.
It would be great if someone could post the full answer here.
Re the way I fly. - I don't have a lot of time so i generally take off, gain cruising height and then go into Map. Then i move the plane along the route to near the destination airport and then return to flying . Bring up ATC and click on the ATC station which shows as No.1 and then ask for IFR clearance ( usually option 3 ). I'm always put back into IFR mode -and then shortly after I descend etc under instruction to land.
So, whilst MS default ATC allows me to do this, i don't know if the alternatives discussed would do so.?
I have been using VoxATC X for a long time, with the UK enhancement. Not only does it give you excellent ATC, with prompts if required, but good AI aircraft cover, too.
Thanks for the suggestions. I went with Radar Contact, and it's a major improvement. Clunky interface when setting up a flight, and the pronounciation could be sped up and/or made smoother otherwise a fine product. I repeated my BHX-SNN flight and spoke with BH Departure, then London, Dublin and Shannon. Perfect.
I went with Radar Contact. So far so good, for the first flight I repeated my earlier BHX-SNN trip and was impressed by the realistic ATC interaction with RC. I got dinged for busting altitudes (had a hard time setting altimeter, reading in inches/hg) and earned a "call us when you get on the ground" instruction.
The only real problem is lack of taxiing instructions, understand they will be included in RC v5. Overall, a worthwhile purchase.
