SurClaro Flight Simulator Resources

[flyer_boy]

i doubt it, but is there anything i can add to make IFR clearances a little more real with some SIDS ans STARS???? im trying to practice IFR for real life, but all the clearances are the same. For example, im based a KALB, and want to preactice the Albany 3 departure with IFR clearnce, that dep means, all rwys c/m on rwy heading, but rwy 01 makes a climbing left turn (forgot the heading) but when i set up the winds so I have to use 01, the clrance is c/m altitude on rwy heading... a little stupid, a lrage part of flying is those charts and there not included here, i guess i understand, most peopl dont have them, but there should be an option to turn them on....i guess i can use the dep without ATC consent, but wheres the realism in that...oh well, im finished griping abut my problems....

[bschott]

For one, you can manually edit your GPS flight plan after you hit "Find Route". Then ATC will give you the proper vectors for the STAR/SID.

OR... (and this I would say is better...)

You could use HTTP://www.Vatsim.net and have some real life controllers (who have to pass through much training before they even touch a scope and provide ATC) give you the proper SID/STARS.

WARNING: Once you fly online with VATSIM you will never go back to offline flying. I started two months ago and have never flown offline since. All my PIA routes and aircraft are gone too.

Right from their info page

Quote: About Vatsim
An Introduction into the Great Hobby of Online Flight Simulation and Simulated Air Traffic Control

It wasn't long ago when the whole world was ours alone. Beginning with Microsoft's Flight Simulator Version 5.0, we could simulate flying to many parts of the world. Flying, however, was a very lonely proposition. There were no other airplanes in the skies while we flew enroute and our arrivals at major airports were like landing in ghost towns. There was dynamic scenery and beginning with Microsoft's Flight Simulator 98, multi-player capability to keep you company. But other than that, Flight Simulator, as wonderful a program as it has been throughout its history, fell flat when it came to simulating air traffic control.

In 1997, all of that changed with the introduction of SquawkBox©, an add-on program for Flight Simulator 95/98, and ProController©, a stand alone program. Over time, SquawkBox© has been revised several times and now works with all major Flight Simulation programs including Microsoft Flight Simulators 95, 98 and 2000, Precision Simulator and the Fly! series of programs. Through the use of ProController and the internet, people operating as air traffic controllers could track and control aircraft in real time as they flew in Flight Simulator by utilizing a simulated radar screen. Pilots, using SquawkBox, could now talk to and receive air traffic control from people using ProController©. Soon thereafter, various organizations were established to bring order and structure to this new wrinkle in the hobby.

The Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network, known as VATSIM.net or "VATSIM" was created in 2001 by a group of individuals who came together with a goal of creating an organization which truly served the needs of the flight simulation and online air traffic control community. With an eye towards more than just providing a network of computers for users to log into, VATSIM is an online community where people can learn and, at the same time, enjoy the pastimes of flight simulation and air traffic control simulation all while making new friends from all over the world.

VATSIM is not just for individuals who have experience in online flight simulation and ATC. It is perfect for both the new user, and the long time "simmer".

For someone who has just learned about online flight simulation and air traffic control and is interested in real world procedures, VATSIM and its members, many of whom bring real world experience and expertise to our community, offer an ideal environment to learn real world skills.

For pilots, you'll be able to fly with radar service by air traffic controllers who issue instruction and assistance in all phases of flight from getting your clearance to arriving at your destination airport.

For air traffic control enthusiasts, the entire world is simulated meaning you can work ATC virtually anywhere…from a general aviation airport to the busiest airports in the world. Nearly all of the real world positions are available for you to choose and learn to work.
The best part of all of this is that VATSIM brings real people together who share your passion for flight and air traffic control. When you contact that controller or pilot, you aren't contacting a computer generated voice or image - you will be communicating with a real person who shares the same interests as you!

All it takes is a few moments to register and join VATSIM. Once you do, prepare to learn and be rewarded with friendships that will span the globe. In addition, you'll receive the appreciation and thanks of the online flight simulation and air traffic control communities.


Blue skies…..

VATSIM

[bschott]

Check out ServInfo, and see how many people are flying and how many are doing ATC...

[georgesheffield]

GOTO
http://avn.faa.gov/index.asp?xml=naco/online/d_tpp
Click on "digital-TPP/Arpt diagrams".
Scroll down to Product/"digital terminal procedures"
Select that and you'll get a map of the US.
Select a state and airport and you'll get all the plates that are
available including the airport taxi diagram. Select your preference
and send it to your printer. If you're going to hand-fly the departure
you might want to tape it to the edge of your monitor 'cause your going
to have your hands full.
The other option, like was said, after Find Route in your flight
Planner, add the closest waypoints that match the plate.
Another option, see if you can find a download for FSNavigator. It has
many of the SIDS and STARS included and is constantly being updated.
Plus you can add about 100 user defined waypoints exactly where you
want them.
I gave-up on VATSIM after about 300+ hrs. They had structure and managorial problems. You had to fly where the controllers were working. If there were no controllers where you wanted to fly, you were all alone VFR to the next sector. How's that for as real as it gets?

[bschott]

that's good info, and I would have posted up the link to the FAA docs but it sounded like he already knew/had the STARs/SIDS he wanted to use, but didn't know how to make FS use them.

I prefer Vatsim for the simple reason of interaction with others. The sterile, AI driven world of FS9 single player just isn't my cup of tea. I also am a controller on VATSIM so it gives me something that FS9 single player, the ZONE, or even peer-to-peer networking can't.

But to each their own.

[rd]

Sorry,

But you guys are making this sound like, hmmm, a real flying experience, with everything to do with an actual real flight. Real pilots, real ATC, the complete package as if I was an actual pilot making flights.

Is this true, or am I reading the posts wrong.

Reason I am asking, is I didn't know this was possible or even available to the flight community.

Thanks for any replies.

Ardie/rd

[bschott]

rd wrote: Sorry,

But you guys are making this sound like, hmmm, a real flying experience, with everything to do with an actual real flight. Real pilots, real ATC, the complete package as if I was an actual pilot making flights.

Is this true, or am I reading the posts wrong.

Reason I am asking, is I didn't know this was possible or even available to the flight community.

Thanks for any replies.

Ardie/rd

No, your are 100%, this is just like flying multiplayer.... except there are 400 pilots and 116 Controllers on right now (compared to the 2-5 you get with a multiplayer), and the ATC sounds just like the real deal.

Just download ServInfo, click on the VATSIM button and then click on the map tab...

You will see visually all the pilots and ATC on. If you have Roger Wilco you can hookup to their voice channels and listen in.

It's not for some people, but with over 5million hours flow, 1 million hours controlling, and over 88,000 active members I think the numbers speak for themselves.

I have no affiliation with them other than I am really pumped about this free service....and the fact that their controller software looks and acts as close to the real thing as I have seen (and I have seen the real thing...pre-911 friends and family of ATC could be given a tour of the local twr and TRACON..not so anymore)

[bschott]

BTW: to the Original poster...here is something if you want to fly offline or online.

Have you tried this?

* Enter your departure and arrival airports in www.Simroutes.com and find the route (for example KDEN - KSAN)

* Select and copy the resulting route (ROCKI4 HBU J128 TBC J236 EED BARET4)

* Go to www.fsroute.com and enter the departure and arrival airports

* Paste the route you copied from Simroutes into the "Route" textfield

* Select "MS FlightSimulator 200x" from the drop-down menu

* Click "Generate", re-view the offered route and save the .PLN file your browser tries to downlod

* Load the PLN file in FS2004 to get the route into your GPS

The downside is that as far as I know, fsroute.com will ignore SIDs and STARs so the beginning and end of your GPS route will be "direct" from / to the airport. To work around this, you'll have to enter the fixes used in your SID / STAR as part of the route information you enter into fsroute.com.

Instead of this:

ROCKI4 HBU J128 TBC J236 EED BARET4

You'd do this (for KSAN runway 27):

BAYLR BOBBA HBU J128 TBC J236 EED SHADI MOMAR SALTN KARRO IFEHI BARET IFHEJ SWATT

Or this (for KSAN runway 9):

BAYLR BOBBA HBU J128 TBC J236 EED SHADI MOMAR SALTN KARRO IFEHI BARET PGY IFSOX SARGS

Beats going manually from one fix to another.

The only downside to this (compared too a full blown FMC) is that you have to adjust your vertical speed and altitude manually.

[flyer_boy]

thanks all, but too bad i dont have internet and won have it for about 8 months....serious probs....o well, i guess i will have to edit my fp for the SID vec's....