OnCourse Software

Welcome to our Product Support Forums

Question about facilities..

PLEASE NOTE:

If you are reporting an issue with PF3 please remember to Zip and attach the Debug_Monitor.log file from your PF3\Logs folder. Thank you.

Post Reply   Page 1 of 2  [ 12 posts ]
Jump to page 1 2 »
Author Message
martinlest
Post subject: Question about facilities..
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 2:43 pm
Offline
 
Posts: 1308
Joined: Sun Dec 26, 2010 3:33 pm
 
This could be the stupidest question I have ever asked here (??) but...

I realise that apart from Ground and Tower I am really not very sure about what the other facilities are - Multicom, Unicom, FSS, Center... How do I know which facility I am currently tuned to? I found in the pdf a description of the key actions for each facility but not what the facilities are, as it were, and when they are active. Changing from one to another at will (in flight, say cruise) is not possible, logically?

I realised that my flight plan was taking me to the wrong airport just now, but had no idea how to request a change of destination...

Could someone kindly point me to an explanation? Thank you!


Top
Profile Quote
martinlest
Post subject: Re: Question about facilities..
Posted: Thu Mar 03, 2016 3:06 pm
Offline
 
Posts: 1308
Joined: Sun Dec 26, 2010 3:33 pm
 
I went to expand on this, by editing my original post. My edit was much clearer, but I clicked on 'submit' and was told I could no longer edit the post, so I lost 10 minutes worth of typing. I only posted the original a short time (minutes) beforehand.

Not sure why original posters cannot edit their own posts whenever they want here, as on some other sites.

Well I can't start again, so I'll have to leave the post as I originally wrote it :-(


Top
Profile Quote
pschlute
Post subject: Re: Question about facilities..
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2016 9:22 am
Offline
 
Posts: 299
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 4:34 pm
 
Hi Martin

Multicom; Unicom; and FSS are used when flying VFR. I do not fly VFR myself so someone with more knowlege may be able to offer more detailed explanation, but basically you use the first two to announce your intentions at an airport which has no operative tower for example.

Centre is an ATC sector control centre. If doing a IFR flight, you will be get takeoff clearance from Tower, then be passed to departure control, then be passed to Centre. You will then be passed from one centre to the next as you flight progresses. During your descent you will be passed from Centre to approach control and finally to Tower.

You can alter the altitude at which Centre takes over from departure control, or approach control takes over from Centre in PF3 options 2

In your PF3 folder structure look for PF3_Displayer, and within it PF3_Display.exe open this and it will show who you are connected to at any one time as well as telling you the frequencies for your entire flight. It also lists all the available commands.

_________________

Peter


Top
Profile Quote
martinlest
Post subject: Re: Question about facilities..
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2016 10:02 am
Offline
 
Posts: 1308
Joined: Sun Dec 26, 2010 3:33 pm
 
Hi Dave, OK, that's clear. So how then would I, half-way through a flight, request a change of destination airport? There is no such option when tuned to whatever 'Center'.

The only option I can see is under Tower - if I hit '8' when tuned to a tower frequency (would that have to be destination? If so, then I can't change destination en route, as I could in the FS9 ATC?), I can request a change to an alternate airport. (Any? Or one I have previously specified somehow).

Thanks...


Top
Profile Quote
Dave March
Post subject: Re: Question about facilities..
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2016 10:21 am
Site Admin
Offline
 
Posts: 6093
Joined: Mon May 18, 2009 6:22 pm
Location: Sawtry, Cambridgeshire. UK
Contact: Website
 
martinlest wrote:
Hi Dave, OK, that's clear. So how then would I, half-way through a flight, request a change of destination airport? There is no such option when tuned to whatever 'Center'.

The only option I can see is under Tower - if I hit '8' when tuned to a tower frequency (would that have to be destination? If so, then I can't change destination en route, as I could in the FS9 ATC?), I can request a change to an alternate airport. (Any? Or one I have previously specified somehow).

Thanks...
You can only request diverting to your alternate, provided you included one.

_________________

Cheers

Dave March

Email: dmarch@oncourse-software.co.uk

I don't know if my memory is getting worse as I get older...
...I just can't remember how it used to be!

[ img ]


Top
Profile Quote
Dave March
Post subject: Re: Question about facilities..
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2016 10:24 am
Site Admin
Offline
 
Posts: 6093
Joined: Mon May 18, 2009 6:22 pm
Location: Sawtry, Cambridgeshire. UK
Contact: Website
 
martinlest wrote:
I went to expand on this, by editing my original post. My edit was much clearer, but I clicked on 'submit' and was told I could no longer edit the post, so I lost 10 minutes worth of typing. I only posted the original a short time (minutes) beforehand.

Not sure why original posters cannot edit their own posts whenever they want here, as on some other sites.

Well I can't start again, so I'll have to leave the post as I originally wrote it :-(
That's probably just a timeout issue. What I do when that happens is simply use the browser back button, copy the text I've just written, use the back butto again to return to the forum index, then start over but this time I can paste my text rather than having to retype it.

This can also happen if someone else happens to reply to the same post you are replying to whilst you're in edit more. Just remember though, you haven't actually lost everything you typed :)

_________________

Cheers

Dave March

Email: dmarch@oncourse-software.co.uk

I don't know if my memory is getting worse as I get older...
...I just can't remember how it used to be!

[ img ]


Top
Profile Quote
martinlest
Post subject: Re: Question about facilities..
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2016 11:58 am
Offline
 
Posts: 1308
Joined: Sun Dec 26, 2010 3:33 pm
 
I'd included an alternate in my PMDG CDU, but not in PF3 - I need to check how to do that with the manual. How do I then request the alternate, if I am not tuned to Tower, as that seems to be the only facility with that option. (So I suppose the answer to the question is 'you can't').

I did try the back button but it didn't work - I can't recall now what did actually happen, but I certainly didn't get the page with my text again. I am in the habit of often pressing Ctrl+A then Ctrl+C as I type, so I have the text on the clipboard - I was typing something on AVSIM yesterday and something I hit on the keyboard closed down my browser with no warning. Maybe there's a little programme somewhere out there that automatically copies text to the clipboard every few seconds, that would be really useful! I'll Google it later :)


Top
Profile Quote
Dave March
Post subject: Re: Question about facilities..
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2016 12:11 pm
Site Admin
Offline
 
Posts: 6093
Joined: Mon May 18, 2009 6:22 pm
Location: Sawtry, Cambridgeshire. UK
Contact: Website
 
Quote:
How do I then request the alternate, if I am not tuned to Tower, as that seems to be the only facility with that option. (So I suppose the answer to the question is 'you can't').
Correct but it is on my list of things to look into.

I like the idea of an auto copy utility... let me know if yo find one.

_________________

Cheers

Dave March

Email: dmarch@oncourse-software.co.uk

I don't know if my memory is getting worse as I get older...
...I just can't remember how it used to be!

[ img ]


Top
Profile Quote
vololiberista
Post subject: Re: Question about facilities..
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2016 12:47 pm
Offline
 
Posts: 980
Joined: Wed May 27, 2009 8:41 pm
Location: LIMZ
 
dmarch wrote:
martinlest wrote:
Hi Dave, OK, that's clear. So how then would I, half-way through a flight, request a change of destination airport? There is no such option when tuned to whatever 'Center'.

The only option I can see is under Tower - if I hit '8' when tuned to a tower frequency (would that have to be destination? If so, then I can't change destination en route, as I could in the FS9 ATC?), I can request a change to an alternate airport. (Any? Or one I have previously specified somehow).

Thanks...
You can only request diverting to your alternate, provided you included one.
It's exactly the same when compiling a "real" flightplan. There are two spaces for your alternate and it is mandatory to include at least one even if it is only source or destination!! In PF3 you can request an alternate when in contact with Approach or Tower. Having to request an alternate whilst enroute would indicate an emergency of some sort. So in that case use the MAYDAY option. Make sure though that in your a/c profile you have indicated the runway length otherwise PF3 might send you to a runway that is too short.

_________________

[ img ]


Top
Profile Quote
martinlest
Post subject: Re: Question about facilities..
Posted: Fri Mar 04, 2016 7:58 pm
Offline
 
Posts: 1308
Joined: Sun Dec 26, 2010 3:33 pm
 
OK, thank you for that. I earlier checked the box whereby PF3 always requests an alternate destination.. I didn't notice the two boxes, but I haven't really started using PF3 properly since I made the change. I dare say all will be clear when I fly again.


Top
Profile Quote
Display: Sort by: Direction:
Post Reply   Page 1 of 2  [ 12 posts ]
Return to “PF3-ATC at its best” | Jump to page 1 2 »
Jump to: