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Altitude stages

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JohnY
Post subject: Altitude stages
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 3:10 pm
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Can someone tell me why, when you're aiming for an altitude of say 30,000' the ATC instructions stagger it by perhaps five or six steps and the same coming down.

Why not just an instruction for the right altitude straight away?

It would make a much more comfortable flight for the passengers because sometimes you've almost levelled out before the next instruction comes.

John


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Dave March
Post subject: Re: Altitude stages
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 3:51 pm
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It's randomised John, in an attempt to make it more realistic. Sometimes you will be cleared direct but other times it will be stepped, as it is in the RW. ATC may only be able to safely clear you to a certain altitude and then have to wait maybe for another aircraft crossing your path at a higher/lower altitude. There could be many other reasons. You 'should' get clearance to climb/descend to the next level before you level off provided you're not climbing/descending too fast maybe?

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Rustydog
Post subject: Re: Altitude stages
Posted: Sun Aug 26, 2018 9:33 pm
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Is there any way to get the follow on instruction a bit quicker (or slower sometimes) Dave. I too, often have almost levelled out before they come. If it is a minute or so late I can see that ATC are holding me for a reason. No really they are, but it often happens that the engines start to die and then I get clearance and off they roar again, most disconcerting for the passengers. Likewise on descent. Maybe the calls could come 30+ secs before the alt arrival or 30+ secs after.
kind regards Steve

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JohnY
Post subject: Re: Altitude stages
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 4:25 pm
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Hm. I see what you mean Dave but I agree with Steve and can say when I've actually flown as a passenger, I've never felt or observed the aircraft going up or down in stages. Maybe they do.

What I like about your programme is that you try to make it as realistic as possible. Can you have a think about it for the next update maybe please? Perhaps only making the stages occasionally instead of on every flight?

John


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bobsk8
Post subject: Re: Altitude stages
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 4:45 pm
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JohnY wrote: *  Mon Aug 27, 2018 4:25 pm
Hm. I see what you mean Dave but I agree with Steve and can say when I've actually flown as a passenger, I've never felt or observed the aircraft going up or down in stages. Maybe they do.

What I like about your programme is that you try to make it as realistic as possible. Can you have a think about it for the next update maybe please? Perhaps only making the stages occasionally instead of on every flight?

John
I listen to live ATC all the time, and it is very common to hear altitude assignments given in stages in the real world.

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ThomasAH
Post subject: Re: Altitude stages
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 4:54 pm
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JohnY wrote: *  Mon Aug 27, 2018 4:25 pm
What I like about your programme is that you try to make it as realistic as possible. Can you have a think about it for the next update maybe please? Perhaps only making the stages occasionally instead of on every flight?
I don't know if this causes/fixes it, but can you select a different climb rate in the aircraft profile when loading the flight plan in PF3?
I usually only get 1-2 steps, but I usually fly much slower aircraft and lower cruise altitudes, so this may not really be comparable.

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Rustydog
Post subject: Re: Altitude stages
Posted: Mon Aug 27, 2018 9:34 pm
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I have no problem with step climb/descents per se, as bobsk8 says this does happen in the real world. My niggle is with the timing of calls, getting cleared just as the engines die back for level flight and then roar off again. To be fair it is not a too often occurrence just tonight both climb and descent were in steps but the calls came either well in time or after a minute or so of level flight. Perfect in my view. I don't know if anything can be adjusted as said earlier, but it would be nice.
Regards Steve

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