OnCourse Software

Hi,
Could I have some advice about reaching the "real" holding point, and how to contact Departure if my copilot remains silent. How to find departure frequency would help. This is happening too often for comfort. I don't mind finding that I'm doing something wrong. I'd like to describe an example of where I've had problems.

I'd lost contact with PF3 at departure from London City for Manchester, so I repeated the procedure for test purposes.
I got permission to taxi from Gate 7 at EGLC. From Gate 7 to runway 27 there are only two short taxiways leading onto the runway, along which you must travel to a loop leading to the holding point. There is also a turning area just opposite.

TGS came alive, using voice and heading bug. At the first available access to the runway I was told I had reached the holding point. Nothing more! Pressed "0", got fresh permission, carried on to the second access, turned onto the runway, and was told to "Carry straight on"! On reaching the stop line at the end of the loop I got a fresh "you have reached the holding point" from PF3, and again nothing more. From then on I got fresh permission to taxi, and fresh, "you have reached the holding point"several times, while I shuffled the aircraft forwards and backwards. Finally, my wretched copilot woke up and called the Tower. From then all was normal. This was only a test so I ended the flight when I was well on my way.

I apologise for this long post and hope someone has not been too bored to get this far. I'm attaching a log file in the hope it might be of interest.

Regards, Jim

Jim,
i'll load a flight from London City (Friday) morning and taxi to runway 27 from Gate 7 and let you know what I find, I take it you are using UK2000 scenery?

I occasionally have problems like this when I have to "taxi" on a runway. The easiest solution if using the VCP to handle comms is to turn off the taxi-guidance (1) once you have reached the actual holding point. Your co-pilot should then dial up Tower and request t/o clearance.

The default ATC (on which PF3 depends) is just used to a taxiway leading to a holding point for a runway. It gets confused if things get complicated.

This will also work if you want to T/O from an intersection while PF3 ATC is wanting to guide you to the holding point at the extreme end of the runway. Just cancell taxi guidance and as long as you are near a runway entrance (ie at a holding point), you should get clearance.

BTW , for the avoidance of doubt ......you get taxi instructions from Ground (or Tower if it is a small airport). You will not be speaking to Departure until you have taken off and been handed over from Tower

If for some reason the above suggestions won't work and you are unable to get takeoff clearance after deactivating TGS, you can tune Tower frequency manually (use the PF3 Display utility to obtain the frequency) and hit hotkey 6 to request takeoff clearance. This usually works as a last resort.

Dan77 wrote:

If for some reason the above suggestions won't work and you are unable to get takeoff clearance after deactivating TGS, you can tune Tower frequency manually (use the PF3 Display utility to obtain the frequency) and hit hotkey 6 to request takeoff clearance. This usually works as a last resort.

This also works at busy airports. In that if there is a long queue at the holding point you can go to a different intersection, call Tower on hotkey 6 and jump the queue!

Thanks a lot, Guys!

I am using UK2000 London City.

Sorry about confusing Ground, Tower, and Departure.

I'll try your suggestions, and have a look for the Display Utility.

Regards, Jim

Hi again,

Thanks once again for your advice.

I've initiated three flights from EGLC, EGBB, and EGPK. Each time I was able to contact Tower by pressing 1 and 6, if necessary, and although I don't think display utility works with P3D, I can access the info in the .dat file.

Cheers, Jim

jimh20 wrote:

Hi again,

Thanks once again for your advice.

I've initiated three flights from EGLC, EGBB, and EGPK. Each time I was able to contact Tower by pressing 1 and 6, if necessary, and although I don't think display utility works with P3D, I can access the info in the .dat file.

Cheers, Jim

Display utility does work in P3D Jim.

Thanks for the correction. Is there any special way of calling up the Display Utility?

I've put a shortcut to it on my desktop, but I don't think I mentioned that I nowadays fly with an Oculus Rift, and have to find ways of getting around my new "blindness".

Jim