OnCourse Software

Hi,
I'm a fairly recent user of PFE, and getting to know the finer points of the program. All is working pretty well at the start of a flight, my trusty copilot guiding me out to the runway, and handling all the radio traffic. After landing and moving off the active runway, on one occasion only, he guided me to the gate. On all other occasions PFE (or PF2K) terminated at that point.

If my copilot is supposed to remain on duty after leaving the runway, could someone tell me what I should or should not do at that point to prevent the system terminating there and then? At a strange airport his help would be invaluable, in negotiating unfamiliar taxiways.

Regards, Jim H.

Hi Jim,

The most likely thing you probably haven't done is rebuild the database with makerunways as mentioned in the documentation, until you do this you wont get taxi instructions.

Hi Jim,

In addition to Andy's comment please ensure you have the latest version of PFE installed (2.11.1)

Hi Andy and Dave,

I made a quick reply, but it didn't seem to make it into the forum, so apologies for this belated message. I have the latest version now, and the database is up to date. My problems seem to have changed a little.

I use Glasgow as my normal base, and have Gary Summons' Glasgow Extreme. I have a saved flight at Gate 20L, according to the airport markings. When my copilot asks for clearance, it is from Gate 15 which is not where I think I am. We get cleared for taxiways L, G, E, which is correct from where we are sitting. TGS is active, but I seldom get instructions, but sometimes my copilot seems to wake up when I am on Golf. Is this difficulty because there is some confusion between default Glasgow and Glasgow Extreme? I may try a flight from a default airport to test this.

Originally my problem was no TGS to the gate after landing. Lately I have tried several flights from Glasgow EGPF to Belfast EGAA, and EGPF to Birmingham EGCC. On each occasion I had good descent instructions, was allocated a runway, was vectored out towards a point suitable for a turn towards the runway, and then allowed to continue on this last course for thirty miles or so, with a reminder about my speed if I transgressed, thus proving I hadn't been entirely forgotten. At this point I gave up!

Tonight, after being vectored towards the approach to EGCC, R6L, the same thing happened, I pressed 7 hoping for more vectors without success, and turned to make a normal landing without rebuke, but of course I had left my copilot up in the sky somewhere, so I had screwed PFE up completely.

Could you point me to something stupid I am doing or not doing? I'd like to get PFE running smoothly, for I have FDC waiting to get to grips with.

Sorry about the long story. Regards, Jim

jimh20 wrote:

Hi Andy and Dave,



Tonight, after being vectored towards the approach to EGCC, R6L, the same thing happened, I pressed 7 hoping for more vectors without success, and turned to make a normal landing without rebuke, but of course I had left my copilot up in the sky somewhere, so I had screwed PFE up completely.

Could you point me to something stupid I am doing or not doing? I'd like to get PFE running smoothly, for I have FDC waiting to get to grips with.

Sorry about the long story. Regards, Jim

I don't think you get any additional vectors to R6L after requesting vectors. Someone correct me if I'm wrong,,You get vectored to the Final approach fix and you take it from there and wait for landing clearance.

Hi Jim,

Firstly I'm assuming you are running PFE version 2.11.1

Quote:

I use Glasgow as my normal base, and have Gary Summons' Glasgow Extreme. I have a saved flight at Gate 20L, according to the airport markings. When my copilot asks for clearance, it is from Gate 15 which is not where I think I am. We get cleared for taxiways L, G, E, which is correct from where we are sitting. TGS is active, but I seldom get instructions, but sometimes my copilot seems to wake up when I am on Golf. Is this difficulty because there is some confusion between default Glasgow and Glasgow Extreme? I may try a flight from a default airport to test this.

I have that airport myself so will check this out... hopefully today. If, however, you can recreate this problem I would like to see the debug_monitor.log file from the ...\PFE\Logs folder (email only please)

Quote:

Originally my problem was no TGS to the gate after landing. Lately I have tried several flights from Glasgow EGPF to Belfast EGAA, and EGPF to Birmingham EGCC. On each occasion I had good descent instructions, was allocated a runway, was vectored out towards a point suitable for a turn towards the runway, and then allowed to continue on this last course for thirty miles or so, with a reminder about my speed if I transgressed, thus proving I hadn't been entirely forgotten. At this point I gave up!

Again, a debug_monitor.log is essential for me to even comment on what may or may not have gone wrong.

Quote:

Tonight, after being vectored towards the approach to EGCC, R6L, the same thing happened, I pressed 7 hoping for more vectors without success, and turned to make a normal landing without rebuke, but of course I had left my copilot up in the sky somewhere, so I had screwed PFE up completely.

If you find yourself in such a situation again remember you can always hit hotkey #1 to 'Request Cleared To Final At Pilot's Discretion' and then after landing and closing down PFE please email me the debug_monitor.log with a short description as to what went wrong. If there is a problem with PFE then I obviously need to find and correct it.

Quote:

Could you point me to something stupid I am doing or not doing? I'd like to get PFE running smoothly, for I have FDC waiting to get to grips with.

I don't think you're doing anything stupid at all Jim but what you're not doing is sending me the debug_monitor.log file

Quote:

Sorry about the long story. Regards, Jim

Always prefer to have more detail than not enough.... saves us all a lot of time.

What really winds me up are those that post a single line like 'PFE didn't work properly on approach. Is there a fix for this?'

Hi Jim,

Just checked EGPF Extreme (FS9) and I don't have a Gate L20 ????? So I positioned myself at Gate 20 and contacted clearance.... all concerned were happy I was at Gate 20 and Taxi to runway 5 was fine with instructions all the way.

So, question is, why do you have Gate L20.... my version is 1.31 which is the one available from Gary's website.

Over to you

To Dave:
The monitor log file is on its way!

To Daveo:

>>I don't think you get any additional vectors to R6L after requesting vectors. Someone correct me if I'm wrong,,You get vectored to the Final approach fix and you take it from there and wait for landing clearance.<<

I hope you'll forgive my ignorance. I've been making flightplans with a final waypoint well before destination to allow plenty of time for descent and vectoring. I've been expecting to be vectored onto a final course, more or less in line with the destination runway, not knowing of course which runway that may be when I make the plan

Should I be doing something different at the planning stage?

I do know I could "cheat" by setting wind direction in the sim, making sure which runway I would use, but I can't do that if I use REX2's real world weather.

Regards, Jim

Just to finish this thread for anyone else with the same difficulties. Dave set me right.

Vectors to the Runway: I was not deadly accurate with my headings. Accurate headings - End of problem.

TGS: I've now installed the TGS Gauge into each of the aircraft I use. If my copilot is a bit late with an instruction, the gauge points the way!
Contrary to what I previously believed, the gauge works in each of my virtual cockpits in FSX.

Thank you, Dave!

Regards, Jim