OnCourse Software

The last 5 flights i have compared the default FSX ATC against PFE. I flew a number of flights repeatedly changing PFE and FSX ATC with the exact same conditions: weather (historical point), plane, date and time.
Before PFE i always flew SIDS and Stars using ATC i had to let go of these standard procedures. Every flight i fly manual till im above 10.000 ft, pitching down to make cruise alt speed 0,78 mach at then set V-RNAV. At the end i must say that im impressed by the default ATC. Its not that bad at all. There are some differences.
The priority of the test was to see differences in runway assignments. At the end im a bit disappointed in the results.
FSX has a huge advantage over FSX: it uses multiple (parallel!) runways for take off and landings. Say EDDT (Berlin Tegel) which has two (actually four) runways: 08 R/L and 26 R/L. FSX uses one runway for takeoff (for example 8R) and uses the other for landing (8L). (Im using Aerosofts airports so maybe its within the afcad). PFE only uses one runway to land and departure: 8R. 8L is not used...
But...when it comes down on assignment they do not differ from each other. Most of all i had problems with AI taking off at the opposite direction of my landing. FSX ATC also made the same faults. PFE is not good at LSZH (Zurich). When you have to taxi via Echo / Golf to runway 14 you will not have any clearance. Also the landing runway is always opposite of departure airplanes.
FSX seems to do it a bit better. At the end im a bit disappointed with PFE. Yes, the voices are much better and you dont get those crazy traffic alerts while you already passed the plane at half a mile. It also has a nice traffic tool which almost work like AI separate. A nice taxi monitor and the PFE monitor which is a great assistance uring the flight. The speed traps are better than FSX. FSX tend to give you a new trap just as the AP falls back into FMC mode. During the descent using vectors PFE and FSX are the same. Except for the fact PFE has speed restrictions. I have bought PFE to get rid of the wrong runways...at the end it seems it leans much on what FSX tells it. I have red on the forum of another ATC program that people experience the exact same problems using real time weather. (or a historical point). Hopefully one day this problem will be overcome.

As has been said in previous replies, PFE relies on what the other AI aircraft are actually doing to decide on a departure/arrival runway. i dont see why you expect it to do any different.

You can tell PFE to ignore certain runways for take off or landing or both. You can also request another runway before take off/landing. Have you tried that.

Peter