OnCourse Software

Hi,

This is quite possibly a newbie mistake, but I haven't had this problem on simpler flights:

I am flying from Gatwick (EGKK) to Halifax Stanfield (CYHZ), so am under Oceanic Control for most of the flight.
I get handed back to Monckton as I enter Canadian airspace, and am vectored for the approach to CYHZ.
However, ATC doesn't issue instructions for a step descent, instead expecting me to descend from FL340 to 3500 feet on the approach.
On a second attempt I started my descent early but ATC repeatedly asked me to remain at FL340.

I'm attaching the debug log, FSX flight plan and a screenshot showing the flight plan as loaded into PF3 - I am running version 3.10.3

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks,
Martin

You can request descent (or ascent) using the L (or H) key with the numeric keys. I find this is the best way to get where I really want to be at the right time.

John

OK, but I'm not sure that quite answers my question.

I have just flown again from Gatwick to Edinburgh and this time ATC issued descent steps from (near) my expected Top of Descent all the way down to 3000 feet on approach.
This is the behaviour that I was expecting on the flight to Halifax, but the descent steps were never issued by ATC for that flight plan.

Am I missing something? Is PF3 correctly mimicking action peculiar to UK/European ATC and not seen in Canada/North America?

Thanks,
Martin

I don't have a definite answer but on the flight to CYHZ you are using accelerated sim rate and seem to be at an accelerated rate at the time you would be given your initial descent. Also there is an XXX waypoint 6 miles after DAYSE and these are crossed almost simultaneously at your accelerated rate. Results with PF3 and accelerated sim rate are unpredictable; sometimes it works and sometimes there are problems. If the problem persists without accelerated rate I think Dave will take a look and see if there may be a bug somewhere.

Thanks for that, it makes sense.
I use accelerated sim rate between the oceanic checkpoints, I must have left it on longer than usual - I will try again and see how I get on.
Is there a way that I can work out where the transitions between 'normal' and oceanic ATC take place so I can be more careful?

Quote:

Is there a way that I can work out where the transitions between 'normal' and oceanic ATC take place so I can be more careful?

If you load a flight plan into PF3, then go to the PF3\Flight\FPP folder you will see numerous files, one of which will be the flight plan name ending in .JSON

Open your browser and go to http://geojson.io/

Now drag and drop this JSON file onto the display map of the world and you should see something like this:-
You can click on any of the coloured control sectors to see a popup giving the sector's name.You can then see where the change overs will be

Wow, that's really neat!
Thanks Dave, I appreciate you showing how to do that, it will come in very handy.

Regards,
Martin

I've tried the flight again today and had a similar problem - this time I made sure that I was at Normal simulation speed more than 20nm before the end of Oceanic Control at waypoint DAYSE.
The Virtual CP (I was using VCP Mode 2) made a position report to Gander Center passing DAYSE (at 46N 58W), as expected, the acknowledgment I heard was 'At 46N 58W, next 46N 58W'.
Although this seemed odd, I think this is correct as PF3 has inserted an 'XXX' waypoint (also at 46N 58W) immediately after DAYSE, presumably for a handover to Moncton Center - but this never actually happened.

That acknowledgment from Gander was the last that I am aware of from ATC before the VCP tried to check-in with Moncton Center somewhere between CAYLY & BOSUB.
I'm not sure what triggered that call; I had started to descend before CAYLY so that I had a sporting chance of landing at Halifax.
After that I didn't seem to be able to raise ATC at all, and I wasn't handed over to Halifax Approach.

I'm wondering if the original problem arises because the two waypoints are too close together; I believe that the final position report was actually issued after both of them had been passed.
I notice that the Gander and Moncton control zones overlap at the point that I am crossing them:

It's quite likely that I am again doing something wrong, and would appreciate any feedback. Is there a way to 'reconnect' with ATC if this situation arises in future?

Zip file attached with flight plan and debug log; I am now running 3.10.12

Thanks,
Martin

Well I believe I found the culprit... just tried a short (simulated) Oceanic and it works fine now so if you'd like to try this interim version (3.10.15) which I've attached and report back it would be much appreciated.

Just unzip into your main PF3 folder... maybe make a copy of your existing PF3.exe file first though.

Apologies for the delay in responding; I have tried the updated version of PF3 and have noticed a few strange things - I ended up making the same flight three times to get all of the details:

1) Handover takes place correctly at GAPLI from London Control to Shanwick Oceanic on 127.90 with SELCAL check OK - ATC requests 'Report reaching BEDRA'
2) Normal progress occurs with reports being made at waypoints BEDRA (49N50W), 4920N (49N20W), and 4925N (49N25W)
3) Something strange happens at 4930N (49N30W): VCP changes COM1 to 132.10 and calls Gander Oceanic, requesting a SELCAL check - ATC then requests 'Report reaching 4935N', the waypoint not the position.
Shortly after that ATC issues a handover 'Contact Gander Oceanic on 132.1'
4) Normal progress then occurs with reports being made at waypoints 4935N (49N35W), 4940N (49N40W) and 4945N (49N45W)
5) At waypoint 4950N (49N50W) VCP reports '48 North 51 West next'; this is incorrect as the next waypoint in the flightplan is JOOPY (48N52W) - the value of 48N51W is for an extra 'XXX' waypoint added by PF3
6) At waypoint XXX (position 16 in the FPP) no handover to the next 'Gander Oceanic' sector is made, but COM1 is changed to 132.20
7) At JOOPY (48N52W) the VCP makes a position report '46 North 58 West next'
Shortly after that ATC issues a handover 'Contact Gander Oceanic on 132.2'
8) At waypoint DAYSE (46N58W) VCP reports '46 North 58 West next'; again this is incorrect as the next waypoint in the flightplan is CAYLY (45N62W) - the value of 46N58W is for another extra 'XXX' waypoint added by PF3

There is then no further communication from ATC, at least that is what I found on my first flight.

However, on my second flight I used hotkey '0' between DAYSE and CAYLY to try to check-in (I left COM1 on 132.20) and got a response from Moncton Centre giving me a squawk ident.
I then manually changed COM1 to be 119.20; shortly after that ATC issued a handover 'Contact Moncton Centre on 119.2'.
Once I am 'talking' to Moncton Centre, ATC issues descent instructions and approach vectors for landing at Halifax.
(I had the same experience on my third flight after using hotkey '0' between DAYSE and CAYLY, but stopped the flight after the first descent instruction)

I'm attaching the flight plan and logs from the third flight - I hope that they give you what you need to look into this further.
Happy to try again, it just takes a little while to make a six hour flight, even when I accelerate the boring bits!

Regards,
Martin