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ATIS improvement suggestion
http://www.ocs-support.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4250		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  m_j_lyons [ Mon May 15, 2023 9:45 pm ]
Post subject:  ATIS improvement suggestion
Good afternoon - as a dedicated user of PF3 for all my [virtual] commercial flights around the globe I have have grown used to the current PF3 ATIS format but have to ask for consideration of one (small) change to make for improved realism.

For my example I'll use the current San Francisco Intl ATIS and METAR

ATIS:
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SFO ATIS INFO J 1956Z. 32008KT 10SM FEW030 19/12 A3010 (THREE ZERO ONE ZERO). SIMULTANEOUS CHARTED VISUAL FLIGHT PROCEDURES IN USE. LNDG RWYS 28L, 28R. DEPG RWYS 28L, 28R. NOTAMS... RWYS 1R, 19L CLSD, RWYS 01L, 19R CLSD. TWY B CLSD BETWEEN TWY F1, TWY M, TWY G CLSD BETWEEN TWY A, RWY 1R, TWY H CLSD BETWEEN TWY A, RWY 1R. BIRD ACTV IN VCY OF AP. DEPG ACFT GET NMBRS AND BRIEF BOTH RWYS 28L AND 28R. ...ADVS YOU HAVE INFO J.
METAR:
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KSFO 151956Z 34008KT 10SM FEW030 19/12 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP193 T01940122
Currently PF3 does a great job porting over the METAR with the exception of the cloud layer(s) which it only reports one type [few/scattered/broken/overcast] and no numeric value at all.

My question/request is - would it be difficult to add the cloud layer(s) elevation to the ATIS ACARS display/voice readback? In the case of SFO it should be as simple as "few 3000" or verbalizing the same number. And in the case of multiple layers being reported like below...perhaps a bit more difficult but shouldn't be too large a task.

multiple cloud layer METAR:
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KDLF 151955Z AUTO 26009KT 10SM SCT044 BKN075 19/18 A3020 RMK AO2 RAE05DZB05E08RAB16E29DZB29E31 TSE1856 SLP219 P0000 T01920179 $
And since I have your attention - one enduring feature I've noted is that the altimeter setting is always +1 from what is in ATIS. If in the case of SFO which is reporting an altimeter setting of 3010 I'll have ATC tell me to use 3011. Always. Like I said - it's an enduring feature I've long grown used to but I'm wondering if this is a coding anomaly or a design choice.

Fly safe! :D
Author:  Dave March [ Tue May 16, 2023 3:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: ATIS improvement suggestion
Thanks for that Mike... I will certainly look into the altimeter mis-match. As for adding cloud layers, remember MSFS does not have any weather interface... it was removed and there's no indication of it being reintroduced. So we get out weather info from a live weather station which doesn't, unfortunately, give us cloud layers,
Author:  m_j_lyons [ Tue May 16, 2023 4:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: ATIS improvement suggestion
Oh OK, I assumed the system pulled Metar from standard sources that normally include the cloud heights. All good just figured I'd ask.
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