OnCourse Software

Hi

I'm using PF3 in Demo mode and, as far as I've managed to get, first impressions are very good.
The TGS system is great and I can imagine it to be very useful in the larger complex airports.

However I have problem. The user guide in the Quick-Start Tutorial describes:
As you approach the runway you will be handed off to Tower control and your
VCP will then request permission to depart.

I've attempted to get this handoff to Tower control a number of times at a couple of different airports and a couple of different aircraft but I get to the holding point and no contact has been made. I wait and wait, even venture past the holding point, but nothing.
If I use the hot key to contact ground, I just get taxi instructions from the parking point again .......which is very frustrating.
I've even taken off hoping to be admonished by Tower ........... but nothing.

Clearly I'm missing a point somewhere or doing something wrong, but after reading through the Tutorial a number of times I haven't the first idea what I'm doing wrong.

Hi,
From the FAQ in the manual :

Q: I'm using Copilot Mode 2 but PF3 doesn't detect when I get near to the
active runway and so doesn't tell me to switch to the Tower.
A: PF3 waits for you to be within 700' feet of the active runway before
issuing a 'Contact Tower on...' command. If you happen to be taking off from
a position other than the end of the active runway you may well be more than
700' away from that detection point. Should this be the case you would need
to manually switch to the Tower frequency and then use Hotkey 6 to contact
Tower and request takeoff clearance.

Additional note: If you are not using VCP mode 2 (as noted in the FAQ), but VCP mode 0 (you do all by yourself), you need to tune to Tower and use hotkey 6, too.
(and hotkey 1 when landing)

But for the first steps with PF3 I would suggest using VCP mode 2, so you can see what PF3 expects from you.

Quote:

If you happen to be taking off from
a position other than the end of the active runway you may well be more than
700' away from that detection point. Should this be the case you would need
to manually switch to the Tower frequency and then use Hotkey 6 to contact
Tower and request takeoff clearance.

Thanks for the responses. I've managed to get through to the Tower using the hotkey #6.
Following the Tutorial, I was in CP mode 3. I followed the taxi instructions to the holding point of the active runway so I'm surprised that PF3 failed to pick up on that

thanks again.....
Paul

airworthy wrote:

Quote:

If you happen to be taking off from
a position other than the end of the active runway you may well be more than
700' away from that detection point. Should this be the case you would need
to manually switch to the Tower frequency and then use Hotkey 6 to contact
Tower and request takeoff clearance.

Thanks for the responses. I've managed to get through to the Tower using the hotkey #6.
Following the Tutorial, I was in CP mode 3. I followed the taxi instructions to the holding point of the active runway so I'm surprised that PF3 failed to pick up on that

thanks again.....
Paul

Hotkey 6 is quite a good hack sometimes too. First remember the facilities available at an airport. In the video LIMZ-->LIMF the start LIMZ has only a Tower frequency. So in those cases one has to press HK6 at the holding point to get clearance for take-off. At other busier airports ground will ask you to call the tower and as mentioned above in VCP mode2 he or she will do that for you. In almost every situation ground will taxi you to the very first hold right at the end of the rwy. So imagine you are at a busy airport and there's a long line of AI wanting to take-off, give them the "Ci vediamo a l'una" one fingered sign! and taxi to a more convenient hold, press HK6 and Tower will clear you for take-off! It's called jumping the queue Done it many times at EGLL!

Quote:

First remember the facilities available at an airport. In the video LIMZ-->LIMF the start LIMZ has only a Tower frequency.

This did finally occur to me ........ both airports I tried were Tower only. Although I did expect my virtual co-pilot would request T/O clearance at least

I must admit I did only a brief reading of the user guide and no videos, just keen to hop in and try it out.
So first impressions I am really impressed with PF3 and the level of support on this Forum is excellent. Quick replies to my post, so thank you.

Clearly I need to do more reading and watch a couple of videos before my next flight.

Paul