Are ATC Handoffs Excessive in the Sim?

Last night I was flying from Raleigh to Charlotte and it felt like I got bounced between Atlanta Center and Charlotte Approach every 1 to 5 seconds non-stop for most of the cruise.

I couldn’t even use the ATC menu to contact the tower as is was usually locked up.

I had to turn copilot off and cancelled flight following but even that was a challenge.

Way too excessive. Many times just a couple minutes between handoffs.

Yes, so much so, that at times I have had TWO controllers talking to me at the same time. !

A lot of issues need to be fixed with the current ATC system, and there is probably no “Quick Fix”, without breaking other parts of it.

Hopefully, Asobo (or if “allowed”, so other talented 3PD) will take this on, and come up with a newly deigned, and more realistic system.
(maybe with the help and advice of some professional Controllers)

In the meanwhile, many other issues are in need of addressing, so its a question of priorities.

Rome (and MSFS) were not built in a day.

(I’ll resist the obvious follow on joke about who is playing the fiddle while Rome Burns)

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I’m not exaggerating that is was seconds, perhaps even a fraction of a second at times.

But even a couple minutes is enough to drive you crazy.

In this case I was unsure if that’s a real life scenario. But I think that kind of workload would cause pilot distractions and incidents.

It’s like neither controller wants to deal with you. :grin:

Then add in it’s the same voice!

I found if flying along an ATC border between centers this happens. Knowing where ATC boundaries are should not be something you should have to look up before every flight.

?? In RL, I have never had two controllers, talk to me at the same time, on the same frequency – but yes, in MSFS, sometimes I feel that I am the only plane that ATC wants to talk to, as they are talking to me Non-Stop !!

On the bright side, it can only get better over the next 8 years. ?

I got tired of clicking so much that I created voice attack responses to handle the ‘clicks’ for me. I have been tempted to just cancel flight following a lot.

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I just let “Otto” talk to ATC. they seem to speak the same language.

I only step in if there is an important decision to be made… “Otto” is not that smart, but he is always “Happy” with a big smile on his face

OTTO AVATAR from "Otto Pilot" Avatar » Microsoft Flight Simulator

In real life the controllers will coordinate so that just one deals with you rather than bouncing back and forward.

Many RL pilots would argue that you “Should” :wink: