I would like to see some ATC integration for when you select a SID or STAR in your IFR flight plan. For instance, instead of ATC clearing to specific altitudes, they may say “climb via SID” or on take-off clearance: “RNAV [first waypoint] - cleared for takeoff”.
Since our FP tool includes STARs, which these routes do often include crossing restrictions and speed restrictions, the current state of ATC doesn’t allow the player to comply with such restrictions. It would be beneficial for those that use these routes which should intend to comply with the restrictions, ATC should give the player the “Descend via the xxxxx arrival, altimeter yy.yy” Then, ATC can be quiet and allow the player to descend at their own will to the base or bottom published altitude. At that point ATC can then continue micro-managing the player to the approach, landing, etc.
I don’t bother with using ATC for this exact reason. I hate the unrealistic vectors, both lateral and vertical that you are given by this generic ATC
A lot of times I’m flying to an airport and ATC asks me to continue to an approach fix for the transition. However, I don’t see it on the map/NAV on the screen. Sometimes I see it on the charts I download from AiRNAV but sometimes I don’t, so I have to keep on asking ATC to direct me to the next waypoint. I hope that this is something they’ll look at down the road.
Currently the only way for a mostly correctly handled arrival and approach is the selection of STAR and approach/RWY before the flight and Insert it in the IFR flightplan from the beginning. I would like to have it much more realistic. So I only want to have an Initial clearance to the last waypoint and want to get the runway, STAR and approach/vectors at the beginning of the descent. If I try to enter the estimated STAR and rwy in MCDU during the flight currently the ATC does not notice this plan and the AP is not able to handle this correctly. The AP wants to fly circles back to random waypoints of the Initial plan.
ATC does handle neither SID nor STAR. Only approaches.
A good ATC program will cost more than MSFS, so don’t expect too much. Just trie to make the best out of it.
I started using Pilot2ATC for this exact reason and don’t think I could ever go back to the default system. Pair it with Amazon Polly voices and it is an awesome tool.