Title pretty much says it all, I’m flying IFR if that matters. I know I can pretty much do my own thing but It’s still nice to be in compliance and not have my IFR flight plan cancelled by the tower out of spite when I fly off the “wrong” runway.
As far as I know, and I hope I am proved wrong but, there is no mechanism to change the operative runway unless you literally change the weather to a custom wind direction, which might illicit a change in ATC’s runway offer but I have never tried it.
They usually use the logical runway based on wind direction so why change it?
Good point. I am using Live Weather but I also often fly routes based on real time flights. For instance, in looking at Flight Aware, it might show that all current take offs at KDCA are using RW19. I figured as such, once in the sim, that would be the assigned runway (I also selected that in the flight setup, with the appropriate SID), however I find I’m assigned RW15 for take off, which in RL is rarely used for commercial jets. Just kind of spoils some of the immersion.
Not that it matters but in RL, pilots do have the option to request a specific runway for T/O and landings.
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Maybe someone else knows different as I can see your point and if it doesn’t exist, it should.
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You may be interested in this thread started recently:
Yeah I started a similar thread, same issue as you, I like to think with live weather/traffic enabled the sim would assign the correct runways for takeoff and landing, but that isn’t always the case, so clearly something does not tally up when it should.
If you start on RWY, select the RWY you want to start at in the map.
If you start cold and dark, select the SID/DP that takes off from the RWY you desire in the map.
ATC might tell you to do something else, ignore them. It’s for the better anyway.
And for landing: use ATC menu to request different approach/RWY.
Edit: If you program the FMC just pick the RWY you desire as well as the departure you need to get to the first waypoint in your flightplan.
Edit 2: You can always ask for IFR Clearance via the ATC menu if they cancel it for whatever reason.
Why cancel something? just change the approach or takeoff plan in FMC and act according to ATC which simulates the real situation (as much as it can) .
This is more realistic than flying according to a “prepared plan”, the weather and wind change while you are flying.
You can find out in advance which lanes are working at some distance from the airport by setting the ATIS frequency and listen information
Unfortunately this is also hit-and-miss. I have checked ATIS while inbound to see arrival runway in use, get the MCDU setup, and then be assigned the opposite direction by approach ATC.
Did you file a full flight plan through the map? I mean picking the ILS yourself and possibly arrival as well? If so, ATC will stick to that and ignore ATIS or real world weather.
EDIT: and if you kept it to automatic, ATC will give you VOR DME approaches or things like that instead of ILS even if it’s available.
This is flying the FBW A320 with Simbrief import via the MCDU and fight plan sync set to save. FBW recommends only selecting a departure gate in their documentation to prevent issues with flight plan conflicts, so no arrival airport or approach is selected.
What didn’t make sense to me is the in-sim ATIS did not agree with the in-sim ATC.
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Ahh OK. Stable version? In the other versions ATC doesn’t work at all (at least for me), there’s no option to get IFR clearance in the menu. I mainly fly VATSIM, so I don’t need it. When I flew the stable version I just set the SID/DP and RWY as well as the arrival myself. Usually ingame ATC picked up on that and confired the IFR clearance “as filed” (into the MCDU).
The ATC in the game is not very good. Especially if you look at some of the arrivals - sometimes ATC wants you to get up to 14000ft just 10nm away from the runway. You just have to ignore it sometimes, there’s no other way.
I am now flying the Experimental version after being a long-time user of the Development version. I wanted to try the updated LNAV, which is working quite nicely.
I haven’t had issues requesting IFR clearance on any recent flights. I have found that disabling the copilot ATC communication before doing anything else is very important. This will prevent the copilot from jumping the gun and doing something like requesting pushback or taxi clearance before you are ready. Now I only turn on copilot ATC control after I line up on the runway. Until then, I handle all comms.
Oh yeah, the co pilot…always rushing things 
Since I do VATSIM most of the time, I have that off anyways. If you’re using the experimental you should really check out VATSIM if you haven’t done so yet. I wonder which version the OP uses (Asobo or one of the FBW)
There is currently no way to change the runway assigned by ATC for departure. In fact, it’s not uncommon for ATC to assign exactly the opposite runway that would be appropriate for the surface winds. After the last update, it appeared that this had been resolved as I received many more appropriate assignments. However, this bug still exists - 5 of the last 6 assigned departures I’ve received were incorrect, so I simply went back to using the appropriate runway, no matter the assignment - the built-in ATC will not penalize you for this.
If you imported your plan via Simbrief, the arrival, runway choice and approach will be what you chose and ATC will follow it.
ATIS is totally dysfunctional and will not match the actual weather/winds most of the time - in fact, it won’t even match the clearance and/or tower notifications, which are more likely to be correct now (though departure runway assignments are still often incorrect). Live Weather is much more accurate now and winds/weather will many times be close to real world. I always check ATIS, if available, just to compare - but always take the metar report as the best match.
Changing the approach when the wind shifts doesn’t work most of the time, even though this is usually an option. The problem - the approach change will be accepted, BUT ATC will still expect you to land on the previous runway. You will now be expected to use the new approach, then circle to land on the opposite runway with a 25 kt wind up your tail! When you ignore this and land on the runway actually connected to the new approach for direct landing, you will be yelled at for landing without permission. Therefore, whenever I am forced by a weather change to use a different approach, I cancel IFR and make my landing in peace.
There has certainly been improvement but there is still a long way to go. I’m looking forward to the day when WT finishes its stellar work on the Garmin/Nav systems and goes to work on ATC.
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This isn’t the case every time. I had a recent flight to PANC with Simbrief import on the FBW A320. Simbrief assigned RW15. ATIS said arrivals are using ILS RW15. PANC approach said I was cleared ILS RW07L.
I then requested RW15 through the ATC menu, and I was instructed “Cleared ILS RW15, circle to land RW07L.”
I think I just landed RW15 rather than argue with ATC any longer 
Yes, full IFR flight plan, specifying runway and SID for takeoff and runway and STAR for landing (both based on current runways in use as shown on Flight Aware for both KDCA and KPIT. Then programed the same plan in the FMC (flying the CRJ). The weird part was that the windsock was directly at me as I lined up on 19. No idea why the “tower” would have wanted me to use 16 instead.
Is there any way to declare an emergency right after take off or close to any airport?
IRL how do pilots request a different runway? IRL what do pilots do when ATIS doesn’t match ATC instructions? How close should MSFS align with what happens IRL?
You are correct that in MSFS you can “do your own thing” without any penalties. IRL and in MSFS ATC means Air Traffic CONTROL, not Air Traffic Suggestion. When flying IFR in a controlled airspace, you are being controlled with only a few options.
Granted MSFS ATC isn’t perfect, but neither is ATC IRL… There are ways to work around these imperfections as suggested in other posts. But you’ve answered your question… “Do your own thing.”
Let me add one additional suggestion. Use non-tower non-ATC airports. This allows you to be ATC for your flight. It may take some searching but there are often larger uncontrolled airports near large metropolitan areas, usually retired military airstrips. Just use ATC for the IFR enroute portion of the flight plan.
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