ATC Not vectoring for approach

Bug Reporting Hub ATC, Traffic & NAVAIDs
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1

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Are you using Developer Mode or made changes in it?

No

Which aircraft are you using that experiences this issue?

TBM 930, Citation Longitude, FlightFactor Cirrus SF50

Brief description of the issue:

On an approach that is supposed to be vectored (no transitions) such as ILS approaches into major class B airports, or visual approaches, ATC says to expect vectors to final, but never issues vectors or further descents

Additionally, for a visual approach, when you get close, no matter whether you are even headed to the airport or not, you get “abandoned” with ATC saying to “maintain heading and altitude and report airport in sight.” But I’ve never been pointed towards the airport and am too high to see it (still in clouds).

Provide Screenshot(s)/video(s) of the issue encountered:

Detailed steps to reproduce the issue encountered:

Fly to any airport / runway that doesn’t have a standard transition for the approach.

PC specs and peripheral set up:

Are you using DX11 or DX12?

DX12

Are you using DLSS?

No

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Do you have the same issue if you follow the OP’s steps to reproduce it?

Provide extra information to complete the original description of the issue:

Are you using DX11 or DX12?

Are you using DLSS?

If relevant, provide additional screenshots/video:

2

ATC doesn’t provide vectors to final, it’s a sim limitation, not a bug. It’s been this way since the beginning.

3

ATC does not provide CORRECT heading with Vectors, even when it does (or is requested) to give vectors.

4

It certainly did at launch. They weren’t always good vectors.

Considering the patch notes specify fixes to ATC vectoring, this would be something expected to be resolved that isn’t.

P.s. sim limitation? It worked in FS9 and FSX so not a limitation of the engine.

6

Did you ask ATC for vectors? I’ve occasionally had to ask ATC several times for vectors. On rare occasions, I cancelled IFR ATC and switched me to VFR. I then used the ATC menu to retry using my last IFR flight plan which ATC always approved. It is clunky but it has worked for me.

Personally I think the delivery of ATC vectors has improved but isn’t perfect. Whenever I have to fly a missed approach, ATC has to give me vectors for a new approach.

Sometimes I scratch my head wondering where this vector is going. After a few minutes I’ll get another vector. After landing, I’ll look at my flight path to see what ATC was doing. It appears they were vectoring for me to fly a long downwind leg and then to fly a long base leg to the final approach. I have no idea if this is what ATC was trying to do or if I was just lucky.

7

No, I did not (and should not) ask for vectors.

If ATC says “expect vectors” then they are expected to provide at least one vector at some point in the future.

I’m a competent pilot and can find the runway on my own, but that misses the point.

At launch ATC did provide vectors on an approach automatically, though they were often terrible, and occasionally would fly you into mountains. So they stopped doing that, but supposedly vectors have been improved?

It’s really not that hard to fake it - pick a point 5-10ish miles on the extended centerline and give vectors to there if you need something.

Anyways, I reported this as a bug as it did exist in the original released sim, was removed, but was implied to be back by the wording of patch notes.

8

I’ve been playing since launch day. Never once has ATC ever given me a vector even though I was told to expect them. I have to ask for them or else they just forget about me. It’s always been like that for me. It’s never worked.

9

I guess I’m lucky?

It worked for me until the first SU - but there were a lot of reports of vectors into nearby mountains so I assumed that it was removed intentionally at that point.

EDIT: Note that the vectoring into mountains issue was expected in my case - FS9 and FSX both had the same problem.

10

It wasn’t vectors into mountains for me. It was just being given altitude and directions that would crash you into mountains. That continued for a long time past SU1.

When told to expect vectors, that would literally be the last I would hear from ATC unless I actively requested vectors. And it’s always been that way for me.

11

For me it’s always in the past said “expect vectors” on the times when vectors were supposed to be given, then never given any unless I explicitly push the button to ask for “vector to next waypoint” (and when asked, they always seemed to be totally incorrect directions).

Altitude directions would always continue, however, and sometimes if followed they send me into mountains.

I’m not currently able to test beta14 unfortunately, I’m away from my gaming PC, so I don’t know if they’ve fixed either end of this for me.

12

I might be misunderstanding what a vectors is because I think I get them all the time when needed. If a chart says “Expect radar vectors to…”, ATC usually starts by saying “Climb/descend to altitude.” ATC says “Cleared for the ILS/RNAV/VOR/NDB approach via waypoint. Cleared to waypoint. ATC isn’t giving me a heading to fly. I then fly direct to waypoint and start the approach. I hear similar instructions flying SIDs as well.

Also, whenever I ask for directions to the next waypoint, I consider those directions as a vector.

13

Those could be a type of vector yes but when you’re cleared for an approach and told by ATC to expect vectors that means they will give you headings to fly at some point to line you up with the final approach path. Usually this is inside the initial approach fix so that you don’t fly the entire procedure which is ideal for getting you to the runway quicker and managing traffic. Realistically in many cases you don’t fly the entire ILS approach procedure from a fix although you can request it. Many times at busy airports you are getting headings from ATC (vectors) that bring you to the final approach. This is what is not working and hasn’t since day 1 although FSX and P3D were able to assign you headings for your approach.

There are also departure procedures where you would get vectors to your first waypoint. Hopefullt at some point they will add this back in. For now I just fly headings myself that make sense because you shouldn’t have to ask ATC for a vector every time. That is not realistic at all. I took their fix in the beta to mean that the vector logic when you ask for one is improved not that they had added automatic vectors from ATC. They should add it though because that’s how it’s really done.

14

Yes, I have requested vectors and, if I keep asking, ATC will eventually get me to the airport in this way. So maybe improved. But there are no automatic vectors yet. Maybe in SU15?

15

Note: I am NOT a CFI !!!

USA FAA IFR Vectoring for an ILS approach

FAA ATC should typically say, something like this (when you are IFR, and expecting an ILS, when not on a STAR.
(Approach has you on their Approach radar)

Approach:

November 6 7 2 2 Charlie,
you are 5 miles from Tango,
Fly heading 030 to intercept the Localizer
Maintain 2500 till establish ( on the localizer)
(report established)
Cleared ILS approach runway 1, Dulles

N6722C:

Cleared ILS approach runway 1 , Dulles, 2 2 Charlie

N6722C (if told to report established)

Approach
22C
established (on Localizer)

Approach confirms you are established, and will pass you off to Tower, but only when they are sure you are established on the ILS

16

No, I don’t get any headings so I guess I’m really not getting vectors. If ATC clears me to a waypoint, I just go directly there directly. If I happen to ask for a vector to the next waypoint, the heading from ATC matches what I’m flying direct.

I understand that IRL Approach Control will give one or more vectors to guide and sequence aircraft around other aircraft, avoid bad weather on the arrival, or to redirect aircraft that turn left instead of right. These are random events that I don’t think MSFS can duplicate or handle. (Just like MSFS ATC does not vary a controller’s skill level, talking speed, or attitude.)

17

I think folks may be confusing vectors with instructions to a published approach or being guided down a STAR.

When assigned vectors, ATC flies you through a path that’s not a published approach so you can intercept the ILS, RNAV or visual approach, typically done to maintain traffic separation.

It’s done the former (often poorly and flying you into mountains), but never the latter. Once ATC has explicitly told you to fly vectors, it should be giving you instructions on what headings to fly. It has never done that unless you manually select the vector request from the ATC menu.

18

There used to be this little mod in FS98, I forget the name of it. Any time you were tuned into an ILS it would immediately start giving you vectors to intercept. Worked like a charm. Here we are 25 years later and we can’t get vectors.

19

Yeah really no valid excuse other than another missed opportunity to make the sim good/great

20

It would seem that Asobo is STILL adverting for a developer with ATC and Flight Planning experience, (a RARE skill for a programmer) so I do not hold out much hope to see any short term improvements in the 2020 ATC system, and at this rate (job has been advertised for over a year now), not much hope for 2024.

With all the controllers that have recently retired, there must be one or two that would consider acting as a Consultant to Asobo, (Not to CODE) but to assist in the DESIGN, and advise PROGRAMMERS/CODERS to get it right this time around.

Time is ticking by … Tic-Tok !!

https://www.faa.gov/be-atc <<<< SCARY !!