And I wouldn’t argue with you over that, and I don’t expect to have to pay anything either. I just hope they start an improvement project sooner than later, but, whenever it happens, hopefully, it happens.
As I noted, I think the question was mostly posed in order to start a discussion, knowing that MicroSobo reads the forum, and 3rd party developers as well. I do think ATC is a system that could be supported by 3rd parties, as opposed to sections Microsoft has said won’t be like the weather system (which I’m totally happy with that decision. It makes good business sense for Microsoft, and opening it up would by definition dumb everything down versus what Microsoft and Asobo have planned for it, but, now I’m off topic).
I’d pay something for this as on Xbox there is no vatsim and similar services that I’m aware of. However, I would pay more to see these services working on Xbox.
Yep, agreed. There’s a bunch of short term things that could be fixed up. Yes, it is a big undertaking to start from scratch, but we’re getting on to 3 years after release of this FS iteration and you literally only have to watch 60 seconds at a major airport to see a weird go-around or something.
The new upcoming World Hub editor might help a bit, with some ability to fix up all sorts of airport metadata (taxiways, airport operations of active runways per condition etc) as at least that gives the problem ‘there is no good database for this’ somewhere to live. The community if properly directed would munch through a lot of work if it demonstrably helped traffic/ATC etc.
In all seriousness I’m possibly swayed by the area coverage – VATSIM is cool but controller coverage is spotty in the US west coast so I’ve not tended to get into it, while PilotEdge specializes in this area, which is where I like to fly a lot.
I tried PilotEdge a long time ago and went back to VATSIM. There just isn’t much traffic on PilotEdge and you talk to the same person over and over more or less. I really can’t see myself paying for that. I frequent ZLA quite often on VATSIM (which is what had me curious about PilotEdge before). I personally don’t limit myself on where I fly (though I used to). I’ve flown in the United States, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Austria, Finland, Germany, Switzerland, Australia and others I forgot. I pretty much can always find myself ATC. It’s fun to learn how things are done around the world and Navigraph has been an amazing help as has open flightmaps.
And that’s different from Vatsim how? At least on PilotEdge, they supprt all the different frequencies and they know what to do with VFR traffic. In the area I fly most, there’s hardly ever ANY controllers or traffic on Vatsim, and when there is a controller online, you talk to the same guy on the same frequency the whole time and he wants to treat VFR traffic like IFR. PilotEdge costs more than some people are willing to pay, but it’s a step in the right direction for those who are willing to do so.
Other 3rd party ATC options would be nice to have, and our being willing to pay for them will help ensure that someone will put the effort in.
PilotEdge has nowhere near the amount of traffic nor controllers as VATSIM on a normal day and events happen quite often on VATSIM where you will come across many, many controllers and traffic (CalScream is my personal favorite). Some events will see traffic and controllers that is just downright astronomical. It’s really fun when ATC starts issuing holds. At some point VATSIM will use all frequencies (hopefully 8.33 KHz spacing too). It actually technically can post AFV, it’s just not utilized currently. As someone with over 7,000 hours on the network most of which is flying under VFR in light GA yeah, some controllers don’t exactly know how to deal with VFR traffic but that most certainly isn’t common. I leave controller feedback and move on. The cost of PilotEdge isn’t an issue for me, I would rather donate to VATSIM.
That’s great, but that’s not my experience with Vatsim. At the times I am flying, it is usually dead. I can’t just drop everything and fly during events or when controllers are online either. Also, Vatsim’s top down hierarchy and IFR focus makes it unrealistic for VFR traffic.
My local area, like the LA basin, is a complex rabbit warren of controlled and uncontrolled airspaces. Flying through it VFR has you switching frequencies every few minutes to talk to someone else. And knowing where you are with respect to those different controlled airspaces is one of the challenges of flying. PilotEdge gets that important part of VFR flying right. When flying on PilotEdge, one needs to stay on top of where one is located and talk to the correct ATC for that area (whether that’s a major terminal control area or a small regional Class D airport). On Vatsim, if I had a controller at all (either in my home area or the LA basin), I’d likely end up speaking to that one controller all throughout my flight and I doubt they’d even notice if I flew through some regional airport’s control zone. On PilotEdge, I’d get a finger wagging if I did that.
In full disclosure, I am not actually on either network at the moment, because I don’t have the time. But I have used both, and I prefer PilotEdge for the reasons I cited above. For those same reasons, I would happily pay for other 3rd party ATC options that implement believable ATC; I don’t believe that Vatsim is the great panacea.
I’m very much familiar with the SoCal TRACON and I know both the Los Angeles and San Diego TAC like the back of my hand (but of course still reference it as things can change). I was bit by the aviation bug back some 20+ years ago at Montgomery during June Gloom. It was IFR to Catalina with my father who is a CFII.
I don‘t want to talk about the world updates and will not mention the avionic updates. And of course, I will not bring up the 360/24 provisioning of the servers for the cloud services. I refute to talk about the crazy amount of money the many developer cost every single day…
Sorry, but as I see it, MS and Asobo have provided much more, than you and many others permanently complaining, paid for. A degree of humility would be appropriate.
I simply gave my reply in response to OP, a thought shared by others as well.
YOUR reply is in direct response to me, not OP or the topic. My reply isn’t the topic. Neither is my humility status. Personal comments/attacks are against forum rules.
You haven’t posted in two years according to the site so you haven’t been helpful here for two years. Your first post in two years… to tell a complete stranger they need more humility.
updates and will not mention the avionic updates. And of course, I will not bring up the 360/24 provisioning of the servers for the cloud services. I refute to talk about the crazy amount of money the many developer cost every single day…