MSFS ATC Fails to Restore Tower Options When Returning to Airport (VFR)

ISSUE DESCRIPTION

I’m experiencing an issue with ATC handling during VFR flights in MSFS.

I depart from a controlled airport (LEAS, Spain) and everything works correctly: I request clearance, take off, and receive proper tower instructions. Once I leave the airport’s airspace, ATC tells me to contact Madrid Control. When I tune Madrid, there are no available options, which is expected since VFR flights are not actively managed en-route.

The problem appears when I try to return to LEAS later on. I cannot re-establish contact with the airport ATC:

  • The ATC auto-tuning feature shows no options related to LEAS.

  • If I tune the LEAS frequency manually, the ATC window indicates I’m connected to LEAS Tower, but no options appear—no request for landing clearance, nothing.

  • Tuning Madrid also shows a blank menu.

The only way to interact with ATC again is to land without clearance, and once I vacate the runway, ground control suddenly becomes available. At no point before landing can I request clearance to enter the pattern or land.

FREQUENCY OF ISSUE

I found this problem several times when my departure and my destination airport was the same.

REPRODUCTION STEPS

  1. Take off from a controlled airport

  2. Fly away until the ATC notifies you are getting out of its control zone

  3. Try to fly back to the same airport and ask for clearance to land.

YOUR SETTINGS

Nothing relevant

MEDIA

Please add a screenshot or video of the issue occurring.