Basic question about ATC

Basically all it is is letting them know which way you are departing. in the real world, they could check to see if any other aircraft would be in your way.

Fire_Emblem_Master wrote:

Basically all it is is letting them know which way you are departing. in the real world, they could check to see if any other aircraft would be in your way.

I agree it's just stuck in there for fun mostly. ATC will always give you a rwy that points you into the wind as best they can, so the response doesn't really matter. The funny part is that even if you file a flight plan with ATC beforehand, they will still ask that question, and if you select a rwy in the flight planner (you should really choose a terminal or parking, but...) and even if there is NO wind, it won't make any difference. ATC will still point you into the DIRECTION of the wind, which is always present even if there is no wind at all (the direction can be changed in advanced weather settings).

Not trying to get into the heads of the FS9 designers, I would have to guess that it is there for more than fun. I think it probably tries to mimic the real world as closely as it can. When departing VFR in the real world, pilots are expected to tell the ground or tower controller in which direction they plan to depart. That serves several purposes. First, it allows for safe spacing. If you are departing south and the aircraft on the next runway is departing north, both of you will get more rapid takeoff clearance than if you are both departing in the same direction.

Second, it allows the controllers to intermix departing and arriving traffic in a safer way. Third, it gives the controller advance notice of which ATC sector in departure control they will be handing you off to in high-density traffic areas.

Even when departing from uncontrolled airports, it is established protocol that each pilot announce their intention for direction of departure on the common frequency to give other pilots notice that you may be sharing their airspace.

The reason that FS9 asks for it is that, unlike the real world, the pilot is not announcing their intentions with the first radio call to the ground or tower controller.

Don Wood wrote:

Not trying to get into the heads of the FS9 designers, I would have to guess that it is there for more than fun.

Yep, I would have guessed so too, but unlike real life there is nothing accomplished by giving ATC the correct information in the sim (VFR or IFR). They still botch up traffic spacing, etc.

The reason that FS9 asks for it is that, unlike the real world, the pilot is not announcing their intentions with the first radio call to the ground or tower controller.

True, but you're still just as well off talking into the mouse like Scotty in Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home. 😂

if the runway is 18 and your departure is north, which direction you are supposed to turn? left or right?

whatever way you want, its America afterall 😛

Seriously, Don Wood would know the procedure, I just do what the autopilot feels like .

This reminds me of the question asked on the Newlwed Game show years ago to the new young brides: "Which direction does the sun set at your house---North, South, East, or West?" 3 out of 4 said something other than West, e.g. "it sets out of my bathroom window which is to the North". Huh?

I don't believe there's a standard direction to turn for all airports based on the heading at departure. It's a little more complicated than that, e.g. controlled and uncontrolled airports. I believe the FAR states that you shall turn left at uncontrolled airports as a rule. There may also be noise abatement issues with the airport where the departures turn in the direction most favorable to the local residents. A pilot may also request a departure heading that provides the least number of turns to vector with his/her course.

So I think the answer is that there is no standard left/right answer for all airports. Don't you hate "it depends" type answers? George

As GWFlyer said, it depends. In the US, at uncontrolled airports, the suggested but not required departure is turns in the direction of the traffic pattern for that airport until established on the up wind then a 45 degree turn away from the airport and from there, the pilot navigates on his/her own. Having said that, it is one of the most ignored of the suggested procedures in Federal Air Regulations.

At controlled airports, your turns will be as directed by the tower controller or your departure clearance issued by the ground controllers until you are out of the airspace controlled by the tower. Depending on other traffic, they may turn you direct to your intended course or they may vector you in ways that defy reason unless you are looking at their scopes. The larger and busier the airport, the more likely you are to receive vectors that take you out of your way before you can establish your intended direction and route of flight.

Fire_Emblem_Master wrote:

whatever way you want, its America afterall 😛

Seriously, Don Wood would know the procedure, I just do what the autopilot feels like .

FEM,
What do you mean by that. Can I just set up autopilot to do all the job for me like take off and landing ?

Almost. You have to take off, and then with a few settings in it changed, it'll follow the course on the GPS to your destination. It'll also fly the entire ILS approach, leaving you to flare for landing, and that's it

One day, I dont know when, piloting aircraft will be totally unmanned......
the machine will eventually outdate human pilots 😞
No offense to the realworld pilots..... just my belief...... 🙂