A warning about PRO ATC

[bobcat999 8,571]

2 minutes ago, MDFlier said:

 Did the dev every make the RC4 code public? I'd love to take a crack at getting it to run in MSFS. Was it written in C or VB?

Fortran probably!  

[MDFlier 2,034]

2 minutes ago, bobcat999 said:

Fortran probably!  

LOL. I guess I'm out. I forgot Fortran in the late 80s, early 90s... Might have left it at a Stones concert. 😎

Edited February 28, 2023 by MDFlier

[ConstVoid 112]

It was written in VB but as far as I'm aware jd never released the source, more's the pity. To be honest, although it was very good at the time, and in some areas surpasses most of the current alternatives, it's lack of true SID, STAR and approach assignment would put me off even if it were compatible with MSFS.

[MDFlier 2,034]

Just now, ConstVoid said:

It was written in VB but as far as I'm aware jd never released the source, more's the pity. To be honest, although it was very good at the time, and in some areas surpasses most of the current alternatives, it's lack of true SID, STAR and approach assignment would put me off even if it were compatible with MSFS.

Were SIDs & STARS even a thing yet when they wrote it?

[ConstVoid 112]

Yes they were, and RC4 even makes a nod to them, by allowing you freedom to do your own thing (ie fly your own SID or STAR) if you select the appropriate option and the first/last waypoint is close to the airport, but that's still not fully supporting named STARS and SIDs.

[Ray Proudfoot 9,115]

1 hour ago, MDFlier said:

 Did the dev every make the RC4 code public? I'd love to take a crack at getting it to run in MSFS. Was it written in C or VB?

No, he deleted it. Unbelievable given how much effort went into it. It was written in VB.

[Ray Proudfoot 9,115]

1 hour ago, ConstVoid said:

it's lack of true SID, STAR and approach assignment would put me off even if it were compatible with MSFS.

I just include those in my plan loaded into RC4. In any case in the real world ATC controls you at the arrival airport and takes precedence over any filed plan. RC4 gives you the option of vectors or your files plan at 40 miles out.

[hvw 419]

23 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

I just include those in my plan loaded into RC4. In any case in the real world ATC controls you at the arrival airport and takes precedence over any filed plan. RC4 gives you the option of vectors or your files plan at 40 miles out.

You really love RC4, don't you Ray?

[G-YMML1 619]

ProATC, if properly set, had worked ok for me in both FS2004 (yes) and P3D. I don't use for MSFS though, as I'm looking for something more immersive, and in the meantime PATC is under serious consideration. 

[Ray Proudfoot 9,115]

16 minutes ago, hvw said:

You really love RC4, don't you Ray?

Yes. And until something better comes along I'll continue to use it. 16 years and counting.

[Sonosusto 737]

Pilot2ATC. One of the best offline, speech to text ATCs, recognizes traffic, SID/STARs and updated all.the.time from one of the most supportive developers I've encountered.

Get it. It has a lot of stuff included.

[MDFlier 2,034]

48 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

No, he deleted it. Unbelievable given how much effort went into it. It was written in VB.

Oh my. That is a travesty. It was a very good program. I really enjoyed it for the few years that I was able to use it.

[RobJC 2,086]

4 hours ago, GCBraun said:

That is also my approach. Some solutions like Pilot2ATC work well, but the time needed to configure it and the atrocious interface are too much of a hassle to make me use it. 

You are missing out. The interface is a non-issue. I have never once thought about it after setting it up. But i think about how much immersion it adds to the sim every flight. Plus, the beta updates happen almost weekly, not to mention support that is not just excellent, but admirable. 

[Ray Proudfoot 9,115]

7 minutes ago, MDFlier said:

Oh my. That is a travesty. It was a very good program. I really enjoyed it for the few years that I was able to use it.

Nothing to stop you using it now for IFR. No rules about only one sim allowed on anyone's computer.

[Sonosusto 737]

4 hours ago, GCBraun said:

That is also my approach. Some solutions like Pilot2ATC work well, but the time needed to configure it and the atrocious interface are too much of a hassle to make me use it. 

It take seconds. You can even import the plan from simbrief. Interface is pretty simple, really.

Is there something we could you with?