Weather and ATIS q's

[Turner]

Ok...

For the record, I use (in FSX and P3D) Active Sky (and love it).

I've been trying to decipher exactly what to do here; we have actual weather. If I use Active Sky, it theoretically presents weather based on conditions, let's say, in Santa Ana.

-I can get ATIS by popping in the frequency.

-I can get ATIS by using MyFlightRoute.com

Also, obviously, I can just create my own weather in the sim, say, 1000ft ceilings and 3 miles viz.

So... what's the best way to go about:

1) Using actual weather and grabbing it on ATIS
2) Using my own weather (thought I saw it mentioned somewhere that you type weather remarks in a flight plan, but can't find that post/message now.)

Bonus question: How do I handle a different time of day?

Super-bonusy question: Anything different for X-Plane?

thanks!
Andrew

[BFG]

I've run live Active Sky Next, but pull the live METAR from My Cockpit or ForeFlight. My understanding is that the controllers are working off the live METARS so that's what I use for reference as I'm not certain of the update delay between that and the sim.

[Turner]

Gotcha.

Was just online practicing... I asked what the preferred method was - if you're she noted to advise controllers if that you "have the weather" if you are using your own, and note in plan if IFR.

Local was really bouncy so I set up for 2 miles vis / 6K ceiling and noted, no issues!

I think the only problem would be if you tried to set up winds that were contradictory to what they have.

[Kevin_atc]

2) Using my own weather (thought I saw it mentioned somewhere that you type weather remarks in a flight plan, but can't find that post/message now.)

Bonus question: How do I handle a different time of day?

The thing to remember is that PE controllers will, by default, provide services to you based on real world time and weather. If you have your own weather, it certainly doesn't hurt to put it in your remarks. We see things along the lines of "Using custom weather" or sometimes as detailed as "Custom Weather- SBP 2SM OVC005." Neither of those are required, but it helps us understand why you may be requesting a certain type of approach or why you won't be able to see traffic that is right in front of you.

As far as different time of day, you'll likely always be handled as the real-world time. The only time this really matters is for a few IFR flight procedures that are time sensitive as well as some runway operations that have to deal with the sun being up vs. the sun being down...but those are typically not even noticed by pilots. For example, between sunset and sunrise, a controller cannot instruct an aircraft to line-up-and-wait at an intersection. This is something that you may never notice (until now ), but if you're departing from RWY 20L @ intersection K at SNA, you won't be put into position on the runway at the intersection without a takeoff clearance. Instead, the controller will just have you hold short of the runway until the takeoff clearance can be issued.

[Turner]

Thanks Kevin-

Regarding time, I was thinking more in the lines of communications such as leaving from an uncontrolled airfield and being assigned a clearance void time, or, maybe, practicing a timed approach from a fix (if that's allowed).

Perhaps in those cases it's best to simply work in real time!

cheers
Andrew

[Kevin_atc]

Thanks Kevin-

Regarding time, I was thinking more in the lines of communications such as leaving from an uncontrolled airfield and being assigned a clearance void time, or, maybe, practicing a timed approach from a fix (if that's allowed).

Perhaps in those cases it's best to simply work in real time!

cheers
Andrew

Yes, those kids of times will definitely be issued in current Zulu time. Regardless of the time of day for your simulation, just keep a clock nearby that is set to Zulu time so you'll always have a reference on your desk.

[Turner]

Thanks again, Kevin.