Hi all.

I just discovered a module called realATIS.  It is a payware addon that allows you to hear the ATIS reports from FAR longer distances (you specify, by airport) than the default Microsoft one .... AND....... best of all it works on multiplayer along with real world weather.  So you can figure out your arrival conditions while enroute and a good way from the airport ........ say 300-350 miles out of your destination.

It has an algorythm to figure out the active based on the weather and the Microsoft AI already using the airport (if not online).

It allows a bunch of customization for the reports given including using British or American accented English, setting the transition altitude, announcing surface braking conditions, a "generic" bird advisory, and so on.  You custom set up the airports from the stock listing and the addon foplder for this as you want them to be.  You can even write up a custom NOTAM to be read.

It is kinda' slick.  A nice addition.  Well worth the money.  Availabe at SimMarket. Just under 18 Euros.

http://secure.simmarket.com/product_info.php?products_id=2160

I'm slowly turning fs2004 into my own version of FSX.  

best,

.....................john

Foz,

I think it would work for ANYONE flying online.  In fact in some ways it is more applicable to GA than air transport....... since AT pilots actually utilize ATC services and their company frequencies for this kind of stuff.

You might already have access to the arrival weather information via your trusty ole' FSNavigator program..... so in that sense it might be a bit redundant for you.  I don't use that.  BUT... the realism of the radio SOUND aspect is still rather nice.

I have always found that when flying online the complete absence of the Microsoft ATC / airport services.............. like VOICE airport information that would be available in the "real world".............. was very annoying.  (And I HATE using the chat box for comms too!)  I like being able to plan the approach to match the conditions at the arrival airport correctly based on wind and such.  This often changes from the "takeoff briefing" info I tend to use from real weather places.  With this add on, up to an UNLIMITED distance (if you set that) away from your destination, you just dial up the ATIS frequency for your desired airport on one of your comm radios ....... and there is all the METAR stuff in the typical ATIS read-off format.

You can even set up an ATIS for an airport in the real world that does NOT have ATIS service.  That covers a lot of tiny GA type places.  And a lot of places outside the "major countries".  You pick the frequency you want to assign.  If an airport already has the default Microsoft ATIS service installed, the RealATIS program automatically sets a new frequency for the "improved range" ATIS service that is .10 MHz higher than the "stock" published frequency in the terminal charts to avoid duplicate transmissions.  Or you can over-ride that nad set it how you'd like.

THe main downside is that this is NOT fully automatic to all the airports in the MS database........ YOU have to set up the airports that you want to have this service manually.  The biggest restriction is that the program can only hold 70 airports at a time (why?).  But that should cover most people's flying needs.  And if you find yourself flying to a place that you usually don't.... you can just delete one of your "old favorites" and add in the new place.

Two minor criticisms of the program so far..... and they ARE minor for the most part..... is that when using the English / American designation "feet" the synthesised program voice says "feets" (as in "ten thousand feets") and it pronounces "wind" as "whine-d".  I have sent feedback on this to the developers...so hopefully that will patch it.

Hope this is helpful for you in making a decision.  Maybe contact the developers at their realatis@yahoo.com email address and ask if there is a demo available.

best,

.....................john


PS:  The program will also install in Russian language!

....thanks for the detailed info', John...

Much appreciated......!

Paul....G-BPLF.... ...!

bok,

What I mean is that by adding freeware and payware into fs2004 I am getting features that I want to have....... and not stuff I don't....like space travel...... and with framerates and "flyability" that FAR surpasses what I could accomplsih for a NUMBER of years with FSX.  A lot of the payware add ons look pretty much like what I see from FSX.  So whiel it is not exactly a replacement.... it is fine for me until I can get about $3000 to buy a machine to get the same "flyability" as fs2004.  Which won't be anytime soon.   

As to the ATIS program.... an ATIS station broadcasts radio waves.  Depending on the power of the transmission, the quality of the receiver, and the topography of the terrain surrounding the antenna.... the range can be FAR greater than the default Microsoft ATIS broadcasts.  So yes, they can be received by aircraft for longer distances.  Most ATP situationa also have the company frequencies that they can get info on also.  Not to mention updates on runway use and such from ATC.

The REAL benefit of this add on is thjat you can get these reports when flying multioplayer online.  The default Microsoft ATIS and ATC asr shut off when online.

best,

....john