F/A-18 ATC 'Inbound vs. Request Azimuth'

[fitness88]

When flying in the F/A-18 and calling into ATC for either 'Inbound or Request Azimuth', can someone please explain the difference between the 2.

 

Doesn't seem to work as well as it once did vectoring you to a lined up, final approach.

 

Thank you.

[Kang]

The main difference is that the 'inbound' call will lead to the option of requesting a landing clearance once you are over the base, whereas 'navigation assistance' does not.

[fitness88]

49 minutes ago, Kang said:

The main difference is that the 'inbound' call will lead to the option of requesting a landing clearance once you are over the base, whereas 'navigation assistance' does not.

Thanks for that...do they both vector you to the same position for a lined up, final approach?

Also, given the runway# when calling inbound should give the pilot a 'where to look for the runway' once you 'fly bearing and distance' as instructed by ATC...correct?

[Kang]

They used to differ slightly in that regard, as 'Inbound' would send you towards the approach point and 'Azimuth' would send you to the field itself, but somewhere along the line these got a bit muddled up. Generally the communication proceeds further once you are within a certain radius of the center of the base nowadays.

[AvroLanc]

DCS ATC has nothing to do with real life anyway. Unless you're using Supercarrier, best to ignore it unfortunately. Trying to use it breaks immersion more than it's worth. Looks like it might be improved in the feature so fingers crossed. 

 

[Weasel]

DCS ATC has nothing to do with real life anyway. Unless you're using Supercarrier, best to ignore it unfortunately. Trying to use it breaks immersion more than it's worth. Looks like it might be improved in the feature so fingers crossed. 
 

According to the newsletter from last Friday, ED is working on an improved ATC for the airfields (like the ATC of the supercarrier) but there is still no ETA

[Bunny Clark]

The current ATC system is extremely simplified and not very realistic, but it at least doesn't usually screw things up massively, so I guess that's good?

 

"Inbound" is a call to notify the control tower that you are flying to the airport with the intent to land. This should be your first transition to the tower, and I generally do it between 20 and 30 miles out. The response from the tower should tell you what runway to expect, though it doesn't seem to work right for every airport on every map.

 

"Request azimuth" is a call to inform the tower that you're either lost or have forgotten where to go and to please tell you what direction to fly in. 

[fitness88]

46 minutes ago, Bunny Clark said:

The current ATC system is extremely simplified and not very realistic, but it at least doesn't usually screw things up massively, so I guess that's good?

 

"Inbound" is a call to notify the control tower that you are flying to the airport with the intent to land. This should be your first transition to the tower, and I generally do it between 20 and 30 miles out. The response from the tower should tell you what runway to expect, though it doesn't seem to work right for every airport on every map.

 

"Request azimuth" is a call to inform the tower that you're either lost or have forgotten where to go and to please tell you what direction to fly in

Will the direction they give me take me to a final approach approx. 10 miles out?

[dorianR666]

11 hours ago, Weasel said:

13 hours ago, AvroLanc said:

DCS ATC has nothing to do with real life anyway. Unless you're using Supercarrier, best to ignore it unfortunately. Trying to use it breaks immersion more than it's worth. Looks like it might be improved in the feature so fingers crossed. 
 

According to the newsletter from last Friday, ED is working on an improved ATC for the airfields (like the ATC of the supercarrier) but there is still no ETA

they said that in the 2016 new year newsletter as well (along other same items as the 2021 one, like new FLIR system)

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/news/2016-01-29_DCS_World_Future/

 

the roadmaps tend to be extremely optimistic.

[fitness88]

Was Lock On the predecessor of DCS or affiliated in any way?  I ask because I clearly remember the ATC back in those early years being very helpful, accurate in it's Inbound and Request Azimuth, it would tell you where the runway would be once you arrived where it told you to go ...even alerting you where to look for air traffic in your area!

Edited January 14 by fitness88

[dburne]

I use Vaicom Pro with Voice Attack for my DCS comms. For the limited amount so far I have used it seems to do a pretty good job.

 

[Phantom_Mark]

9 hours ago, fitness88 said:

Was Lock On the predecessor of DCS or affiliated in any way?  I ask because I clearly remember the ATC back in those early years being very helpful, accurate in it's Inbound and Request Azimuth, it would tell you where the runway would be once you arrived where it told you to go ...even alerting you where to look for air traffic in your area!

 

yes, same family of products, I can't sadly remember that far back if the ATC was better or worse

[fitness88]

3 hours ago, Phantom_Mark said:

yes, same family of products, I can't sadly remember that far back if the ATC was better or worse

You should be happy you can't remember that far back...unless old age not youth was the issue