Simviation Forums

If I am flying an Airbus A320 or larger aircraft and heading for a given airport, ie. Dallas-Ft. Worth, I do not need to know about Flower Hill or some other grass strip landing field. Is there some way to limit the nearest airport list to airports that are capable of handling the type of aircraft I am flying? If not, can I consult my FAA Airport/Facility Directory and pretune the tower frequency and contact the tower from say 30 miles from the airport and forego the nearest airport feature completely?

I have seen that question asked on other forums and if I remember correctly, the answer has always been - no, that is hard coded into FS.

If someone has found a way to do that, I would be interested also.   :-?

Likewise, I've never heard of any way to filter the nearest airport list.

You can listen to any station in range by manual tuning (if using FAA info. you may want to check  the FS map to make sure it coincides). You cannot talk except thru the ATC menu select.

You can get airport info, including 'runway in use', by manually tuning ATIS. You can usually hear ATIS at 50nm or more.

ATC Tower communications become available at 30nm. If you goto the 'nearest airports' list, and then 'scroll' to the last 'airports farther from you' list, the tower should appear at 30nm.

If you file an IFR flight plan, ATC will handle the necessary comm handoffs, and provide the necessary airport info.

Dave

You can pretune the tower frequency, but you won't be able to communicate with the tower until then.  The list is every airport within 30 miles, anything beyond that FS won't let you use.  Anyway, in real life you don't talk to the tower until you are much closer than 30 miles.