Skimming the mountain

[ysteinbuch]

Here's another annoying experience ...

I set a flight plan from Milan, Italy, to Rome, with an altitude of 33,000. The problem was that I was instructed to fly north, then northeast before heading south toward the destination. I had to increase the rate of climb to avoid hitting a mountain. In fact, during my first flight, I did strike that mountain. Why does ATC send me toward that terrain before I've had a chance to gain enough altitude to clear it.

[FSTipster]

I've seen dozens of examples of people relating experiences of being vectored into mountainsides etc.

Unfortunately, FS2002 ATC can't "see" terrain. It's not a factor that's mapped into the equation probably because of the quantity of data and coding to interpret it that would be needed.

[GreG]

Codes..............  Which make up all computer software including the flight sim!  Would be nice if they could tell you what speed to fly as well.  :)  Like they do in real controlled airspace.

Greg

[Craig.]

isnt that part of the new features of acof? i think i read speed seperation were at least, maybe one for pete to answer

[WebbPA]

Which waypoints are you flying?  VOR to VOR, Direct GPS, High Alt. Airways?  It might make a difference where you are when ATC takes over.  I had a similar problem flying into San Francisco (never hit a mountain but close).

Which airport in Rome are you flying in to?  Fumicino? (I've flown into that one from the north with no problems).  I'd like to try to replicate your flight.

[Tequila Sunrise]

been there, flying a Vampire around the highlands at 3000ft ASL and about 4 ft agl in places

[ysteinbuch]

Webbpa,

I was flying high alt. from Malpensa to Fiumicino. I'm not sure what mountains I flew over (and into) northeast of Milan.

[codered]

If you are somewhat familiar with the area it is best to create a GPS flight plan and then to add you own way points, then save your flight.....  Just my opinion.  That way you can make the aircraft go where you want it, not ATC.  The biggest experience of crashing into the terrain is when arriving at the airport.  Because you are vectored all over hill and dale within the last 60 nm.

[ysteinbuch]

good point, codered. thanks.

[fisharno]

Hopefully, the ATC in FS2004 will take care of those little annoyances.

[WebbPA]

I asked about the flight plan because I had a similar experience in a VOR/VOR plan.  The plan was basically north but the first VOR waypoint was just west of the airport.  Wouldn't you know that ATC made me circle the airport just to hit that first waypoint.  I eventually realized I could manually delete it.

Then on my first flight into Geneva I almost scraped my gear on the mountains.  It's ok, I thought, ATC knows what they're doing.

[sethtriggs]

Heh, that happened to me quite a few times. Two of the worst examples, one a near miss, the other not.

The first one, I was going to Manado, Indonesia (on the island of Celebes) on a leg of my round-the-world flight in a King Air. Well, ATC told me to descend to 3,000 feet, and I did, and then I noticed rising terrain. So I quickly bumped up my altitude, and just barely skimmed the mountain. And I was over 300 feet above, and miraculously didn't get called on it by ATC.

Sometime similar happened to me on a Go-around from Denver International, flying a FedEx 727-200F. I was told to go back up to 7,400 feet if I remember correctly. Then I got shuffled off to the west near Denver, presumably to circle around. Well, it was taking forever for my vectors to arrive, and I notice that the land is gently sloping upwards in front of me. Oh, well that's OK... they'll give me my vectors. I look at my panel and notice my radio altimeter is starting to tick down pretty rapidly. Pretty soon it's getting to 750 feet, and I'm vectored for this mountain. I apply climb power, and almost made it too... as I turn to lift the right wing away from some terrain, my left wing strikes, I turn and crash and burn in the hillside, toasting me, my co-pilot and all my parcels!

Ah well... it's a crazy FS world out there... And that plane was a real mother to land! Oy!

-Seth

[ysteinbuch]

Perhaps we expect too much out of the FS ATC, but hopefully FS2004 will address these issues.