Is it okay to turn off live weather when on VATSIM?

[Laurence Michael 1468698]

Turning live weather on will decrease my FPS and I am at borderline 30fps and don't want it to reduce any further. So I'm wondering if this is possible? I do believe that the local QNH will be different but that won't be much of a problem when using ILS approaches right?

[Kirk Christie]

It's fine.

 

Not everyone has live weather any way.

[Andreas Fuchs]

It may create separation issues when the winds are a bit stronger, especially at cruising levels.

[Laurence Michael 1468698]

It may create separation issues when the winds are a bit stronger, especially at cruising levels.

 

Do you mean separation between aircrafts? I'm flying in south east asia so I guess the traffic is really low. Will it be fine if I notify ATC that my live weather is turned off?

[Robert Shearman Jr]

VATSIM controllers actually run into it a lot where pilots using different simulators and different weather add-ons will move across the scope at different speeds even at the same IAS or Mach. So, it's not really an issue. The biggest discrepancies occur when you have wind blowing one way but are [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igned an approach going in a crosswind or tailwind direction. As long as you are willing to accommodate the controller's traffic flow, it probably won't matter. And if arriving traffic is light, they should be able to accommodate your needs, rather than the other way around.

[James Hiscoe 1260816]

Its an issue for the controller in the sense he has to deal with an illogical puzzle that you wouldn't find in real life. A real controller would probably be more perturbed by it though than an amateur who is used to illogical puzzles from the hacked together nature of online flight simming across multiple clients and computers. Best way to minimize the controller's issues is to include in your flight plan remarks that you're using no weather so he can figure it out faster.

[Laurence Michael 1468698]

VATSIM controllers actually run into it a lot where pilots using different simulators and different weather add-ons will move across the scope at different speeds even at the same IAS or Mach. So, it's not really an issue. The biggest discrepancies occur when you have wind blowing one way but are [Mod - Happy Thoughts]igned an approach going in a crosswind or tailwind direction. As long as you are willing to accommodate the controller's traffic flow, it probably won't matter. And if arriving traffic is light, they should be able to accommodate your needs, rather than the other way around.

 

I think this won't be an issue. On my typical simulations, I always ALWAYS look up local METAR information on several websites to find the local QNH and wind direction and choose my arrivals and approaches into the headwind (even though my winds at basically at 0kts). I have yet to get on my first vatsim flight so thanks for clearing this up for me!

[Laurence Michael 1468698]

Its an issue for the controller in the sense he has to deal with an illogical puzzle that you wouldn't find in real life. A real controller would probably be more perturbed by it though than an amateur who is used to illogical puzzles from the hacked together nature of online flight simming across multiple clients and computers. Best way to minimize the controller's issues is to include in your flight plan remarks that you're using no weather so he can figure it out faster.

 

Yes I already have this in mind - to include that I'm not using weather. Thanks for the heads up

[Andreas Fuchs]

Still the best would be to use realistic/live enroute winds when taking part in a busy event. Imagine us controllers trying to separate 30+ pilots on the same route (Worldflight!) and there is no way to create a sequence with speed instructions. It's quite frustrating. I do operate X-Plane as well and as long as I have more than 20 FPS I have a fluid simulation and do not cause any grief to ATCOs and fellow pilots.

 

So my vote goes to: if you can, operate a real weather tool or whatever provides you with good data.

[Laurence Michael 1468698]

Still the best would be to use realistic/live enroute winds when taking part in a busy event. Imagine us controllers trying to separate 30+ pilots on the same route (Worldflight!) and there is no way to create a sequence with speed instructions. It's quite frustrating. I do operate X-Plane as well and as long as I have more than 20 FPS I have a fluid simulation and do not cause any grief to ATCOs and fellow pilots.

 

So my vote goes to: if you can, operate a real weather tool or whatever provides you with good data.

 

Alright, I'll test my fps and note this. Thank you so much

[Kirk Christie]

The international standard for a movie is 24fps.

[Andreas Fuchs]

Yupp, but for X-Plane specifically you need to have 20 FPS or more for the simulator to not slow down the simulation. If you fall below 20 FPS in X-Plane, the program will try to keep your image smooth and therefore reduce the simulation rate, resulting in your aircraft moving at half speed on the controller's radar screen, although all your indications look normal. For a check, take the time you need to move a couple of miles and then calculate the true groundspeed.

[Robert Shearman Jr]

Yep, but an average in the mid-20s should be more than sufficient, was Kirk's point, I'm guessing. 24 is fine, 20 is fine, 19 or lower is not. (Some hardcore gamers may disagree but that part is debatable.) But I do agree, Andreas, that since it fluctuates based on scenery, weather, traffic, and even random spikes in CPU load from periodic background processes, a cushion of 5-10fps sure doesn't hurt.

[Trent Hopkinson]

If 2 aircraft are flying at exactly Mach 0.80000000 and are flying on the same airway and altitude 10 miles apart, they will collide in 3 minutes because one has a 120 mile tailwind and the other does not

Luckily, we have radar.

[Trent Hopkinson]

Yep, but an average in the mid-20s should be more than sufficient, was Kirk's point, I'm guessing. 24 is fine, 20 is fine, 19 or lower is not. (Some hardcore gamers may disagree but that part is debatable.) But I do agree, Andreas, that since it fluctuates based on scenery, weather, traffic, and even random spikes in CPU load from periodic background processes, a cushion of 5-10fps sure doesn't hurt.

 

When Xplane drops frame rates below some arbitary number, the actual p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]age of the aircraft across the ground track slows down. To the point of being like a reverse time compression effect. We're talking 747's doing Mach 0.86 in a tailwind but actually only progressing 100 nautical miles in an hour... or MD11's having an approach speed of what looks like 80 knots on the scope, even though the pilot's speed readout is showing 152kts.

[Andreas Fuchs]

...of what looks like 80 knots on the scope, even though the pilot's speed readout is showing 152kts.

The mean thing actually is that on our radar screens the groundspeed of affected aircraft is NOT correct, it will show the GS that you see in your flightsimulator, although the plane is moving at a fraction of this speed. That's why it is essential to keep your frame rate above 20 fps when using X-Plane.

[Robert Shearman Jr]

24 is fine, 20 is fine, 19 or lower is not.

When Xplane drops frame rates below some arbitary number, the actual p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]age of the aircraft across the ground track slows down.

That arbitrary number is 20. That's exactly what was I was saying.