If I use the automatic altimeter setting in MSFS 2020, will ATC controllers see the same altitude that I am showing?

[Richard Lee]

Hi.  I am a total newbie to VATSIM and I just completed my first flight (a simple traffic pattern).  Anyways, if you play MSFS 2020, you may be aware that the live weather is broken.  In any case, since I am a newbie, I prefer to set my own weather anyways (calm weather of course) and I prefer to set the time to some time during the day so it's easier for me as a newbie to navigate.

In MSFS 2020, there is an option to let MSFS 2020 set the altimeter for you automatically by pressing the "B" key (it usually sets it to 29.92).  My questions is, if I let MSFS 2020 set the altimeter for me with the "B" key, and I fly to 1000 feet on my altimeter, will my altitude also show as 1000 feet to the ATC controller in VATSIM?

[Ross Carlson]

Yes, it will. As long as the altimeter setting in your aircraft matches the actual ambient pressure in your sim, then you'll be sending your indicated altitude to the network for display on the ATC scopes.

[Richard Lee]

23 hours ago, Ross Carlson said:

Yes, it will. As long as the altimeter setting in your aircraft matches the actual ambient pressure in your sim, then you'll be sending your indicated altitude to the network for display on the ATC scopes.

I have no idea what the typical ambient pressure is in MSFS.  Anyways, I suppose I can confirm my altitude with an ATC controller when I am in flight and that's the easiest way to verify the ATC controller is seeing the same altitude that I am seeing.

Thanks for your response!

[Ross Carlson]

17 minutes ago, Richard Lee said:

I have no idea what the typical ambient pressure is in MSFS.

As you mentioned, if you hit the B key, it will set your altimeter to the local ambient pressure.

[Richard Lee]

4 minutes ago, Ross Carlson said:

As you mentioned, if you hit the B key, it will set your altimeter to the local ambient pressure.

Ok, cool!  Then it should just work!  Thanks!

[Daniel Forslund]

Ok, so that is what I have been doing wrong!

I have relied on the "live" weather in MSFS matching the ATIS on VATSIM, but have suspected that it doesn't. Two times I have been asked to check my QNH and I have done so and it have been set correctly. I was likely still deviating from my assigned alt. 

Did not know about the B keyboard command, so I will use that from now on to avoid confusion. Thanks! 🙂

[Evan Reiter]

Hopefully the new patch for MSFS will improve the weather accuracy. Or, perhaps ActiveSky will come out with an MSFS version. 

Pilots in default FSX/FSX:SE/P3D routinely have this issue. I always recommend grabbing ActiveSky (a payware weather add-on) or using the "B" key so you're using what your simulator thinks the altimeter is. 

[Mats Edvin Aaro]

4 hours ago, Evan Reiter said:

Hopefully the new patch for MSFS will improve the weather accuracy. Or, perhaps ActiveSky will come out with an MSFS version. 

Pilots in default FSX/FSX:SE/P3D routinely have this issue. I always recommend grabbing ActiveSky (a payware weather add-on) or using the "B" key so you're using what your simulator thinks the altimeter is. 

Ask and thou shall recieve... 😉https://fselite.net/news/rex-announces-weather-force-2020-for-microsoft-flight-simulator/