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(New release: r8)
m (Infobox software: Switch the 3 in Python3 from the 'writtenin' parameter to the 'writteninversion' parameter.)
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Line 6: Line 6:
| title                  = ATC-pie
| title                  = ATC-pie
| logo                  = ATC-pie-logo.png
| logo                  = ATC-pie-logo.png
| image                  = ATC-pie-screenshot-KSFOmess.png
| image                  = ATC-pie-screenshot-towerViewing.png
| alt                    = ATC-pie at the KSFO mess
| alt                    = Tower viewing, following a departing aircraft
| developedby            = Michael Filhol
| developedby            = Michael Filhol
| initialrelease        = February 1, 2015
| initialrelease        = February 1, 2015
| latestrelease          = January 18, 2016 (r8)
| latestrelease          = 1.7.1 (Sept. 1, 2020)
| writtenin              = Python3
| writtenin              = Python
| writteninversion      = 3
| os                    = Any
| os                    = Any
| platform              = Qt5
| platform              = Qt5
Line 17: Line 18:
| type                  = ATC client
| type                  = ATC client
| license                = GNU GPL v3
| license                = GNU GPL v3
| website                = https://sourceforge.net/projects/atc-pie
| website                = http://mickybadia.free.fr/atcpie
}}
}}


'''ATC-pie''' is an [[air traffic control]] simulation program allowing to play solo games and connect to [[FlightGear]] multi-player networks. It features an en-route (CTR) mode as well as an airport mode where tower viewing is possible. It is essentially designed for realism and simulates many tasks of real-life ATC such as transponder identification, strip rack and sequence management, handovers to/from neighbouring controllers, ATIS recording, flight plan editing, routing and conflict solving.
'''ATC-pie''' is an [[air traffic control]] simulation program featuring:
* solo sessions, incl. voice instruction recognition and pilot speech synthesis;
* network sessions through [[FGMS]] and FSD;
* tutorial sessions for teacher supervision of an ATC student.


ATC-pie is free and open source, programmed in Python3 for Qt5 hence system-independant, only Python3 and its Qt5 bindings must be installed. That done, it is meant to work straight away, with no make/compile command to run or external resource to install (except for local tower viewing, which requires FlightGear and the appropriate scenery).
It can simulate en-route centre control (CTR) as well as airport-based services (TWR, APP, GND...), and allows 3D tower viewing through [[FlightGear]]. It is essentially designed for realism and simulates many tasks and situations of real-life ATC such as:
* strip rack and sequence management;
* radar monitoring and transponder identification;
* handovers to/from neighbouring controllers;
* routing and conflict anticipation;
* flight plan filing and editing...


== Program features ==
To download the program and learn more about how to use it, read the ATC-pie [[ATC-pie installation guide|installation]] and [[ATC-pie user guide|user]] guides. If you have a question, check the [[ATC-pie FAQ|FAQ]] first, or try the forum for help.


The features listed below have been tested on various Linux versions, Mac and Windows.
== Screenshots ==
 
=== Game and environment ===
Multi-player and network environment:
* Configurable [[FGMS]] connections
* ATC handovers: strip exchange with [[OpenRadar]] and other ATC-pie instances in range
* Interface with Lenny64's [http://flightgear-atc.alwaysdata.net flight plan data base], including in-game FPL retrieval, filing and editing
* In-app session announcement facility to post on Lenny64's popular ATC event page
 
Solo games:
* Various ATC positions: CTR or free combination of APP, TWR and DEP
* Handovers to/from virtual ATCs
* Instruction interface and pilot read back
* Adjustable difficulty (traffic density)
* Departure–arrival and ILS–visual balance options
* Configurable runways in use, entry/exit/routing points


World data:
Visit the [[:Category:ATC-pie screenshots|ATC-pie screenshot category]] for more.
* Real world METAR updates from selectable weather stations
* Real world declination lookup and true/magnetic distinction
* Airport and navigation data retrieved from the latest [http://data.x-plane.com X-Plane] file set
* Custom additions possible in separate files


GUI:
* Floatable, dockable and closable GUI panes: strips, radios, text chat, etc. (window layout saved)
* Notification system combining selectable sounds, status bar messages and a time-tagged history
* General and location-specific notepads and settings saved on close and restored on restart
* Customisable colours
* Ignore contacts
=== Radar and visual contacts ===
Transponders:
* Full support and mode-dependant behaviour (off, A, C, S)
* Choice of simulated mode for non-equipped aircraft models
* Radar identification assistant (unique squawk link between radar pick-up and strip assignment detection)
* Individual and general cheat modes to override XPDR settings
Radar scope:
* Open multiple radar screens
* Show/hide options for navigation points, vectors and route assignments, etc.
* Quick point-to-point heading and distance measuring tool and access to Earth coordinates
* Custom radar background image and image display (e.g. to display maps/charts)
* Custom text labels to annotate radar background
* Configurable horizontal and vertical ranges, and rotation speed
* Primary radar activation (see targets without XPDR signals)
Tower viewing, scene rendering:
* Real-time rendering of the airport scene from tower viewpoint, available in both MP and solo games
* Internally started (requires FlightGear installed) or through connection to an external instance
* Controller pane to orient/zoom view or follow aircraft
* Possible use of custom scenery and aircraft model addition/substitution
* Additional views can be connected
=== ATC management ===
Strips, racks, flight plans:
* Strip drag&drop along and across user-defined racks, with configurable colours
* Strip drop on neighbouring ATCs to hand over
* Link strips to flight plans and radar contacts to merge editable details and inform radar display
* Conflicts between linked elements reported
* Work with local FPL copies and manage sync with online publication
Routes, vectors, conflicts:
* Route parsing, drawing and world map view
* Route presets and quick retrieval between two end airports
* Current leg and next waypoint display with geodesic calculations of headings and distances
* Assign vectors and change routes with direct mouse gestures
* Anticipated conflict warnings and separation incident alarm
* Visible mismatches between assigned vectors and picked up positions (see [[:File:ATC-pie-screenshot-courseAndAssignmentsGraphics.png|all-in-one graphics]])
=== Communications ===
Radio:
* [[FGCom]] integration, incl. echo test and possible use of externally running client
* ATIS recording with pre-filled preparation notepad (see [[:File:ATC-pie-screenshot-ATISdialog.png|feature dialog]])
* Multiple and single frequency transmissions
* Frequency-specific sound level selection
Text chat:
* Customisable preset messages and text aliases for context-sensitive replacements
* Message history and single-click message recall
* Hardcore communication sim possible by disabling unknown senders' callsigns
* Senders blacklist management (filter out trolls)
== Screenshots ==
<gallery mode="packed">
<gallery mode="packed">
ATC-pie-screenshot-soloMode.png|Playing solo mode with three coloured racks
ATC-pie-screenshot-sectorView.png|Sector view around Geneva
ATC-pie-screenshot-towerViewing.png|Tower viewing, following a departing aircraft
ATC-pie-screenshot-soloMode.png|Playing solo with three coloured racks
ATC-pie-screenshot-backgroundPixmapDrawing.png|Background image display
ATC-pie-screenshot-backgroundPixmapDrawing.png|Background image display
ATC-pie-screenshot-routeDetailsView.png|View route details and world path
ATC-pie-screenshot-airportCloseUp.png|Depiction of airport tarmac and objects
ATC-pie-screenshot-routeConflictDetection.png|Route conflict warning
ATC-pie-screenshot-runwayIncursion.png|Runway incursion detected and highlighted in red
ATC-pie-screenshot-LFPGcloseUp.png|Depiction of airport tarmac and objects
ATC-pie-screenshot-flightPlans.png|Flight plan editor
</gallery>
</gallery>


== Working principles ==
== Working principles ==


=== General ===
You are the air traffic controller, working with equipment depending on your position and local facility. This may include a tower view, radar scopes, data links, etc. Your traffic is the aircraft connected by human pilots (FlightGear, FSD), or simulated with AI (solo) or by a teacher (student). They all contact you with different types of aircraft, [[transponder]] equipment and intentions.
You are the air traffic controller, and players will connect to the network (or AI traffic be simulated in solo mode) with different types of aircraft and [[transponder]] equipment. As in real life, the radar is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_surveillance_radar SSR], hence will show you only (unless you cheat or activate the primary radar) what you pick up from on-board ''transponders'' in your range. That means:
* If a transponder is off or on standby, you will not see the aircraft on your radar screen.
* If a transponder is on, you will at least be able to see its position and read the transponder code, possibly its altitude and even its type and callsign, depending on the mode set by the pilot.


=== Strips ===
=== Strips ===
[[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-stripDetailSheet.png|thumbnail|The ATC-pie strip detail sheet]]
[[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-stripDetailSheet.png|thumbnail|The ATC-pie strip detail sheet]]
Your basic traffic flow and sequence working unit is the '''strip''', each representing a controlled (or soon expected) aircraft. Strips are created, filled with details and moved along and across ''racks'' until handed over to a different controller or discarded. Strip details include:
Your basic traffic flow and sequence working unit is the '''strip''', each representing a controlled (or soon expected) aircraft. Strips are created, filled with details and moved across ''racks'' and ''bays'' until handed over to a different controller or shelved. Strip details can all be manually edited, and include:
* most importantly, the aircraft's ''callsign'', to be used on the radio;
* most importantly, the aircraft's ''callsign'', to be used on the radio;
* information like aircraft type, airspeed, route... that can be specified by the pilots themselves when filing ''flight plans'';
* information like aircraft type, airspeed, route... that can be provided by the pilots themselves when filing ''flight plans'';
* transponder code and flight parameter assignments (or vectors: heading, altitude/FL, speed).
* transponder code and flight parameter assignments (heading, altitude/FL, air speed).
 
=== Radar ===
As in real life, the main radar technology is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_surveillance_radar SSR], which only shows what is picked up from on-board transponders in its range. This means that:
* if a transponder is off or out of range, you will not see the aircraft on your radar screen;
* if a transponder is on and in range, you will at least be able to see its position and read a transponder code, and possibly its altitude, type, callsign... depending on the transponder mode and your radar capabilities.


=== Linking strips ===
=== Linking strips ===
Strip details can be manually edited, but every strip can also be '''linked''' to a flight plan and/or a visible radar contact on the scope screen—a strip can only be linked to one flight plan and one radar contact. Linking to a strip will automatically:
Every strip can be '''linked''' to a flight plan and to a transponder contact on radar. A linked strip will automatically:
* make the strip display the missing elements made available by the linked aircraft transponder or flight plan;
* display its missing elements when available from the linked flight plan or aircraft transponder;
* label the radar contact dot with the more informed linked details, e.g. assigned altitude.
* populate the information in the radar tag of the linked aircraft with useful details, e.g. assigned altitude.
Any detail mismatch between a strip and its linked flight plan or radar contact will be reported for you to resolve.


=== Radar identification ===
=== Radar identification ===
[[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-radarIdentification.png|thumbnail|Radar identification: both matched strip and radar contact marked in blue]]
[[File:ATC-pie-screenshot-radarIdentification.png|thumbnail|Radar identification: both matched strip and radar contact marked in blue]]
To ''identify'' an aircraft and link the right radar contact to a strip, an ATC can rely on different things. He can read an aircraft's callsign straight away if its transponder has mode S turned on, tell from reported positions and altitudes, or use a transponder code. For instance, say a VFR traffic makes an initial radio contact giving his callsign and approximate position. ATC will typically pull out a new blank strip and give the pilot a unique transponder code to squawk, writing it on the strip alongside the announced callsign, then wait for it to appear on the radar. This allows for '''radar identification''' of aircraft–strip pairs such that:
When using radar, ATCs use different methods to ''identify'' an aircraft and link the right contact to its strip. They can read an aircraft's callsign straight away if its transponder is squawking mode S, tell from reported positions, or use a transponder code.
 
For instance, say a transponder-equipped VFR traffic makes radio contact giving their callsign and approximate position. ATC will typically pull out a new blank strip and give the pilot a unique transponder code to squawk, writing it on the strip alongside the announced callsign, then wait for it to appear on the radar. This allows for '''radar identification''' of aircraft–strip pairs such that:
* the strip is assigned a transponder code;
* the strip is assigned a transponder code;
* no other strip is assigned the same code;
* no other strip is assigned the same code;
* the aircraft is the only one squawking that code in radar range.
* the aircraft is the only unidentified traffic squawking that code in radar range.


ATC-pie identifies such pairs automatically and reports them to you so you can properly link the two and get back to the pilot: "radar identified".
ATC-pie identifies such pairs automatically and reports them to you so you can properly link the two and get back to the pilot: "radar identified".


== Using ATC-pie ==
== Detailed feature list ==
To download the program and learn more about how to use it, read the [[ATC-pie user guide]].
 
=== General ===
Available session types:
* Solo simulation (AI IFR traffic)
* FlightGear networks (FGMS protocol)
* FSD connections (as served by https://github.com/kuroneko/fsd commit bc7d43, latest available in April 2020)
* Teacher–student tutoring (teacher spawns and runs the traffic visible to the student)
 
Available modes for all session types:
* Airport (for ATC positions such as TWR, GND, APP, DEP at a selected airfiled)
* En-route centre (free positioning of radar, no base airport or runway-related options)
 
Common data sources:
* Airport and navigation data sourced in the [http://data.x-plane.com X-Plane] format (old world-wide default file set included)
* Editable aircraft data base (ICAO designators, cruise speeds, WTC, etc.)
* Radar background images and hand drawings (integrated EuroScope/[http://www.vatsim.net VATSIM]/IVAO .sct sector file import)
* Ground elevation maps (can be generated automatically with a provided script)
* Real world magnetic declination lookup
 
=== ATC surveillance ===
Radar and transponders:
* SSR mode selection and primary radar activation
* Full transponder support and mode-dependant radar behaviour
* Traffic identification assistant
* Runway occupation/incursion detection
* Position/track vs. assignment mismatch warning system
 
Tower viewing for airport mode (requires FlightGear):
* Renders view of airport, aircraft, weather, time of day
* Internally started or through an externally running instance
* Control panel to orient/zoom view or follow aircraft
* Additional views can be connected (for multiple camera angles)
 
=== Traffic management ===
Strips and racks:
* User-defined racks with configurable colours for linked radar contacts and ATCs to collect strips from
* Strip auto-print for expected departures or arrivals
* Runway boxes with automatic RWY separation timers
* Loose strip bays with customisable backgrounds
 
Routes, vectors, conflicts:
* World route suggestions, presets, analysis, radar drawing and world map view
* Convenient mouse input for vectors, taxi instructions and waypoint changes
* Current leg and next waypoint display with geodesic calculations of headings and distances
* Route/vector conflict anticipation and separation incident alarm
* Approach spacing hints for inbound sequences
 
=== Communications ===
With aircraft:
* [[FGCom]] radio integration for FlightGear sessions (stand-alone processes and Mumble plug-in)
* Multiple frequency transmissions and monitoring
* Radio direction finding (RDF) and integration to radar
* Controller-pilot data link communication (CPDLC)
* Text radio chat in network sessions, with preset messages, auto-completion, predefined and custom aliases for context-sensitive replacements, sender blacklist to filter out trolls
* ATIS recording and reminder alarm (see [[:File:ATC-pie-screenshot-ATISdialog.png|dialog]] with pre-filled notepad)
 
ATC coordination:
* Strip exchange with known ATCs (handovers)
* CPDLC authority transfers
* Private messaging with other ATCs (text "landlines")
* General ATC chat room
* "Who has?" requests
 
=== Session environments ===
Solo sessions (AI traffic):
* Strip exchange: handovers to/from virtual ATCs
* CPDLC: transfers with ATCs and instructions/requests with ACFT
* Weather: randomised and progressively changing
* Voice instruction recognition (with Sphinx)
* Pilot read-back speech synthesis (with pyttsx)
* Airline choice and custom aircraft appearence in tower view
* Configurable airspace rules
* Adjustable difficulty (traffic density)
 
FlightGear network sessions:
* Strip exchange: full handover support with ATC-pie, compatible with [[OpenRadar]]
* CPDLC: supported but no ACFT capable of connection yet
* Weather: real world METAR retrieval
* Flight plans: interface with [http://flightgear-atc.alwaysdata.net Lenny64's data base] (the ''de facto'' FG standard), incl. filing, editing, opening and closing
* ATIS: voice recording through FGCom
* In-app announcement of ATC sessions on Lenny64's event page
 
FSD network sessions:
* Strip exchange: handovers with other clients (although lossy if not ATC-pie)
* CPDLC: not supported by FSD
* Weather: fetch from server or retrieve real world METAR
* Flight plans: available from the network (although only editable by the pilots, and open/close not supported by FSD)
* ATIS: recorded as text only (sent through chat system)
 
Tutoring sessions (teacher with student):
* Strip exchange: configurable ATC neighbours and handover supervision by teacher
* CPDLC: fully supported, incl. transfers to/from student and dialogues with teacher ACFT
* Weather: controlled by teacher
* Traffic snapshots and recall to repeat situations with the student
 
=== Misc. ===
GUI features:
* Multiple window workspace (radar screens, strip racks and bays) saved by location
* Floatable/dockable panels and toolbars (see [[:File:ATC-pie-screenshot-toolbars.png|screenshot]]) and layout save/restore
* Customisable colours
* Notification system combining selectable sounds, status bar messages and time-tagged history
* General and location-specific notes and settings saved on close and restored on restart
 
Convenience tools:
* Quick point-to-point heading and distance measuring tool
* Multiple weather station monitor
* Direct text annotation of radar screen
* World airport, map navpoint and AD parking position browsing/indicating
* Aeronautical unit conversion calculator
* Custom alarm clocks with quick keyboard timer start


[[Category:ATC-pie]]
[[Category:ATC-pie]]
[[Category:ATC clients]]
[[Category:ATC clients]]
[[Category:Air Traffic Control]]

Revision as of 12:57, 11 September 2020

ATC-pie
ATC-pie logo
Tower viewing, following a departing aircraft
Tower viewing, following a departing aircraft
Developed by Michael Filhol
Initial release February 1, 2015
Latest release 1.7.1 (Sept. 1, 2020)
Written in Python (Version 3)
OS Any
Platform Qt5
Development status Active
Type ATC client
License GNU GPL v3
Website

ATC-pie is an air traffic control simulation program featuring:

  • solo sessions, incl. voice instruction recognition and pilot speech synthesis;
  • network sessions through FGMS and FSD;
  • tutorial sessions for teacher supervision of an ATC student.

It can simulate en-route centre control (CTR) as well as airport-based services (TWR, APP, GND...), and allows 3D tower viewing through FlightGear. It is essentially designed for realism and simulates many tasks and situations of real-life ATC such as:

  • strip rack and sequence management;
  • radar monitoring and transponder identification;
  • handovers to/from neighbouring controllers;
  • routing and conflict anticipation;
  • flight plan filing and editing...

To download the program and learn more about how to use it, read the ATC-pie installation and user guides. If you have a question, check the FAQ first, or try the forum for help.

Screenshots

Visit the ATC-pie screenshot category for more.

Working principles

You are the air traffic controller, working with equipment depending on your position and local facility. This may include a tower view, radar scopes, data links, etc. Your traffic is the aircraft connected by human pilots (FlightGear, FSD), or simulated with AI (solo) or by a teacher (student). They all contact you with different types of aircraft, transponder equipment and intentions.

Strips

The ATC-pie strip detail sheet

Your basic traffic flow and sequence working unit is the strip, each representing a controlled (or soon expected) aircraft. Strips are created, filled with details and moved across racks and bays until handed over to a different controller or shelved. Strip details can all be manually edited, and include:

  • most importantly, the aircraft's callsign, to be used on the radio;
  • information like aircraft type, airspeed, route... that can be provided by the pilots themselves when filing flight plans;
  • transponder code and flight parameter assignments (heading, altitude/FL, air speed).

Radar

As in real life, the main radar technology is SSR, which only shows what is picked up from on-board transponders in its range. This means that:

  • if a transponder is off or out of range, you will not see the aircraft on your radar screen;
  • if a transponder is on and in range, you will at least be able to see its position and read a transponder code, and possibly its altitude, type, callsign... depending on the transponder mode and your radar capabilities.

Linking strips

Every strip can be linked to a flight plan and to a transponder contact on radar. A linked strip will automatically:

  • display its missing elements when available from the linked flight plan or aircraft transponder;
  • populate the information in the radar tag of the linked aircraft with useful details, e.g. assigned altitude.

Radar identification

Radar identification: both matched strip and radar contact marked in blue

When using radar, ATCs use different methods to identify an aircraft and link the right contact to its strip. They can read an aircraft's callsign straight away if its transponder is squawking mode S, tell from reported positions, or use a transponder code.

For instance, say a transponder-equipped VFR traffic makes radio contact giving their callsign and approximate position. ATC will typically pull out a new blank strip and give the pilot a unique transponder code to squawk, writing it on the strip alongside the announced callsign, then wait for it to appear on the radar. This allows for radar identification of aircraft–strip pairs such that:

  • the strip is assigned a transponder code;
  • no other strip is assigned the same code;
  • the aircraft is the only unidentified traffic squawking that code in radar range.

ATC-pie identifies such pairs automatically and reports them to you so you can properly link the two and get back to the pilot: "radar identified".

Detailed feature list

General

Available session types:

  • Solo simulation (AI IFR traffic)
  • FlightGear networks (FGMS protocol)
  • FSD connections (as served by https://github.com/kuroneko/fsd commit bc7d43, latest available in April 2020)
  • Teacher–student tutoring (teacher spawns and runs the traffic visible to the student)

Available modes for all session types:

  • Airport (for ATC positions such as TWR, GND, APP, DEP at a selected airfiled)
  • En-route centre (free positioning of radar, no base airport or runway-related options)

Common data sources:

  • Airport and navigation data sourced in the X-Plane format (old world-wide default file set included)
  • Editable aircraft data base (ICAO designators, cruise speeds, WTC, etc.)
  • Radar background images and hand drawings (integrated EuroScope/VATSIM/IVAO .sct sector file import)
  • Ground elevation maps (can be generated automatically with a provided script)
  • Real world magnetic declination lookup

ATC surveillance

Radar and transponders:

  • SSR mode selection and primary radar activation
  • Full transponder support and mode-dependant radar behaviour
  • Traffic identification assistant
  • Runway occupation/incursion detection
  • Position/track vs. assignment mismatch warning system

Tower viewing for airport mode (requires FlightGear):

  • Renders view of airport, aircraft, weather, time of day
  • Internally started or through an externally running instance
  • Control panel to orient/zoom view or follow aircraft
  • Additional views can be connected (for multiple camera angles)

Traffic management

Strips and racks:

  • User-defined racks with configurable colours for linked radar contacts and ATCs to collect strips from
  • Strip auto-print for expected departures or arrivals
  • Runway boxes with automatic RWY separation timers
  • Loose strip bays with customisable backgrounds

Routes, vectors, conflicts:

  • World route suggestions, presets, analysis, radar drawing and world map view
  • Convenient mouse input for vectors, taxi instructions and waypoint changes
  • Current leg and next waypoint display with geodesic calculations of headings and distances
  • Route/vector conflict anticipation and separation incident alarm
  • Approach spacing hints for inbound sequences

Communications

With aircraft:

  • FGCom radio integration for FlightGear sessions (stand-alone processes and Mumble plug-in)
  • Multiple frequency transmissions and monitoring
  • Radio direction finding (RDF) and integration to radar
  • Controller-pilot data link communication (CPDLC)
  • Text radio chat in network sessions, with preset messages, auto-completion, predefined and custom aliases for context-sensitive replacements, sender blacklist to filter out trolls
  • ATIS recording and reminder alarm (see dialog with pre-filled notepad)

ATC coordination:

  • Strip exchange with known ATCs (handovers)
  • CPDLC authority transfers
  • Private messaging with other ATCs (text "landlines")
  • General ATC chat room
  • "Who has?" requests

Session environments

Solo sessions (AI traffic):

  • Strip exchange: handovers to/from virtual ATCs
  • CPDLC: transfers with ATCs and instructions/requests with ACFT
  • Weather: randomised and progressively changing
  • Voice instruction recognition (with Sphinx)
  • Pilot read-back speech synthesis (with pyttsx)
  • Airline choice and custom aircraft appearence in tower view
  • Configurable airspace rules
  • Adjustable difficulty (traffic density)

FlightGear network sessions:

  • Strip exchange: full handover support with ATC-pie, compatible with OpenRadar
  • CPDLC: supported but no ACFT capable of connection yet
  • Weather: real world METAR retrieval
  • Flight plans: interface with Lenny64's data base (the de facto FG standard), incl. filing, editing, opening and closing
  • ATIS: voice recording through FGCom
  • In-app announcement of ATC sessions on Lenny64's event page

FSD network sessions:

  • Strip exchange: handovers with other clients (although lossy if not ATC-pie)
  • CPDLC: not supported by FSD
  • Weather: fetch from server or retrieve real world METAR
  • Flight plans: available from the network (although only editable by the pilots, and open/close not supported by FSD)
  • ATIS: recorded as text only (sent through chat system)

Tutoring sessions (teacher with student):

  • Strip exchange: configurable ATC neighbours and handover supervision by teacher
  • CPDLC: fully supported, incl. transfers to/from student and dialogues with teacher ACFT
  • Weather: controlled by teacher
  • Traffic snapshots and recall to repeat situations with the student

Misc.

GUI features:

  • Multiple window workspace (radar screens, strip racks and bays) saved by location
  • Floatable/dockable panels and toolbars (see screenshot) and layout save/restore
  • Customisable colours
  • Notification system combining selectable sounds, status bar messages and time-tagged history
  • General and location-specific notes and settings saved on close and restored on restart

Convenience tools:

  • Quick point-to-point heading and distance measuring tool
  • Multiple weather station monitor
  • Direct text annotation of radar screen
  • World airport, map navpoint and AD parking position browsing/indicating
  • Aeronautical unit conversion calculator
  • Custom alarm clocks with quick keyboard timer start