ATC not showing on Expert Server

Support
#1

I was approaching LAX on the expert server just a few minutes ago from YSSY when I noticed that there was ATC available. When I tried to find the ATC frequency for LAX Tower to announce inbound I could’nt find it from the frequency list, LAX unicom was showing up and I could swtich to that freqeuncy but did not find the ATC frequencies (KLAX TOWER, KLAX ATIS). ATC then instructed me to contact Tower because I was in an active airspace t, but I could not find it. I did not want to be ghosted for not following instructions and when I tried to just divert away, ATC contacted me again that I was in an active airspace, so I just ended the flight. Has this happened to anyone and what do I do to fix this problem?

Thanks

Tower not appearing from a greater distance.
#2

Same issue here. Was inbound to LAX on Expert and there wasn’t any frequency for tower. Had to go to the map click on LAX then tune to Tower.

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#3

Oh yeah, I forgot that you can tune in to ATC from the map, should’ve done that.

2 Likes
#4

I was inbound around 12 and had the same issue. I had open the map, select KLAX and manually tune into the freq.

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#5

If you know ATC is active on Expert and you can’t reach them. You are better off to divert.

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#6

When I couldn’t reach ATC, I decided to divert away, but then they instructed that I was in an active airspace after I was turning away, the fear of being ghosted if I didn’t respond made me just abandon the app. I should’ve just tuned in from the map.

#7

This seems to be a bug for dev’s to look at. I had the same issue just now. ATC was active at LAX but only UNICOM was showing up in the aircraft radio. I should have tuned to ATC through the map, I know this, smh! Would have diverted but chose to end flight since I had to attend some RL stuff.

#8

Speaking of ATC Issues i have a glitch where when Appr signs off
The airport has the green XXXX appr and the regular XXXX
On top of each other

#9

I’ve been monitoring this topic to see how things progress…

I just tried to reproduce the issue, but without any success. When i was within 25nm of the airport, i could tune in to KLAX Tower normally.
Is this only happening on Expert or have anyone experienced it on any other server as well?

2 Likes
#10

I’ve flown into KLAX since the 18.4 update and I tuned into KLAX Tower normally too.

#11

Flown into multiple airports including LAX and I’m completely fine as well.
Expert and TS

#13

i had the same issue yesterday, when approaching lax on expert server.
it seems this bug ocurred with the 18.4 update.
i just tuned the frequency in over the map and everything turned out well.

#14

I had a similar issue where i was unable to contact tower last week 3 times in a row, back to back, every time i reached my destination, i would be unable to get through to the tower freq. So in those cases i would divert because ATC was active and with inbound traffic. After leaving the airspace i would turn back again towards the airport and then I’d be able to contact tower again.

I made my own support thread about the issue, and got tips from other memebers but i still don’t know what caused the issue? Either way, i don’t have the issue anymore after the recent update 18.4 and what Daniel suggested would not work for me at that moment because i couldn’t see tower as active, being green. And this would happen when I’m being handed over from APPR to Tower or I’m on Unicom and Tower comes in, but i can’t see them or contact them, so i would divert. Happened only 3 times consecutively and then, no more issues… 😶

If you ever happen to not be able to contact the tower freq and can’t get to them via the map either then try leaving the airspace and return once you’re 40 to 50nm out. It worked for me and kinds resolved the whole issue wierd enough… 🤔

But this was when ATC was active… now with 18.4 a new issue gas arised which is what the OP is talking about.

Yesterday when i was inbound at KDEN, i couldn’t find KDEN Unicom on the list scrolling through all the airfields i didn’t see KDEN. Until I’m short final and it pops up, i quickly announce Final RWY XX and land safe as no one was on the runway. But it was wierd as why i was unable to find KDEN on the list for so long, but on my return flight to EDDF i found the Unicom for that airport right away from a much further distance…?

#15

I do not know if anyone else noticed after the last update … But when I get close to the airport, the control tower is only showing up when we’re flying over it. is no longer appearing at 27nm of fate.!

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#16

I noticed the same thing when I was flying into KORD. @Levet I was at 8,000 ASL.

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#17

Same experience - after a 15 minute flight on Expert (fine on TS), I was approaching LAX - got a guard message but could only see Unicom. Diverted and eventually found tower but not entirely sure how - I’ll try to replicate this later

#18

This happens to me sometimes randomly at different airports but I quickly learned to tune in from the map view and that always works so I just rolled with that.

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#19

This happened to me a short while ago while descending to HECA/Cairo. I got to the point where I was 21nm from the airport and getting down towards 5,000ft, but nothing (even Unicom) was showing up on my ATC list for that field. Selected Tower by clicking on the airport on the map and it was fine thereafter.

One factor for those looking into this bug to consider is that I had briefly tuned to ATIS while 80nm-ish out during my descent to check what was happening and whether I needed to tweak my flightplan at all to help guide me to a runway open for landing.

#20

Happend to me… I was contacting @Tyler_Shelton (because I was ghosted) and he removed it… He told me never switch apps while on flight because this will cause a connection issue… And it’s good to you to take a screeshot of it because if you will be ghosted you to prove it

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#21

Regarding this, as an IFATC, I will allow aircraft to land at my airport if they follow the traffic direction (land on right runways) if they aren’t communicating.

For instance a few days ago I was at KLAX with the 25s/24s in use, a Nordo aircraft was inbound on 24L, a runway active in use. The pilot was following correct procedures, and in stead of ghosting said pilot, I let them land and cleared the runway.

Now, if you ignore the traffic direction and land (not hard, find the inbounds) it’s a different story… 👻

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