Has any thought been given to adjusting the lvl1 to lvl 2 experience in game? I am new to the game I would like to hone my skills for navigating Atc but it is taking for ever to get to lvl 3. Where I should be an “expert”. But it is absolutely maddening the extent of lvl 1 lvl2 and some time lvl 3 operators that show a lack of knowledge and courtesy towards others. Both from pilots and atc. Blatent disregard for instructions and such. Maybe I’m asking too much. I have tried to play as Atc and work on routing of in bound aircraft at say KLax to use 25L and 24R for landing only and 24L and 25R for take off but they do what they want with no repercussions. Like wise I have had some Atc that reply to vectoring and then go silent. Next thing you know they are shooting you a read the tutorial message. Yesterday I had this happen. Was told to left 360. Which I did then RNT to 250 again turned and then replied and then got a I need to read tutorials message. Also where there is practically no gap between lvl1 no 2 there is a chasm between 2 and 3. Thanks for listening.
Most of this was on TS1, we can do nothing about that. Work hard for grade 3! You sound better them 'em noobs!
Forget Grade 3s not following instructions - there are a fair few Grade 5s that don’t on the Training Server…
Take your time fly more and dont let the disorder in SoCal ruin your experience. Fly more then in no time you wilk be in grade 3 able to access the expert servers.
Cheers :)
MaxSez: Grade 1 stay out of the fur ball Cat B airports, developer you flying skills, lots a touch and goes out in the bush, understand patterns which lead to holding points down to he line. Start small initially. Grade 2 venture into controlled airspace, land and observe from the tarmac until you get a feel for the Op tempo. Read & watch closely ATC operating procedures. Ignore the great unwashed, there learning or are ignorant malcontents. Build your numbers, long legs and T&G. Grade 3 go slow, stay out of fur ball major airports initially until your confidant. At all time remember that XP & Hours do not denote skill or proficiency. Keep learning and pushing the envelope. Violations and Ghosts are synonymies with a the bumps in the learning cycle.
Their indicators of your personality in this game, wear them with pride! Regards All
This has been brought up a googleplex of times, but there’s nothing that will change.
Controllers on the TS are what they are, pilots the same. There simply isn’t anything to be done.
I got guarded recently by approach when I was on a 1.5 mile short final with an active tower (doing patternwork, mind you, so never had any reason to be on approach).
It’ll never change, unfortunately. You’re just gonna get the stock answer: get to grade 3 and fly on Expert. If you want to control on Expert, contact a recruiter.
In the interim, your experience is unfortunately representative of TS, and there will never be any repercussions instituted.
Regarding the chasm between 2 and 3, that’s justified by the difference in abilities the latter allows. There’s not much difference in what you can do between 1 and 2. But 3 puts you on expert.
As IFATC, I can’t tell you how many pilots I watch with 40,001 XP on Expert for their first time that would send shivers down your spine. The threshold for access to Expert is fine where it is. If it were to change, I’d suggest upward.
(I say this as someone who was in your position, desperately wanting off the TS, but I controlled so much I forgot to fly and get my XP up. Getting to 40k seemed like a lifetime, but I promise any lower would be unwise, no matter how frustrating it is for you at the moment. I was there, too.)
I think it’s easy for people to not follow rules in TS1 (Training Server). Some, however, are good.
TS1 is about getting to learn the ropes and for people who want to XP-hoard. (If you want to make it to grade 3 asap,
)
I think the XP standings are good. I’m always determined to get more flight time in. (The flight time comes into effect, too after grade 3 heading to grade 4) you need to have landings and hours (also violations are an issue(see Violations for more info)
Grade 3 pilots are not even supposed to be in expert server. They still fly as if they are in TS, believe me that’s where most of them belong.
MaxSez: The only adjustment to the grading system is a simple Yes/No or multiple choice test for access to the Expert Server. Not a big deal for the FDS computer magicians. For Security purposes built 10 tests, same question ok but stated in different ways or as the developer choices. 80% pass rate. Randomly let the system issue the test to the candidate upon going Grade 3. Pass the test get Grade 3T which permits Expert access. Test is, Pass or fail, 14 day delay for failure retests. Grandfather anyone who is a Grade 3 at first test cycle. Testing to be completely machine generated, scored and controlled. No human interface.(Note: Everybody cheats)
Yes, they are.
Let’s not stereotype all grade 3 pilots…there are a good few 4’s/5’s that also cause issues. Up until recently I was always a perfectly reasonable grade 3 pilot myself.
Grade 3s can be good. They can be poor.
Grade 5s can be good. They can be poor.
I’ve watched plenty of pilots with 800,000 points not know the parts of a pattern, and guys with 50000 follow every command to the letter.
Doing a thousand touch and goes in a Cessna may boost your XP, but it certainly doesn’t give you any step up on communication with ATC, and no amount of XP in the world can force you to be considerate or give you situational awareness.
I agree with most of the posts. But tim_b I was going the other way with that really. being, don’t lower 3 but raise 2 and maybe ad second tier that maybe has a harsher violation potential. I mean I was on an uncontrolled airport lined up to take off got destracted and recieve a blocking violation
But my point is precisely that raising level 2 doesn’t have any practical effect on a pilot. Grade 1 and grade 2 can do the same things as a pilot, so increasing the gap between them wouldn’t have any effect. The difference between grades 1 and 2 is negligible, so there’s no practical reason to adjust the gap.
Yes, too many violations kicks you to grade 2, barring you from the Expert Server. Other than that, if a pilot is already exiled to the Training Server, it’s entirely irrelevant whether they are 1 or 2. Why mess with something that has a net zero practical effect?
Agreed in the current format there is no difference. Maybe restricting airport access or lvl 1 kind of like region of map restrictons. On a side note I’ve been wanting to post pictures of plane spotting and the forum doesn’t seem to allow me to post. Also have a real cool video of a 787-9 Air France doing a 1500 ft fly over at the heratige golf tourney. (They build them here in Charleston. )
Seems you found it, but:
simple answer, if you are interested in becoming an Expert ATC, or even if you a pilot who want to fly in professional way but currently on the TS1 till you have more experience, then go and fly / control in a region other than SoCal. If you pick one of the regions that are paid for then you will generally get pilots / ATC who take this serious and are trying to gain more experience. You still get the occasional “Nim-Rod” however this is more in the minority compared to SoCal.
Good luck and happy contrails
PS I am sure you have already, but if not then please check out the Tutorial section for ATC!
That’s the point. Most of these people just whatever they can to get enough xp to get into expert server. Saw one(grade 3) approach runway 27 at Ksan at 20k ft at over 400kts, on so called expert server. I still think expect server should be left for experts (grade 4 and 5). Thank you.
The grades make no difference, I have seen some of the worse flying on either TS or Expert by Grade 4 & 5s. A better way to gain access to expert would be to have a test. I have been grade 3 since the grades have been introduced and seen many things over that time.
Again, though, grades 4 and 5 don’t make you an expert.
You can rack up XP and flight time by flying circuits around fields or regions without ever having to interact with ATC or other pilots.
I control…a lot…on the Expert server. I’m telling you, I watch grade 5 pilots that don’t have a clue all day long.
In order to determine an expert pilot, you require human intervention. Simply accruing stats is a guarantor or nothing. I don’t know how I can make this any more clear. If you’ve flown for 300 hours and done 1000 circuits at an isolated field in a C208, it doesn’t mean you have situational awareness or that you’re considerate of other traffic or even that you know how to communicate with ATC.
Look at what happened here over the weekend. They made Regular status more than just tossing likes around and replying to every post and put some human intervention in and everyone lost their minds.
The grading system is simply an aggregation of stats, not a measure of ability. I could rattle off grade 5s who have no clue what they’re doing for days. I’ve seen it all, and it’s not just grade 3s.
Unless someone can devise a grading system that isn’t simply aggregation and accumulation of stats, it’ll continue to mean nothing to me.
Grade 5s still land at 230 knots. Just because they play a lot doesn’t mean they’re good. And grade 3s with a willingness to learn can be fine pilots.
As long as a computer is making the decision, it’s just a number.
Had to reply to on it wouldn’t let me start a new topic