Often times in the real world, controllers will give pilots information on winds along with a takeoff or landing clearance. For example: “Southwest 11, winds 320 at 6 knots, cleared for takeoff runway 27.” This helps in a variety of ways. The majority of aircraft crashes happen during takeoff and landing. By giving pilots this information, especially when they are flying at low altitudes, pilots will have a better idea of what’s going on around them and a higher level of situational awareness. How many times have any of us started a takeoff roll, rotated, and had our nose pushed to one side or the other by an unexpected crosswind? As a pilot and tower controller, I see it happen a lot. Sure, pilots should be checking local weather information prior to takeoff and landing, but sending this information doesn’t hurt and also helps to increase the overall realism of IF.
I propose that the current system be altered slightly to automatically provide winds information, taken from the existing METARs isedbfor weather, with any takeoff or landing clearance. Tower controllers don’t have to be trusted to understand METARs and translate them with every clearance – rather, sending a clearance will automatically send “Delta 53, winds 180 at 14 gusting to 21 knots, cleared to land runway 17.” The pilot, as a result, will know exactly what the local winds are, have that much more knowledge of what’s going on, and enjoy a more realistic experience.
Also departure headings would be good with this aswell, “Speedbird 207 fly heading 090 runway 08R cleared for take off”
Or “Lufthansa 404 turn right heading 120 runway 08R cleared for take off”
And maybe we can have a wind check command “Miami tower wind check”
“SFL 305 Wind 360 15 gusting 26”
Or we can brodcast the wind
“Attention all aircraft wind 260 at 3 gusting 5”
MaxSez: Great, another item for the Wish List, like; ATIS, Taxiway Lights, Approach Light, Taxi Lights, Logo lights, Steam Gage’s, Rain & Snow, Tire Smoke, must I go on?
Just a reminder; Wind Direction and Speed are prominently displayed in the HUD in Cockpit mode, Since your head should be scanning in cockpit mode on departure and recovery the data requested is already in your face! Wx data passed from the Tower by Menu driven voice would be a distraction for the operator and a programming interface nightmare. It would also be redundant. Appears the votes tallied are wasted. Next!
Thanks for the reply Max! I have to disagree with you on a number of the points you made. First, it’s good to have a wishlist of things to do – at one point, the current Live system was an item on a wishlist, and likely regarded as a logistical nightmare. Look where we are now.
As for this request in specific: You’re right, wind speed and direction are prominently displayed in the cockpit on the HUD. However, flying without a HUD provides a much more realistic experience, and many aircraft (specifically GA, which I know you love) are not equipped with devices to display wind speed and direction. Having wind speed and direction transmitted from the tower enables a good pilot to be scanning outside the aircraft for other traffic, rather than keeping their head inside the cockpit.
This system of tower controllers alerting pilots of local winds is also used by ATC through the world. Enabling it here would do nothing but increase the realism of IF (something I know you support as well).
I also believe it would also not be a “programming interface nightmare”, as all the data is there. We have information from the METARs already used for weather, retrieving that data for ATC readouts shouldn’t be much more trouble. That may be an optimistic view, but if anyone with programming experience could weigh in I’d love to hear!
@tomthetank… MaxSez: Well it appears you came well armed! A cogent and well thought out response., Bravo! A wish list item it is, but no vote, since I have none left. Warm Regards
(Ya missed a beat in your narrative Tom. As a matter of interest; in Cockpit mode with out the HUD one may set wind speed and direction into the dashboard from the pull down. Thus if ya wanna fly by seat of the pants a six pack full of instrumentation is avialible if you just look.)
We’ve heard there will be some modifications/improvements to the ATC interface soon (source), so i wanted to bump this in the hopes that it gets picked up and added in!
I want to bump this request. With the recent uptick in GA flying (thanks to the TBM) it’s more likely for pilots to get blown around. ATC providing wind info will be vital for situational awareness.
Freed up a vote for this. It would also be really helpful if when pilots are cleared for takeoff if straight out deps is set in ATIS that something “fly runway heading until 5nm from airport” was included in takeoff clearance.
It was inspired by controlling today at KOPF with straight out deps on in ATIS earlier today. And then watching people make a hard left before even hitting the threshold of 12 outbound into departing traffic from 9L.