Is human ATC better than default ATC?

[Witcher]

Some recommend using human ATC like VATSIM instead of game default ATC which most of us know what it's like

Watch the video below and share your experiences.

https://youtu.be/t8ZqwlbH_kw?si=K3bNgYGKblqAcIj9

[Twelvefield]

Define "better".

The VATSIM people strive for proper procedures, and of course you can talk to them and they respond in kind. It's like an online roleplaying game. If you aren't co-operative as either pilot or controller then it doesn't work so well, so you should play by the rules. The large majority gets all of this and so VATSIM works.

VATSIM is also older than dirt, although they do update things. You need to keep up with AIRAC and have good charts on hand unless you are truly familiar with there you are flying. Most people fly super-dull IFR airliners, so you get a heaping extra load of that. VATSIM can handle VFR, though.

I'd say the biggest downside to VATSIM is their coverage: you can only get ATC if and when someone wants to play controller, and that's normally at high-traffic locations like LA, NYC, London, Paris, Hong Kong, etc.

MSFS ATC is also older than dirt, older than VATSIM even. You can go anywhere in the world, but you hear the same voices and get the same 65% correct dialogue and are directed into the same mountainsides no matter what you do.

Right now, the cutting edge is AI-powered ATC. You get worldwide coverage and voices, and you generally get better directions. However, no AI ATC is complete, so the current offerings in alpha and beta are buggy.

Check back in a year or two, probably two, and you will see fully-featured AI ATC. Certainly at a 3PD add-on, maybe even as an included official feature in a MS24 upgrade.

[Witcher]

"Better" means works better or less issues.

I'm not having a dig at VATSIM as I know they are staff most if not all by volunteers, and I appreciate you have to abide by their rules.

Issue is not everyone uses VATSIM or use the same AI traffic. Half of the simmers I encounter appear instantly on the runway or ignore AI traffic or other players, and you can't their comms with ATC if they use it.

[ZombieHunter]

VATSIM is great but coverage sucks. And the way they handle uncontrolled airstrips is suspect and not realistic. As well Deltas or towered airports become uncontrolled airports b/c no one is manning the tower. So it is like flying around with almost no ATC at all. Center is also hit and miss b/c of coverage. I prefer to use the default ATC not b/c it is better but b/c it is there 100% of the time.

Some FS 2020 ATC limitations:

• Altitude assignments and step downs near airports
  
  
• It has a really bad tendency to clear you for something like a left downwind or left base when a right base would be much safer and would not force you to overfly the field. For instance if you are heading 270 and want to land on runway 01, a right base for 01 would be the quickest and safest entry. If they force you into a left base....I mean what are you going to do? Overfly the field at pattern + 600, turn left at 3 miles out and come in on left base? That is beyond stupid. Or why would they force you to overly the field to enter the left downwind for 01? Again stupid. A lot of times IRL what ATC will have you do is a standard rate 360 to allow for separation and sequencing. The FS 2020 ATC wlll never request this.
  
  
• It has a bad tendency to ignore separation rules and cram aircraft on final forcing most of them to go around b/c the previous aircraft has not cleared the runway.
  The spacing rules are discussed here:
  https://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/regulations/landing-separation-requirements-tower-and-non-towered-distance-requirements/
  FS 2020 ATC has no concept of this.
  
  
• You cannot request IFR clearance from uncontrolled airfields.
  
  
• You cannot tell an uncontrolled airfield that you are doing a teardrop entry.
  
  
• You cannot tell an uncontrolled airfield that you are departing off the 'leg' to the
  'direction'.
  
  
• You also cannot tell an uncontrolled airfield you are on x mile 45 entry to the left downwind or right downwind of xx.
  
  
• You cannot request a block of altitude for IFR.
  
  
• You cannot request flight following on the ground. Flight following is typically asked while on the ramp and the ground controller gives you your squawk and instructions on what frequency to contact on departure.
  
  
• You cannot specify a destination airfield for flight following. Flight following is for a flight from A to B. When you get close to B, the controller will ask you to report field in sight and when you have the field in sight they will tell you to contact the field, radar service terminated, squawk VFR or 1200 in the USA. None of this works in FS 2020 ATC.
  
  
• It will never ask you to IDENT.
  
  
• You cannot specify a taxi destination. You get what they give you. You cannot request east or west or north or south ramp or any FBO or anything of the sort.
  
  
• Airspace rules and limitations are not obeyed. Airspace barely exists at all in FS 2020 ATC. For instance if you take off under a 24/60 shelf and bust 2400 without contacting ATC, congrats you just earned a number to copy and an unpleasant phone call about why you busted Charlie without contacting the controller of the Charlie airspace. You can bust Delta, Charlie, Bravo and Alpha with nary a word from ATC.

There is a ton of stuff missing and most of it may not even be possible due to the sheer complexity of it.

[Twelvefield]

Originally posted by Witcher:

"Better" means works better or less issues.

That's a reasonable definition, so the best answer I can think of is that they are equal but very different. Your priorities for reasonably realistic ATC interaction and traffic versus ease of use and no human turds would be the deciding factor, I suppose.

Quite a few people use both, and other ATC products as well. There are some where you hire a human controller to play with you, and they will follow your flight wherever you go. That costs money, while VATSIM is free.