Simulator routing question.

Challenged

Challenged

Pattern Altitude
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Challenged
I was using X-Plane for an IFR flight this morning. I received a departure instruction of "turn left 088, then direct <IAF at destination>". Normally as a VFR pilot I turn to the requested heading given by ATC after reaching 500 AGL, but what's the proper procedure for the next segment? It just so happened that 088 led me to intercept a direct line from the departure airport to the IAF at the destination so I turned on course there, but should I have climbed up to my assigned altitude on the 088 heading before proceeding direct? I'm guessing climbing up to a defined altitude would be more logical and is probably what would be expected.
 
In the real world, your clearance would have included an altitude to climb and maintain. You do not stay on the heading once you are able to proceed direct to the next fix/destination without hitting anything.

Bob
 
Challenged said:
I was using X-Plane for an IFR flight this morning. I received a departure instruction of "turn left 088, then direct <IAF at destination>". Normally as a VFR pilot I turn to the requested heading given by ATC after reaching 500 AGL, but what's the proper procedure for the next segment? It just so happened that 088 led me to intercept a direct line from the departure airport to the IAF at the destination so I turned on course there, but should I have climbed up to my assigned altitude on the 088 heading before proceeding direct? I'm guessing climbing up to a defined altitude would be more logical and is probably what would be expected.
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Ciimbing to at least 400 AGL before starting the turn is a given. AIM 5-2-8 b. 1. That Phraseology used, "turn left 088, then direct <IAF at destination>" is not correct. Depending on whether you are departing a Towered airport or an uncontrolled one and whether it is in Surface Area or not, it can change. Here are some examples of what it should sound like.

PHRASEOLOGY−
FLY RUNWAY HEADING.

DEPART (direction or runway).

TURN LEFT/RIGHT.

WHEN ENTERING CONTROLLED AIRSPACE
(instruction), FLY HEADING (degrees) UNTIL
REACHING (altitude, point, or fix) BEFORE
PROCEEDING ON COURSE.

FLY A (degree) BEARING/AZIMUTH FROM/TO (fix)
UNTIL (time),

or

UNTIL REACHING (fix or altitude),

and if required,

BEFORE PROCEEDING ON COURSE.
 
The next flight she told me to climb to 4000, expect 5000 xx minutes after, which I guess is more of the expected wording. I'm trying to get a jump start on Instrument training with some sim time on my own, but I might need to pay for a few months of Pilot Edge to get familiar with the proper methodology. I don't want to start actual training again until I can move my airplane back closer to home so I can more easily fly a few times a week.
 
Challenged said:
The next flight she told me to climb to 4000, expect 5000 xx minutes after, which I guess is more of the expected wording. I'm trying to get a jump start on Instrument training with some sim time on my own, but I might need to pay for a few months of Pilot Edge to get familiar with the proper methodology. I don't want to start actual training again until I can move my airplane back closer to home so I can more easily fly a few times a week.
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Climb to 4000, expect 5000 in XX minutes is for lost comms. You’ll learn more about it once you dig into the instrument rating.
 
Haven't used X-Plane. Was this some kind of AI ATC feature?

The instruction does not make much sense. Some variation of the following would have been valid:
"Left heading 088, then direct XYZ when able" or
"Left heading 088, climb and maintain 4,000, upon reaching 4,000, direct XYZ."
 
Challenged said:
This is X-Plane with the Pilot2ATC add-on.
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Just watched a demo of a VFR flight, the phraseology leaves a lot to be desired.

It didn't seem too bad at first but the more I watched the more it became a cringe-fest.
 
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To OP, I would not use any part from XPlane IFR / ATC as being proper, it's just a game and must be used as game only.
There are other IFR simulators that you may want to try but none are 100% correct.
If you can listen to some towers near you, and there were some DVD with sample Clearances available, but I am not sure where to get them.
A large part of IFR is to write down, and read back, your clearance, you may want to work on some type of shorthand.
 
With what I am reading here, you should focus on listening to real traffic and real clearances.

Go to a busy airport on liveatc and get their clearance delivery frequency up.
 
Challenged said:
This is X-Plane with the Pilot2ATC add-on.
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Don't worry to much about the Phraseology in these things. Getting a head start isn't a bad idea. Just don't take it as gospel and resist the urge to say "but on X-plane they say it this way" when you start into training. You'll find out the real world Controllers can be shall we say, a little creative themselves at times.
 
Challenged said:
The next flight she told me to climb to 4000, expect 5000 xx minutes after, which I guess is more of the expected wording. I'm trying to get a jump start on Instrument training with some sim time on my own, but I might need to pay for a few months of Pilot Edge to get familiar with the proper methodology. I don't want to start actual training again until I can move my airplane back closer to home so I can more easily fly a few times a week.
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I’d just goto https://www.liveatc.net/ and listen to some of the local towers or busier class C places or even the clearance delivery from class B. You can change frequencies to listen to ppl transition through different parts of clearance.
 
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