Page 110 of the RCV4 manual discusses the options for "Alt Restriction" and "No Altitude Restr" in regards to Departure Procedures (DP) It says that if your DP might cause you to remain level at an altitude for some period, you should use the "No Alt Restr" option.It also states that if your DP contains no altitude restrictions, then you should select the "Alt Restrictions" option. So I'm assuming that the options refer, not to the DP itself, but to whether or not RC4 controllers assign, or do not assign, altitudes while flying the DP. Is this correct? Thanks.

Either option appears when a departure procedure is included in the flight plan. This happens automatically if your first waypoint is within 30 nm of your departure airport. RC in both cases will not issue vectors nor monitor your horizontal position within that range. For vertical navigation RC will not insist you maintain a continuous climb rate within the first thirty nm (departure range) if you select no altitude restrictions. It allows you altitude change of rate freedom to let us say do a step climb within that initial range. You might find that convenient with certain aircraft where climb performance is reduced do to icing conditions or you need to level off for a steep turn in the procedure. Altitude restrictions means RC will monitor your climb state and if you drop below a certain amount (I think 200 fpm) it will advise you that you are not obeying the climb command and remind you what altitude you are supposed to climb to.The term No Dep Proc means you are not following a filed SID within the first 30 nm and RC will issue vectors and altitudes that you must fly.Yes, it is confusing.

Staying with topic, but a slightly different question. What us the best way to set up RC when you are flying a SD but you want to intercept a radial instead of flying to the first waypoint, which might be in the opposite direction of your departue. An example would be the PLAIN4 departure out of Denver. The first departure waypoint is the DEN VOR which is south of the airport, but if you depart to the east, ATC will usually have you intercept a DEN radial or fly direct to the first intersection. In RC I've had a couple of instances where ATC tells me I'm off course and then wants to vector me back to the DEN VOR when I'm already well on course. How do I prevent this? I thought selecting no altitude restrictions would help, but it us not consistent.

Thanks in advance!

http://flightaware.com/resources/airport/DEN/DP/PLAINS+FOUR/pdfIn this case you can select NOTAMS to deviate from RC ATC command headings and altitudes (see post above) and leave DEN out of your plan. All choosing alt-restrictions or no alt-restrictions does is tell RC you are flying the filed waypoints with your own navigation headings and altitudes and you are expected to cross them. If you choose you can leave DEN in there but in the extended menu choose to skip DEN with a direct to (RC menu 9 then select direct-to and choose your next waypoint) from your present position although you'll really be too busy to do that. I built a RWY 35 PLAINS4 DP to KMSP Auto Route in FSBuild (AIRAC 1310) and am attaching the image along with some chart images. In the chart description it mentions crossing DEN and that shows in the FSBuild route. If there was a soft intersection waypoint coded in the AIRAC then it would be in the route. I also looked at an IAP and your terrain clearance in all quads is 4,000 feet above the airport in the 25 mile radius around KDEN. It looks like ATC wants to funnel traffic over DEN.If your navigation system (FMC) has a better route from your departure runway that has soft waypoints prior to EEONS leave DEN out of your plan and choose NOTAMS. Around 25 nm out RC will tell you to resume own navigation and go direct to EEONS from your present position.

Ronzie,Thanks for the quick, thorough reply. I think leaving the DEN VOR out if the flight plan or requesting direct to next waypoint is a good idea. When departing Denver on PLAIN4 on Rwy 8 or via one of the north runways, ATC will rarely send aircraft over DEN VOR. They usually give vectors or instruct pilots to fly direct to first intersection (e.g. Fly direct EMMYS) as it is more efficient to do so. Westerly departures might be a different story. I again thank you for the solution to my dilemma! RC 4.3 has been an incredible add-on for FS. Todd