Dave-Pilot2ATC

The APPR button to the left of the map now shows ATC's version of the intended vectoring/approach and is only available when ATC has activated the approach. This is usually first done when you get your "Expect ...." arrival call. The Activate Approach button can be used any time to show the expected arrival/approach. It uses the route/procedures you have entered into P2A. Think of that as your GPS flight plan. ATC has its own version of that once you File your GPS plan. It then modifies that as needed depending on your settings. So, for example, ATC might decide to give you a different approach at arrival time because of a wind change. So after you get your expected arrival information, you can press the APPR button and see a line showing ATC's expected arrival and press the Activate Approach button to see if they match. Dave

The update at the top of the list on the V3 Updates page of the website is always the latest one. Going down, goes backwards to earlier updates. Each update is a complete replacement for the code, so you only need to install one update to get all the latest fixes and features. The full version on the V3 Downloads page is always the latest version, so if you are installing that, no updates needed. Dave

P2A V3 does not require any plugins for X-Plane. You can have a look at the Quick Start guide for details on how to install, but basically you install the program and set up X-Plane UDP Network settings in both XP and P2A and the connection aspects are done. There are a few more steps, but XPUIPC is definitely not used. Dave

Thanks for the update. That's wild about the ILS Frequencies. IF the SIM and P2A are at the same AIRAC level there shouldn't be any mismatches. P2A takes the Nav Frequencies direct from Navigraph only. Please send me the details next time you run into this and I'll check it out on my end. Dave

WideFS should allow you to get P2A to "see" the SIM through FSUIPC7, so the SIM events will fire and P2A will be able to function normally. The sharing of things like Mouse and sound are the only things that require additional work and/or software. Dave

This thread goes deep into Networked setups and how to address all the issues, like sharing the Mouse and even Sound across 2 PCs. Another, simpler option to avoid clutter is to just add another monitor to your PC and move P2A to it. You can even pick up an inexpensive touchscreen monitor and then use most functions in P2A using it like an EFB with your finger/touch. Dave

You need to set P2A so ATC is not responsible for assigning procedures. Set all 3 ATC Assigns xxx options to off on the Flt Plan tab of Settings. Dave

P2A v3 does not use XPUIPC at all anymore, so if that's why you have it, you can remove it. You can also remove the P2A_Link plugin if using P2A v3, as it is no longer used. Beta versions of X-Plane often cause major issues, which all go away when they release the version, so I avoid beta versions altogether. Dave

Some users have found that changing microphones does the trick, even if the one they are using works with Windows, it isn't visible to P2A. You might also try starting P2A as Administrator, or as a regular user if you are starting it as Admin. That changes what resources Windows lets you access. Check the Levels tab of the Mic properties and put the Mic Boost to 100% and see how that works. Also, try the listen to see if it is coming through loud and clear. Dave

Because of the very short distances involved, if you have issues with not getting instructions, etc., try setting all your ATC radii in the Aircraft Profile to very small numbers. Maybe Tower=2, Departure=6, Approach=6. If that fails, pick an airport 50 or so NM away and try again. Dave

There is a bug that causes P2A to get confused about what the next waypoint is or to miss passing one. It happens somewhat randomly so you can often re-fly the same route and it will work. We're working on this for RC2. Dave

Thanks for the videos. In the first video, you were interacting with the Windows speech trainer, so your mic physically is working and getting through to Windows. However, to interact with P2A, you would need to close the Trainer window. Then press the Practice button on the P2A Language Trainer. This will load the Speech Recognition engine and the large PTT button will be enabled. Using that PTT button, say something like just "Say Altimeter". I suspect it won't register, but if it does, the phrase will show in the window and the Replay button will be enabled, proving that your mic is getting through to P2A. If it is not getting through, the issue is with Windows Sound Settings. Go through the Microphone Troubleshooting steps in the Quick Setup Guide. A common issue is that your microphone is not set as the Default Windows input device, but there could be other issues. I see in the second video that your Mic is on a headset, but you have the output set to Speakers. This normally would work, but in some environments it does not. Try setting the headset as the output device in both P2A and as the Windows Default Audio Output device. Dave

There is one "Ignore" option on the FltPlan tab....Ignore Airway Altitude Restrictions. This is the one that usually trips with SIMBrief. Check that one and the issue should go away. Dave

Wim, If you could email the log file for that flight to [email protected] I can see what caused this and get it fixed. Thanks, Dave

It could be a bug in the program. Press the Activate Approach button above the flight plan in P2A. This will display the intended start point for the vectoring and the planned vector track. You can also press the APPR button to the left of the map to see if ATC's plan is the same. It displays just the approach portion in red. Dave

Make sure the "Import Procedures" option is checked on the Import panel and that you have set a procedure, like an ILS or RNAV approach, to the desired runway. P2A will then import that procedure and select that runway, as long as you have the ATC Assigns Approach and ATC Assigns STAR options turned off in the P2A Settings->FltPlan tab. Dave

I looked at the LIRA-LIRL with the ILS-Z to runway 12. You should have no problem flying that, as long as you get to cruise altitude quickly and are on an IFR flight plan to begin with. Try setting a cruise altitude of 3000 instead of 5000 and file an IFR flight plan and climb aggressively after takeoff to 3000. P2A should give you clearance for the approach a little before half-way there. You won't get vectors because the alignment doesn't require it. You should get cleared direc to CI12 and cleared for the approach. It is then up to you to fly that. Most likely your GPS will fly it if you have it set up for the approach with Vectors. You will likely have to do a Direct-To CI12 on the GPS, but it may do it for you when you Activate the approach. Dave

P2A does not fly the aircraft. The Auto Pilot feature merely lets you control the aircraft autopilot from outside the cockpit. It follows the plan that is in your aircraft GPS. If the airports are so close, you will most likely get vectored away from the destination to line up for an approach. Setting the Vector leg lengths shorter would reduce how far, but you need them to be long enough so you can keep up with the vectoring. I would recommend picking an airport further away or choose a runway/approach that is on the other side of LIRL so the vectoring would take you out past the FAF and turn you around to intercept final. Dave

The video says it is Private and so can't be opened. If you want, you can send a link directly to me at [email protected] Dave

P2A is acting as ATC and like in the real world, has no idea what is in your aircraft's GPS. When you get vectors from ATC, you do have to manually control your heading and altitude. You can do this by switching to Heading mode on the autopilot while getting vectors. Depending on your avionics, you can usually set up the GPS for Vectors to the expected approach. But when you do that, you manually control heading until you near the final approach, at which time you can engage NAV or APPR on the autopilot to let it fly the final approach. For your ILS, you would engage APPR and let it intercept the glideslope and fly you down to the runway. Dave

The speech has to be recognized as a valid ATC / Pilot request. But one thing to check is if using the Copilot Speak button works. This would at least prove that you are properly connected to the SIM. Entering and leaving listening mode is a function of pressing and releasing the PTT button, whether or not anything is getting through. Based on your summary, it seems that your speech is not getting through to P2A. The only way to prove/disprove that is to use the Language Trainer and see if it hears you by using the Replay button. If the Replay button stays grayed out, you are not being heard by the Speech Recognizer. There are no log entries when you are not recognized. Dave

Using the Speech Trainer utility, you can use the on-screen PTT, say a phrase and if P2A hears you, the Replay button will be available and you can press that to hear what P2A can hear. If it does not hear you, the Replay button will be grayed out. Did you check to see that the Ignore Battery Switch and Ignore Avionics Switch were checked in the Aircraft Profile for the aircraft you are flying? Dave

Yes, there are log entries when you connect successfully and the Speech Recognizer is installed correctly you should get some entries in the log file like: 2026-04-02 12:39:13.9311|INFO|P2ADataLinq.Speech.P2ASpeechRecognizer|User Names Found: 519 2026-04-02 12:39:14.0189|INFO|P2ADataLinq.Speech.P2ASpeechRecognizer|LoadGrammar Succeeded. Based on what you are saying, it sounds almost more like an issue with P2A thinking the Radio is Inoperative. Check your Aircraft Profile for the aircraft you are flying. At the bottom of the Acft Performance tab, check the 2 options to "Ignore Battery Switch" and "Ignore Avionics Switch". Save the profile and then try the radios. Dave

Check to be sure there is a file named current_wx_snapshot.txt in the folder you have specified for ASN Weather Folder. Dave

P2A uses its own instance of the Speech Recognition engine included in the language. After installing the English-US language, you have to go to the options on that language and specifically press the Speech button to install the Speech Recognition engine. Once that is done, P2A can create an instance of it when you connect or try and use the Speech Trainer. It also makes a night and day difference if you do the somewhat tedious task of going through Training for all 10 of the "controllers" in the speech trainer that comes up when you press the "Train" button on the Language Trainer (accessed from the Utilities tab of Settings). This training must be done anytime you change PCs or reinstall Windows. It is a Windows speech training. After that, you would see at least a 3 or 4 fold improvement. Some have seen even more improvement. Dave