O.K, I was asked to present a scenario in Microsoft flight sim 2004 about being unable to find a runway headed West for takeoff, when starting at a runway pointed due north. O.K, here it is. Go to "create a flight" and choose my blue and white Cessna. Your airport terminal that you will be taking off from is Cleveland Hopkins International airport.Weather should be set for clear and this is a daytime flight..O.K. Let's go to the airfield and talk to ATC.
I push the scroll lock key to bring up the tower, and then I push the #1 key to tune into the tower.
I then choose #7 choice of going WEST for takeoff. The choices come up. I choose #3 which is "Progressive Taxi". I understand that the tower is suppose to put a taxi path in front of my plane so I can taxi to the WEST runway from the runway that I am on and that is runway 6R pointing due north. Guess what? No taxi path is drawn.
So the tower asks for as acknowledgment that I got their last transmission. I press the #1 key. I then pull up a bit on runway 6R and stop and ask ATC for permission to "take off". They then give me the "go ahead", but still no taxi path is drawn for me to taxi to any West runway? So I am forced to take off on runway 6R DUE NORTH and bank west while in mid air. That's what happens everytime.
So please tell me what I'm doing wrong? I just don't get it? Does the ATC mean the air traffic IN THE AIR headed West is clear when I takeoff or what? Please explain. Thank you.
If someone has the handle on finding the west runway then please post a step by step procedure leaving Hopkins. Thank you.
Greetings again, fellowman2003:You're missing a couple of things:
1. Which "Runway/Starting position" are you selecting from the Go To Airport box? If you've already got Cleveland-Hopkins Intl selected in your Create A Flight selection, it defaults to the Active Runway--which in this case is 6R.
Regardless of which direction you want to fly (west in this case), you will be given 6R for takeoff. Since you're starting on 6R, you won't see any progressive taxi lines.
2. What does ground control tell you after you press 7 for west departure? If they tell you to taxi to 6R, you won't see any progressive taxi lines because you're already at 6R.
I'm sorry if it wasn't clear in my last message, but an airport has assigns an ACTIVE runway(s) based on conditions. It has nothing to do with which direction you want to depart the airport--although in real life you can request a specific runway if you like. You may or may not get it, but you can always request it.
So in the scenario you're outlining, the active runway is 6R. Even if you request to depart to the west, the active runway is 6R, so you'll be told to taxi and takeoff from 6R. Does this make sense?
If you want to take off from 24, add some wind (8 knots will do) from 240 degrees, and start your flight from on of the Parking areas or Gates (do this is the Runway/Starting position box).
Hope this helps.
Ben
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Hi - Ben has it right. I just went to C Hopkins and set it up as you - same thing as you. Since you're already at you won't get a progressive taxi line. Also, you're confused about the terminology - Option 7 is "Taxi for Takeoff - Departure West" That doesn't necessarily mean an EAST/WEST runway - rather it lets ATC know which way you want to turn after takeoff and they deal accordingly.
Try it again and select one of the gates or parking as your starting point at CH. Then go thru the procedure - you will see the progressive taxi line to the active regardless of your departure direction.
HTH,
Vic
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