Waypoints fields...

The waypoints are edited in the flight planner before the flight. A bunch of waypoints is a chart. Waypoints are defined by several fields...

Identifier
The identifier of the airport, the navaid the fix or whatever this waypoint is.

• This identifer should be the official name of the checkpoint so that EasyATC can find some extra information about this checkpoint within the simulator data.
• That said, the identifier can be the name you want. In some cases you will need to use a custom name
• If you need a checkpoint somewhere for a better realism in ATC behaviour
• If you have cross-overs in the flight plan
• A given chart cannot have two waypoints with the same identifier. But a bunch of charts within one flight plan can. See Charts section...
• Avoid special characters especially ";". I often use " ", "-", "(" or ")".

Type
The kind of checkpoint it is. Note that you can leave this field blank. No problem for the ATC. But the better there are filled, the best the ATC will be smart!

• APRON - For Taxi charts only. This type define the parking place you use to start from. At this stage, EasyTAC only use the ATC information (frequency and callsign) as the ATC to contact to have a flight clearance.
• APT – An airport you plan to fly over and not land on nor take -off from
• RWY_ALT - Alternate airport. The ATC will ignore this waypoint until you contact its controller or if you set your transponder to emergency and this airport is the closest in the flight plan.
• RWY – An airport (a runway, actually…) you plan to land on or take-off from
• RWY_L – The same with some detailed knowledge provided to EasyATC. This way it will know there are two runways and this one is the left one!
• RWY_R – Same but right side…
• FAF – Final approach fix. Used by EasyATC to announce the « cleared to land » message. If no FAF, EasyATC uses a mix of the distance to the airport and the plane heading to speech this message anyway…
• IAF – Initial approach fix. Used by EasyATC to know when talking to you about the expected landing procedure and runway
• IF – Intermediate fix (not used at this stage)
• HOLD – Holding pattern entry point. This way EasyATC knows it can ask you to wait a little bit ! Not used yet but coming soon…
• MAPT – Missed approach point. Not used at this stage but who knows…
• REPORT – (VFR only) A fix where you have to report to the ATC (not implemented yet)
• TWY – Taxiway checkpoint. EasyATC will soon be able to give you some taxiway directives I hope…

ATC Callsign
The name the ATC calls itself when talking to you. It's the name of the controller you are supposed to talk with from this checkpoint to the next one.

ATC Type
The kind of ATC. See ATC section for details...

• APPROACH
• CENTER
• DEPARTURE
• FIS
• GROUND
• TMA
• TOWER
• UNICOM

ATC Freq.

• The frequency of the ATC.
• WARNING: no decimal. This weird format is the way the frequencies are stored inside X-Plane...
• Note that when the frequency is filled by the auto-complete helper, the last digit (sixth one) is always "0" which can leads to wrong frequency like 128170. The right frequency should be 128175. This is because the frequency in the X-Plane data files are stored with 5 digits and I just add a 0. Should be improved later...

Transition altitude
The published transition altitude of the airspace the waypoints belongs to. This field can be left blank in most cases since EasyATC apply the default transition altitude as defined in the Constants.

Altitude
The minimum altitude at this point or the cruise altitude planned

Speed
The speed to not exceed at this point

Heading
The expected heading from this checkpoint to the next one. his can be left blank since EasyATC computes the headings "on the fly". It must be filled in the given cases:

1. The waypoint is an airfield : the heading must be the heading of one of the runways (note that if it does not match the wind direction, EasyATC will automatically reverse the heading for take-off or landing)
2. You want the ATC to give you the route as published in the charts (if you are out of the track (IFR), or if you ask for the heading to the next waypoint, or when the ATC wants to give you some NavAid advices). Don't worry, if this field is not filled, the ATC will calculate a relevant heading.

Latitude/Longitude
Decimal coordinates of the checkpoint. Please use “.” and not “,” for decimals. Note that you can double click on the cell to open the Converter windows (see below…)

DME distance
This field is used in the following cases:

1. The expected DME radius if this waypoint belongs to a DME arc procedure.
2. The magnetic variation of the airfield if the waypoint is an airfield.

Then, if EasyATC finds a value in this field and if the waypoint is not an airport, he expects you to fly a DME arc of the given distance from the NavAid1.

NavAid1
The NavAid you are supposed to use when following the given Heading or the DME arc. When it's not a DME arc, use this NavAid1 if the route is outbound from the NavAid

Freq.
The frequency of NavAid1

NavAid2
The NavAid you are supposed to fly inbound when following the given Heading.

Freq.
The frequency of NavAid2

Custom message
Optional. This field can be used in the followig cases:

1. The name of the SID or STAR procedure if it's the first waypoint of the chart. This name is used by the ATC when giving you the approach clearance ("cleared for Los Angeles airport LOC ILS approach, blabla..."
2. The name of the Apron if the waypoint is the Apron of a Taxi chart.
3. Extra message the ATC will say when you will trigger this waypoint

Linked checkpoints
The identifier(s) of the waypoint(s) EasyATC can ask you to proceed directly after flying over the waypoint. The probability of shortcuts is defined in the Constants and the destination is chosen randomly through the available identifiers. You must separate the identifiers with “;”