Plugin Review : X-ATC Chatter v1.7.2 by Stick and Rudder Studios

 

Plugin Review : X-ATC Chatter v1.7.2 by Stick and Rudder Studios

 

Back in October 2018 I reviewed X-ATC Chatter by Stick and Rudder Studios, or Mark Cellis, a prolific plugin developer (X-Camera, X-Keypad). And to believe it has been over six years since that Chatter review. So I thought I should catch up and see where we are all at, as we are now well into X-Plane 12.

This was not a download and try it out exercise. But I installed the plugin actually over two months ago, so it has been in constant use over that past lengthy period to get a better evaluation of the tool.

 

First let us recap of what X-ATC Chatter is. It is basically a background tool, an aural space filler of Air Traffic Control (ATC) chatter, it doesn't interact directly with your flying or is it an actual connection to the X-Plane ATC or directly with any online ATC systems like "Pilot2ATC" and VATSIM.

Interaction however is a fine word here because it does sort of interacts with the aircraft's radios, and even by giving background chatter to online services like the X-Plane ATC and Pilot2ATC online and 124th ATC. It sort of creates a 4th dimension to the simulator experience, but you could call it "hands off".

 

Installation

First the Installation...  the X-ATC - Chatter download is now a hefty 2.88Gb for the "Full_Clip_Set" and you may add in even more files once downloaded, as Stick and Rudder publishes new sound file updates quite often. My full installation is already 3.25Gb.

 

You drag the X-ATC folder to the X-Plane/resources/plugins folder....

 

 

Installation can be different for each application... for Pilot2ATC for example you have to install the region (sound) files directly into the Pilot2ATC application and for each of the different regions sound folder, and there is an excellent video covering the slightly complex installation.

 

 

Here above is how it is directly intergrated into Pilot2ATC for the background chatter while you are online and conversing with the ATC controllers (the Chatter does go quiet when you are in contact with the controller!) and integration is also available for X-Life 2.1, ATC (X-Plane) and 124th ATC and a few more.

 

There is also direct intergration in X-ATC Chatter with "Simple ATC" that is a built in (Simple) ATC system. This is an immersive ATC communications experience by using the text to speech capabilities of the operating system to synthesize communication between your aircraft and ATC. This capability is built into X-Plane but the voices tend to be very robotic and it does not handle the various flight plans such as VFR and VFR with flight following, but it does support integration to Amazon Polly voices.

 

In the Regions folder, there are the seven regions in: Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe, Oceania, South America and United States, these zones are then broken down to controllers in those specific regions...

 

 

 

....   then there is the different types of radio communications in; App (Approach), Clr (Clearance), Ctr (Control), Dep (Departure), Dep_Gnd (Departure ground), Dep_Twr (Departure Tower), Dep_Uni (Departure Universal), Dest_Gnd (Destination ground), Dest_Twr (Destination Tower) and Dest_Uni (Destination  Universal). Note the Universal frequencies are the standard Automatic terminal information service, or ATIS frequencies. Then finally are the actual sound files for that specific controller.

 

 

Most of the sound files are edited for generalisation, and are sourced from LiveATC, but a fair few are locally sourced to cover areas that are not in the LiveATC broadcast areas. There are areas not covered by LiveATC, like the UK, Germany and Spain, but Russia is? these files have been sourced to cover the gaps.

 

This review is based on version X-ATC Chatter v1.7.2. But Stick and Rudder have released v1.7.3 in a "beta" form, you can find it here... X-ATC Chatter v1.7.3beta

There are some new features still to be implemented with the beta, including Skunkcrafts updating and SimBrief intergration, and "unpredictability, the initial cleared altitude in IFR flight plans can be randomised" options, and the usual bug and issue fixes. A small view of the future roadmap for the plugin.

 

Menus

There is a drop down X-ATC Chatter Menu available in the X-Plane banner Menu, Plugins.

 

 

There are SIX Menu options:

• Settings
• Toggle Control Panel
• Toggle Nearest Facility Panel
• Toggle Simple ATC Panel
• Check for Updates
• Reset Window Positions.

This is an expanded menu from the only two original 2018 menu options ("Control Panel" and "Nearby Facilities").

 

Check for Updates

We will look at menu option 5 first with "Check for Updates". This option allows you to update your sound files from within the plugin, it will check what files you have, and indicate any newly released files available to download. You then can check (tick) the regions you want to download and "Update Chatter Files".

It is a little slow depending on your bandwidth, but still saves you ages of time in searching for new files. Any old files are also removed, and you may get the odd failed upload file, in this case I just restarted the Updater. When processed, the updater tool asks you to restart X-Plane to make the new installed files active.

 

 

The X-ATC Chatter version (v1.7.2) is also shown here, with the option to update the plugin. On this check I received an extra 8552 new files, and I had only checked for new files a few months ago, so winner, winner.

 

Settings

The "Settings" Menu has SIX tab options; Radios, Region Map, Audio, Appearance, Intergrations and Miscellaneous.

 

 

Radios: has SIX options including...

• Refresh facility frequency database on start
• Automatically select controller based on COM1/COM2 radio frequency
• Select Center Controller when tuned to 123.275
• Only play Chatter when your COM1/COM2 radio is powered up
• Only play Chatter when your COM1/COM2 radio audio is monitored
• Pause Chatter if any monitored radio is tuned to ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service)

 

 

Region Map: The region selection works as it looks at the first letter in the starting airport's ICAO code and then selects the Region based on the Regions Map settings. For example, if I load HKNW, Wilson Airport in Nairobi, It should select the Africa region as the letter H is in the string GDFHF. If selections by Country, X-ATC looks the ICAO code up in the file "X-ATC-Chatter\IdentToCountry.csv". You can also turn off the X-ATC Chatter "Auto Select" option.

 

 

Audio: This TAB is for your AUDIO settings, Device selection, Chatter Volume, Engine Volume, Interior Sound Only (checkbox) and Minimum Delay (sec) and Maximum Delay (sec). Interior sound, will only broadcast in the cockpit, not externally.

 

 

Appearance: This TAB will adjust the Panel Window's appearance in four options, the first one is the default panel, then a "Translucent" Panel, a "Popped Out" (Window Panel) and all can be set to "Open on start".

 

These settings are for three panels...  "Control Panel", "Nearest Facilities Panel" and the "Simple ATC Panel"  

 

 

 

Intergrations: This TAB is for selecting either the default X-Plane ATC or any other "External" intergrations (ATC). X-ATC-Chatter also exposes a writable integer dataref that can be used to control chatter playback if the “External Integrations” option is checked in the control panel

 

 

Miscellaneous: The Debug Output option will log more information to the X-Plane log.txt file. This may be helpful when debugging problems with X-ATC-Chatter.

 

Control Panel

The "Control Panel" is the heart of the system. It allows you to select "Play Chatter", or switching the Chatter ON/OFF, Select the COM Frequency in COM1 or COM2. The "Volume" is the Chatter Volume. A box area below shows you current active playing file and it's Controller.

Lower are three tabs to "Expand" the Control Panel, or to open the "Settings" or Nearest Facilities" Panels.

 

 

In the "Expanded" Control Panel you have more options. First you can select so the X-ATC Chatter will "Auto Select" the correct Frequency that you need (or need next). To the right are the "Controller" options, below are the four File (clips) options in "Countries", "ICAO", "Regions" and "User Defined". Each option then shows the available clips for that particular...   Country, ICAO and Region, and you can select any of the options.

 

 

In addition to the Custom Regions you can also create "User Defined" clip collections. User Defined collections are stored under the X-ATC-Chatter\UserDefined folder. The name of each sub-folder will result in a unique collection entry name when the User Defined collection type is selected in the drop-down. So you can create your own audio (mp2) clips if you want to do that.

 

Facilities Panel

The "Facilities Panel" allows you to select and use a certain Frequency to tune into. All Frequencies shown are within the circular 100nm range of the aircraft. There are eight categories to use;

 

ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service), Clearance, Ground, Tower, Departure, Center, Approach and CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency), ALL can be selected or CLEARED.

 

 

There are up to 40 Frequencies shown, so it is a good idea to minimise the categories to get the selection you require.

 

Simple ATC

Simple ATC is not intended to be a full blown ATC add-on. For that we would recommend either Pilot2ATC, 124th ATC, or flying on virtual networks like Pilot Edge, POSCON, and Vatsim. It is what it says on the box, a "Simple" ATC intergrated system.

 

I didn't use it here, so it's capabilities are not totally applicable to this review.

 

 

To create an ATC flightplan is actually very easy, Airport Departure and Destination, Runways, Airline and Flight No#, and the type of flight you are doing in; IFR, VFR and VFR with Flight Following. Four TABS include; Communications, Voices, Options and Parameters.

 

 

The provided X-ATC Chatter Manual (50 Pages) is very comprehensive with a large section (21 Pages) devoted just to Simple ATC.

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Flying with X-ATC Chatter

First thing you need to do is set a few keyboard Commands for ease of X-ATC use. Three Commands will do to cover toggles for the "Control Panel", "Facilities Panel" and "Play Chatter" on/off. I usually set the Panels to be "Translucent", however here first for clarity I have turned that feature off.

 

Second note is that at first I found that X-ATC Chatter would only play through my desk speakers, and not through my (Bose) headphones, no matter what I did they refused to work...  frustrating? I am always at war with my bluetooth selections anyway in getting them to work.

 

But later I found there is a dropdown "Setting" in the Settings/Audio/Audio Device, to select the audio output...  so these selections are found via the hidden dropdown menu, and "volia!" my Bose headphones now work.

 

 

In the same you need to find the best volume adjustment to be comfortable (certainly if wearing headphones), to find the right background (aircraft sounds) or the cockpit environment feel with the chatter working away. It is more tricky that it sounds (no pun intended), and it took me a flight of two to get the best balance while fiddling with Control Panel Volume knob (slider). There is a selection to turn the chatter off if you are in the external view, clever, but I didn't use that option, as it oddly felt weird.

 

 

The default panel positions are set to the left of your screen, and I find this the right place for placement, however they are quite large and unless you are selecting frequencies, you don't need them always on the screen, hence the (Command) panel toggle function.

 

There are three ways you can select frequencies...  First the authentic way (real world) by inserting the frequency directly into your COM1 Radio, but you will have to know the required frequency, so that requires a little research and notes before the flight. But very authentic to the role it is.

 

Second and third options are with X-ATC Chatter. You use "Nearest ATC Facilities" or the "Facilities Panel" to select the required frequency from the list, last option is for X-ATC Chatter to do the work in automatically selecting the best frequency required from the available list, a pretty well select "auto" and let the system do all the work...  it does work fine, but it sort of also takes away the fun of working in the cockpit and working the communications.

 

 

So my choice is the mid-way selection, from the "Facilites Panel". Here I can see what Frequencies are available and select the one I want to use, and in the order I want to use them. A small note...  I found it hard at first in working out if I had control, or the X-ATC Chatter was selecting the frequences, the settings option "Automatically select controller based on COM1/COM2 radio frequency" is the toggle selection.

 

There are up to 40 listed (if available) Frequencies to choose from, so that list can be long and complex, even confusing in heavy workload periods?

 

 

So the trick is to use the Selection Menu to filter out the Frequencies you just only want to use. As noted there are eight categories to use; ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service), Clearance, Ground, Tower, Departure, Center, Approach and CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency)...   as a rule you follow these sections in this order...  

 

First selection is "ATIS" or Automatic Terminal Information Service. It is for pilot information like, Current weather, Active Runways, Runway Conditions, Notices to Airmen (NOTAMS) and any other special instructions. But here at VHHH (Hong Kong) it is not available (or Chatter goes into pause mode).

 

 

Second selection is "Clearance" (CLNC DEL)

 

“CLNC DEL” stands for Clearance Delivery in air traffic control (ATC). It is the ATC position responsible for issuing IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) clearances to pilots before departure. Clearance also provide critical details, such as the assigned Standard Instrument Departure (SID), transponder code (squawk code), and initial altitude restrictions. This ensures that all aircraft are correctly configured for their departure.

By handling initial clearances, Clearance Delivery reduces congestion on Ground Control frequencies. Back in 2018 the CLNC DEL Chatter was very sparse, with long open pauses, but at Chek Lap Kok it is... quite and very busy chatty.

 

Third Selection is "Ground" (Gnd)

 

 

Ground is probably the most chatty of the chatters...  ATC Ground is not what you think it is, in being the connection of the activity around the aircraft at the gate, that aspect is "Ramp Control", not seen here sadly.

 

ATC Ground is there to minimize congestion and potential conflicts on the ground, significantly having a major impact the overall airport efficiency and safety. This is done by organizing ground traffic efficiently, as the Ground controllers handle the taxiing of aircraft between the terminal gates, runways, and other parts of the airport. They help to prevent delays and reduce the risk of accidents in busy airport environments. They take over a lot of the load that would have been the tasks of the tower. Ground controllers are also responsible for managing the movement of other vehicles (like fuel trucks, maintenance vehicles, and emergency vehicles) within the airport’s movement areas, ensuring they don’t interfere with taxiing aircraft.

 

At a very busy airport of say Hong Kong the chatter is very consistent, mostly taxiway directions and aircraft awareness. BetterPushBack will overtalk X-ATC Chatter, but the combination of both in the headset is very good for realism.

 

 

Because the recordings are local, at Chek Lap Kok you get a huge mixture of Asian dialects, Malay, Javanese, Thai and Chinese (all in English) but with their own regional accent. Obviously as you arrive or depart from different countries and continents around the world, then the feel and accents are significantly varied and different, it's not like that robot voice that you get with some ATC tools, this is real world local ATC chatter from the source.

 

 

As you taxi (certainly with headphones on) it very immersive with the chatter and consistent communications going on in your ears, you pick up coincidences, like your taxiway or similar aircraft details...  Once at the runway holding point, you switch from Ground to Tower.

 

 

Fourth Selection is "Tower" (Twr)

 

 

ATC Tower (Air Traffic Control Tower) is the division of air traffic control that manages the aircraft within an airport’s immediate airspace, focusing primarily on the takeoff, landing, and movement of aircraft on active runways and in the immediate vicinity of the airport. Tower controllers are responsible for the safe, orderly, and efficient flow of air traffic on the ground (runways) and in the airspace directly surrounding the airport, generally extending up to about 5 nautical miles and up to a specific altitude (often around 2,500 to 3,000 feet).

 

There is a secondary Tower frequency available called "Flight Service"...  or Flight Information Services (FIS)

This is a service that provides pilots with essential information about flight routes, weather conditions, airspace changes, and any other pertinent information required for safe flight. And both are available in X-ATC Chatter, the Twr frequency is usually busy, but the FLIGHT SERVICE not so much, but it is interesting to tune in to if you have a fair wait in line to takeoff .

Notable is that when switching frequencies, there maybe a delay on that frequency change, sometimes even a minute or so, so don't go and press another frequency to get immediate chatter, it doesn't work like that, and you will just delay the chatter for longer.

 

 

"Translucent" is certainly better if you need the Control and Facilities panels on the screen, it gives you more visible vision in the cockpit.

 

 

Departure is HGK 07R via PICA2X, and as I climb out the Tower Chatter is in my ears, filling my head. Climbing out of VHHH, and turning south I am already passed over to the next ATC frequency, this is DEP, or Departure.

 

 

Fifth Selection is "Departure" (Dep)

 

After takeoff, "Departure" controllers use radar to monitor the aircraft’s position. They then provide vector instructions (directional headings) to ensure safe separation from other aircraft, assist in navigating complex airspace, or guide the aircraft to join its assigned SID route.

Departure Control is responsible for managing aircraft altitude during the initial climb phase. They also ensure aircraft maintain safe separation by assigning altitudes that won’t conflict with other aircraft, considering both departing and arriving traffic and give "Speed Control" or speed restrictions to maintain separation or to streamline the flow of departing traffic.

 

The SID (PICA2X) here is very short to waypoint PECAN, so I'm already there at that point of when climbing through FL220, so now I am directed to call CENTER.

 

 

Sixth Selection is "Center" (Ctr)

 

"CENTER" is the most interesting of the Chatters here, and the main reason to use the X-ATC Chatter tool...

 

Over the flight route you cover a lot of ground, but also a lot of airspace regions, of which are called FIR's or "Flight Information Regions". These FIR's mostly cover a single country or the different regions of bigger countries, as the UK has three in England, Scotland and Ireland, notably the USA has a lot (loads) of CAN/FIR regions...  FIR's cover the whole globe and the full list (worth printing out) is here. Flight Information Regions (wikipedia). Navigraph Charts is the best tool here for finding the FIRs and the boundaries, zoom in to get the correct detail of the Control Area.

 

 

All FIR's have the built in ALRS "Alerting Service (aviation)" and are divided into upper and lower zones (noted on the X-Plane local map the upper and lower routes). Both Lower and Upper are noted as "UIR".

 

So as you fly across several Countries or States you will be "handed" over to the next FIR or control zone, as you reach the boundary of the current one, Europe FIR's are split between countries, but are still overall covered by the central ECAC member states, so that effectively that puts it all under one control authority called "Euro Control" based in Brussels.

 

 

Here I am under VHHK Hong Kong Control and close to ZGZU Guangzhiou Center...  Chinese Frequencies can be very unreliable, so I am not expecting to pick up ZJSA SANYA on the list? But Guangzhiou is available for some chatter. You can try to find the FIR frequency and directly tune it in via the radio, the idea works sometimes, but finding the correct frequency can be hard, even tricky.

 

 

But then ZJSA SANYA Center did pop up...  as I got closer to the FIR boundary, so I was happy to be passed over to the next FIR. In most cases the "Transfer" starts well before the aircraft reaches the FIR boundary, the current ATC controller will coordinate with the next FIR’s ATC unit. This is usually done when the aircraft is about 20-30 minutes or around 50-100 nautical miles from the FIR boundary. As the aircraft nears the boundary, the pilot receives instructions to switch to the radio frequency of the next FIR’s ATC. The exact handover point is typically predetermined, such as at specific waypoints or coordinates.

 

 

The FIR can also be found in SimBrief, that notes in the flight brief the point (or boundary) of the FIR controller change.

 

 

 

It was not the most chatty of regions, but I liked the idea of actually being connected to the correct control area. Soon I have another  handover...  This is from ZJSA SAYNA to VVHM HO CHI MINH (Vietnam).

 

 

There is the (slight) limitation in the X-ATC Chatter in that it is in range limited to 100 nm, my guess it is the same X-Plane Map restriction of the same radius, so it can go out of range, and sometimes quickly. So land coverage is better for consistent FIR receptions than over water or Oceanic, in this case there is a big break between EGGX SHANWICK OCEANIC off Ireland to CZQX GANDER OCEANIC on the Canadian side, which is a shame as it is here you want or even need the Chatter working to while away the Oceanic sectors (hours) of the flight, if coverage could be found in the X-ATC Chatter application for these remoter regions it would fill in a larger segment of your flying?

 

Suddenly the Frequencies stacked up and I had a choice, in reality you only needed the same one (120.100 MHz) to the VVHM HO CHI MINH Center, but my headset was suddenly alive with loads of (Vietmanese) Chatter.

 

 

Your not restricted just to the "Center" frequencies, but switch on the "Tower" and even "Approach" selections to drop (hear) into those communications of the airports you are passing over...  they are interesting enough to pass the time.

 

 

If flying a long haul, then the change of dialects and accents over the flight creates a great immersion of the area, and the more closer I get to Ho Chi Minh city, then the more chatter and choices I have to listen too, and the busier it gets as well. So the major population centers will give you more choice and a lot more aural traffic.

 

 

Now clear of Vietnam, the chatter slowly dissipates, next FIR boundary is from VVHM to WSJC or Singapore FIR.

 

 

If you are entering WSJC SINGAPORE from the east then it is solely in that FIR. But if you are entering the WSJC FIR from the northeast or north, then the Control centre is different in that WMFC and Kuala Lumpur is responsible for the ATC for this area. So Kuala Lumpur will come up first. So then you are now listening to a Center on the other side of Malaysia. It is a good idea to study the FIRs you are using in case there are crossovers regions like this.

 

 

I selected both "Center" and "Approach" to pick up the coming (required) frequencies, nothing yet, then the full list loaded...    I still went to Singapore Center (124.300MHz) to tune in to the WSJC area, before moving quickly onto WSSS ARR (119.300 MHz) as I was now well into my descent phase, in reality you would pass over to "Arrival" before the STAR, but the corridor here is very tight between the Control Areas.

 

 

As I am now out of Center Control areas, I select only the "Approach" selection, to fine tune my choices. This area is still noted as "APP" or Approach, and some ATC choices can be both the APP and DEP together on the same frequency.

 

 

Seventh Selection is "Arrival" (App)

 

“ATC Arrival” refers to the procedures and communication managed by Air Traffic Control (ATC) as an aircraft approaches and lands at an airport. These steps typically involve coordination between the pilot and ATC to ensure a safe and orderly approach, especially in congested airspace or with complex weather conditions.

 

First is the "Initial Approach Fix" (IAF) as the designated ATC that directs the aircraft to an entry point into the arrival sequence. Initial Approach Fix (IAF) can be the start of a Standard Terminal Arrival Route (STAR) in certain cases, but mostly or at certain airports, then the STAR ends precisely at an IAF, allowing for a smooth transition into the instrument approach procedure.

 

I did find when wanting "Approach", that X-ATC Chatter directed me to WSSL (124.600MHz Seletar), and not in selecting WSSS (Singapore). It is that ATC Seletar, is responsible for most the WSSS Approaches from the east. I now reselect the "Tower" Frequencies so I am ready for the Approach handover for the landing phase.

 

 

When I first used X-ATC Chatter I had all the selection boxes ticked, but that was extremely confusing with the long list of options (40), so like here in the review, I now only tick the ATC procedure I need, but when arriving, I found selecting the next ATC selection "Twr" together with my current "App" option, I was ready and ahead for the handover to that phase of the ATC communications. Then when handed over, I deleted the non-required ATC selection.

 

Then I was able to switch from WSSL to WSSS (Singapore) Approach. ATC approach control issues clearances for the final approach, usually at around 10-15 nautical miles from the runway. Here I can now see WSSS Singapore at that transition point.

 

 

The Approach controller usually instructs the pilot to switch to the airport’s tower frequency, around 5-10 NM from the runway. The Tower controller now takes responsibility for guiding the aircraft’s landing, so you select the "Tower" Frequency (118.600 MHz).

 

 

There is a lot of communication noise going on in your headset, a few times I looked out for other aircraft, thinking they were in the Approach phase as well, it is that authentic. Plus your on Finals, working the aircraft into a landing and with the heavy chatter in your ears, so X-ATC Chatter creates a busy, busy feeling.

 

 

Now your selecting the reverse pattern of "Tower" and "Ground" selections, ready for the next handover...

 

 

...   there is the temptation to turn the Chatter off, to focus on the landing...  but now I am fine with it, as it is becoming all part of the sensory experience.

 

 

The moment I leave the 20R runway (Taxiway W7) I switch back to "Ground", to again feel and hear the taxiway and ground operation Chatter, it is very, very busy at SIN today, the headset is chirping away to the consistent communications...   I love it.

 

 

Taxi and into the bay C1...  and park, shutdown. You not done if you don't want to shut down X-Plane immediately, as the chatter will keep on playing, showing the activity going on around you, and you can listen to the constant communications for ages if you want to...

 

 

...  the biggest difference between X-PlaneReviews 2019 X-ATC Chatter review and this later 2024 version is how much is the difference of fill (of communications) in all areas. X-ATC Chatter has gone from 6600 files to the currently 54448 files, and it makes a MASSIVE difference in the experience, as mostly all the selected channels are now active, you rarely hear repeated sound files either, so it always feels fresh and alive.

 

Eighth Selection is "CTAF" (App)

 

Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) is a radio frequency used in aviation, particularly at uncontrolled airports or airfields where there is no active air traffic control (ATC) tower. Pilots use CTAF to communicate with each other directly, broadcasting their positions and intentions to enhance situational awareness and to avoid collisions. CTAF is also commonly used for announcing actions like taxiing, taking off, landing, or entering and exiting the airport traffic pattern. It’s also used when performing maneuvers near the airport to help others maintain a safe distance. So basically it is an open channel.

 

I will reinstate that X-ATC Chatter is just a background broadcast of ATC communications. There is no actual ATC communications that will give you directions or clearances, although the built in "Simple" ATC does combine a basic text approach between your flying and the background chatter, it is basically just a aural environment filler. But it does work very well in this role.

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Summary

X-ATC Chatter is basically a background tool, an aural space filler of Air Traffic Control (ATC) chatter, it doesn't interact directly with your flying or is it an actual connection to the X-Plane ATC or directly with any online ATC systems. That said, included in the package is "Simple" ATC, that is a basic text based ATC system, and the "Chatter" aspect works in the background to give you a real world ATC environment.

 

Created by Stick and Rudder Studios, or Mark Cellis, a prolific plugin developer (X-Camera, X-Keypad). The original version was released in October 2018. Since that release, it has had numerous updates and features added, but the biggest addition is the background files have grown from 6600 files to the current astounding 54448, with more being added every month via the built in "Updater", which is easy and excellent to use. And X-ATC Chatter can be intergrated into X-Life 2.1, ATC (X-Plane) and 124th ATC and a few more.

 

There are three options to use the Chatter, directly via the aircraft's radios, a "Nearby Facilities" panel or the system automatically selects the required frequency that you require. My choice is a manual input "Nearby Facilities" to choose the ATC channel I want to hear.

 

Quality of the sound files are excellent, as they are all edited for generalization and volume, as for also covering the wide range of dialects and regional accents that sustain the worldwide ATC system.

 

Since the original release there has been a lot of new features added to X-ATC Chatter (besides the growing file library), Simple ATC, more Settings options, more Audio settings including device selection, and this makes it an all the more rounded tool and for the far better immersion of the ATC Chatter traffic.

 

Minuses, well the ATC range is restricted to only 100 nm, so over water or Oceanic zones can go quiet (for long periods), then there is the far too many duplicated frequencies to choose from, so to fill in those open quiet zones would bring in a far more overwhelming ATC experience.

 

I have been using the X-ATC Chatter plugin for over two months, I loved it so much I wanted to tell you all about it. I accept it is not a authentic ATC tool, but it does create a very immersive experience and even an aviation learning tool of how the ATC works, its FIR regions and how to interact correctly with the system.

 

Above all, X-ATC Chatter creates an authentic sound working cockpit without the ATC stress of actually talking to someone, but I love it immensely, and enjoy the different accents and personalities it delivers, and I am learning from it allat the same time... it is very clever!

 

Highly Recommended!

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Yes! X-ATC-Chatter by Stick and Rudder Studios is now available from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

X-ATC-Chatter

Price is US$18.00

 

Features

• Clips are broken down into separate files each of which represents a single exchange between a pilot and an ATC facility such as Clearance, Ground, Tower, Departure, Center, Approach, and for VFR CTAF.
• The clips are categorized by world region so you can select the area of the world you are flying in. Here are the current clip counts:
• • United States: 14,931
  • Europe: 13,458
  • Canada: 6,660
  • South America: 656
  • Asia: 6,514
  • Africa: 644
  • Oceania: 3,068
• Clips are edited to remove any glaring location specific information. As an example the exchange “United 6626, Boston Tower, Line up and Wait” will have been edited to say “United 6626, Tower, Line up and Wait. References to specific SIDS, STARS, Ramps, Taxiways, Runways, and way-points are not changed.
• Clips are organized by controller so when you are tuned to a specific controller you will hear clips associated with that controller.
• Each clip has its audio volume adjusted so that all clips have roughly the same volume level.
• Includes an intelligent player for X-Plane 11 and 12
  • Runs on all three OS platforms, Windows, OSX, and Linux
  • Automatically selects the right chatter files based on the ATC facility you are tuned to on your COM1 or COM2 radio
  • Will automatically pause playback when tuned to an ATIS facility
  • Includes a nearby facility display showing the frequencies, icao code, distance, and name of up to 40 ATC facilities within a 75 NM range
  • Radios can optionally be tuned from the facility display
  • Knows when you are out of range of a facility and stops playback
  • Can play chatter on alternate audio devices on Windows and Linux
  • Includes an integration with X-Life 2.1 ATC and 124^th ATC
  • Includes an integration with X-Plane 11.3 and higher ATC system
• Includes an optional  Simple ATC feature using SAPI-5 voices for a more immersive flying experience
  • Supports VFR, VFR with Flight-Following, and IFR flight plans
  • Support for SIDS, STARS, and Arrivals
  • Supports vectors to final
  • Traffic Alerts
  • Supports an integration to Amazon Polly voices

Installation

X-ATC-Chatter is installed two ways with one way for Pilot2ATC, and the second a straight plugin install for the standalone panel version into your X-Plane/resources/plugins folder.

 

Requirements

X-Plane 12 or X-Plane 11

 

Download and Documentation

Full current install, not the demo with sound files is 3.48Gb (Install size will grow with updated files)

 

Comes with full install and how to use video, and manual (20 pages)

• X-ATC-Chatter_User_Guide

Designed by StickandRudder Studios

• Support Forum
• Reward Program to Expand the Clip Collection
• FAQ
• Tutorial Videos

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