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First a few comments about the flight planner. It is very similar to the one in FS2K. The notable changes are a different arrangement to the controls in the airport selection dialog and the addition of “Active Runway” and positions at gates and on the parking apron to the list box allowing the virtual pilot to select the starting position. Map view within the planner and Navigation Log remain very similar to those in FS2K.ATC directives and the pilot’s response choices are displayed in a translucent rectangle in the upper half of the display. Audible versions of ATC directives and the pilot’s chosen responses are also played over the sound card (choice of pilot voices on option menu). ATIS still scrolls across the top of the display in a separate translucent rectangle. Pilot responses are selected with the number keys near the top of the keyboard.
ATC features include clearance delivery, ground control, tower, departure, arrival, and center controllers. The COMM radio is automatically retuned on hand overs. The transponder is even set to the code directed by ATC. Ground control offers progressive taxi instructions, which are actually given all at once with direction to follow a bold dotted line displayed on screen along the route to the assigned runway. If the pilot cancels the IFR plan the pilot response choices include a selection of nearby airports. Once the pilot selects an airport the responses offer requests for landing clearances and pilot announcements for flying the pattern at uncontrolled fields. The transponder code is not returned to 1200 when the IFR plan is canceled.
The plan I “filed” originated at North Las Vegas with a leg along heading 114 to the Boulder City VOR and a second leg on a heading of 072 to my destination at Temple Bar, which does not have a manned tower. My planned route was 46.7 nautical miles long. After takeoff I was directed to climb to my requested 7000-foot cruise altitude at a heading of 075. I was never directed to assume a course to intercept either leg of my filed route 
. Eventually I was handed off to center and directed to descend first to 5600 and then to 4800. A near as I am able to determine, I was being routed directly to an entry to a long final approach to Temple Bar’s runway 18. I had to cancel IFR and make an immediate right turn as my aircraft rapidly approached a 5100-foot ridge at an assigned altitude of only 4800 feet!
To far off my plan to make use of my anticipated radial from the Boulder city VOR 
I had to navigate with the GPS and visual avoidance of the ridges surrounding Lake Mead. I was still able to utilize the ATC functions to announce my VFR approach and landing at Temple Bar on runway 18.
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