AusFlightSim - How to Connect to VATSIM using FS9 and FSInn 1.1 - The Aussie Flight Simulation Site for Enthusiasts Around the World!

Following on from the guide "How to Connect to VATSIM using FS9 and SB3" posted back on the 7th January 2005, this guide will explain how to connect to VATSIM using the alternative pilot client from the Flight Simulator French Development Team (FSFDT), FSInn 1.1. This article assumes that you already have membership with VATSIM. If not it might be a good time to head on over to http://www.vatsim.net to register before continuing.

1. Download FSInn 1.1

You can find the download link for the latest version of FSInn at http://www.mcdu.com/en/download.php. At the time of writing the latest version was 1.1 Beta 2 Build 1127 and could be downloaded directly from ftp://www.mcdu.com/mcdu/SetupFSInn1.1.B2.1127.exe.
Once you have FSInn downloaded simply double click the EXE file and follow the installation steps.

2. Configuring FSInn

Once you have FSInn installed there are a few configuration settings that need to be set in order to connect to VATSIM. Firstly, start up Flight Simulator 2004 and create a flight that has you positioned at an airfield away from all runways and taxiways. Remember, there's a good chance that people will be online at the same airfield when you connect, you don't want to pop up in front of another aircraft on final or taxiing to the runway.

You will notice a new Copilot menu in FS2004. Open the Copilot menu and select Inn Control Panel. A window will be displayed indicating that it is processing aircraft. This process is building/updating FSInn's aircraft reposoitory with all of the aircraft models installed on your system. Once this process is complete you will see the FSInn Control Panel window.

Inn Control Panel

The window shown above may not look exactly like the one open in your sim. The green FSInn button shown above may be orange and you may not have the VATSIM or other buttons as shown. This is only because there are a few things that need to be set in order to get the multiplayer session running. You should only have to set these things the first time. To change the settings click on the SET button.

FSInn Settings

Click on the General submenu of the General menu. Enter a callsign as well as your name and homebase. Remember, VATSIM requires all users to enter their full real name. Next, click on the Options submenu and ensure that "Allow FSInn to autoconnect to FS2004" is checked. This causes FSInn to automatically start and join the multiplayer session.

Now, expand the Networks menu and click on the VATSIM submenu. In this screen you can enter you VATSIM User ID and password. You also select the server you wish to connect to. To populate the list of servers simply click the Load Servers button. There will be a short delay while the list is loaded before you can select a server closest to your geographic location. You should also enter the default UNICOM voice room and frequency.

FSInn VATSIM Settings

To close the Settings window click on the X button at the lower right hand corner. The settings will be saved when you close the window.

3. Connect

If the FSInn button on the Inn Control Panel window is orange you will need to manually connect to the multiplayer session. You wont have to do this next time as we've set FSInn to do this automatically. To connect to the multiplayer session open the Flights -> Multiplayer menu and click the Connect button. If the FWInn session is not displayed in the Sessions list ensure that localhost or 127.0.0.1 is entered into the IP address field and click the search button. The FWInn session should then be in the Sessions list. Click the Join button to be connected to the multiplayer session.

Multiplayer Connect Dialog

You can now click the VATSIM button on the Inn Control Panel window to connect to the VATSIM network. The FSInn button will turn blue and the VATSIM button will turn green. You can click the Chat button to see the VATSIM connection message indicating a successful connection.

FSInn Chat Window

4. Setting Voice Options

FSInn 1.1 includes support for the VATSIM Voice Library (VVL). This means that an external voice program such as Roger Wilco or Advanced Voice Client are no longer needed to communicate via voice using FSInn. The VATSIM specific voice settings are accessed via the FSFDT Control Panel. You can open the FSFDT Control Panel by clicking on the tray icon that looks like a pair of traffic lights.

Many users of FSInn 1.1 have reported poor voice quality using the default VATSIM voice settings. If this is the case for you the following may help to improve voice quality.

In the FSFDT Control Panel expand the Voice menu and click on VATSIM. Ensure that the device selected for each of Microphone, Headset and Speakers is your sound card or Wave device, instead of Default Mapper.

VATSIM Voice Settings

Note: Another couple of helpful settings to be aware of in the FSFDT Control Panel are the Key mappings for your Push to Talk (PTT) keys. You will find them in the Key mappings submenu under the VATSIM submenu.

Close the FSFDT Control Panel and return to flight simulator. From the Inn Control Panel click on the Advanced button and the the VVL button to open the VVL window. The VVL window enables you to select which COM radio you are communicating on, give priority to one frequency over another (so you only hear communication on one radio even if people are talking on both frequencies), and also allows you to join a private voice room. Click each of the speaker icons on the VVL window so that they are all crossed out as shown below. These VATSIM voice settings should improve the quality of the audio. For further information about the operation of the VVL window please see the FSInn user manual.

5. Fly

You are now ready to file your flightplan, contact ATC and head off on a flight. To file a flightplan click the FP button on the Inn Control Panel window. FSInn will have already entered your aircraft type. All you need to do is enter a departure and destination airport (ICAO code), your route, flight level and any remarks you would like to provide to ATC. When you're done entering the information click Send to Tower to send the flightplan to the ATC server.

To view a list of ATC in range as well as their radio requency click the ATC button on the Inn Control Panel window. When you tune your COM radios to an ATC frequency the FSInn VVL (VATSIM Voice Library) will automatically connect you to the appropriate voice room so you can contact ATC on voice. Once you've filed your flight plan and tuned to an ATC frequency you're ready to request your clearances and get going. All the best flying online with FSInn 1.1.