11. Traffic

NextATC reads TCAS traffic published by X-Plane or another plugin through X-Plane's standard TCAS datarefs. If traffic is available, the Nav Display can show nearby aircraft with callsign, altitude, speed, and source context where available.

Observed TCAS traffic is also used for:

• Runway-crossing and takeoff clearances: ATC holds you while an aircraft is on the runway or on final.
• VFR landing clearance.
• AutoFly taxi and runway holds.
• Pushback tug and Follow Me movement.
• Nav Display situational awareness.

TCAS aircraft are observed traffic only: NextATC cannot give them instructions, and built-in synthetic aircraft do not react to them. Coordinated runway use, exact hold-short compliance, controlled go-arounds, taxi replanning and congestion resolution are possible only for built-in Traffic engine aircraft, whose complete state and movement NextATC owns. See Traffic for why external traffic plugins cannot be controlled and what the built-in Traffic engine offers.

The plugin does not require a specific external traffic provider. Built-in Traffic can also supply aircraft to the Nav Display and Airport board when enabled, including when its TCAS publishing is off. Without either built-in traffic or an external TCAS publisher, there are no traffic targets to show.

Built-in arrivals and departures use the runways each airport assigns to their aircraft type, and arrivals land in the same direction as your arrival runway, also when you choose a runway against the airport's flow. They are sequenced against your arrival time along your route.