Some AI Questions from newbie designer and flier

[keto678]

Hi. Im making some AI flightplans for American Airlines 717-2
that travels between Honolulu(PHNL) and MAUI(PHOG). My questions
is when doing a short trip such as these(they will be actual AA
flighttimes in the 717) what FL(flightLevel) do I set the plane to ascend to? I set it to FL060 just as a guess.
Also I heard the cruise speed in a Boeing 717-2 is 560mph. Am I right? And if so on such short flights such as these(37 minutes)
should I set this high of a cruise speed in Aircraft.txt?

thanks.
As soon as I get these (actual) American Airline B717-2 flightplans to populate HNL and MAUI I will upload them If possible. And I've already tested them with the American fs2002
B717-2 and the wheels and struts show up on the AI crafts. :)

[spotlope]

I had the chance to ask an Aloha airlines pilot (back in the heady pre-9/11 days when one could enter a cockpit) what flight level they cruised between islands. This particular flight was from Honolulu to Kona. He said they stick to around fl230, which I thought was a little high, but he assured me that it was normal. So it's straight up, level out, and straight down again a few minutes later. Just long enough for you do toss down a fruit punch!

Bill Womack


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Go tropical! Download my DreamFleet 737 Aloha Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines liveries at http://www.dreamfleet2000.com/Downloads/737_liveries_2.html and http://www.dreamfleet2000.com/Downloads/737_liveries_5.html

[w3rsm]

Not legally! FL060 is 6000 feet. The speed limit below 10,000 feet (FL100) is 250 knots. Also at that altitude the plane would be a real gas guzzler. Jet engines automatically adjust the mixture as you gain altitude so they plan flights as high as efficiency allows. I wouldn't mess with aircraft.cfg specs.

The best way to pick an altitude for your AI track is to use the flight planner to create an IFR fligh plan between those airports, fly it and see how high you can get in that plane before they tell you to start your decent. I'd guess you should be able to get into airliner alley between FL300 and FL350 (or thereabouts) somewhere with no problem on that route. If not pick something lower but above FL100 or keep it throttled way back. You will also want to climb at a signifiantly higher rate than the default 1800 FPM or you will never get up there before it's time to come back down. To be most realistic, make the eastbound leg at odd thousands and the westbound leg at even thousands, IE: eastbound at FL310 and westbound at FL300 or FL320. The east-west rules apply to all flights above 3000' and follow 0 degrees to 180 degrees is east and 181 to 359 is west. Eastbound IFR is 3000, 5000, 7000 etc. with VFR being 500 feet higher. Westbound IFR is 4000, 6000, 8000, etc. with VFR again 500 feet higher. Of course, VFR is not allowed above FL180 since that is class A airspace and all aircraft must be on an instrument flight plan.