How To...Combine AI Traffic, ATC And AFCAD In Small Airports

Turn a sleepy regional airport into a hub – for beginners

By Hans Fog, Denmark

 

In March 2002 I wrote a very basic article: “How to … Create AI Traffic” and received an overwhelming response from fellow flight simmers from all parts of the world. This clearly demonstrated the need for easy to understand tutorials based on information from different add-on programs collected into a step by step guide for the inexperienced flight simmer – you could call it a “Simmers Digest”.

 

Since I wrote the first article a great number of Gmax aircraft have become available, I have discovered another brilliant program by Lee Swordy called AFCAD and besides have learned a few more tricks myself about AI Traffic.

 

Hoping that it might be of use to a few beginners I venture to publish a “2^nd  expanded and revised edition” some of which of course will be based on my first tutorial.

 

I must, however, stress that I am far from being an expert. But for a beginner it is sometimes helpful to learn his first steps from another beginner who does not presuppose too much knowledge. Some of you - I am sure - will find that I am going too much into details. But remember – you can skip what you consider a matter of course to, but on the other hand - when you really need details you won’t find them if they are left out.

 

Filling the airports of the capitol and the big cities of your country with AI traffic is such an obvious thing to do. I have succeeded in loading so many different airliners and so much AI traffic into Copenhagen Airport, Kastrup,  that all aircraft move around like frogs. (I am using a Pentium 4/1.8 Ghz with 256 Mb ram and a NVIDIA GeForce2 MX400 video card.) But why not use some of the smaller airports and airfields for some regional traffic and general aviation.  It has become very easy with AFCAD. And the very good mesh programs now available makes flying below 8,000 ft . - VFR flights included - a very attractive alternative to international flights with big commercial jets at flight level 300 or above.

 

The tutorial has the following themes:

 

1. Preparations/Downloads

2. Adding of 3^rd party aircraft

3. Making aircraft available for AI traffic

4. Preparing an airport for AI traffic

5. Creating AI flight plans

6. Test and corrections

7. Postscript

 

I have used a small regional Danish airport as an example together with a variety of international aircraft  to make my instructions more specific. My tutorial is far from complete and most likely not flawless either. But I am sure that the inexperienced flight simmer at least can learn a few tricks from it.

 

This is - any way - one way it can be done. It won’t cause any damage and first of all - it works.

 

1. Preparations and downloads

 

You may of course replace my suggestions right from the start with airlines and airports from the part of the world where you live. If you have the patience I would, however, recommend that you regard this tutorial as a mere training session and go through it as it is. It will be easier to understand when we talk the same language. Then – when you feel familiar with processes – throw it away and start over again with the aircraft and airports you want to keep.

 

This tutorial is based on the following downloads which are all freeware and can be found in FlightSim.Com:

 

Tools:             ttools132.zip                          Lee Swordy’s latest tool for creating AI traffic

                      dig2tips.zip                             A little program with some useful information

                      afcad11.zip                            Lee Swordy’s new tool for working with airports

 

Aircraft:          b737lh-c.zip                           Boeing 737-400 from Lufthansa

                      ei737400.zip                          Boeing 737-400 from Air Lingus

                      sk734v3.zip                           Boeing 737-400 from Scandinavian Airlines

                                           

                     ba2k2_08.zip                          BAe 146-200 and RJ100 – comes with several liveries

                      dash7v1.zip                            De Havilland Dash 7

                      dhc3_ott.zip                           De Havilland DHC-3 Otter

                     

 

All of them are Gmax aircraft. It is not advisable to use too many non-Gmax aircraft since they have tendency to kill frame rates.                         

 

Most likely you already have your own system for storing add-ons. If not I would suggest something like this:

 

c:\AI downloads                   \tools                      to which you download the 3 tool files

                                            \aircraft                      to which you download the 6  aircraft

 

                                                                  Unpack all 9 zip files to the same file to read the “readme”

                                                                  Then extract the 3 tool zip files once more – this time to

corresponding 3 files in c:\AI traffic\…

 

c:\AI TRAFFIC                    \afcad

                                            \ttools

                                            \dig2tips

 

You will return to AFCAD and Ttools often - so it is a good idea to make a shortcuts on your desktop.

 

 

2. Adding of 3^rd party aircraft

 

If you already are an expert on handling 3^rd party aircraft you can skip this section.

 

Unfortunately there is no standard - so I just want to show you how I myself do it.

                     

First thing to do is to unzip the zip files to the same file where the zip file is. Open the yellow file – some time you’ll have to open one more file – until you find the “readme” file where you will find - in most cases  - a comprehensible instruction about installation.

 

 

Transfer of aircraft from c:\AI downloads\aircraft to FS2002\aircraft in 4 different ways

 

Notice that sometimes developers write: “Unzip to you FS2002 folder” when they actually mean “FS2002\aircraft folder.

 

Lufthansa B737: Double click on the unpacked folder in c:\AI downloads: b737lh-c. In the right window you see a yellow file called B373LH-C. Simply drag this file over into c:\……\FS2002\aircraft

 

Scandinavian B737: Double click on the unpacked folder in c:\AI downloads: sk734v3. In the right window you will find an installation icon – that’s easy.

 

Air Lingus B373: Now it becomes a little more difficult. In spite of what the ”readme” says I would prefer to do it my way. I believe this is a good example of the many aircraft only meant for AI traffic only Double click on the unpacked yellow folder in c:\AI downloads: ei737400. In the right window you will now see 5 files called:   texture.3   -  Aircraft  -   ei737-400  –  FILE_ID.DIZ  -  readme

 

Rename the yellow file “texture.3” to  “texture.ei” and drag it over into

 c:\programmes\microsoft games\fs2002\aircraft\b737­_400

 

Then double click on the file next to it: “aircraft” (this is the aircraft.cfg (configuration) file)

Maybe for educational purpose they have included the 3 head text blocks from FS2002’s default b737’s. Scroll down past the 3 default FS2002 planes until you find this

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[fltsim.3]

title=Boeing 737-400 Paint3                                            Delete “Paint 3” and write “Air Lingus”

sim=Boeing737-400

model=

panel=

sound=

texture=3                                                                         Instead of texture=3 write texture=ei

kb_checklists=Boeing737-400_check

kb_reference=Boeing737-400_ref

atc_id=

atc_airline=SHAMROCK

atc_flight_number=410

ui_manufacturer=Boeing

ui_type=737-400

ui_variation=Aer Lingus         

description=One should hardly be surprised that the world's most prolific manufacturer of commercial aircraft is also the producer of the world's most popular jetliner. The 737 became the best-selling commercial jetliner worldwide when orders for it hit 1,831 in June 1987 (surpassing Boeing's own 727 as the previous champ). However, it wasn't always that way\s in the first few years of production, there were so few orders that Boeing considered cancelling the program. They didn't, and the airplane has more than proven itself in over three decades of service.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leave:” description= “  but delete the text. You won’t read it anyway.

 

Copy this text block (shown between the 2 lines – and without my comments, of course) and go to c:\programmes\microsoft games\fs2002\aircraft\b737­_400 (FS2002’s default b737s), open the aircraft.cfg file (the icon with a blue note pad on called “aircraft” ), scroll down and insert the text block immediately after [fltsim.2] (the “Orbit”) Go back and discard what is left of the Air Lingus aircraft. You don’t need it anymore since you have saved the essentials inside fs2002\aircraft\b737_400.

 

I shall return to the “aircraft.cfg” file later and explain some of the formulas.

 

British Airways BAe 146: Right click on the zip file ba2k2 08.zip file and “extract to:” c:\……\FS2002\aircraft

 

Besides the BAe146 this package contains 3 RJ100’s - so you actually get 4 different liveries for the cost of one.

 

Tyrolean Air Dash 7: Right click on the zip file “dash7v1” and extract to c:\……\FS2002, The main folder – not FS2002\aircraft.

 

I have included DHC-3 Otter because it is such a pleasure to fly and to listen to and it will take you safely to any relatively plain strip of grass.

 

DeHavilland DHC-3 Otter-Bulk River Game Lodge: Right click on the zip file “dhc3_ott” and extract to c:\……\FS2002\aircraft – this time the aircraft folder.

Then go to c:\……\FS2002\aircraft and open DeHavilland DHC-3 Otter-Bulk River Game Lodge in MS Explorer and unzip the Gauges zip file to c:\……\FS2002\GAUGES

 

 

Mixed with the default FS2002 aircraft in c:\programmes\microsoft games\fs2002\aircraft you should now have the following 6  aircraft spread around:

 

B737lh-c

Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) B734 LN-RPW

(b737_400) Air Lingus’s Boeing 737 is hidden among the 3 default FS2002 b737

BAe 146-200 BA 2k2

Dash7v1

dhc3_ott

 

If you want you can change their names to create a little more order in the list you can rename them like this:

 

B737-400 Lufthansa

B737-400 SAS

The Air Lingus already on it’s place inside b737_400

BAe 146-200 British Airways

Dash 7-100

DHC-3 Otter

 

These titles are for your own use only and are not used anywhere else in the system.

 

The aircraft.cfg file

 

Let’s have a look at some of the information in the aircraft.cfg file that concerns your work.

Some of it will be easier to understand when you have been working with AI Traffic later on.

 

 

 

[fltsim.4]                                                    The fltsim numbers inside an aircraft.cfg file must always follow in an uninterrupted sequence

 

title=Boeing 737-400 Lufthansa                 Feel free to name the aircraft as you want to as long as

the name is exactly the same title you will use later on in the aircraft list when you are creating AI Traffic in ttools.

We shall return to that.

                     

sim=Boeing737-400                                  Don’t touch

model=

panel=

 

sound=

texture=LH                                                Must match the name of the yellow texture file for the specific livery fx. texture.lh

kb_checklists=Boeing737-400_check

kb_reference=Boeing737-400_ref

 

atc_id=G-LHAN                                      Not important as long as you make flight plans for airlines flying IFR and designated “F” in the flight plan in ttools.

ATC (Air Traffic Control) will address you by the carrier’s name and the flight number you have allocated to the flight – fx. “Lufthansa 1120”

                                                                 But flights designated “R” will be addressed by ATC by make of aircraft and this tail number.            

                                                                                                            

atc_airline=Lufthansa                      Name of carrier ATC uses for contacting you if it is among the carriers it recognises

 

atc_flight_number=223                                 Haven’t found out

 

ui_manufacturer=Boeing                            When you have opened FS2002 and want to select an aircraft in the dark blue window this will be what you see in the top left field under “Aircraft manufacturer”. Name it as you like – it does not affect the system. Same with “ui_type=” and “ui_ variation=”.

 

ui_type=737-400                                      “Aircraft model” in the centre left field

 

ui_variation=Lufthansa                                 “Variation” in the bottom left field

 

                                                                  The “Description” you will find in the top right window.

I would delete the text. It only takes up space.

description=From the most successful family of jetliners ever built comes the 737-400. This can be your entry into virtual airline flying. Whether you're making short-haul or longer domestic flights, the 737-400 is a versatile and efficient airplane. See the Aircraft Information section of Help for tips on flying this aircraft.

 

Moving same type of aircraft together

 

You may want to store the Lufthansa and Scandinavian Boeing 737-400’s under FS2002\aircraft\b737_400.  It is not necessary – so skip this if you feel insecure.

 

Go to the b737-400 Lufthansa in FS2002\…\aircraft -  the one you have placed there yourself.

Double click on the file.

Double click on the files you now get in the right window until you see it’s yellow texture file.

Rename this to “texture.lh”, and drag ig it to FS2002\….\aircraft\b737_400.

Go back to the Lufthansa b737 and double click on the “aircraft” icon with the note pad on – the aircraft.cfg file.

Make sure that                      texture=lh

                                            ui_manufacturer=Boeing

                                            ui_type=737-400

                                            ui_variation=Lufthansa

 

When you have made these changes – copy the whole head text block – go to FS2002\….\aircraft\b737_400 - open the aircraft.cfg file – scroll down past the 4 aircraft already there (3 default FS2002  b737s +  [fltsim.3] – the Air Lingus).

 

Insert the Lufthansa head text block from your clipboard and make sure it gets the next available [fltsim.no] – in this case 4.

 

If you don’t want to keep all 3 default FS2002 737s you can delete the head text block – “Landmark” and “Orbit”. In that case the Air Lingus becomes [fltsim.1] , (“American Pacific” remains [fltsim.0), Lufthansa [fltsim.2] and SAS [fltsim.3]

 

Follow the same procedure with the SAS b737 – the yellow texture file could be renamed “texture.sk”.

 

Let’s see how it went. Go to FS2002 – Create a flight – Current aircraft - Change and check your score.

 

When you have checked that they are properly stores in FS2002\….\b737_400 you can delete the original downloaded and transferred Lufthansa and SAS aircraft from FS2002\….\aircraft.

You have removed and transplanted heart and lungs and don’t need the carcasses anymore.

 

99% of the aircraft you download will take off all right. But when they come in to land you will see some of them suddenly disappear close to the airport or execute missed approach apparently without reason.

I believe that you minimise this problem by sticking to the characteristics of the default FS2002 aircraft whenever possible and only add new liveries which do not influence the behaviour of the stock aircraft like you have done now with the 3 B737 from Air Lingus, Lufthansa and SAS.

 

3. Making the aircraft available for AI traffic

 

We must now make a list of the aircraft we want to add to the default 36 aircraft in FS2002.

 

Go to each of the aircraft you have prepared for AI traffic – open the “aircraft” file and write down the tittle from the 2^nd line in the head text block, fx: title=Boeing 737-400 Lufthansa. Be very accurate.

 

While you have the “aircraft.cfg” file opened - scroll down till you find this section:

 

[Reference Speeds]

flaps_up_stall_speed=142.0                 //Knots True (KTAS)

full_flaps_stall_speed=113.0                 //Knots True (KTAS)

cruise_speed=477.0                             //Knots True (KTAS)

 

and make a note of the cruise speed which for this aircraft is 477 kts.

 

Ttools

 

Open ttools 132. In the right side you will a.o. find 3 files:

 

CollectAirports: Run this right away. It makes all airports in FS2002 available for AI traffic.

 

TDecompiler fetches the information from FS2002 and shows you the data stored here to which you can make the additions and changes you want.

 

Lee Swordy gives this warning:

“Note that if you de-compile the traffic file it will overwrite the source files and will wipe out any comments you have inserted, but de-compiling should no longer be necessary after the initial creation of the source files.” 

 

TCompiler returns the data you have been working with so that FS2002 will recognise your additions and changes.

 

Run Tdecompiler this one time to see what is stored in FS2002

Press Enter.

You will now a.o. see 3 text files:  “aircraft”   -   “airports”   -   “Flightplans”

 

Double click on “aircraft” and start adding your new aircraft to the list.

 

AC#37,477,”Boeing 737-400 Lufthansa”

AC#38,477,”Boeing 737-400 Air Lingus”

AC#39,477,”Boeing 737-400 SAS”

AC#40,350,“BAe 1462-200 Union Flag (there are 4 diff. liveries in this file)

AC#41,350,“RJ100 BA Animals”

AC#42,350,”RJ100 BA Holland”

AC#43,350,”RJ100 BA Waves”

AC#44,223,”Dash 7-103 Greenland Air”

AC#45,223,”Dash 7-100 Tyrolean Air Classic Livery

AC#46,223,”Dash 7-100 Tyrolean Air Livery

AC#47,157,”DHC-3 Otter”

 

 

For AC#47 you will se that I am not using the original tittle from the aircraft.cfg file (The 2nd line in the head text block saying tittle=). It was so long - so I changed it, which is perfectly all right as long as you use the same tittle here in Ttools’s aircraft list.

 

When that is done - close the aircraft.txt file and say yes to saving the changes.

By pressing Tcompile the new aircraft are sent to FS2002’s stock.

Open FS2002 – Create a flight – Current aircraft – Change to se if they are all there.

If not - it is most likely because the tittle=  in the aircraft.cfg file is not exactly the same as the tittle you have used in the Ttools\aircraft list you just TCompiled.

You will most likely have both a DeHavilland and a De Havilland as aircraft manufacturer in FS2002.

Make a note of which aircraft were manufactured by DeHavilland, go to MS Explorer, FS2002\….\aircraft and find these aircraft – open the aircraft.cfg file and change: manufacturer=dehavilland to: manufacturer=de havilland.

 

If OK -  your aircraft are ready.

 

 

4. Preparing an airport for AI traffic

 

Taking into consideration that the stock FS2002 provides 1,842 airport it is understandable that they have not made a very detailed layout for each of them. And the ones you have added by running “CollectAirports” are not AI/ATC traffic airports until you have worked on them.

 

That is where Lee Swordy’s genius program AFCAD comes in handy. I shall only demonstrate a few of its many features – hopefully enough to make you curious to learn more from his excellent manual. In my opinion he is in fact one of the very few developers who really writes comprehensible manuals.

 

My criteria for choosing this airport have been:

 

a. Asphalt runway – long enough for a B737 (min. 5,000 ft.)

I want it to have feeder traffic to some big airport with jets, regional commuter service with turboprops as well as propeller aircraft to isolated communities with only grass strips.

b. that it is not among the 1842 airports already prepared for AI traffic by FS2002

c. that it has a little terminal building and a concrete parking for bigger aircraft. (Not necessary)

 

The Danish regional airport Odense (EKOD) fulfils these demands

 

A few considerations on choice of airport:

 

The first one I chose seamed perfect from a lay out point of view. But when I came to testing it all the incoming jets crashed on the runway. It took me some labour before I found out that the runway was just too short for them. So I had to move the whole circus to a an airport with a longer runway.

 

Many small airports use the runway or part of it as taxi way as well. This limits the amount of traffic you can get through the airport. It can take up to 8 minutes from the aircraft asks ATC for IFR clearance to it lifts off. If you can find an airport with taxi ways right to the end of the runway you will have better capacity.

 

You must allow ample intervals between operations or you will see a lot of incoming aircraft having to go around or simply vanish. Some of them will make another try eventually - but if the airports keeps busy you will never get them to land.

 

Before you start it might be a good idea to open an airport already provided with an AI system to get an idea of what such a system looks like.

 

 

Allocating tower frequency.

 

To be accepted for AI traffic with ATC the airport must have a tower frequency – not necessarily a tower

 

Open AFCAD - File – Open airport – print Airport ID (ICAO code) press OK.

If you press enter you activate the search function and the airport name just appears in the lower right window in case of which you will have to double click on the line to open the found airport.

 

List – Comm Frequencies – and you get the Comm Frequency List

Press Insert - and you get Comm Frequency Proporty

AFCAD automatically assigns a frequency

Don’t change “Tower” in Type window

Write “Odense” in Name window

OK – Close

File – Save – OK

 

Leave AFCAD open.

 

Allocating gates and parking ramps.

 

When you feel ready - open FS2002.

 

Choose a Cessna 172. It is easy to use for driving around in the airport

Choose Global region: Europe

Choose Country: Denmark

Choose City: Odense

 

Choose Summer and Day (Winter is dark on this latitude)

Choose Fly Now

 

Choose Simulation rate 2x

Choose Views – View Mode – Top-Down

 

Release the brakes and drive to the location where you want your first jet parked.

Then press the letter “o”

 

Leave FS2002 open.

 

Switch to (or open it) AFCAD – File – Open airport – print Airport ID again and press OK.

 

There will be a red cross where you pressed the letter “o” in FS2002. Otherwise the airport is absolutely empty. If not – choose the pointer in the top tool bar – point at all items with exception of the runway and the magenta dot with a cross in – and delete them. We will start absolutely from scratch.

 

Press the looking glass about 10 times and centre the area you want to work with by using the 4 small arrow tabs on the keyboard.

 

In the Parking Spots window choose Gate Small and move the pointer to the green disk to the left of the window an click. Now you have a sort of gun loaded with Gate Smalls. For this tutorial you will need a minimum 5 gates for jets, for instance 3 Gate Medium an 2 Gate Small. And at least 5 Ramp GA Large.

 

Don’t close AFCAD – only switch to the FS2002 Top-down view and start rolling your Cessna 172 to the spot where you want the first Gate Small. Maybe you will have to circle a couple of times at the beginning until you manage to bring it to a stand still exactly where you want it. Press the letter “o” – move on to the next Gate Small site and fire the next “o” and repeat until you have enough Gates Smalls.

 

Return to AFCAD and call Ramp GA Large – press the green disk and go back to FS2002 – drive around and fire “o”s to get a number of  Ramp GA Large. Ramp Gate Small can very well put on the grass outside the concrete area.

 

Repeat with Gates Medium.

 

You can turn the nose of the parked aircraft to any heading by turning the disk brown with the pointer and grab and drag the disk’s little satellite.

 

Making the runway operational.

 

Now move left to the Runway- and taxi way window and call Rwy 9/27 – then move further left and press the blue dot. Down to the lay out.

Fire a blue dot just outside each end of the runway. Back to the tool bar and load the connector, place the black cross over the blue dot at on end of the runway and drag the connector to the opposite end of the runway. They 2 blue dots should now be connected by a red line.

 

Making taxi ways.

 

Back to FS2002 and drive the Cessna 172  to one end of the taxi way system you want to create and press “o”.

 

Back to AFCAD

 

Go to the Runway and Taxi Way window in the upper tool bar (immediately left of the green disk) and make it empty. (The red line in the centre of the runway turns black).

Pick the blue dot once more - but this time it represents ends of taxi ways or point where they change direction. Place the black cross over the red cross you left with the “o” while you were in FS2002 and click. Mark your whole system by shifting back and forth between AFCAD and FS2002 Top-Down view. One blue dot should be left where the taxi way system connects to the runway. In AFCAD you can now use the blue connector to bind the blue dots together. Then connect all the green disks to the blue net of taxi ways.

 

In AFCAD go to Insert – select Start Location and press OK.

You now se a window called Start Location Properties.

Place the pointer close to one end of the runway on the black line – press OK in Start Location Properties.

Repeat the procedure at the other end of the runway.

 

Your taxi way net must be connected to the black centre line in the runway at least at one place.

 

Choose the red dot – the Hold-Short Node – and place it on the taxiway just outside the runway.

That is where the aircraft will stop and ask for Take Off clearance when leaving or Taxi Instructions when arriving. Must bee done wherever a taxi way connects to the runway.

 

Remember to go back to the top and change tools each time you want to do a new operation.

With the pointer you can turn the disks brown and move them or change the heading of the aircraft

with the little handle – or delete them.

 

Adjusting gates and parking ramps.

 

By double clicking with the pointer on the green disks you open the window “Parking properties”.

In the “Area” window you may designate a parking spot as belonging to Gate A – the scheduled air traffic and for instance North Parking for the GA.

 

That will be to where ATC directs incoming aircraft when they have left the runway after landing.

 

When you start using the airport in FS2002 and see your aircraft parked you will probably need to make a few changes like pulling a B737’s nose out of the terminal building or making a few more stands by moving the aircraft a little closer together. They can overlap each other to some extend.

 

Just return to AFCAD and make your changes.

 

Restart FS2002 each time you have made additions or changes.

 

AFCAD can do a lot more than this. Read the manual. It is very well written and easy to understand – maybe easier than my guide, which is only meant as an appetiser.

 

 

5. Creating AI flight plans

 

When you open c:\AI TRAFFIC\ttools\flightplans you will se the FS2002’s more than 23,000 default flight plans.

It’s a nuisance to work with such an abundance of data, so I immediately decided to store them away – at least temporarily.

 

Made a new file:   c:\FS2002 backup 

Went to c:\AI TRAFFIC\ttools and clicked on “Flightplans” – marked it so it turned blue, pressed Ctrl C – now you have made a copy of the file.

Back to c:\FS2002 backup, and press Ctrl V. Now all FS2002’s 23.115 flight plans are in safety.

It would be a good idea to do the same with the text file “aircraft” – just as a safety precaution.

 

Back to c:\AI TRAFFIC\ttools 12, double click on “fligtplans” and delete the whole content excepts the first line.

The reason why I want to save 1 flight plan is that it is nice to have model to look to when you start making new flight plans.

 

You can download a lot of flight plans based on real world airlines’ time tables.

If you add such ones to your existing flight plans you will probably have to change their AC#’s numbers to correspond with numbers you have in your own aircraft list in Ttools.

Otherwise you will get an error message when you Tcompile.

Be sure to pick aircraft with the same cruising speed unless you want to download an install the aircraft actually used in the downloaded flight plan.

Otherwise they may not be able to complete the trip in time.

 

 

5. Creating AI flight plans

 

We will now create 10 flight plans for 10 aircraft:

 

(For simplicity reasons I have suggested only 2- and one 3-legged flight plans - but you can make as many legs as you like and have one aircraft tour a whole series of airports in one flight plan.)

 

6 downloads nos.

AC#37 B737 Lufthansa (D-AXBX) – feeder to Frankfurt – EDDF (333 nm/57 min.)

AC#38 B737 Air Lingus (EI-DUB) – feeder to Amsterdam/Schipold – EHAM (273 nm/49 min.)

AC#39 B737 SAS (OY-MAG) – feeder to Copenhagen/Kastrup – EKCH (79 nm/25 min.)

AC#40 Bae 146 British Airways (G-MABR) – feeder to London/Heathrow – EGGL (453 nm/92 min.)

 

AC#46 Dash 7 Tyrolean (OE-HLS) – Inter Regional to Sonderborg – EKSB (36 nm/29 min.)

AC#48 DHC-3 Otter (OY-GIT) – Inter Regional to Roskilde – EKRK (36 nm/29 min.)

 

4 light aircraft from FS2002’s stock:

AC#XX Cessna 208 Gran Caravan on wheels (N700MS) - Grass hopper to Samsoe – EKSS and Laesoe – EKLS (27+84+110 nm/24+44+48 min.)

AC#XX Beech King Air 350 (N123HT) - Grass hopper to Aero – EKAE (38 nm/22 min.)

 

AC#XX Cessna 182 RG (F-CESS) – Private VFR to Maribo – EKMB (60 nm/42 min.)

AC#XX Mooney Bravo (SE-MON) - Private VFR to Billund – EKBI (43 nm/28 min.)

 

XX: You will have to put in the AC# for these 4 default FS2002 aircraft yourself. I have rearranged my aircraft many times and lost the original numbers.

 

I believe that the airports you direct your aircraft to as AI traffic with Air Traffic Control ( ATC) – must have at least a tower frequency . But as you have studied the previous section “Airports” carefully you should be familiar with the procedure.

Remember that it is the last ICAO-code that determines from where the flights radiate - no matter how many legs your flight plan consist of..

 

Go to ttools132 and open the fligtpan.txt file. There should be only the one default flight plan we left there earlier.

 

If you want to keep the 23,000 FS2002 flight plans any way - I suggest you add your new flight plans to the top of the list so that you don’t have to scroll all the way to the bottom each time want to work with them.

 

I find it a good idea to make 10 copies of an existing flight plan - instead of starting from scratch -and make the changes herein. In this way you are sure to keep all the commas and colons and the proper succession of information. The system is totally unforgiving.

 

First we shall edit the line we want to copy

.

With the new Ttool 132 you no longer need seconds. So delete “:00” in 4 places to make it look like this:

 

AC#37, D-ABXB,10%,4Hr,IFR,00:00,00:00,170,F,0100,EKCH,00:00,00:00,170,F,0101,EKOD

 

I have in my “flightplan” several different groups of flight plans which I want to keep separated. I leave a blank line between the groups and make headings starting with //  (Example: //SAS winter or //Test of Odense Airport)– that does not have any effect on the system.

 

//Jets - feeder line to big airports

AC#37,D-ABXB,5%,4Hr,IFR,10:00,10:57,280,F,1241,EDDF,11:50,12:47,270,F,1240,EKOD

AC#38,EI-DUB,5%,6Hr,IFR,10:40,11:29,300,F,0438,EHAM,12:40,13:29,310,F,0439,EKOD

AC#39,OY-MAG,5%,4Hr,IFR,11:20,11:45,170,F,0631,EKCH,12:40,13:05,160,F,0630,EKOD

AC#40,G-MABR,5%,6Hr,IFR,11:50,13:22,320,F,0201,EGLL,14:10,15:42,310,F,0200,EKOD

 

//Turbo props and propeller - Inter Regional service

AC#46,OE-HLS,5%,4Hr,IFR,12:30,12:54,120,F,0947,EKSB,13:50,14:14,110,F,0946,EKOD

AC#47,OY-GIT,5%,4Hr,IFR,13:30,14:09,70,F,0011,EKRK,15:00,15:39,60,F,0112,EKOD

 

//Propeller service to small airfields with grass

AC#XX,SE-MAL,5%,6Hr,IFR,11:00,11:24,50,F,201,EKSS,12:20,13:04,70,F,202,EKLS,14:00,14:53,80,F,203,EKOD

AC#XX,N800MS,5%,4Hr,IFR,12:10,12:32,70,F,0034,EKAE,13:30,13:52,80,F,0035,EKOD

 

//General Aviation VFR - non scheduled

AC#XX,N635PF,5%,4Hr,VFR,11:40,12:22,50,R,0100,EKMB,13:20,14:02,60,R,0100,EKOD

AC#XX,OY-TRA,5%,4Hr,VFR,10:20,10:48,50,R,0100,EKBI,11:40,12:08,60,R,0100,EKOD

 

XX: You will have to put in the number for these 4 default FS2002 aircraft yourself. I have rearranged my aircraft and lost the original numbers.

 

The flight plans components

 

Lee Swordy’s manual in ttools12 gives a very good explanation about each component of the flight plan.

Let me give a short explanation of the flight plans components anyway.

 

AC#37: Aircraft tag

                     

D-ABXB: Aircraft registration. Used by ATC if it is not an airline.

 

5% : I have used 5% in these 10 flight plans for a specific reason.

In FS2002 – Options – Setting – ATC – Traffic percentage you can set the % to any value between 1 and 100.

If you set 40% the system will leave out all flight plans with a value of 41% up.

I have set all other flight plans in my inventory to 10% or higher.

When I am going to test the 10 new flight plans here I shall start with setting the % in FS2002 – Options – Setting – ATC – Traffic to 6% by which I exclude everything else.

When I have completed the test with a satisfying result I will raise % in the 10 new flight plans from 5% to let’s say 35% and change the setting in FS2002 – Options – Setting – ATC – Traffic back to 40.

 

4Hr:  Repeat period.

Remember to set the repeat frequency so you are sure the flight can bee completed in the number of hours you assign to the flight. 2,4,6,8,12 and 24 hours. You may write ,24Hr, or even Week if it can’t be completed in 24 hours (In this case you should write 1/12:00 for Monday at noon or 6/14:00 for departure on Saturday at 2 p.m. No weekly flights starting on Sundays.

 

IFR/VFR: If you want VFR aircraft displayed make sure FS2002 – Settings – ATC – IFR-check-box is not checked.

 

00:00: Departure time.

Let’s say you set repeat period to 4Hr and departure to 10:00.

Then the flight will be repeated every 4 hours – so in fact you have made 6 flight plans with departures at 10:00, 14:00, 18:00, 22:00, 02:00 and 06:00.

Remember that the system uses GMT. Local time in New York would be 15:00, 19:00 etc.

 

00:00: Arrival time which is calculated automatically by the system based on the distance from departure airport and the aircraft’s cruising speed set in Ttool\flightplan (AC#37,477,”Boeing 737-400 Lufthansa”)

With the new Ttool 132 you now have the possibility to determine arrival time yourself by putting @ in front of the time (se flight plans above)

Realistic traffic in an airport has departing as well as arriving planes.

This new feature allows you to plan arrivals to fit in between departures.

If you set an arrival time for an incoming aircraft I would recommend that you allow 10 minutes before the next departure or arrival is scheduled in a slow airport like the one I have chosen here.

In small airports using the runway also for taxiing it takes time for landed planes to exit the runway.

But this is a field where I suggest you make your own experiments later on to learn the optimal frequency of operations in your specific airport.

 

170: Flight level, 170 means 17,000 ft MSL (Mean Sea Level)

 

F/R:

If  “F” ATC will call airline and flight number if the aircraft is associated with an airline FS2002 recognises.

In c:\AI TRAFFIC\dig2tips\airlines you will find a list of carriers FS2002 recognises. If the airline you want to assign to your aircraft is not listed you might want to use something similar. Tyrolean Air for example is not listed - so I have called it “Austrian” instead. Otherwise ATC will just call it 1112

 

If  “R” ATC will call make of aircraft and aircraft registration (tail number)

In c:\AI TRAFFIC\dig2tips\ATC Types you will find a list of manufacturers FS2002 recognises like “De Havvilland Golf India Tango”

 

If your aircraft is not among them, ATC will call it “Experimental”

 

 

0100: Flight number – only used when F/R is set to F (flight) - like “Scandinavian 438” outgoing and “Scandinavian 439” for the return flight.

 

EKCH: Destination

 

The values are then repeated for the next leg or the return flight. The last ICAO code is always where the flight started

 

Now close the flightplan.txt file and say yes to saving the changes.

 

You now have to tell FS2002 that you have added aircraft and flight plans.

Double click on Tcompile and in the black window that occurs you should hopefully get an OK message

 

6. Test and corrections

 

In order to test aircraft, airport, flight plans and ATC open FS2002, select a Cessna 172 for your tour of inspection in the airport.

Go to Odense Airport in Denmark. Set time (GMT) to 09.58 – summer and press Fly.

 

When ready activate ATC and press 1 for Ground Control, change to Spot Mode, release brakes and you are ready to drive around in the airport and count the aircraft.

 

If they are not there all of them the reason could be – just to mention a few:

 

They have not arrived yet from the previous round trip,

There are not enough gates/parking ramps,

You have made the schedules so tight that a round trip cannot be completed in the allotted time

(change repeat frequency or the destination to an airport that is closer)

 

My Dash 7 was parked on the grass in a Ramp GA Parking.

To get it out on the asphalt I went to AFCAD and changed all my Ramp GA Large to Small.

 

I know that the AFCAD manual says that an aircraft can only park in a site with a diameter larger than 75% of it’s wing span.

Dash 7’s wing span is 93 ft.  75% hereof is 69.8 ft.

Parking Properties\radius (ft) in AFCAD says that Ramp GA Large has a diameter of 59.1 ft.

But it was there anyway.

 

I was very enthusiastic about the new feature that makes it possible to set the arrival time.

I have experimented quite a lot with it – unfortunately with a rather negative result.

It does not seem to have much effect as the aircraft by and large come in to land at will.

So I have dropped it again which, besides, resulted in a decrease in the amount of unaccountable events in the airport - which I believe are unavoidable to some extend.

I have instead tried to space arrivals evenly with room for incoming aircraft and I am almost sure that the system works smoother this way.

 

I am quite sure you will encounter some irregularities, even if you have followed these instructions with grate care. I believe, however, that it would be too ambitious to expect a 100% perfect performance under any circumstances.

Taking into consideration the complexity of  a program like FS2002 on top of which you now load all sorts of 3^rd party material, I actually find it amazing that it functions so well at all.

 

I have been testing the content of this tutorial for hour after hour – and each time I repeat the test some new unexpected things happen. I cannot determine if it is due to some error in my PC or it’s because FS2002 is a little overworked and therefor not quite stable in all situations.

But I consider a 95% correct performance as absolutely satisfying regardless.

 

Postscript

 

Please do not hold me responsible for any damage in your FS2002, FS2002 AI flight tracks and other parts of your software or computer parts, though I don’t think any will occur.

 

And since none of my recommendations interfere with the FS2002 program itself or any other vital parts of your other computer programs - I don’t think it can cause any harm.

 

The article is solely meant as a rather inexperienced simmers attempt to help other inexperienced simmers with their first encounter with AI Traffic. If the article brings you just a little closer to understanding some of the more experienced authors guides to the subjects, I have reached my goal. I am afraid I will not be able to answer any tecnical questions you may have - as I have been operating close to the limit of my knowledge – some might say beyond.

 

All I can say is: It works on my PC.

 

I would, however, be glad to hear from someone who has found my article useful.

 

Hans Fog

Strandbyvej 7

DK-5953 Tranekær

Denmark

hans.fog@get2net.dk