FSX Jetways: Problems troubleshooter

[dlfrenchmd]

I have seen and been getting questions about jetway operation and "failures" at my airports. Seems like a common problem and I remember all the steps and learning curves for me in getting these to work. So here is a straightforward (I think) short tutorial on FSX working jetways. Feel free to add or subtract with your expertise.

 

A Brief Tutorial and Troubleshooter for FSX Jetways

 

There are 5 things necessary for a working jetway to show up and function in FSX:

1. The correct command has to be given when arriving at the gate. Default is CTRL+J.

2. A working Jetway has to be added to the specific gate by the developer using whatever airport design software he/she has chosen. The best/most common freeware program is Airport Design Editor (.bgl files in the FSX/Addon Scenery/Airport/scenery folder contain label ADE or ADEX) or various payware programs like AFX (.bgl file often contains AFX).

 

3. When designed, the developer has to set the image complexity window to a level that shows up on your computer. The jetways only show up if your FSX/Settings/Customize/ Scenery/ Scenery complexity slider is set AT or ABOVE the complexity entry the developer has set. For example, if the developer has set the scenery complexity of the jetways at NORMAL, the jetways show up if you set your slider at normal, dense, very dense, or any setting AT or ABOVE NORMAL. Because jetways in FSX require a LOT of computing space, they can interfere with frame rates and operations of FSX on lower end computers. So most developers set jetways at “Extremely Dense”. If your rig can handle it, set the complexity at extremely dense and jetways show up and work. If your rig can’t handle it, set your complexity slider lower and do without jetways. The troubleshooter below will give guidance on how to correct this.

 

If the jetways are NOT THERE, it is one of the two situations above.

 

4. For the jetway to work, the aircraft HAS to be centered exactly on the parking spot. Usually, this is the center reference of the aircraft (the little red X crosshair seen on the aircraft when in top down view). Occasionally, it is the nose wheel. Not sure why. Only way I know to find out is experiment with moving the plane around in SLEW mode. A way to tell if centering is the problem: taxi into the parking spot. Look out the pilot side window at the jetway and hit CTRL+J. If the jetway doesn’t move, but shakes or quivers a little bit, then stops when you hit CTRL+J again, the problem is centering. Enter slew mode and move around slightly to find the best position for CTRL+J to activate the jetway.

 

5. Not common, but oft forgotten is that the aircraft you are using has to have a working exits code to trigger the jetway. This is coded in the aircraft.cfg file under [EXITS]. To determine if this is the issue, switch to the DEFAULT Boeing 737_800 aircraft, and test the jetway. If it works, the problem is exits coding. There are good tutorials to help code an aircraft. At Historic Jetliner Group (HJG) website, Tony Madge, in the forums, has good info on coding and long lists of good codes for many of the HJG aircraft.

 

 

TROUBLESHOOTER for FSX Jetways:

 

1. Is the jetway THERE? If so, skip to STEP 4.

 

2. Is the jetway NOT THERE? If not:

 

a. Open FSX. Click the SETTINGS button. Then click to Customize and Scenery.

b. Set the Scenery Complexity slider to EXTREMELY DENSE.

c. Jetways should now show up and work.

d. Still no jetway? Go to step 3.

 

3. Using Airport Design Editor or another editor of your choice, open the .bgl file for the airport and see if that gate has any jetway assigned to it. If not, this airport was designed without jetways for a reason. If you don’t have software, you might contact the developer by email and ask. Or check photos of the airport online.

 

4. If the jetway is THERE, but doesn’t work:

 

a. Enter the parking spot with your aircraft, change view to outside pilot’s window, and watch the jetway. Hit CTRL+J. If the jetway quivers or shakes, it is working but you are not in the correct exact parking spot. Use SLEW mode and top down view to find the correct spot.

b. If no quivering or shaking AND slew doesn’t help it to work:

(1) Check your setting/ control buttons and make sure for “Attach/Detach Jetways” the proper command is CTRL+J.

(2) If no movement, or extremely slow movement, try the default Boeing 737-800 in the correct spot by loading FSX with the default aircraft at that gate. If the jetway works, the problem is exit coding for your aircraft. The forums can help troubleshoot that issue.

 

Dan