AI at airfields

[modelr]

I stay away from the big airports but find myself flying around them. I wish to have AI at all including military bases. Feels really creepy when nothing is moving.

Jim

I agree, so I have all airports populated. Creepy when no one home, just like in the cockpit, and no one flying the plane!

 

[VCN-1]

I would like to populate the airports with a few aircraft but I have not figured out how to do it properly.

I would really enjoy seeing a number of T-6Bs doing traffic patterns at a couple of NOLFs or T-38s at Moody AFB but it is beyond me on how to do it.

VCN-1

 

[Victory103]

VCN-1, you should be able to find some help on here or at the MAIW forums. I have the D.Friswell PC9/T-6 running around at all the USAF bases that have them and a few at NAS Pensacola. Not too many as these are based off the older flyable model and not really low polygon AI models, that might change soon with a purpose built AI. There are AI T-38's that work great.

 

[VCN-1]

Victory103

My problem is the lack of understanding on how to do an AI at a particular airport and have the aircraft work such as doing T&Gs at Choctaw NOLF as an example.

It just seems to be beyond my feeble brain to grasp what needs to be done.

I don't know even if there is software that sets it up for you.

VCN-1

 

[Skyhawk_310R]

No software will set it up for you. But, there are several utilities that will assist you in creating the required text files and then compile them and place them into your FSX/Scenery/World folder.

Essentially, you create three files. One is a flightplan of scheduled takeoffs from one airport and flights at a set altitude to another airport, with times for takeoff and landing. A second is a list of airports that the AI will use. A third is a list of the AI aircraft's configuration file entires.

There are several utility programs out there to ease the burden of creating and compiling these files. However, none are truly automatic and do require a small degree of study to learn exactly how they work. But, it is not particularly difficult either, and once you learn how to do it, then creating your own AI traffic at your chosen airports really becomes a lot of fun. Just remember that for an AI to function, it needs to have a parking spot and a properly set up taxi routing to the runway. FSX did not do this for the military airfields -- something that I wish had been done but it seems that Aces wanted a military-free zone in FS.

So, if you want AI at military airports, you are also going to have to use any one of several utilities to layout parking spots and also ensure taxi routes are properly laid out. Then, you take the modified airport and either add it to your FSX/Scenery/World folder, or put it in your FSX/Addon folder and then add it to your FSX Library. You add scenery to the library by starting FSX, clicking the Scenery button, and then pathing to the folder and putting it into the list of scenery in the library.

Ken

 

[falcon409]

This was done by Nigel Richards in the FS9 Forums after I asked some similar questions. . . .an excellent Step-by-Step tutorial using "AI Flight Planner".
http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforu...twisted-SIMPLE-AI-Flight-Planner-STEP-by-STEP

 

[JoHubb]

AI is a very important part of simulated aviation for me. Unfortunately, I think the AI engine in FS9 is not so good as in FS2002. There was more versatility in runway use in FS2002. The facility in ADE9X to code ILS approaches for AI flights has made up for that. No more flying through mountains on approach thanks to Jim Vile.

I run a small AI VA out of Kodiak, AK. It serves the local community but is also in direct competition with AI Penair. I've just recently re-opened the old USCG base at Sitkinak Island, AK so that the occasional AI USCG flight can call with relief crew.

John

 

[Wing_Z]

...The facility in ADE9X to code ILS approaches for AI flights has made up for that. No more flying through mountains on approach thanks to Jim Vile. ...

Didn't know you could... does it add waypoints?
And, what about departures through the mountains?

I use AFX and don't think it has this facility in-built

 

[JoHubb]

Didn't know you could... does it add waypoints?

I use AFX and don't think it has this facility in-built

I am talking about Airport Design Editor (ADE) which has versions for FSX and FS9. The link serves as a tutorial but I didn't find it easy going. Jim Vile is the AI approach guru - you can do a search on AVSIM and take a look at his curved AI approaches. That is the easiest way to learn. And then make one yourself. I managed it but it was a slow process.

http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13751

If you have ADE open any stock airport and you will see top right 'Approach Mode'. Click on this and your in. Backup any airport .bgl files you plan to work on.

And, what about departures through the mountains?

No, the programmers wrote code for approaches (they are all there in the GPS) but they didn't write SIDs unfortunately. Departures are hard-coded and cannot be changed.

Have fun!

John

PS I couldn't make the link open on page 1 - best to 'start at the very beginning'.....

 

[Wing_Z]

Thanks John - I thought maybe AFX also had this capability, I know ADE is very comprehensive.
Funny how some of the tools just have a feature you cannot live without - and then you end up learning an entire software package just for that!
I still miss AFCAD's very simple aircraft editor, so useful to jump in while doing parking...

 

[Pips]

I have to admit that most of what folks are talking about is flashing past over my head. No idea what the acronym's WOAI or MAIW mean. But I'm guessing that they have something to do with AI?

I spend my time potting around the countryside in small GA aircraft, bouncing from one small airstrip to another. Having some AI in the skies sure would liven things up somewhat, but not sure just how to go about getting AI planes out and about. Was thinking of something like Just Flights Traffic X, or Flight One's Ultimate Traffic. Do they fit the bill, or are they more large commercial airport AI add-ons?

 

[Victory103]

Pips,
No problem:

WOAI= World of AI www.world-of-ai.com <-- requires the WOAI installer
MAIW= Military AI Works www.militaryaiworks.com <--all military based packages for most countries.
PAI= Project AI www.flightsimmer.com

Programs to set up AI with flightplans:
AIFP2= AI Flight Planner v 2 (FS9/FSX)
TTools= Traffic Tools 2 (FS9)

All freeware as well as all the models used.

 

[Pips]

Ahh Haa! Cheers matey.

 

[Daube]

I wish WOAI would replace their AI planes with FSX-native ones...
I wish WOAI would propose a full pack in just one file as well...

Also, something strange happened with AIFlightPlanner: I converted all of the FS9 traffic flightplans to FSX flightplans, and as a result, I got less AI planes in the airports !
I never understood the reason...

 

[Victory103]

WOAI only assemble the separate models, paints and flightplans from other authors into one package with a convenient installer. Another in the AI game, AIG, get the flightplans together while one has to find the models/repaints themselves. Some model developers are releasing FSX native models, as AIA recently did which will cover the majority of your airline traffic (mostly Boeing). For the rest of the models, I haven't seen any major issues in FSX so far.

Not sure about the other issue, I have seen a lone FS9 traffic.bgl sneak into my sim and cause some problems, as soon as I found the bad one, all returned to normal.

 

[ramjet]

I like sharing my world so AI keeps it real for me.

Hi All,

I've gotten used to seeing other planes and cars and now people when I fly. I like feeling like there's life down there and as I am trying out Flight that's one of the things I would like to see changed. I like having AI.

good flights, Cal