Start On The Carrier Flight Deck

[tgycgijoes]

I use CCP and very successfully but am currently over at FSDeveloper with a couple minor problems with getting ALL the carriers to work. Anyway, I had a few glitches with AI Carriers.Net today. In the process of fixing it and it now works in FSX Acceleration, I found out how to put an aircraft onto the flight deck of an AI Carrier and it staying there. Very exciting for me. I just put a C1A COD onto the deck of the CVA-43 USS Coral Sea.

 

[expat]

Great. We look forward to you telling us how!

 

[tgycgijoes]

On the flightdeck by accident

I opened up the Grumman C1Ax COD and put it at KNTU NAS Oceana on the active runway. I was trying to get AI Carriers to appear in the Addons menu which it does the first time FSX(A) is opened but if my FSX(A) is closed and reopened, every addon BUT AI Carriers appears. I solved that for myself by going to the AICarriers folder in Microsoft Games which is where I keep it and executing it again. OK.

Anyway, when I opened up AICarriers I put a carrier at "USER POSITION" which puts you inside the hangerbay but on the runway so no help. Then I closed FSX; opened up the COD at Oceana again and this time, opened up MAP and slewed it about 30-40 miles offshore and from experience, PAUSED it because otherwise it will fly off at full speed across the ocean. OK. Open up Addons-AICarriers-pick your carrier and put it at USER POSITION still paused. You will end up in the hangerbay again. On the USS Coral Sea, I open up MAP again and enter 62 feet of altitude and zero "0" the speed. The height of the flightdeck above the hangerbay deck is going to be an experiment for you. If you use more than one carrier for operations, make a small chart of the altitudes. Close MAP and your aircraft will be on deck. Now with all hands ready (no pun) meaning your two hands, as soon as you un pause, parking brake. You now have control of the aircraft on the flightdeck. The carrier will be DIW so open up AICarriers again and give it some speed by Go Forward. You can even use the course changes and the aircraft stays parked as long as the parking brake is on. When you are ready to fly if your engines are not started, start them, release the parking brake keeping your feet ready to brake, and taxi to the catapault to launch. That is what I did so I hope it works that way for you. I'd still like to know why AICarriers disappears from my Addons so any help there is welcome. Looking forward to how this works for you too.

 

[tgycgijoes]

Tested Again

I just tested it again to be sure I explained it correctly and it worked perfectly this time with the freeware Forrestal CVA59 from that group of four carriers. The altitude to enter into MAP is 72 feet. I tried 62 and the COD was buried in the flight deck. It is correctable as long as you are still paused. I set parking brake, unpaused, engines are running though they were not at Oceana so just cycle your mixture and they shut down. Took two screen shots to show the result again. I am using the carriers that don't want to work in CCP because they don't have deck positions that CCP recognizes. Mine only recognizes the Acceleration Carrier and Javier's Nimitz group even though a lot more are in my Boats folder like these.

 

[Mike71]

Great write up.

By the way, the carrier is turning to starboard, not "right" -- to be perfectly accurate.

No offense intended - standard joke about a very common event.

 

[tgycgijoes]

Bridge Commands

Great write up.

By the way, the carrier is turning to starboard, not "right" -- to be perfectly accurate.

No offense intended - standard joke about a very common event.

Yes the carrier is turning to starboard however the command given to the helmsman would have been "right 10 degrees" rudder come to a new heading of XXX (10 degrees to the right of its present heading)". Thank you for the correction and no offense taken. Had lots of hours of bridge time on six of the seven seas and taught navigation on Lake Michigan. My faux pas, I'm bad.

 

[PhantomTweak]

Sometimes AICarriers.NET can take a little while to completely close down and clear the computer's memory of all it's "stuff".
Try ensuring sufficient time has elapsed after closing down FSX(A) for AIC to close. Maybe go get a cuppa joe, or a Ham-n-cheeze sammich. Also, you might try opening the Task Manager, Processes tab, and checking to ensure that AIC has closed completely, and correctly, PRIOR to restarting FSX(A). If not, close it out with the End Process feature of the Task Manager.
AICarriers.EXE, the older, JAVA based version, had a problem with not shutting down when FSX did. I, personally have had this little problem with the new, .NET version, but only very, very seldom. Not at all since I started modifying the FSX.cfg file with things like Kosta's changes, and so on. What I may have done to prevent this problem, if I in fact did anything at all, I haven't a clue, though.

A note as well: if you're using the EXE.XML file to start AICarriers.NET when FSX(A) starts, a little trick I use is that I made a shortcut to the AICarriers executable file, in the same folder as the AICarriers' executable for ease of finding it, and set it to always start the executable (AICarriers' .exe file, not to be confused with the older, JAVA based's AICarriers.exe) as Administrator, then pointed the EXE.XML file to the shortcut, as opposed to pointing it directly to the AIC's executable.
I us the phrasing "AICarriers' executable" to prevent confusion with the older, JAVA based AICARRIERS.EXE version. Every time I refer to AICarriers in any way, unless I am very specifically referring to the older version, I am referring to AICarriers.NET.

Finally, if you're using TackPac and CCP, there's a quicker, easier way, as far as I can tell, to start on a carrier's flight deck, or even the Hangar Deck. I have been focused on integrating HARM missiles onto the FSDT's F/A-18C, and dealing with a broken patella (kneecap), plus a broken wrist, so I haven't even loaded FSX@WAR or CCP, so I can't speak to how well this method works, if it works at all, how easy it is to use, etc. In any event, you might want to look through the TackPac forum, specifically this thread: https://forums.vrsimulations.com/forums/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=108&t=19028#p124351
to see how to start up aboard a carrier. As I recall, there are several threads about this subject, but I may be mistaken.

Hope something in all this rambling is a little helpful...
Pat☺

 

[MrZippy]

Great write up.

By the way, the carrier is turning to starboard, not "right" -- to be perfectly accurate.

No offense intended - standard joke about a very common event.

Hi, Mike! Better know to us Carrier jockeys as "heel to port".

 

[tgycgijoes]

Good thoughts

Sometimes AICarriers.NET can take a little while to completely close down and clear the computer's memory of all it's "stuff".
Try ensuring sufficient time has elapsed after closing down FSX(A) for AIC to close. Maybe go get a cuppa joe, or a Ham-n-cheeze sammich. Also, you might try opening the Task Manager, Processes tab, and checking to ensure that AIC has closed completely, and correctly, PRIOR to restarting FSX(A). If not, close it out with the End Process feature of the Task Manager.
AICarriers.EXE, the older, JAVA based version, had a problem with not shutting down when FSX did. I, personally have had this little problem with the new, .NET version, but only very, very seldom. Not at all since I started modifying the FSX.cfg file with things like Kosta's changes, and so on. What I may have done to prevent this problem, if I in fact did anything at all, I haven't a clue, though.

A note as well: if you're using the EXE.XML file to start AICarriers.NET when FSX(A) starts, a little trick I use is that I made a shortcut to the AICarriers executable file, in the same folder as the AICarriers' executable for ease of finding it, and set it to always start the executable (AICarriers' .exe file, not to be confused with the older, JAVA based's AICarriers.exe) as Administrator, then pointed the EXE.XML file to the shortcut, as opposed to pointing it directly to the AIC's executable.
I us the phrasing "AICarriers' executable" to prevent confusion with the older, JAVA based AICARRIERS.EXE version. Every time I refer to AICarriers in any way, unless I am very specifically referring to the older version, I am referring to AICarriers.NET.

Finally, if you're using TackPac and CCP, there's a quicker, easier way, as far as I can tell, to start on a carrier's flight deck, or even the Hangar Deck. I have been focused on integrating HARM missiles onto the FSDT's F/A-18C, and dealing with a broken patella (kneecap), plus a broken wrist, so I haven't even loaded FSX@WAR or CCP, so I can't speak to how well this method works, if it works at all, how easy it is to use, etc. In any event, you might want to look through the TackPac forum, specifically this thread: https://forums.vrsimulations.com/forums/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=108&t=19028#p124351
to see how to start up aboard a carrier. As I recall, there are several threads about this subject, but I may be mistaken.

Hope something in all this rambling is a little helpful...
Pat☺

thanks Pat for taking the time to give me all these hints. I have found that as you say, AICarriers did not shut down so what I have been doing is just exiting it and restarting it and that did the trick.

As far as CCP, I am very successfully using it but it only works putting the aircraft on deck if the carrier has positions mapped that CCP recognizes. So far, I haven't gotten an answer why this is. I have a PM to Motus through FSDeveloper and though he no longer actively supports the program, he has helped me in the past after it was shut down and I am hoping he can find the time if he knows the answer why. Hope you get well very soon.

 

[Mike71]

Hi, Mike! Better know to us Carrier jockeys as "heel to port".

Oh, yeah, you can say that again! Amazing how everyone gets used to it, compensate for it, hardly realize it unless they stare at the horizon --

 

[PhantomTweak]

So far, I haven't gotten an answer why this is.

Have you tried posting the question on the TacPack forums?
More specifically, the FSX@WAR forum?

The post I specifically mean is this one:

You need to add this entry in the file PA.cfg of CCP folder :
# Posx = offset : side, rear, height, heading relative to the reference position of the PA.
[LHA-6]
path = USS_AMERICA_LHA6
clean = 59X;112.20
F35= 59X;112.20
MV22= 59X;112.20
Pos1 = -12.0, 105.5, 22, -1.0
Pos2 = 12.0, 92.0, 22, -1.0
Pos3 = -12.0, 75.0, 22, -1.0
Pos4 = 12.0, 58.0, 22, -1.0
Pos5 = 13.0, -8.5, 22, -1.0
Pos6 = 12.0, -30.5, 22, -1.0
Pos7 = 12.0, -63.0, 22, -1.0
Pos8 = -12.0, -70.0, 22, -1.0
Pos9 = 12.0, -100.5, 22, -1.0

You need to modify values of Tacan and each position to place your airplane where you want on the deck.

I know it's about the USS America, LHA-6, in particular, but it shows how to make positions on the deck to start from, yes? As I said, I don't use CCP and such, but that's really due to just not having time to yet.

I use AICarriers extensively, and just start everything up with me on shore at a NAS or MCAS, then either fly or slew to where I want the boat to be, place it, and either commence trap/cat cycles, or whatever. I can set up a Marshall Stack, whatever I want, once the boat is placed. Using AICarriers I can set up sling loads to carry out to a boat, or carry sling loads from ship to ship, place a ship, slew down onto it, place a sling load on the deck and away I go in the MV22, whatever I want. I can even have sling loads available on saved flights. Saves a step
With the CarrierTracks 1 & 2 files in place, I can do all kinds of different carrier ops, and use AICarriers to load specialty items I might need. With Mr. Henrick's incredibly well made ship files... well, you get the idea.
Throw in vLSO (those friggen LSO's hate my guts, I swear. I think Paddles added a special "Hate Pat" module ), a nice real weather addon, and so on, it just doesn't get any better!

Once I get the spare time, I'll start testing some of the FSX@WAR, CCP, and such-like. One day...

Anywho, search through the various threads and forums. Perhaps the answer is there, someplace.
I wish you the very best of luck with all this
Pat☺

 

[tgycgijoes]

Positions On Deck

Looked over at their forum but didn't see this, thank you. I have Tacpack and am also in the VRS forum. I am able perfectly to put an aircraft on deck as I show above in AI Carriers on almost every carrier in my boats inventory except for one and I am working with the developer by PM to see why, its payware. I will make the entries in the PA.cfg for Coral Sea and the Forrestal's. also HMAS Melbourne. I have the RAN S2G Tracker with the tacpack that is available here in SOH that I helped develop and put it 10 miles ahead in AI Carriers. vLSO worked perfectly as a program but I hit the deck too hard and something that never happened to me before...he says "YOU DIED". I used to get all kinds of rotten grades but never died before. vLSO update??? LOL. HMAS Melbourne is really well done and can be downloaded as Majestic class from Simviation with HMCS Bonaventure.

 

[tgycgijoes]

No Joy

It did not matter that I added positions into the PA.cfg CCP recognizes the carrier and places it into its position but "start on the carrier" does not recognize or validate any position so therefore the aircraft doesn't start on the flight deck. I can use my AI Carriers method, the subject of this post and put it right on the deck without any problem once I figured out AI Carriers syntax in their cfg. So much for that.

 

[tgycgijoes]

A New Found action

I just took off from NAS Oceana in my C1A COD with my MCE copilot which I wrote a custom checklist for from the NATOPS C1A manual which I had bought in the past on DVD. I am going back to checklists since this was a shore-based procedure. Just having landed aboard the CVN65 USS Enterprise, the technique I used since the carrier doesn't rewind the wire was to use Shift P (pushback) which works just fine as I was pulled back I retracted the hook and then dawned on me that in a regular airport using the pushback you can shift the tail left/right with "1" or "2" after Shift P so I did and with a spot view directed the aircraft right into the nest with the wings folded up. I am now going to write a checklist for Shipboard operations to get ready to takeoff to fly ashore. Unfortunately even though I started vLSO he didn't recognize the carrier so my landing wasn't graded. Of course not with a "3-wire" he only grades my bum landings it seems. More later.........

 

[PhantomTweak]

See??? I told you those AI LSO's were humorless, cruel, downright MEAN, "people". They hate everyone.
Odd, considering what an apparently nice guy Paddles is. Makes me wonder if he was so mean to the pilots he called on in...

If you have vLSO running, however, you know that you can activate the rollback with it? Wire pulls you back a certain distance, you pull up the hook after you stop, and taxi off the landing area.

Having said that, your idea of using Pushback to get to the designated parking spot is an excellent idea. Did you use the Pushback gauge from Andiroto (Simple Ramp Gauge), or Rob Barendregt's rcbgh-60 gauge, or just the normal FSX pushback feature? In any event, obviously a great idea

Also, did you activate the Big E in vLSO? Part of the Advanced Settings tab. Read the Instruction Manual, or just go the Advanced Settings tab and explore a bit.

Keep up the good work, and obviously, keep having fun!
Pat☺

 

[tgycgijoes]

Pushback

See??? I told you those AI LSO's were humorless, cruel, downright MEAN, "people". They hate everyone.
Odd, considering what an apparently nice guy Paddles is. Makes me wonder if he was so mean to the pilots he called on in...

If you have vLSO running, however, you know that you can activate the rollback with it? Wire pulls you back a certain distance, you pull up the hook after you stop, and taxi off the landing area.

Having said that, your idea of using Pushback to get to the designated parking spot is an excellent idea. Did you use the Pushback gauge from Andiroto (Simple Ramp Gauge), or Rob Barendregt's rcbgh-60 gauge, or just the normal FSX pushback feature? In any event, obviously a great idea

Also, did you activate the Big E in vLSO? Part of the Advanced Settings tab. Read the Instruction Manual, or just go the Advanced Settings tab and explore a bit.

Keep up the good work, and obviously, keep having fun!
Pat☺

I used the std FSX(A) pushback. I have Rob's ....30 for catapault but will check out the ...60 gauge's pushback feature and Andiroto's Ramp gauge as alternatives and also be sure that "Big E" is activated. Thanks for the help. I have SWS Midway Group on my want list with all its features it really looks cool. Disappointed though that I need P3DV4 to use the elevators if I read it correctly. My computer is not "big" enough to run it and there will probably not be a new one if ever on my small budget. Lucky to be able to afford this one when the ol' Dell XP gave up the ghost 3 years ago. On the up side is the fact that I would lose a whole lot of favorite things if I switched to V4 from FSX just to get a few perks. My scenery is plenty beautiful and detailed for me as are the aircraft and scenery I spent so much on over the past 10 years since running FSX as well as the wonderful freeware that also is not compatible.

 

[fsafranek]

I was scanning the search result threads for something else and spotted this one. There are a couple other options I'm aware of for placing yourself on the deck.

1) Using the RFN Carrier Gauge you have the Go To option to place your aircraft on one of up to four locations on the deck.
You can even place your chopper on the helipad of a cruiser or destroyer. Free at http://royalefrenchnavy.restauravia.fr/RFN-Creations.htm#Gau

2) Use the SimWorks Studio SWS Fleet Placer included with the CEX system of their various US Navy products.
The warp-to-deck option works like AI Carriers to place the ship(s) and optionally to place you on the deck at the same time. More info here: https://simworksstudios.com/

Hope this helps.

 

[tgycgijoes]

FSX@War-CCP

I was scanning the search result threads for something else and spotted this one. There are a couple other options I'm aware of for placing yourself on the deck.

1) Using the RFN Carrier Gauge you have the Go To option to place your aircraft on one of up to four locations on the deck.
You can even place your chopper on the helipad of a cruiser or destroyer. Free at http://royalefrenchnavy.restauravia.fr/RFN-Creations.htm#Gau

2) Use the SimWorks Studio SWS Fleet Placer included with the CEX system of their various US Navy products.
The warp-to-deck option works like AI Carriers to place the ship(s) and optionally to place you on the deck at the same time. More info here: https://simworksstudios.com/

Hope this helps.

You can also check out Carrier Convoy Planner which I have a post here about when I was putting seaplanes on catapaults which you can position the aircraft at ANY position you have programmed. Javier's Nimitz for example has 9 different locations. With that program you can setup any track anywhere in the world. It has a learning curve but there are excellent youTube videos online. RFN is a great alternative that I have always installed in my aircraft (even if TACAN didn't exist until Vietnam)