Hi,If I understand FS2002 correctly the various AI planes do actually go to other airports/ airfields and land.. or do they just disappear? The reason for the question - I tried to follow one, and it just disappeared! I had hoped to track it all the way to its destination. It was a small cessna, so no flight plan was filled. I assume a large jet with a flight plane would have a real route, but is the same true for the smaller GA types?Keith

Hi Keith, I do not know for sure but here is what I have seen. If I try to follow an AI plane as well, I get to a certain point and it is gone. When it seems to dissapear is when you fly to a point where the sim pauses to reload the current scenery. When the sim comes back, the plane is gone. If you are following a local flight within your current area, you should be able to follow to it's destination. For example, I setup an AI flight from KBED (Bedford, Ma.) to KBOS (Boston, Ma.) only a few minutes appart by air. I was able to follow the flight to it's destination.Hope this helps.Happy Flying,Mark

i believe that every AI plane has an origin and destination airport. if you download Traffic Tools by Lee Swordy, you can actaully look at each flight plan. i've seen some folks comment that aircraft will disappear if they are extrememly late according to their schedule. not sure tho... i've had AI planes land, then hold short of an active runway for a LONG time and finally disappear....i'm assuming because they became way late by holding for so long.chris

You need a tool like AI View to follow an AI craft to its destination.Your assumption is correct however. Normally, ATC aircraft exist only within a 40 mi square sector around your aircraft position. The AI engine uses the programmed flight plans to determine which aircraft will be in "your sector" at any given moment. When aircraft pass beyond these borders, they vanish.If an aircraft gets stuck, it will hang around for a while before disappearing after the AI engine realizes there's no hope of it making its scheduled time table.JPS. Also...AI aircraft do not follow flight plans. They fly great circle routes direct from A to B (with exception of departure and arrival patterns).

I followed an AI Plane (and harassed it) from Take off @ London Heathrow to Land @ Dusseldorph. I believe (could be wrong) that's more than 40 sqr mile.Regards

Just learning about how to program AI planes. Yes, they do need a start point and a destination point. But, they will turn around and land at the same airport if so instructed.Finally learned to make the new GMax GZR_Invader B-26 into an AI and program it and it's variants to take off one after the other. Not sure if you can post screen shots in this forum. However, I did post screen shots in the TTools forum. Actually, followed the AI out to the apron while it took off. Now to see if I can catch it and fly in formation with until it lands.Great fun.Frenchy -- out.

Sorry...I should have been more specific. *YOU* can follow the AI plane in your own aircraft (i.e. fly after it). What I should have said is this: imagine a 40 sq mile sector around your current aircraft position. Think of this as a moving window. If that window moves in tandem with an AI craft, you'll be able to track the flight the entire distance.However, if you stay parked on the ground and watch an AI craft take off. That AI aircraft will only be "active" in the AI system as long as it stays within the active 40 sq mi zone around your stationary aircraft. When it goes out of that range, the aircraft disappears. The AI engine is constantly calculating which aircraft should be within that 40 sq mi zone around your current position based on flight plan projections and flight times specified in those plans.Everything outside your "bubble" effectively does not exist to the AI system.J

Thanks. I took off after this Invader almost caught up to it and then lost it in the clouds. Decided to go back home and land. Bingo. There it was trying to land in front of me. Dropped flaps and gear to set my Invader down on the edge then taxied into the apron and waited. Sure enough. Here came the first one back. Frenchy -- out.

Thanks folks.So if I get this right all the AI planes - regardless of size fly a real flight ie take off and land at another airfield unless they are 'late'. So if that is correct, how come the following happens:Meigs, 17;00 Cessna, follows a cessna - same type - plane flies East, I fly east, tags are on and indciating the cessna call sign 816 is about 2.5 miles away. Changes freq to approch, I do the same. About 10 mins later, the AI planes is handed off. I do not know who to. Just then the tag vanishes. Now according to all your posts - I am in the 40 mile radius, the plane is a GA so has no schedule, and in any case took off straight away. So how come he vanishes? Sorry but I still don't understand. Perhaps with some GA aircraft they do just vanish once they are a certian distance from their take - off point.Or perhaps we need Mulder and Scully?Keith