AI Helicopters

[Guest]

Hi everyone, Does anyone know how to get the helicopters to show up as AI? I'm also looking for partial files or any information on how it was accomplished. [email protected]

[1mikel151]

as far as I know it hasn't been done the normal AI way. I tried for quite awhile, got them to show, but never fly. there is a file by SAMBOB I believe that explains how he tried to get it to work! maybe in the new version of FS.Regards, Michaelhttp://mysite.verizon.net/res052cd/mybannercva1.jpg

[Guest]

I have that file but it was incomplete. I remember seeing more detailed info her but I can't seem to find the file in the archive section.

[Guest Kurt]

You can use an .air file from a aircraft such as the C172 or C208 with the helicopter .mdl file. What you end up with is an aircraft that looks like a helicopter or a helicopter that flies like an aircraft depending on how you look at it. It will taxi to the runway, take off/fly/ and land like the aircraft whose .air file you are using. If will not act like a helicopter as far as hovering.http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3e4e4c7e767e16d8.jpghttp://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3e4e4cb47740b63c.jpghttp://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3e4e4cd377f1d484.jpgThe AI also use their own sound files and the helo will sound like the aircraft whose .air file you are using. You can rename some helo .wav files and put them in the main sound folder, but then any AI aircraft that use that sound will also sound like helo's.Kurt M

[1mikel151]

Kurt, that is amazing!!! What if you used a harrier airfile, would it have shorter takeoff time to get an inbetween look. What about having a dummie aircraft, say a cessna or a harrier tha never flies, but you use the airflie and have heli sounds in it, then it wouldn't be an issue. I am really intrigued with your results, I tried for weeks to get good results! Regards, Michaelhttp://mysite.verizon.net/res052cd/mybannercva1.jpg

[Guest Kurt]

Michael,Using a Harrier airfile might work, I've only tried the C172 and C208 airfiles so far. The C172 airfile works, but the skids are in the ground using the C172 aircraft.cfg file. I tried adjusting the contact points, but ended up with the aircraft not being able to turn and just starting up and taxiing off in a straight line. The C208 airfile and aircraft.cfg keeps the skids off the ground and makes it look like it is hover taxiing, although it will still be off the ground when parked and the engine is off.The AI aircraft only seem to use the sounds in the main sound folder named ai_*.wav and xai_*.wav. The ai_*.wav files are what you hear if you are next to an AI aircraft and are in the cockpit, and the xai_*.wav files are used when you are in spotview. I tried using a sound folder with helo .wav files and even aliasing to the helo sounds, but the sim only seems to use the ai_*.wav files as far as I can tell. I didn't spend a lot of time playing with the sounds though.Here is a quick way to get a helo model to show up if you just want to check out how it looks.-go to the C208 (not the C208B) aircraft model folder and rename the model.cfg to modelORIG.cfg-from the bell206b model folder copy the Bell_206B.mdl and model.cfg to the C208 model folder.-from the bell206b texture folder copy the Bell_206B_T.bmp and prop_bell_206.bmp to the C208 Texture folder (the first texture folder/not texture.1 or texture.2, the C208 only has flight plans that use the one texture)You should now see the bell helo where the C208 amphib used to appear in the sim. Try at Meigs -KCGX at 22:35 UTC or 16:35 local standard/17:35 local daylight time.I've only played around with this a little and it's not what most are looking for when it comes to helo AI. Kurt M

[manta]

Hi all,good info thanks for posting it.Here's an idea I've been thinking of trying, but haven't had the time yet. Using some scenery tools to create an additional 'dummy' airport for the helo's to land. The runway, taxiway and parking would all be the same spot - or *very* close together and it would represent 1 helo landing pad. The drawback would be you'd need to create one of these 'dummy airports' for every AI Helo landing spot you wanted. I don't know if you can place these 'dummy airport' spaces on existing airport areas (don't see why not, but...?).And I don't know how airplane airfiles would react to the ultra short runways -might need to tweak them be become ultra-STOL aircraft.Anyway, just some ideas I've had. cheers all

[Guest Kurt]

That is the idea that Bob Samuelson used along with airfiles from a balloon or blimp. You might want to get aicopters.zip and check the info, I never got around to trying it, but I believe he included an afcad file in the zip.http://ftp.avsim.com/library/esearch.php?D...hor=&CatID=RootKurt M

[1mikel151]

Hey Kurt, your post got me back to trying the AI helis again, I had done quite a few tests before with less than favorable results. After responding to your earlier post I made a folder with the bell 206, used the cessna 14 airfile since it has good STOL capabilities and the aircraft CFG, had to change the contact points since it is a tailtragger and the helis would sit like that, only now that wouldn't take off. I had checked out the file from Bob you mentioned in my first attempt awhile back and used the various airfiles with terrible results. This time I was able to see them in the air with AIView and it was sweet, just when they came in for a landing, kaplat! LOL I was abnle to get them to taxi to the runway, but when they took off they would flip over. I am going to try with some diffeent airfiles and see what happens, keep ya posted.Regards, Michaelhttp://mysite.verizon.net/res052cd/mybannercva1.jpg

[Guest]

I've been using the Cseena 172 and reworking the engine HP along with the elevator effeciency in the AI helicopter .air file. It takes off somewhat like a helicopter, nose low for a while, then rockets up to altitude. At one point I had one hover taxi over another helicopter that was in it's path, after seeing this, I'm sure helicopter AI flight can be accomplished, we just have to get the right configuration. My latest try a mix between the Goodyear blimp, Cessna 172 and the Bell 206 .air files.

[1mikel151]

I would love that airfile! I played with it some more last night and got some great results. I used a hovercraft airfile I found and raised the contact points a bit, but it looks strange sitting off the ground, I guess you need to compromise, looking good parked or taking off. I still can't get them to take off, but the landings have improved, still not hovering, that would be sweet, but a helluva lot of fun flying with them!!! I am going to try and get the hot air ballon airfile a try. I agree, we are so close and I have seen such results that is must be possible!Regards, Michaelhttp://mysite.verizon.net/res052cd/mybannercva1.jpg

[Holger]

Howdy:sweet success on my part, too! I've managed to tweak Al Kaiser's Stemme Motor Glider .air and .cfg files to work with AI helicopters. The beasts take off after about 50 meters and land quite "orderly" too. There's still room for improvement as the takeoff is nose-up and on short final the heli swings a bit from side to side (because I've set the files to make them come in at very low speed, <35 kts, which reduces runway length requirement but also flight stability).As Michael mentioned in another post, once set up, the files work with any helicopter. I particularly like the B222b GMax by Alan Devins (screen shot attached) because it's on wheels and the gear is actually pulled up during flight (on the down side, the tail rotor doesn't spin).Now the challenge is to design the "optimal" heliport for AI helicopters. I'm working on the CYVR (Vancouver) Helijet South Terminal, since Nigel Grant included all those nice helipads in his new scenery on my request. My idea is to have two very narrow runways side by side, one for takeoff and one for landings (my choppers don't land at the beginning of the runway, but an (invisible) AFCAD runway placed correctly should do the visual trick. I'll keep you posted.Michael, or anyone else: I'd be interested in exchanging files to compare ideas and results (my email is [email protected]). For example, I've tried massaging the C-140 files but the result wasn't that great - I must be missing something.Also, perhaps a few of us could get together and make up a package for general "consumption", including tweaked files (if the original author's give their consent) and a few sample heliports and flightplans. Whaddayathink?Cheers, Holger