Hi to all!I'm new to ActiveSky forum.Is there the possibility to download weather information from VATSIM network in ActiveSky, like FSMeteo does?Many thanks.Regards.Bye, Max------------------------------Flight - Sky - Freedom------------------------------..and sorry for my bad English----| My System |----Athlon XP 2100+Motherboard Asus A7v8x512 DDR RAM 333MhzMaxtor 7200rpm 60GbAsus GeForce4 Ti4200 128Mb AGP8xWindows XP Pro SP1

That's affirmative, Max. ActiveSky wxRE includes an option to select whether the METARs are downloaded from NOAA or VATSIM. ActiveSky wxRE also includes wake turbulence simulation (a first for FS), and with the help of the free add-on AIBridge, it will simulate the wake turbulence of other aircraft flying online.Best wishes, and Happy New Year!Andy SutterMA825/KSFO (Meridian VA)kZAU ARTCC/STU+

Wow! so the wake turbolence works also with squawkbox aircraft! Sounds interesting!Ok, last question: according to you is ActiveSky better integrated with FS2002 than FSMeteo? In particular concerning fog, snow, rain etc...Many thanks!Bye, Max------------------------------Flight - Sky - Freedom------------------------------..and sorry for my bad English----| My System |----Athlon XP 2100+Motherboard Asus A7v8x512 DDR RAM 333MhzMaxtor 7200rpm 60GbAsus GeForce4 Ti4200 128Mb AGP8xWindows XP Pro SP1

Just a word of advice. Be carefull with the use of TAF processing in VATSIM. You don't want to get different weather than the others.About FSmeteo search in AVSIM foruns and you will find info comparing both.Jos

Yes sir -- wake turbulence works with SquawkBox aircraft as well! In fact, I was nearly blown off the taxiway in a recent flight while holding short for an incoming 737 (I was in a Beechcraft Baron). Definitely adds a whole new aspect to online flying, but beware: while VATSIM ATC *usually* follows standard procedures for wake turbulence separation, *some* Controllers don't bother since FS doesn't simulate it. It might be worth mentioning in the Comments section of your flight plan that you are simulating wake turbulence (just so the Controller is aware).As for a comparison, my original reason for switching to ActiveSky wxRE from FS-Meteo was because of FS-Meteo's instability (it would frequently export corrupted weather files, and crash FS-FlightMax). At the moment, however, ActiveSky wxRE isn't completely compatible with FlightMax, although after the next update it should be (should be out very soon). ActiveSky works flawlessly (for me, anyway) with Flight Simulator 2002, and does a wonderful job rendering fog, low clouds, rain, and snow. In this respect, ActiveSky wxRE has a definite advantage over FS-Meteo (in my opinion). As with FS-Meteo, ActiveSky wxRE does require some manipulation of your FSUIPC settings to work correctly (and to provide the best appearance). ActiveSky wxRE has a much nicer interface than "the other weather add-on," and seems a bit more user-friendly as well.As for the support, just look through this forum and see the number of posts from Damian (ActiveSky's creator). He has been excellent at keeping us informed, and quickly replying to posts. Even if he doesn't reply right away (he actually has a j*b as well), there are usually several others in this forum who will offer prompt assistance.See you in the virtual skies!Andy SutterMA825/KSFO (Meridian VA)kZAU ARTCC/STU+

Ok.Many many thanks to all!!!I think I'll become a new ActiveSky user ;-)Bye, Max------------------------------Flight - Sky - Freedom------------------------------..and sorry for my bad English----| My System |----Athlon XP 2100+Motherboard Asus A7v8x512 DDR RAM 333MhzMaxtor 7200rpm 60GbAsus GeForce4 Ti4200 128Mb AGP8xWindows XP Pro SP1

TAF processing is the issue of primary interest to me regarding this product!The primary problem for me with METARs is, when auto-reported, they lack info about cloud layers above 12,000', which (as I'm often flying turboprops) just happens to be where I spend most of my flight time. TAF processing has the potential to mean a much more realistic sky environment. For example, when I'm flying on a gray day with this (actual) weather: SCT 140 BKN 190 OVC 270 BR RA-but my local auto-reported METAR says this: 10SM CLR RA-then in the sim I find myself in the ludicrous situation of sunshine(!) with light rain, along with CAFB at FL200, when my RW experience tell me I'd be IMC and icing.It is this issue (and my hope that WxRE fixes it) which propels all my interest in ActiveSky WxRE.Admittedly the single-layer winds aloft issue I just read about elsewhere in this forum is a fatal problem for me right now, but I do imagine you'll fix it, and meanwhile the TAF ability has captured my interest.So, my first question is, are TAFs and METARs used together, or is a question of either/or? IOW, are TAFs only used to replace old/missing METARs, so that a current METAR overrides the TAF (meaning that a TAF forecasting the high conditions above is overriden by a "clear with ten miles vis" METAR)? If so, then WxRE will make no difference to the situation described above.My second question is, exactly how is TAF processing prioritized? What options are available to control it's actions? My search today of this forum for "TAF processing" hasn't turned up anything that addresses these questions. If TAF is only used to fill in for missing/old METARs, then it won't fix my problem plus it creates the above-mentioned problem with VATSIM (which I also use).However, if the TAF processing can be controlled by the player, and if the VATSIM problem is fixed, oh boy! I would set TAF to "fill out" the sky above 12,000', have the option to control just how old a METAR it would override, and a checkbox option for TAF processing to do nothing below 12,000 feet would avoid VATSIM conflict. Add the ability to use VATSIM WX on the METAR side and you'd have a "must-get" product. Fix the WA and you'll be set -- and you'll have a new customer. --BeachComer Stephen "Beach" Comer Real World Pile-it Commercial ASMEL, Instrument Airplane 4500 TT, 2500 BE20 & BE10 Serving Happy Landings Since 1973!

Hi Stephen,"Fix the WA" - what is wrong with it? Please explain why you feel that a single layer is a show-stopper for you? Not sure I explained the limitations correctly - but as of right now it is working AS designed and IMO (and would venture to say in many other's opinion as well) we have the best setup possible for dealing with all the limitations and providing maximum realism. If there is something else about this that prevents you from doing something realistically, let me know!TAF processing will combine a METAR and TAF element's main reporting parts, and the TAF element's cloud info will take precidence. Note that the TAF header is not processed. METAR and TAF cloud info is not combined, only the TAF's cloud info is used.The TAF element will be used depending on your options, mainly USE SYSTEM TIME and TAF PROCESSING. When TAF processing enabled, the CURRENT time (as configured, either system or FS) is compared to the METAR time and to the TAF ELEMENT time (i.e. BECMG 0200 XXXXXX). The nearest, most valid element (either METAR or TAF) is used. When this happens the METAR's information including temp/dew, altimeter and visibility (sometimes) is combined with the TAF element to make a new DYANMIC METAR entry for wxRE to process.This is all described in the user manual, available free here in the avsim library.The short answer to your question is no, you will not always get TAF cloud info combined with METAR cloud info. But it is something I have been working on for a month now and hope to complete it soon (has been suggested a few times before!).Thanks Stephen..-Damian[table border=0" cellspacing="30" cellpadding="0][tr][td align = "left"]Damian ClarkHiFi Simulation SoftwareDeveloper of ActiveSkyThe next-generation weather environment simulation for FS2002!http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky[/td][td]http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/images/wxrebeta.jpg][/td][/tr][/table://http://hifi.avsim.net/activesky/ima...][/tr][/table

Hey, Damian,Wow, that's a fast response, and from The Man himself, too. Call me "impressed".I did some more reading on the wind issue, specifically, your response to the first poster (sorry, don't recall name, time prohibits looking it up again). Anyway, I have been using FSMeteo for a year with VATSIM without problems, but I don't know if it's a single layer wind or not, but I do know that there is no problem busting along with a 100 kt tailwind at FL310 while getting an accurate ATIS at the destination, and if WxRE does have the problem as described by the poster, it would definitely kill WxRE for me, no matter how good the TAF solution. After all, TAF is such a good idea, it will within the year be used by all the weather software vendors, I'm willing to bet.I'll reserve judgement on the issue for now; however, there doesn't seem to be any way to test this in ActiveSky, since (despite the claim on Avsim's front page that ActiveSky WxRE is shareware, there is no shareware download listed in the downloads section of your ActiveSky site (hosted by Avsim, I notice) -- just the update and the manual. Your answer on TAFs seems to mean ActiveSky is designed better than I feared, but not as good as I wish. Further, more questions are raised thereby. Exactly how does TAF override METAR? Surely not always, or there'd be no point in using METAR at all. So, there must be some rules governing the circumstances under which METAR overrides. I'd like to know all of those rules, in complete detail. Oh, I'll get the manual and read it, but in case the TAF/METAR interaction isn't described to the last detail, please do give the missing bits (if any) here!You have come so far in such a short time that I have every confidence that you will solve your TAF integration issue, and I hope you take my comments about VATSIM and user control over TAF interaction to heart.PS!!! When I went to get the manual, what do I see but also the v1.5 freeware version! So that's how I'm supposed to try it! OK, then!However, it really needs to be listed on your website's d/l page! I have a real problem with things not being all together. At 56K, it takes too long to try to look all over for stuff...Best Regards, --BeachComer Stephen "Beach" Comer Real World Pile-it Commercial ASMEL, Instrument Airplane 4500 TT, 2500 BE20 & BE10 Serving Happy Landings Since 1973!