FS9 configurator

[Guest flightsimmernick]

I wonder if anyone can help me?I set the AI taxi speed for runway vacate to around 35-40 knots but I cant say that I have noticed a difference in the speed and time it takes for my AI to exit the active runway. Is there something else I should be doing to ensure that this is working correctly?Also today is the first time I have had a problem like this but I have just gone to FS9 configurator and look at the AI speed but I am prompted with an error message"Unable to open E:Program FilesMicrosoft fames Flight Simulator 9 modulesai_playr.dll"I presume that I am missing a module from my FS9 modules folder but I cannot remember deleting or moving this file? Can anyone tell me where I can get this file or if it is on one of the FS9 installation discs?Thanks

[Johan_Dees 84]

Google FLUSIFIX.. a lot more options, including taxispeeds..JohanA LITTLE LESS CONVERSATION, AND A LITTLE MORE ACTION PLEASE..http://www.jdserver.mine.nu/johan

[Guest flightsimmernick]

Thaks for that, neat little program!I have been modifying my taxi speeds this afternoon and I have noticed that unless I increase the normal taxiway speed then the runway taxi speed does not increase? Is this normal?

[Opa 6]

The ai_playr.dll is the dll which FS9 Configurator modifies.It sounds as if the file has become corrupted.You will need to restore it from your install disks.The following site will show you where everything is on the disks and also show you how to easily restore what you need.http://www.cat-tamer.com/flightsim/faq001.htmlKen's program has always worked properly for me but I keep a backup of the original ai_playr.dll on hand just in case.

[Guest flightsimmernick]

Thanks David, just to clarify, the taxi speed and the runway taxi speed should operate independantley. As I said it is only when I have incrased the normal taxiway speed that my runway taxi speed has also increased.

[Opa 6]

Be aware that modifying the default speeds may adversly affect the performance of any AI Helicopters or AI Ultralites you may have or may install in the future.They rely on the default values and if they have been changed, may not make their final turn and land properly.I found that out the hard way!

[Guest flightsimmernick]

Well I dont seem to be having much joy with this!I can only get the runway taxi speed to increase when I have the normal taxi speed increased. I dont know what I am doing wrong or if this is normal. I have also tried getting a new module from my FS 2 disc.

[Opa 6]

I am confused by your use of terms - I have never noticed any difference between the speed an aircraft taxi's on a runway compared the taxi speed elsewhere.Are you actually referring to the roll out speed after landing before it settles into a taxi speed?If not, then I beleive there is only one taxi speed - regardless of where an aircraft is on the airport property.If I am mistaken on that I am sure someone will correct me.

[Guest flightsimmernick]

In FS9 configurator and the other utility (named above) there are two options and 2 differnt spe3eds which you are given the option to set:Taxiway SpeedLand-Taxi SpeedShould these two not work independentley or each other, or are they connected?I only seem to notice an increase in aircraft land-taxi speed when the normal taiway soeed is increased also.

[Opa 6]

There does not seem to be a good explanation of what Land-Taxi speed actually does but that is the value which needs to stay at the default if you have any AI Heli's or Ultra-lites working. Raising that value makes them miss the final turn and they land in never-never land.I therefore presume (always a dangerous thing to do) that the Land-Taxi value has something to do with the final approach speed since it adversly affects the above mentioned types of aircraft.I do see a noticeable increase in the taxi speed when on the ground if the Taxiway Speed value is raised.Another utility you can use is called AI Timer Patcher. This utility allows you to increase the amount of time AI aircraft will wait before "timeing out" and dissappearing. I find it can be helpful in getting more aircraft off the ground at conjested airports.It is in the library here - look for aitp10.zipHope these somewhat rambling thoughts are useful.

[Guest flightsimmernick]

Thanks again David, Your thoughts made perfect sense!That utility will come very useful, thanks for that! i have often wondered if you could modify the time AI aircraft timeout but always assumed that this was hard coded. Yes I can see a difference having increased the taxiway speed on runway vacation and generally around the airport, however I have never really wanted to increase the taxiway speed just the speed that aircraft vactae the runway after landing. I will have to find a good speed which is a good compromise for both.Thanks again!

[Opa 6]

You are welcome of course.When I did the Easter Island project a year or more ago, I discovered that all AI are not created equal. In the process of seeking a 767 to use there I noted that the roll out characteristics varied greatly from provider to provider i.e. Ardvark was quite different than a model from PAI.I needed an aircraft which would have a minimal roll out so it would exit at the first available taxiway and not go past it because it had not yet reached the taxi state. Several I tried took so long to complete the roll out that the aircraft had to taxi all the way to the other end of the runway and that was what I was trying to avoid.I assume (that word again) that the difference in roll out was due to differing variables in the aircraft.cfg and .air files but I never delved into it. Perhaps someone with some first hand knowledge of this will chime in.I don't know if this affects AI jets or not, but editing the reverse thrust variable in a flyable jet's .air file will allow the plane to slow down more quickly when reverse thrust is applied. The usual value is often something like -25 and if raised to -45 etc. the plane will slow much more quickly.You might experiment with that and see if it affects AI jets also.Hope this is useul.

[Guest flightsimmernick]

Hi David, Thanks again (that word again)!It is interesting you say about your trials to find a 767 with minimal rollout. That is the very aircraft that I have found that does have a very short landing and roll out distance before the aircraft reaches a taxi state and is ready to leave the runway, hense making the first exit. Of course I have no problem with it vacating quicly and indeed it is able to make the first couple of runway exits but when a 737 or A319 needs nearly double the distance the exit the runway it seems a little bizare!I am using AI 767 aardvark models and find all there models realistic however when it comes to this the 767 appears to be the only aircraft like it as the rest of my aardvark aircraft (from 737's to 747's and MD80's) use much more runway to slow to a taxi speed. I did post another thread on here the otherday and I have been experiment with various controls in the cfg and the air files but so far have not had any amjor successes. Will continue to have a look and see what I stumble across but I will be sure to look the reverse thrust control as mentioned above.What AI 767 do you have and if it happens to be aardvark model then have you noticed a similar result upon touchdown as I have?RegardsNick

[tgibson 11]

Hi,They are not "connected", and work in very different ways.The Taxi Speed is the speed that the planes will taxi at - off or ON the runway.The Land-Taxi Speed is the speed at which the plane coming in for a landing will switch from "Landing" mode to "Taxi" mode. Once this happens the plane will brake to slow down and will begin taxiing at the Taxi Speed you have set. If you set this speed just under 40 kts (i.e. when ATC says "Please exit the runway"), you will have it set at its most efficient. But as some have said above some AI helicopters will have problems with that.Hope this helps,--Tom GibsonCal Classic Propliner Page: http://www.calclassic.comFreeflight Design Shop: http://www.freeflightdesign.comDrop by! ___x_x_(")_x_x___

[Opa 6]

Actually the one which worked best for me on Easter Island was a PAI model - in Lan Chili livery of course.The simplest thing to do would be to get your airport authorities to spend a little money and add more exits - brilliant eh?