AI choppers in the sky now

[Holger 0]

Howdy:I have uploaded the first three "starter kits" of my AI helicopters project. For now, the files are available at hovercontrol.com and simviation.com. I'll upload to the avsim library as soon as the remaining four kits are ready (within a few days).If you're interested, please visit the AI helicopters support forum for more details: at www.hovercontrol.com, under Message Forums > Support Area > Helicopter AICheers, Holger http://forums.avsim.com/user_files/13874.jpghttp://forums.avsim.com/user_files/13875.jpghttp://forums.avsim.com/user_files/13876.jpg

[Guest Grey_Wolf]

WhoHoo!!! This will keep me busy and happy for a long long time:-jumpy :-rotor :-xxrotflmao:-vuur

[Guest Captain Barfbag]

Oh, man, did it have to be THIS week? The in-laws are visiting, the boss wants me to work OT, there's make-up games after all that rain in the Northeast, and now THIS! Well, the boss is just gonna have to wait...

[Guest]

Glad to see this come to light!Great work!Al

[Holger 0]

Howdy:thanks for the enthusiasm, everyone ;-) And a special thanks to Al for allowing me to use his Stemme motor glider .air file as a crucial component!!!Cheers, Holger

[1mikel151 71]

Cool pics bro!! Wish I could play with them as well, new PC on the way! :-) At least I can see the other simmers enjoy heli AI!! LOLI agree, thanks Al for the use of the airfile, makes a world of difference!Regards, Michaelhttp://mysite.verizon.net/res052cd/mybannercva1.jpgCalVirAir International VAwww.calvirair.comCougar Mountain Helicopters & Aviationwww.cgrmtnhelos.com

[Guest racartron]

Hopefully the AI choppers fly better that the ones I try. Haven't mastered the art of handling them yet, but would love to see them flitting about. Are they vectored in to a rwy like a normal plane or do they "drop in" without a long approach?Racartronit means something, but I just can't remember what

[Holger 0]

well, they are not flying upside down, if that's what you mean ;-)Good question about the approach patterns. The AI choppers have the same "shallow" approach into the respective "heliport" (AFCAD overlay). However, flight patterns differ markedly between IFR and VFR flightplans.Since most of the heliports in the starter kits are isolated I was restricted to the more boring IFR flightplans. In places with groups of heliports, such as the Tofino-Vancouver-Victoria loop, I used VFR flightplans instead and the choppers quick turns through the approach legs look much more realistic. However, VFR flightplans for AI are more prone to failure in guiding the aircraft to a successful landing; I noticed that in particular in Victoria. One other thing that has been pointed out elsewhere: to connect two or more airports with VFR flightplans requires them to be more than approx. 15 miles apart; otherwise the AI aircraft will return to the originating airport, never mind what the flightplan specifies.Cheers, Holger

[Guest Captain Barfbag]

Yes, this does work. I installed the New York Central Park "heliport" and put in the loopback flight from the flightplan file provided. Sure enough, there was my default Bell, taking off, flying up the Hudson River a ways and coming back. Then it landed and the rotors spun down.One thing to note: The .air file sets the helicopters as "AI Only" in the Aircraft Type field. This means that you will not see them in the "Select Aircraft" menu, so don't expect to.

[Holger 0]

Howdy Captain:nice to hear the choppers are working for you ;-)Thanks for pointing out the AI only setting; I decided to go for this option as the AI flight models really aren't for hands-on flying.The remaining AI models (17 different models in four more "kits") are lining up for being packaged as we speak and should be out of my door by tomorrow.Cheers, Holger http://forums.avsim.com/user_files/14287.jpg