For those that have UT2I've understood that all traffic in UT2 follows flight plans. Obviously those flights that cross the Atlantic are always on a fixed track, as opposed to the real world NAT track system that changes twice a day according to traffic flow and prevailing winds.How does this work in practise in UT2 if you fly a real world track with real world weather? Have you noticed any problems, like conflicting traffic or something like that?

Yup, all AI is on set FPs. In your case, those written by UT. They don't get out of your way if you get to close. You have to miss them.Bob

so they actually follow realistic routes instead of gps direct to? wow that is pretty cool! if I fly on specific airways the AI will also be on them?

so they actually follow realistic routes instead of gps direct to? wow that is pretty cool! if I fly on specific airways the AI will also be on them?

I believe what I said was that the OPs planes fly flightplans writen by the folks at UT. Those plans may well be between actual airports at times the real airlines fly, within the limits of FSX. AI is not affected by weather as far as I know.Bob

I believe what I said was that the OPs planes fly flightplans writen by the folks at UT. Those plans may well be between actual airports at times the real airlines fly, within the limits of FSX. AI is not affected by weather as far as I know.

Thanks. Yes I was aware that they do indeed fly flightplans, but their choice of routes for atlantic crossing was something that interests me in particular.I'm thinking that the fact that FS ATC does not create lateral separation between AI causes situations like faster traffic running into the next one's tail, now when they fly actual routes. Have you noticed any situations like this?It's ironic that in real world we are actually moving to more "direct GPS" type routings, away from the congested airway system! :(

A flightplan is a flightplan is a flightplan. Makes no difference if it is a direct flight from KLAX to KJFK or across the ocean. The FS world is divided into AI zones, each a couple hundred square miles, if I remember. AI only "exist" in the zone where the user plane is. Let's say you are in Paris, waiting for a flight from New York. You've been sitting there for 10 hours. The flight from New York has not been recreated in FS from beginning to end. Rather it spawns in the air at the edge of the zone you are in. So, no, two planes going different speeds from the same departure and arrival points are not going to bump into each other. You can fly along side that flight for the whole time, if you wish. How? Because AI exist in the zone you are in. Two of the same planes using the same flightplan will be fine because they will not be able to take off at the same time, and will always have some distance between them. However, if you are at their destination airport, they will spawn next to each other in your zone. One will be able to land and the other will go around. If you are in the air, watching a plane ,and another faster plane on the same route comes along, they will not hit each other. Bob

If I am assessing this post correctly, it seems like the OP wants to know if the AI in UT2 follows waypoints instead of just flying from one airport to another. The answer to that is "No", and that will of course include NATs. FS does not allow AI to follow waypoints at all. As with default AI, the aircraft will take off at it's scheduled time and fly directly to the arrival airport.Yes, UT2 does include real world schedules, but not real world routes. So you will not see AI ever use SIDs, STARs, waypoints, VORs, etc. Only the DEPT and ARVL airports.I still believe UT2 will be worth it as soon as I can afford it, though. Real world airline schedules with massive coverage of the world's airlines is a huge improvement over default AI or MyTraffic X (which does add airlines, but not real world schedules).I used UT up until my last FSX reinstall and I loved it. The only reason I have not reinstalled UT this time is my planned anticipation of getting UT2 within the next month. Just based on UT experience and Flight1's reputation, I still highly recommend it.On the subject of the NATs -- as with everything else mentioned above, those involved waypoints. AI only uses "great circle" routing for direct GPS flights.I hope this answers your question :-)

Hi ChristopherWhile I appreciate that you took the time to answer, what you say is simply not true. Older UT versions, FS9 and default traffic may work like you described, but not UT2.From the UT2 feature list at http://ut2.flight1.net/index.php/features.html :"Flight Plan Assignments - Each airline flight in Ultimate Traffic 2 uses a flight plan to navigate from the departure airport to its destination airport. These flight plans can also be customized. Assign any FSX style flight plan to a flight using this feature."

I have Ultimate Traffic 2 and am using fsx. I fly mostly around Europe using high altitude IFR flight plans generated by fsx. There is a lot of AI traffic using the same waypoints that I am using. I've never had to change course because there have been altitude differences but the quantity of traffic can be very high depending on where I am at. ATC chatter can get very crowded as well. UT2 is a great addition to fsx.I have not noticed any ai changes due to weather though.

@ChristopherFSX AI can indeed follow waypoints, if the AI routings are created using an external program, and then placed in the sim via SimConnect. This is what UT2 is doing.What you said is indeed correct for SDK-supplied TDBB compiler AI....the SDK compiler can only make Great Circle routings.The great benefit of SimConnect is just how much can be done outside of the FSX program. This new feature of UT2 is the biggest advance in it, by far, in my opinion.Regarding NAT tracks, they certainly can be simulated in UT2, but the user would have to constantly change the tracks to match the constantly changing real-world NAT routings. That would be a lot of work!

A little info from their help documentation that should clear things up:3. Remove Plan and Add Plan Buttons - If you would like to assign a new flight plan to be used by a flight, press the 'Add Plan' button. To remove a flight plan you have assigned and return the flight back to the default Ultimate Traffic 2 flight plan, press the 'Remove Plan' button. When a new flight plan is being added to a flight, the following screen will appear. Ultimate Traffic 2 Flight Plan Assignments Map Page Use this screen to review both the Ultimate Traffic 2 flight plan (in blue) and the new flight plan you want to add (in red). If you are satisfied with the new plan press the 'Yes, Replace Current' plan button. All plans to be imported into Ultimate Traffic 2 MUST conform to either the FSX or FS9 standard .pln file format.Previous Next

@ChristopherFSX AI can indeed follow waypoints, if the AI routings are created using an external program, and then placed in the sim via SimConnect. This is what UT2 is doing.What you said is indeed correct for SDK-supplied TDBB compiler AI....the SDK compiler can only make Great Circle routings.The great benefit of SimConnect is just how much can be done outside of the FSX program. This new feature of UT2 is the biggest advance in it, by far, in my opinion.Regarding NAT tracks, they certainly can be simulated in UT2, but the user would have to constantly change the tracks to match the constantly changing real-world NAT routings. That would be a lot of work!

Are you serious??? Okay then I formally apologize and stand corrected on my information. I had looked at the UT2 web site but I completely missed the information that it controls the AI externally -- and that simconnect allowed third party programs to do this with AI. I was under the impression it just created traffic BGL files like UT did. Thanks for the correction. :( On the 24th of this month I am DEFINITELY buying that program then! :(