Revised ASE to handle light/variable winds changing AI runway

[Pete Dowson 558]

Hi folks,Damian Clark, author of Active Sky, has come through again, this time with help on the problems some of us had when a period of light and variable winds occurs. In my case, not only did RC's ATC change runways on me twice after announcing them in the ATIS, but FS's AI Traffic were landing and taking off every which way.I've not tested the update yet, as I had a disk crash on my development system just before going on holiday and need to rebuild my development environment first, but here's Damian's own explanation of what's been implemented.

The new option is "Force ATC Wind Lock" in the general ASE options. The feature will keep the wind locked down to prevent ATC from changing runway assignments, while permitting updates at critical phases including departure and approaching the destination threshold.When enabled, The surface wind direction and speed is locked, so that once depicted, it stays regardless of updates. The locked wind will reset/update when any of the following conditions are met:- If flying with a flight plan, when crossing the 80nm threshold to your destination- If not using a flight plan, when descending through the 3000ft AGL thresholdThe reset/update of the wind lock permits the proper current destination (or other airport) winds to get updated once before they are locked for good during the approach phase. Once landed, the process starts over.When enabled, this feature also forces a minimum 6KT wind speed to ensure consistent runway assignment.This feature can be used with or without a flight plan, in any depiction mode, in either sim version, regardless of destination wx zone force feature.Please feel free to hand it out to others to test, and let me know how it goes. I haven't tested this with RC so it may need some adjustment, just let me know what is needed.DOWNLOAD: ASE Update B645

Please reply to this thread after you try it, and let me know.RegardsPete

[MrSpeaker 121]

Hi folks,Damian Clark, author of Active Sky, has come through again, this time with help on the problems some of us had when a period of light and variable winds occurs. In my case, not only did RC's ATC change runways on me twice after announcing them in the ATIS, but FS's AI Traffic were landing and taking off every which way.I've not tested the update yet, as I had a disk crash on my development system just before going on holiday and need to rebuild my development environment first, but here's Damian's own explanation of what's been implemented.Please reply to this thread after you try it, and let me know.RegardsPete

Hey Pete I doing a flight from JFK to MEM and noticed something strange, the winds at jfk were 140 @ 11knts, the winds at mem were reporting the same, I thought that was a little weird so I checked the real metar from noaa and it was not even close, So just fro fun I started checking other airports in ASE, every metar I check whether it be in North America, Europe, South America etc etc were all reporting winds 140 @ 11 knts, I s this the way its suppose to be, I'' see what happens when I cross the 80 nm marker to see if it updates KMEM to the right winds

[Pete Dowson 558]

Hey Pete I doing a flight from JFK to MEM and noticed something strange, the winds at jfk were 140 @ 11knts, the winds at mem were reporting the same, I thought that was a little weird so I checked the real metar from noaa and it was not even close, So just fro fun I started checking other airports in ASE, every metar I check whether it be in North America, Europe, South America etc etc were all reporting winds 140 @ 11 knts, I s this the way its suppose to be, I'' see what happens when I cross the 80 nm marker to see if it updates KMEM to the right winds

Where are you checking the weather? If you are using DWC in ASE, then it works by setting exactly the same weather everywhere. That's how it stops the nasty wind and pressure and temperature shifts. It is called "Global Mode".Is this the first time you've used ASE with DWC? You either need to read the weather via FSUIPC (eg with WeatherSet2 or RC's ATIS) or ASE itself, certainly not FS.Pete

[MrSpeaker 121]

Something very wrong with this build, it locks every station to have the same winds as your departure and this does not change, as I said in my earlier post the winds at KMEM were 140@11 same as JFK, in reality they should have been 260@7, I thought this might change when crossing 80nm from the airport, it did not, using the ase gui I checked a bunch of airports from Europe to South America and it looks like the winds are locked to 140@11 at any airport I go to in fsx. I use DWC mode and I did file a FP.

Where are you checking the weather? If you are using DWC in ASE, then it works by setting exactly the same weather everywhere. That's how it stops the nasty wind and pressure and temperature shifts. It is called "Global Mode".Is this the first time you've used ASE with DWC? You either need to read the weather via FSUIPC (eg with WeatherSet2 or RC's ATIS) or ASE itself, certainly not FS.Pete

Hey Pete I have always used DWC but when you checked the locations in the ASE gui it would always still give you the correct metar, with this build the winds never change, ASE locked them in at 140@11 knts and they stay that way everywhere. They do not change, even after refreshing the weather

[Pete Dowson 558]

Hey Pete I have always used DWC but when you checked the locations in the ASE gui it would always still give you the correct metar, with this build the winds never change, ASE locked them in at 140@11 knts and they stay that way everywhere. They do not change, even after refreshing the weather

Ah, so you are looking at them in ASE. In that case it is most certainly wrong. Odd, Damian said it was working well for him.I'll report your findings to Damian. I won't be able to try it myself until later this week as I'm busy re-building my development system after a disk crash.RegardsPete

[Pete Dowson 558]

I'll report your findings to Damian.

Okay. Damian thinks he's found and fixed the bug. Here's a (hopefully) fixed update:ASE-Update-B646He adds:"For testing/bug reports on this please remind the users to share their logand options file to help with identification. I don't mind receivingreports directly via damianc@hifisim.com."So, whilst I'd like to know how things go, please feel free to send results directly. If you prefer, I can still relay them, but with attachments it gets a bit complicated, and I'll only delay matters unnecessarily.RegardsPete

[MrSpeaker 121]

Hey Pete I'm just doing some small GA flight right now, and the earlier problem that I mentioned seems to be fixed with this new build, I will do some Airline flights tomorrow with RC4 and PFE and see how she behaves, but this does look promising. I will send the log to Damian if problems should arise, but will also mention any problem in here aswell for others to see. Thanks again for posting this.

[jordanal 70]

Thanks for coordinating Pete! I had 646 loaded last night but had step away from the computer before pushing back from the gate. When I came back 1-1/2 hours later, the winds in ASE 646 and simconnect logs had changed, but FSX (shift-Z) had not. I am sending Damian my ASE log files now as suggested above.Another note on the FSUIPC side, maybe you can check - I have FSUIPC smoothing enabled (variance & turbulance) as well as the the "except on the ground" box checked. I don't think this checkbox is working because, when I load ASE in DWC mode, WideClient, then FSX, I can see the winds (shift-z) immediately set to 360 and then slowly begin to turn to the correct direction as indicated in ASE. As if the FSUIPC smoothing action is still enforced, even though I'm on the ground, parked at the gate.We need the winds set rather quickly (not smoothed) when starting ASE/FSX becuase the AI engine starts to pushback aircraft towards the active (based on initial winds) very quickly. Can you check the "execpt on ground" checkbox is working when FSX launches? If you find something and wish to move this part of the discussion back over to the FSUIPC forum, just let me know.

[Pete Dowson 558]

Another note on the FSUIPC side, maybe you can check - I have FSUIPC smoothing enabled (variance & turbulance) as well as the the "except on the ground" box checked. I don't think this checkbox is working because, when I load ASE in DWC mode, WideClient, then FSX, I can see the winds (shift-z) immediately set to 360 and then slowly begin to turn to the correct direction as indicated in ASE. As if the FSUIPC smoothing action is still enforced, even though I'm on the ground, parked at the gate.

It works correctly. I think that's ASE's doing. And in any case, with all the ASE options working, and especially in DWC mode, you shouldn't even need to use any of FSUIPC's smoothing. It becomes superfluous.

We need the winds set rather quickly (not smoothed) when starting ASE/FSX

I have ASE loaded long before FSX is loaded, and it gets the weather sorted for my start-up flight long before I'm ready to fly, so it all works correctly.Incidentally, the "on ground" flag in FS is not activated when in Slew mode, only in normal flight mode.RegardsPete

[norman s 15]

Hi Pete,Flew from EDDH - EGLL using FSX with ASE 646 installed.Problems at Heathrow with the weather reporting 360/2 but AI using 27R not 9L.Weather reporting correct so that despite AI traffic refresh and Force Destination weather lock on still given incorrect runway.I am using the Traffic X add on.I have confirmed all of my ASE settings and will fly again Saturday before sending anything to Damien in case it was my error.Norman

[Pete Dowson 558]

Flew from EDDH - EGLL using FSX with ASE 646 installed.Problems at Heathrow with the weather reporting 360/2 but AI using 27R not 9L.Weather reporting correct so that despite AI traffic refresh and Force Destination weather lock on still given incorrect runway.I am using the Traffic X add on.

360/2 doesn't guarantee any runway -- the wind is at right angles to the runways and the speed is too low in any case. The 360 lock might be correct by according to Damian the minimum speed should be applied -- 6 kn he said.RegardsPete

[norman s 15]

Hi Pete,Flew KMIA -KJAX without any problems!Re yesterday ,in the RW traffic at Heathrow was using the 9L runway most of the day which is why I questioned the ASE effect.I must remember the minimum wind speeds.ThanksNorman

[Pete Dowson 558]

Re yesterday ,in the RW traffic at Heathrow was using the 9L runway most of the day which is why I questioned the ASE effect.

ASE doesn't know anything about real world runway assignments, and FS assigns any old runway in light winds like 2 knots. Besides which with a wind at 90 degrees to both runways even RW could have chosen the other direction. They probably just left it from when there was a wind. Maybe if you leave FS running all the time it might do the same?RegardsPete

[kterz 49]

Hello to all and thanks for the update,May I ask something: Is the 80nm distance hardcoded? What I've been thinking is that some ATC programs (not RC by the way) calculate the STAR procedure that we will be assgned to, while still enroute (before TOD) based on the active runway. And in RW I believe that ATIS info is obtained before initial descend, IIRC. Haven't tried it yet, but why "80nm" and not 120nm or something like that (or make it adjustable)? Is this fix only for Radar Contact users?Regards, Kostas

[Pete Dowson 558]

... why "80nm" and not 120nm or something like that

I think it's because of the so-called "reality bubble" in FS, which is thought to have an 80nm radius. It controls the generation of AI traffic.RegardsPete