AI problem Cloud9 KDCA

[mgh 89]

Please read what I posted above. You might want to be a little less quick on the trigger in making accusations. I did not post originally on the FSDT forum for the very reason I stated - it is an old product (which I described as "excellent") for which I did not expect them to provide support. Then I decided to post there anyway, while explaining in my post that I didn't expect technical support but thought another user might be able to help.I owe no apology whatsover and you might want to think a lot more carefully next time before you accuse someone of a "misleading post." I resent the implication of that and if you look through this forum you will see that I am not in the habit of making "misleading posts" nor of attacking other people for what they posted....

You wrote "I am posting on here rather than the FSDT forum as they no longer provide tech support for older Cloud9 products."Isnt it misleading to say that they no longer provide support for older products when they do?

[kiwiflyer45 123]

You wrote "I am posting on here rather than the FSDT forum as they no longer provide tech support for older Cloud9 products."Isnt it misleading to say that they no longer provide support for older products when they do?

Pal - I don't know what your problem is but when I need a lesson in semantics or ethics, I'll ask someone else. This is supposed to be a flight simulation site for those of us who enjoy the hobby and courteous discussion with other hobbyists. Just for your information, I posted on the FSDT site AFTER I posted on here because I decided that maybe one of the users on there might already have a solution - I had no expectation of FSDT technical support being available for an old product released by another company. I was mistaken in that - something for which Umberto deserves praise for going "above and beyond." I was mistaken - not "misleading." But frankly it's really none of your d--n business anyway. I suggest you find another topic to harp on... Or better still, another forum to troll on! End of discussion....

[scott967 62]

Before this thread gets locked down --For FSX Airport Scanner does what ScanAFD does for FS9.I don't think closing runways for takeoff or landing actually closes them. It just changes the scoring used in runway selection logic, but I think other things still are taken account of, such as approaches and runway length vs aircraft engine type and empty weight.scott s..

[ronzie 21]

The problem with ScanAFD is that you can get a false positive in that multiple afd layers can properly exist for the same scenery if meeting certain rules. I use AFCAD 221 to search for and examine layers noting where runway layout conflicts exist. In other words, if more than one layer besides stock default has similar objects (runways, taxiways, parking) then I note the file path of each layer. Layers that seem to show almost nothing in the display are normally special objects sometimes to get around FS9 limitations and may be designed in a utility more comprehensive than AFCAD. If the afd files reside in the same add-on folder then I give those priority over others in deciding if a conflict exists.(As stated in another post in this thread I no longer use AFCAD to modify and save files due to certain early assumptions made in its design.) It does make a good search and display tool for determining conflicts.Some traffic programs install their own afcad type files usually designed around default stock. If you have an add-on scenery with afd files then most likely the one installed by the traffic application is in conflict with the add-on.

Hi RickI use a freeware program called ScanAFD which does a pretty thorough job of searching for duplicates and has never let me down. I am about two hours from State College - I live outside of Philadelphia not far from Valley Forge. It's a beautiful area with many historic sites and farms that go back to pre-revolutionary times - nothing compared to the depth of history you have in the UK but impressive for an ex-Pat Kiwi like myself where nothing is much over a hundred years old.CheersIan

[jvile 1]

HiI am posting on here rather than the FSDT forum as they no longer provide tech support for older Cloud9 products. I have their excellent KDCA Ronald Reagan Airport but there's a problem with AI. All traffic is directed to a single runway 01/19 which causes horrendous backups of traffic on the ground and interminable waits for take off clearance. So I changed the AFCAD file using AFX so that it would use 01/19 for takeoffs and 04/22 for landings but although the file is correctly configured, the AI traffic are still directed to 01/19 just as if I hadn't changed a thing. It does not appear to be an ADE file - the original AF2 file is in the KDCA scenery folder and that's the one I've modified. I have checked for duplicates and there are none... All I'm trying to do is close 01/19 for landings and close 04/22 for take offs, though if someone had a "crosswind technique" afcad for it that would be even better. Any suggestions? :( CheersIan

IanLike Scott says there is a score for runway selection. If you crosswind 04/22 to 01/19 that will not help achieve the goal you are looking for with the Jet aircraft. The runway selection for jet aircraft when more then 1 runway is active is a formula.Runway 01/19 will always be the prefered takeoff/landing runway because1. It is the longest runway2. It has a ILS and a LDA approach code in the database3. The runway is longer then 6500 ft4. Runway 01 is the prefered landing runway with the highest score since it has the ILS approach code for clear weather landings5. Runway 04/22 at less then 5000 ft when xwinded will only accept turbo props and smaller type aircraftSome of the scoring in the XML compiled to bgl processed by the .dll looks like thisScore = 0If runway length > 70% of longest runway at airport -> Score += 50Score += tailwind or headwind (tailwind < 0 and headwind > 0)If (unknown 'runway group' flag) Score += 10Score = crosswind <<<<<<<<------------------------------------ add 100 points if my CW technique is in useIf (runway landing==yes) -> Score += 100If (runway takeoff==yes) -> Score += 100once the score is totaled then FS multiplies by 10000Now we have to factor in that Jet Aircraft as per the .air file has additional scoring code. FS also looks at the Empty Weight value in the aircraft.cfg file If no empty weights specified in the .cfg: returns 5000ftElse:value = ((empty_weight pounds - 10000) * 2000 / 90000 ) + 5000if ( value > 7000 ) return 7000if ( value < 5000 ) return 5000else return value Jets are most complicated based on EW vs runway lengthRunway 01/19 = 6875 ft (FS9 stock)Runway 04/22 = 4914 ft (FS9 stock)Since the longest runway at KDCA is 01/19 then ATC will vector all Jets to use that runway. Runway 04/22 will be used if you crosswind but ATC will vector Turbo Props and smaller type aircraft to use that runway. FS coded taxiways and runways with weight restriction code in the XML compiled to a bgl. However like many other parts of FS coding this weight restriction was not made available. The runway weight restriction code can be activated if the runways are parallel or made to think they are parallel with the Crosswind Runway Technique.jim

[kiwiflyer45 123]

IanLike Scott says there is a score for runway selection. If you crosswind 04/22 to 01/19 that will not help achieve the goal you are looking for with the Jet aircraft. The runway selection for jet aircraft when more then 1 runway is active is a formula.Runway 01/19 will always be the prefered takeoff/landing runway because1. It is the longest runway2. It has a ILS and a LDA approach code in the database3. The runway is longer then 6500 ft4. Runway 01 is the prefered landing runway with the highest score since it has the ILS approach code for clear weather landings5. Runway 04/22 at less then 5000 ft when xwinded will only accept turbo props and smaller type aircraftSome of the scoring in the XML compiled to bgl processed by the .dll looks like thisScore = 0If runway length > 70% of longest runway at airport -> Score += 50Score += tailwind or headwind (tailwind < 0 and headwind > 0)If (unknown 'runway group' flag) Score += 10Score = crosswind <<<<<<<<------------------------------------ add 100 points if my CW technique is in useIf (runway landing==yes) -> Score += 100If (runway takeoff==yes) -> Score += 100once the score is totaled then FS multiplies by 10000Now we have to factor in that Jet Aircraft as per the .air file has additional scoring code. FS also looks at the Empty Weight value in the aircraft.cfg file If no empty weights specified in the .cfg: returns 5000ftElse:value = ((empty_weight pounds - 10000) * 2000 / 90000 ) + 5000if ( value > 7000 ) return 7000if ( value < 5000 ) return 5000else return value Jets are most complicated based on EW vs runway lengthRunway 01/19 = 6875 ft (FS9 stock)Runway 04/22 = 4914 ft (FS9 stock)Since the longest runway at KDCA is 01/19 then ATC will vector all Jets to use that runway. Runway 04/22 will be used if you crosswind but ATC will vector Turbo Props and smaller type aircraft to use that runway. FS coded taxiways and runways with weight restriction code in the XML compiled to a bgl. However like many other parts of FS coding this weight restriction was not made available. The runway weight restriction code can be activated if the runways are parallel or made to think they are parallel with the Crosswind Runway Technique.jim

Thank you so much Jim. As you are the acknowledged expert on this topic, I will now consider my question thoroughly answered and thank you, and others, for taking the time to give such full explanations. I will continue to enjoy this outstanding scenery with all it's unique features even though it's an older product - and just blame the traffic holdups on the politicians over on "the hill" nearby! LOL

[Chuck_B 2]

Jim, thank you for your explanation. I could never understand the parallel - crosswind - whatever details when reviewing a file in AFCAD, and this is the best explanation I have ever read.Thanks, again.Chuck