Traffic chaos during taxi

[denver69 0]

Hi,Long time user of Radar Contact and since getting FSX and my new computer up and running I have noticed a few changes. I am using Mytraffic X with settings at 50% density which I feel is realistic. In FS9 the traffic used to stop for you while taxing but now here in FSX not all traffic will stop. Just about every flight entails having to taxi through or having another aircraft taxi through me from the gate to the runway or from the runway to the gate. This is kind of ruining it for me, getting clobbered by wingtips and noses left and right. I would never be able to run collisions with other aircraft ON here. I am about to install AI Smooth for FSX for the go around issues in which I have many but from what I understand this does not sequence anything out of the gate. The other issue is that many times I have AI get stuck in my way on the way to the runway or at the hold bars. I have interact with AI checked and always rebuild scenery database upon installing an add on airport. I would rather not zap them out of the way, or taxi through them to the runway but many times I have no choice. Just the other day as I was pushing back from the gate at PANC a 747 taxied in, went right through me and took my spot I was just in. I had to laugh at that one as it started raining at -20c at the same time (another issue with ASE). My whole realism thing just fell apart in one fell swoop on that one.

[norman s 15]

Hi Marc,At some of the VA that I fly with users have reported that My Traffic X does cause these problems and more so at higher %.Whilst it does not solve the problems you are already applying the usual work around.I also do use AI Smooth.UT2 is one AI program which gives you tools for zapping traffic out of the way as well as being able to restart the AI traffic.

[ronzie 21]

I'm not sure if FSUIPC without paid registration lets RC users use its traffic zapper or ai traffic toggle.Separation of ground traffic is strictly under FS with RC4. The only ground traffic action RC has is freezing ai as you get on close final to prevent runway encroachment.I don't have FSX but see if collision control needs to be activated to get FS protection. Some users turn this off because some add-on scenery has invisible objects that their aircraft collide with on runways and taxi paths. In FS9 with it off I still get into that nose to nose situation. Since FS does not mandate a taxi path consider using an overhead view for pushback and taxiing. I also use for pushback left and right side rear views in 2D watching for ai approaching.

[denver69 0]

Do you think fs will freeze the traffic with collisions on? I guess I could test this out. Some airplanes do stop but others do not. It is to late for UT2 since I already have My Traffic X but I do have the payware version of FSUIPC and I have not seen any traffic zapper in the UI. Is it an assignable key, where might this be. The zapper would be perfect for me.I strictly use the VC so I can see. The problem is that sometimes I will also be on a parallel taxiway with no offshoots at a big airport and then get close enough to see an AI going in the opposite direction on that taxiway. It is also difficult to tell which direction they are pointing untill it is too late. The planes I fly are to big to do a 180. The zapper sound like the ticket.Thanks

[denver69 0]

I found the Zapper. It is actually a key assignment in the FSUIPC controls assignments menu under Z for Zapp. This seems to work only some of the time though. I tested it out and was able to zap some ai but as I approached others I was unable to zap them. You can hear a little noise when they go away. Cool stuff, now if I can get it to work every time.

[ronzie 21]

The zapper has items that can be adjusted for range, etc. It nukes an ai aircraft not freezing them.The adjustments are in the advanced user guide and are edited manually in FSUIPC.ini (after you make a safe copy outside of your FS folders such as in your documents folder.) Search the .pdf for zap or try around page 7 which describes fsuipc.ini modifications. You'll see separate air and ground range values, some sound settings, and an altitude window for airborne zapping.Regarding crash detection, in FS9 setting, realism, I believe, you can enable it in sections. Do not check Allow aircraft collisions with other aircraft and the other items as you wish. Perhaps FSX is similar.Some users modify the airport scenery afd files to correct open segments in taxi paths which stall ai progress or close runway entrances opposite each other to avoid nose to nose ai stalls. These items do not affect the user aircraft movement capability.

[denver69 0]

Thanks Ronzie, Editing in something like AFCAD at the problem airports sounds real good.

[denver69 0]

I wonder why the zapper seems to only work on certain types of ai. Like all the new Southwest liveries were able to be zapped but the old liveries were not. I can zap 747's but not the airbus. This is not as reliable as I hoped it would be. Sure, zapping destroys the realism but so does having a 747 taxi into you as well. It will only be used in an emergency, I promise.

[ronzie 21]

AFCAD 221, the last version, can lose or corrupt data from some modern designed afcad type files. It was designed before Microsoft released full details of designing for FS9 (the FS9 SDK). I recommend you obtain the freeware editor ADE9X. The only extra thing you might have to do is import comm frequencies from stock or other data. If the afcad file had it built in they will still be there. Some afd type files do not contain comm frequencies.The fault finder is similar to afcad as are most other tools. I recommend the two step procedure where you first save your modified file as a project file which allows you to go back and edit it without decompiling, and then compile your project file.In the FS9 forum or Scenery Design forum search for ADE9X for more information.

Thanks Ronzie, Editing in something like AFCAD at the problem airports sounds real good.

[denver69 0]

Thanks allot

[gtjoha 0]

I seem to remember from the days I was flying FSX only, no RC, ASE or FSUIPC installed, that I would get "run over" by AI from time to timethen as well.FS simply do not freeze all AI's when on collision course. This was not a problem with FS9..

[denver69 0]

I have used my new zapper about 20 times now. Not to say that I just indiscriminately go zapping, thats not what the experience is about for me. The other day I found I was #25 to depart LSZH and its taking 10 minutes for each airplane to depart due to the jammed up final. Ai smooth is reducing the bunches and go arounds but it is just constant string of pearls on runway 16. RC4 or FSX seems to give the priority to landing traffic. So I just zapped my way to the front of the pack instead of having to go back to refuel the MD11 or blast through their hollow shells and that's no fun. Something about the zapping, you can just forget you did it.

[ronzie 21]

In AI Smooth just specify a little longer separation time using file/setup. This is to allow an interleaving of your take-off and arrival traffic. It is likely that the bunched up catching up of ai to their schedule windows arrived during your aircraft setup.Depending on the wind speed it might be possible to use the 34 and 32. Those can be made to be simultaneously active as well by using the crosswind or star runway technique so FS takes those as parallel. 25 (23? currently) might be dedicated for arrivals in strong winds. It is a shorter runway and at least for take-off the longer ones might be used. For the longer ones you could also configure as long as both ends match one for take-off and one for landing.If you are using an add-on such as Aerosofts recent LSZH they might have implemented such rules. They might have supplied an airport operations pdf file..