FSX-MS AI Controller 1.4 (SID, Jet Route, STAR and Final Approach) (New) Beta

[Clipper Ocean Spray 189]

 

 

Sounds really great!
Will it be possible to select at least 2 Runways for parallel use? Or e.g. Crosswind landings at 2 non-parallel runways? This would be the next milestone indeed...

 

I'll probably introduce the feature with just one runway, but I could make it possible to enter a list of preferred runways.  What do you (or anyone else) think the runway assignment algorithm should be if the user enters, for example, 2 non-parallel runways for crosswind landings?  I'm thinking straight 50%-50% load balancing to keep things simple.  

 

 

 

As you are coding this, please note that you'll need to block any changes back to "the weather based runways" when weather gets refreshed in FSX. If not there's going to be a lot of switching going on.

 

Good point, when the user applies a non-null value to the force runway field, it will block weather-based runways selection until the user either (1) applies a null value to the force runway field, or (2) exits and reloads AIMonitor.  Default FSX ATC won't like it, that's for sure!

 

 

 

I am using UT2 but with jet routes enabled so I have the Nat's occupied as well. Something Ut2 did not do.

 

Thanks for the feedback, it is hard for me to extensively test each corner of the program and the Nat tracks is one corner I haven't visited lately (especially in combination with UT2).  

 

 

 

So far, this program has run without a problem since I got it up and running. It was awesome to be on approach at KTPA and flying parallel approaches with another aircraft shooting the ILS as well. It maintained separation and everything! Thanks so much for your hard work.

 

Great to hear, I like the busy parallel approaches as well.  That's one of the reasons I added the AI cross-wind landing effects, you can just make out the AI near you on the parallel final making tiny course corrections due to the winds, which is an immersive effect (to me anyway).

 

 

 

"Therefor you just need to change the comma into a Period (.) in the "advanced settings" of the systemlanguage. At least i did it so and it works."

 

Did you have to do this with the hotfix for ver 1.4A installed?  I ask because I added code to handle locale issues (perhaps it isn't fixing all the issues).

 

-Roland

[Vaz852 0]

Did you have to do this with the hotfix for ver 1.4A installed?  I ask because I added code to handle locale issues (perhaps it isn't fixing all the issues).

 

-Roland

Yes 1.4 A 

Windows 8.1*64 Russia

Windows 7 * 32  Russia

[Clipper Ocean Spray 189]

 

 

Did you implement an improved procedure that a departing AI aircraft is instructed to "line up and wait RWY XY" while the just touched down AI is still rolling out and vacating the RWY?

 

Right now only arriving AI is under taxi control of AIController, but departing AI is the next logical step.  Increasing (optionally) the pace of AI departures at busy airports would my top-most priority!  

 

Departing AI taxi-control will take additional coding, but I've already applied many of the same concepts to arriving AI taxi-control.

 

-Roland 

[Vaz852 0]

AIController Can't Continue Because No Taxi Data for Monitored ICAO USSS

I have installed a paid (http://en.shop.aerosoft.com/eshop.php?action=article_detail&s_supplier_aid=11424&s_design=DEFAULT&shopfilter_category=Flight%20Simulation&s_language=english&PHPSESSID=c4h6kmkta8ngkgvj08b7vl02h4)

It is also present in the standard sim.

 

SPath=D:\Prepar3D v2\Aerosoft\Koltsovo 2012

TAXI=USSS,D:\Prepar3D v2\Aerosoft\Koltsovo 2012\Scenery\AF2_USSS.bgl

[bill62 40]

Roland many thanks for a super program! By now I'm sure you realize we are like a bunch of kids in a candy store. We can't get enough and we want everything.

 

I noticed that ground traffic backs up when taxiing to the gate at the bigger/busier airports and they are required to cross the active departure runway. Of course this causes backups, missed approaches. etc... It would be great if you hold departures (in cycles) to clear aircraft waiting to taxi to the gate.

[JSkorna 137]

AIController Can't Continue Because No Taxi Data for Monitored ICAO USSS

I have installed a paid (http://en.shop.aerosoft.com/eshop.php?action=article_detail&s_supplier_aid=11424&s_design=DEFAULT&shopfilter_category=Flight%20Simulation&s_language=english&PHPSESSID=c4h6kmkta8ngkgvj08b7vl02h4)

It is also present in the standard sim.

 

SPath=D:\Prepar3D v2\Aerosoft\Koltsovo 2012

TAXI=USSS,D:\Prepar3D v2\Aerosoft\Koltsovo 2012\Scenery\AF2_USSS.bgl

Try a re-build of the taxi data. USSS does work using default data.

[FlyTweety 2]

 

 

I'll probably introduce the feature with just one runway, but I could make it possible to enter a list of preferred runways. What do you (or anyone else) think the runway assignment algorithm should be if the user enters, for example, 2 non-parallel runways for crosswind landings? I'm thinking straight 50%-50% load balancing to keep things simple.

 

I agree.

The first step to introduce the feature can be 50:50. Then we could see if this is working under the very most circumstances.

In my opinion we would love to see the program working correct before you add some more features and algorithms.

 

I copy my post a couple of days before, for me the most important is to get the traffic as fast as possible, but also so realistic as possible off the runway.
So I would appreciate it when you focus your next develop time at this issue. I´m in doubt that .cfg based slow down rates will work at all airports. Sometimes they need to exit after 1200 m, sometimes after 1800m and sometimes at the end of the runway. I think it is a MUST to enable a exit based slow down instead of a slow down based exit!

All the rest will come together because you are already on a good way :im Not Worthy:

[Andiehuk1 0]

Hi Roland,

 

First up wonderful job. I've been using your program right from the beginning, it really has come on leaps and bounds since then to the point it's a must have app when using AI traffic. This really should be payware... I've been playing around with the latest release and have found a couple of possible bugs which you may or may not already know about.

 

I used the SIDSTAR converter program by Matias and did the whole PMDG SIDSTAR structure. I use Aerosoft's Navdata and UT2 (Ive made the required changes in the config for UT2). I setup the sw to monitor EGLL only, loaded up the sim and sat on the tarmac to see the results.

 

- I noticed that all aircraft seemed to take on the BIG.ILS27R or 27L equivalent approach no matter what STAR they were assigned. They would complete the assigned STAR and then proceed to BIG to complete that approach. I looked through the files and couldn't see any reason for this myself.

- I also noticed that once the aircraft were on approach they would often circle back to the starting waypoint, this being BIG due to the other noticed issue above. I had a look through the approach files and noticed that the starting waypoint appeared again halfway into the approach file so the aircraft was of course just doing as it was told. After removing all these db entries in the approach file the approaches worked brilliantly. See below for the unmodified "EGLL APPROACH BNN.ILS27L" file contents. You'll notice at WP1 is BNN and again WP5 is also BNN so the aircraft circles back.

 

<main>

     <patternname>

          BNN.ILS27L

     </patternname>

     <patterntype>

          approach

     </patterntype>

     <icao>

          EGLL

     </icao>

     <runways>

          27L

     </runways>

     <bearingrange>

     </bearingrange>

     <comments>

          This APPROACH file was automatically generated by AIConv.exe.  Only for use in AIController ENHANCED approach mode.

     </comments>

</main>

 

<dependency>

<waypoint>

     <waypointnumber>

          1

     </waypointnumber>

     <fixname>

          BNN

     </fixname>

     <latitude>

          N51-43.56983

     </latitude>

     <longitude>

          W0-32.98500

     </longitude>

     <altitudefeet>

     </altitudefeet>

     <altitudemeters>

     </altitudemeters>

     <speedknots>

     </speedknots>

     <comments>

     </comments>

</waypoint>

<waypoint>

     <waypointnumber>

          2

     </waypointnumber>

     <fixname>

          BNN11

     </fixname>

     <latitude>

          N51-37.03867

     </latitude>

     <longitude>

          W0-18.77167

     </longitude>

     <altitudefeet>

     </altitudefeet>

     <altitudemeters>

     </altitudemeters>

     <speedknots>

     </speedknots>

     <comments>

     </comments>

</waypoint>

<waypoint>

     <waypointnumber>

          3

     </waypointnumber>

     <fixname>

          BNN15

     </fixname>

     <latitude>

          N51-34.65783

     </latitude>

     <longitude>

          W0-13.62067

     </longitude>

     <altitudefeet>

          6000

     </altitudefeet>

     <altitudemeters>

     </altitudemeters>

     <speedknots>

     </speedknots>

     <comments>

     </comments>

</waypoint>

<waypoint>

     <waypointnumber>

          4

     </waypointnumber>

     <fixname>

          BNN19

     </fixname>

     <latitude>

          N51-32.27317

     </latitude>

     <longitude>

          W0-8.47867

     </longitude>

     <altitudefeet>

     </altitudefeet>

     <altitudemeters>

     </altitudemeters>

     <speedknots>

          180

     </speedknots>

     <comments>

     </comments>

</waypoint>

<waypoint>

     <waypointnumber>

          5

     </waypointnumber>

     <fixname>

          BNN

     </fixname>

     <latitude>

          N51-43.56983

     </latitude>

     <longitude>

          W0-32.98500

     </longitude>

     <altitudefeet>

     </altitudefeet>

     <altitudemeters>

     </altitudemeters>

     <speedknots>

     </speedknots>

     <comments>

     </comments>

</waypoint>

<waypoint>

     <waypointnumber>

          6

     </waypointnumber>

     <fixname>

          ILL10

     </fixname>

     <latitude>

          N51-28.03550

     </latitude>

     <longitude>

          W0-10.05583

     </longitude>

     <altitudefeet>

     </altitudefeet>

     <altitudemeters>

     </altitudemeters>

     <speedknots>

     </speedknots>

     <comments>

     </comments>

</waypoint>

<waypoint>

     <waypointnumber>

          7

     </waypointnumber>

     <fixname>

          ILL75

     </fixname>

     <latitude>

          N51-28.00433

     </latitude>

     <longitude>

          W0-14.05317

     </longitude>

     <altitudefeet>

     </altitudefeet>

     <altitudemeters>

     </altitudemeters>

     <speedknots>

     </speedknots>

     <comments>

     </comments>

</waypoint>

<waypoint>

     <waypointnumber>

          8

     </waypointnumber>

     <fixname>

          ILL4

     </fixname>

     <latitude>

          N51-27.95683

     </latitude>

     <longitude>

          W0-19.64933

     </longitude>

     <altitudefeet>

     </altitudefeet>

     <altitudemeters>

     </altitudemeters>

     <speedknots>

     </speedknots>

     <comments>

     </comments>

</waypoint>

<waypoint>

     <waypointnumber>

          9

     </waypointnumber>

     <fixname>

          LON

     </fixname>

     <latitude>

          N51-29.23483

     </latitude>

     <longitude>

          W0-27.99233

     </longitude>

     <altitudefeet>

     </altitudefeet>

     <altitudemeters>

     </altitudemeters>

     <speedknots>

     </speedknots>

     <comments>

     </comments>

</waypoint>

</dependency>

 

Hope this helps.

 

All the best

 

Andy

[Kermit27 1]

Right now only arriving AI is under taxi control of AIController, but departing AI is the next logical step.  Increasing (optionally) the pace of AI departures at busy airports would my top-most priority!  

 

Departing AI taxi-control will take additional coding, but I've already applied many of the same concepts to arriving AI taxi-control.

 

-Roland 

Hi Roland, thanks, that sounds great indeed!

 

Best regards,

Axel

[777 340]

I have a problem with 1.4, after converting all the SIDS/STARS and pasting them from the Sample.cfg, when I run the utility it says: see below.
 

[chumley 0]

Hi Roland

 

I'm doing something fundamentally wrong but am not sure what it is.

 

I have the new version running on my laptop finally and it controls arriving aircraft from STAR to gate.

 

I have tried to have the JetRoutes option operational but no matter what I do or repeat the process doesn't work for me.

 

The files are located in C:\aicontroller\aicontrollerv14a. Files include the file wpnavrte.text from PMDG folder on the main FSX computer.

 

I have setup the path as C:\aicontroller\aicontrollerv14a\ and Applied changes. I did try to select 'copy' as the onscreen instructions show but this resulted, as expected, in a message that the file already exists.

 

I have enabled jetroutes.

 

On the aimonitor screen against aircraft enroute it shows they are under FSX control and a message is beside each aircraft as follows "Unable to assign jetroute - Path solution not found - Will recheck. Aicontroller.exe shows the system checking each minute for the required data but failing to find it.

 

Whenever an aircraft is captured by a Star or the Enhanced Autogen Approach a message to the effect 'AI released from Jetroute near destination' is displayed.

 

Any suggestions as to what is wrong here?

 

It is noteworthy, I think, that the file jetroute_graph.txt is empty of data.

 

Regards

 

Andy

[melcec 0]

Hi Roland,

 

Amazing program you have! I had been using it for a few days but suddenly  I am getting a crash to desktop when I try to load the AI Monitor. I posted a picture of the error message. Oddly, the AI Controller part appears to load and direct traffic as it's supposed to. Thanks!

 

[FlyTweety 2]

Aaaahm. your pic is smaller than a poststamp, unfortunatly unreadable...

[melcec 0]

Aaaahm. your pic is smaller than a poststamp, unfortunatly unreadable...

 

 

Sorry about that. This is what it says:

 

Files that help describe the problem:

  C:\Users\Cecil\AppData\Local\Temp\WERAFCF.tmp.WERInternalMetadata.xml

  C:\Users\Cecil\AppData\Local\Temp\WERCBF7.tmp.appcompat.txt

  C:\Users\Cecil\AppData\Local\Temp\WERDC0E.tmp.mdmp

[Clipper Ocean Spray 189]

I noticed that all aircraft seemed to take on the BIG.ILS27R or 27L equivalent approach

 

Yes, this is a bug that has been fixed for the next version.  I appreciate the feedback.  Interestingly, this bug is related to the bug FlyTweety found regarding AIController sometimes ignoring the left-hand (or right-hand) enhanced generic patterns.

 

 

I also noticed that once the aircraft were on approach they would often circle back to the starting waypoint, this being BIG due to the other noticed issue above

 

Yes, BIG.ILS27R is an extremely complex approach, here's the navdata:

 

APPROACH ILS27L FIX CI27L 3000 FIX FI27L 2500 RNW 27L TRK 271 UNTIL 1080 TRK 119 INTERCEPT RADIAL 149 TO FIX D175F TURN LEFT DIRECT FIX D175F 2000 TRK 149 UNTIL 3000

 TRANSITION BIG FIX BIG SPEED 220 TRK 275 UNTIL 9.0 FROM FIX BIG SPEED 180 TRK 320 INTERCEPT RADIAL 279 FROM FIX BIG TRK 048 INTERCEPT RADIAL 295 FROM FIX BIG TRK 093 INTERCEPT RADIAL 303 FROM FIX BIG TRK 000 UNTIL 9.0 FROM FIX BIG 

 

Notice how many time the BIG fix is repeated....seven times.  Approaches this complex are really beyond the amount of time I want to spend writing code to handle.  Fortunately, most are not this complex.  A good rule of thumb is if the STAR/SID/Approach doesn't look good (or complete) when displayed on the PMDG ND, it won't convert (automatically) well either.  I'm glad you decided to manually edit the converted file, that's what I recommend if you really want to optimize the patterns, especially at airports the user favors.  

 

Edit: oops, I see you were talking about the BNN transition, that has similar issues.  I see you're using the Aerosoft source, the Navdata source is a bit different:

 

 TRANSITION BNN TRK 128 UNTIL 11.0 FROM FIX BNN SPEED 220 FIX D128O AT OR ABOVE 6000 FIX D128S SPEED 180 HDG 218 INTERCEPT RADIAL 133 FROM FIX BNN

 

BNN repeated three times instead of seven times (BIG).  

 

 

I have a problem with 1.4, after converting all the SIDS/STARS and pasting them from the Sample.cfg, when I run the utility it says: see below.

 

 

I don't recommend editing the .ini file manually anymore because AIMonitor overwrites the .ini file everytime AIMonitor runs.  Use AIMonitor to change SID/STAR paths, press apply and force update.  Does that work?

 

 

I am getting a crash to desktop when I try to load the AI Monitor. I posted a picture of the error message. Oddly, the AI Controller part appears to load and direct traffic as it's supposed to.

 

Delete AIControllerPath.txt and AIControllerList.txt (might want to make a backup).  Reload AI Monitor.  Any difference? 

 

 

It is noteworthy, I think, that the file jetroute_graph.txt is empty of data.

 

Yes ,that's definitely a problem (if you're using the jetroutes option).  Delete jetroute_graph.txt, then next time AIController runs, look to see if it is rebuilding the file.  Let me know if it is empty again.