B747s/A380s almost always sent to GA Parking. Any 'fix'?

[cmpbellsjc 2,963]

Folks , the parking code entry in the aircraft.cfg file is only there for AI aircraft. It has no affect on user aircraft gate selection by atc

It actually works like a charm for user aircraft, but you have to have the entry as atc_parking_codes=(insert parking code), if you have it typed as atc_parking_code=(insert parking code) then it won't work. Notice the only difference here is the letter "s".

 

But, for it to work correctly the following conditions must exist.

1. Parking spot for that airline core has to be available

2. If a spot is available then the size must be large enough to accommodate the user aircraft.

 

As per Opa's guide published in 2008 as a discovery by Jim Ville, it works in FS9 as well as FSX. I've used it in user aircraft in both sims since this finding was made and it works flawlessly for me provided all the conditions are met.

[martinlest2 58]

Good to know, especially about the 's'!

 

I've started using PF3's dedicated parking facility though, it's so easy to set up. You simply enter the ICAO into the box and a list of all the parking spots immediately appears. You choose one (hopefully there will be an option to enter more at some stage, for different sized aircraft) and that's it. No editing of aircraft.cfg files or any other. You will always be sent to that gate when you land.

 

If you want to make sure that the gate will not be occupied when you get there, you reduce its size to 10 feet in the AFCAD file. That too takes just half a minute from start to finish. Works like a charm.

 

Only thing is, PF3 is payware of course - but very well worth the (not inconsiderable) outlay - it does SO much!The support for the product too couldn't really be improved upon...

 

I have no connection with OnCourse software I hasten to add! :smile:

[tf51d 284]

Folks , the parking code entry in the aircraft.cfg file is only there for AI aircraft. It has no affect on user aircraft gate selection by atc

This is absolutely not true, check your aircraft.cfg settings you should have the following lines

 

atc_parking_types, and atc_parking_codes (Plural) There is a tutorial floating around which incorrectly  uses atc_parking_type and atc_parking_code . This is what won't work. The other criteria is size. As long as there is a gate large enough to accommodate the aircrafrt, that matches the Airline Code that is available, ATC will assign it. So for example you are a British Airways 747. For ATC to assign an appropriate gate. The assigned gate would need to have a size as large or greater then the size of the aircraft, the type of parking and the ICAO airline code would have to match

 

atc_parking_types=Gate

atc_parking_codes=BAW.

 

Here's a site, that should have the correct sizes needed. Note some 3rd party developers aircraft, may have used a different size. You may have to make adjustments in the AFCAD to accommodate those.

 

http://www.flightsim2004-fanatics.com/FlightSim/FSXWingSpanValues.htm

[pschlute 37]

Folks , the parking code entry in the aircraft.cfg file is only there for AI aircraft. It has no affect on user aircraft gate selection by atc

 

OK apologies, my blanket statement is not correct.

 

What I meant to say was that adding a ICAO airline code to 1. the AFCAD parking spot, and 2. the aircraft.cfg atc_parking_codes= entry will usually work all the time for AI aircraft, as long as the parking radius in the AFCAD is suitable (ie same or larger) for the radius of the aircraft.

 

Using the same approach for user aircraft will not by itself work. The "vip parking" document linked to earlier instructs that a unique radius be used in both the AFCAD and the aircraft to ensure that atc gives you the correct spot.

 

My own testing has shown that adding a ICAO code to an AFCAD will not by itself cause ATC to instruct a user aircraft to use that spot. It will work in some cases.

 

For example say an airport has three GATES. One has a 31m radius and the other two have 38m. If your user aircraft has 27m radius and you have added the correct codes (to the 31m spot), you will be told to park there. You would be told to park there even without codes as it is a spot with a radius that most closely matches your aircraft.

 

If however the airport has three GATES and they are all 31m radius and you have added a code to gate 2, atc will instruct you to park at the first spot in it's index. This may be gate 1; 2; or 3 depending how the AFCAD was set up, but it will not prioritise your airline code . Note that the index of parking spots do not correspond to the gate numbers. You can see the index list in ADE.

 

Likewise, you may have two 38m spots with airline codes and one 31m spot with no code. Again you will be told to use the 31m spot if your aircraft has a 27m radius.

 

If you are having success with always being assigned a gate that is part of a group of gates that corresponds to AI aircraft of your same code, it may be that the radius and gate index are responsible for this and not the airline code. Or maybe something else  causes the airline code to work. If someone could link to an AFCAD ( download or on dropbox for example) I would be interested in investigating further as I always like discovering something new in FS9.

[martinlest2 58]

Yes Peter., when you said it didn't work for user aircraft, I kind of went along with it, because that was pretty much my experience of trying out the exact same thing. Probably because I had not set things up correctly, because as I also commented, the instructions are in the SDK!.

 

Still, I still think to do this for the all the aircraft and sceneries I have installed is just not feasible, even on a gradual basis. You'd need a lot more patience than I was blessed with! :wink:

[3Green 80]

Folks , the parking code entry in the aircraft.cfg file is only there for AI aircraft. It has no affect on user aircraft gate selection by atc

 

I agree with pschlute. 

 

Using:  atc_parking_types=(Alrline code)

and ensuring a spot with a radius equal or greater has never worked  for my user aircraft.

 

Only way to get your user aircraft to the correct gate is using what Opa said:

 

"The concept is quite simple: Basically, ATC directs traffic based on matching the radius of the aircraft to the radius of available parking spaces.

If the radius of the aircraft you are flying is unique, and matches a unique parking spot radius, that is where ATC will direct your aircraft and no other aircraft will use that spot."

 

RJ

[cmpbellsjc 2,963]

This is absolutely not true, check your aircraft.cfg settings you should have the following lines

 

atc_parking_types, and atc_parking_codes (Plural) There is a tutorial floating around which incorrectly uses atc_parking_type and atc_parking_code . This is what won't work. The other criteria is size. As long as there is a gate large enough to accommodate the aircrafrt, that matches the Airline Code that is available, ATC will assign it. So for example you are a British Airways 747. For ATC to assign an appropriate gate. The assigned gate would need to have a size as large or greater then the size of the aircraft, the type of parking and the ICAO airline code would have to match

 

atc_parking_types=Gate

atc_parking_codes=BAW.

 

Here's a site, that should have the correct sizes needed. Note some 3rd party developers aircraft, may have used a different size. You may have to make adjustments in the AFCAD to accommodate those.

 

http://www.flightsim2004-fanatics.com/FlightSim/FSXWingSpanValues.htm

Sounds just like what the other user cmpbllsjc said.

 

It works for me. I've used this code for a while in user aircraft and always get the correct gate as long as one is available that fits and has the right parking code.

 

I've also flown to many airports that have 737 sized parking codes that fit my plane that are available for different airlines but I always get directed to the correct gate for my airline and not a gate for another airline.

[tf51d 284]

 

 

Using: atc_parking_types=(Alrline code)

and ensuring a spot with a radius equal or greater has never worked for my user aircraft.

 

Well if that's the way you are doing it, that's the problem.

 

atc_parking_types is the type of parking, The ICAO airline code should go into the atc_parking_codes entry, So for example Delta Airlines would look like this.

 

atc_parking_types=Gate

atc_parking_codes=DAL

 

Now I just noticed this is a FS2004 thread, not FSX, so maybe there i an issue with FS2004. This works though in FSX.

[3Green 80]

My apologies.  I copied and pasted the wrong line in my post above Tom.

 

I use the lines as you listed (which are the same used in my AI aircarft.cfg's and work), but do not work for my user aircraft.

Note:  This is for FS2004, not FSX.

 

Strange how it works for some, and not for others.

VIP parking that Opa shared works, provided you make a unique aircraft model radius adjustment to match a unique radius in your AFCAD.

 

So, for the last 10+ years of using FS2004, I just ignore ATC and taxi to where I need to go.

 

Dave_YVR, cmpbellsjc, jimburke, and tf51d claim it works in FS2004, so I must be doing something wrong..

Maybe another reason to upgrade to FSX?   Hmmmm

 

RJ