Runway selection under controller info

[lgabriel 1]

Ray,

I will address this question to you because you were involved in the development of Radar Contact.

I have an issue at some airports, LOWW and EDDN in particular, when I load a flight with either of these airports I am not able to select a departing or landing runway. Can you tell me from where Radar Contacts reads this info, is it an afcad or from an other source?

What can I do to correct this problem?

Thank you,

Larry Gabriel

[Ray Proudfoot 8,921]

Larry,

Runway data is stored in a file named r4.csv (possibly r5.csv now) in the data subfolder. Open it with Notepad (never Excel) and search for those airports. There should be an entry for each runway end. Report back with your findings.

Edited December 12, 2018 by Ray Proudfoot

[lgabriel 1]

Ray,

Thanks for your reply, I opened the r4.csv file and though I'm not sure I understand the format i did not find either of the LOWW or EDDN designators listed.

I relayered my scenery library moving the two airports up and down and rerunning makerunways after each change and still no runways showing.

Is there a method to update the AIRAC cycle in Radar Contact?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Larry Gabriel

[Ray Proudfoot 8,921]

Larry, it’s impossible to advise without more info.

Firstly, What sim are you using?

If P3D v4 do you have the most recent MakeRunways exe from Pete Dowson’s site? It should reside in your main P3D folder.

Do you have the latest FSUIPC5? Please advise version number.

Are these two airports 3rd party addons? If so, how are they installed? Add-on or entry in scenery.cfg?

RC4 know nothing about AIRAC cycles and doesn’t need to.

In r4.csv the first four characters should be the airport ICAO followed by the runway designator. Look for an airport like EGLL and you should see 4 entries like 09L, 09R, 27L and 27R. I’m surprised you don’t see anything for the airports you mentioned.

[lgabriel 1]

Ray,

I am running P3Dv4.4, FSUIP5.15,MakeRunways 4.85. The two airports are LOWW and EDDN both add-ons, one from FlyTampa and the orher from FlightBeam and they are listed in my scenery library(grayed out).

Below is a copy of the EDLL entry from my r4.cvs , these don't look like runways to me, but maybe I don't understand the format.

EGLL,0091,51.477482,-0.489502,83,92.680,12782,110.30DG,164,-3.000,51.477581,-0.461356,0,,
EGLL,0092,51.464787,-0.486806,83,92.688,11991,109.50DG,164,-3.000,51.464874,-0.460409,0,,
EGLL,0271,51.464962,-0.434012,83,272.688,11991,109.50DG,164,-3.000,51.464874,-0.460409,0,,
EGLL,0272,51.477680,-0.433210,83,272.680,12782,110.30DG,164,-3.000,51.477581,-0.461356,0,,

 

 

 

 

 

[Ray Proudfoot 8,921]

Larry. Those entries for EGLL are fine. 091 = 09L and 092 = 09R.

Your FSUIPC5 is okay but you should get 4.864 of MakeRunways.

if both entries are greyed out in scenery.cfg then they appear to be inactive. Didn’t the installers give you the option of installing as an Addon?

I suggest you download and install Lorby’s Addon Organiser. This is a freeware program that shows both Addon airports and scenery.cfg entries. It’s the preferred way to control and change scenery entries.

http://www.lorby-si.com/downloads.html

Install it and ensure both scenery entries are enabled. Then run MakeRunways and you should get entries in r4.csv for them.

[lgabriel 1]

Ray,

Info update I do use Lorby's addon Organiser and both addons show as active, I have downloaded MakeRunys 4.864 and rebuilt the RadarContact database but for some reason the csv files did not update.

I looked at my file structure and noticed that the csv files were being updated and placed in my PreP3D folder and not the RadarContact data folder.

What is the recommended install path for RadarContact, mine is installed in C:/rcv4x?

i think i may have to reinstall.

Opinion?

[Ray Proudfoot 8,921]

RC4 can be installed anywhere. There is an option to update its database. My setup is different because I run RC4 over a network and I have to point RC4 to the main P3D folder.

But that should still work for you. RC4 needs to know where the files created by MakeRunways are stored. You just point it to that folder and you should see a message saying files have been updated.

[lgabriel 1]

Update I did a reinstall and now i'm getting a runtime 7 error out of memory, I won't take anymore of your time , ill search the posst for a solution.

Thanks for your help you're a great resourse.

Larry Gabriel

[Ray Proudfoot 8,921]

Larry, there was no need for a reinstall. I hope you find a resolution.

[lgabriel 1]

Thanks Ray,

I did reinstall and forgot that the last time I did this I had to registar the MSSTDFMT.DLL.

I registared the dll and it is up working.

Sometimes I wonder if we FlightSim for the flying emersion or if we just like the aggravation of fiddling with software!

Thanks again for your help.

 

Larry Gabriel

 

[ronzie 21]

When you run makerwys it creates several files in your P3dxx folder. When you do the scenery update from rcv4 it copies  several r5.csv to your rcv4/data  folder renaming rcv5 data file to rcv4 in the process. you can check the datetime stamp in the r5.csv file in your p3d main folder  with the stamp of r4csv in rcv4/data to insure it matches to verify the copy.

There is a readme file created in your P3D folder for r4.csv and f4.csv that explains the formats of those. f4.csv is the frequency for comm operations That is a fixed database file in your rcv4/data folder. There is an updated one in your p3d folder that does not get copied to your rc4/data folder. That has to be copied manually very carefully if you choose to use the f4 frequencies obtained from the scenery data. The procedure is a in a posting in this forum somewhere.

Be sure you have given the correct paths during the scenery update procedure and in the special procedures for p3d.

 

[vhufo 35]

On this subject, the runway selection in controller info, in particular the destination runway, does that need to be selected prior to departure or can you select it prior to TOD?  

 

Because as we all know, forecasts can change.

 

Thanks.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,921]

@vhufo, no, you shouldn’t select the arrival runway in the main RC program before starting it. Weather can change.

When you’re instructed to contact Approach 40nm out you have two options. The first is to accept vectors and land on the runway assigned by RC or you could choose to fly your own approach and you will be presented with the available runways. I often choose that option just for variety.

You should check arrival Wx 50nm out if you use a program like AS16 as RC4 will on occasion choose a different runway to the prevailing wind. Why, I know not.

[vhufo 35]

Ok thanks Ray.

 

The reason ask is that last night on a flight to Melbourne from Perth I had the aircraft setup nicely for a VNAV descent for RWY 16, yet RC4 gave me runway 27 which left me too high to accept. There was nothing wrong with accepting 27, but it was much quicker to perform the 16 arrival and the winds allowed for that.

 

Where i was heading with my question was, if i place the preferred arrival runway in the Controller Info section before TOD, will RC4 take that into account?

 

Thanks, Andy.