Helipad Strength

[1mikel151 71]

Hey guys, since I am not that good (actually suck at it! LOL) at reading SCASM, is there a value in this that I can change that will increase the strength of my helipad, or do I have the wrong section?EndA; Landable surface routineArea16( a %1 %2 0.05 0.05 )RefPoint( 7 : %4 %1 %2 )SenseBorder( : -37 -30-37 30 38 30 38 -30 )SetElevation( 319 )End16Regards, Michael

[Guest JR Morgan]

Hi Michael. The code examples below area as used in Apt26's routine and work well for me.Note: For FS2002 Elevated Helipads, a 'Flatten Area' at least equal in size to the elevated helipad MUST be placed at local ground elevation (MSL) This is not needed in earlier MSFS sims. If this is not done, the local terrain mesh will be drawn-up to the altitude of the (invisible rwy) helipad. Also in FS2002, when departing-from and returning-to the LOD area of the elevated helipad, this added 'flatten area' may sometimes lose it's "anchoring" characteristics. In this event, David Morgan of England discoveredthat adding an additional invisible runway type helipad at ground level, along with the added 'flatten area' further anchors the elevated pad. This lastly added pad is usually not visible in the scenery, being hidden by the building supporting the elevated helipad and serves to assure anchoring of the mesh when the above described conditions are encountered. Another "fix" for the loss of 'primary' anchor (the flatten area) is to click-into the scenery library andexit it, which refreshes the LOD area, however, this is not usually a desired action (not as reas as it gets :-).The code below is same as used in the Apt26 routine for Elevated Helipads and works in all applications I've tried it. It has options for corner strobe lights and helipad border lights. Area( 5 %1 %2 30 ) LayerCall( :rwy 24 ) Jump( : ):rwy Smoothing ( 1 ) Runway( %1 %2 Altitude 194 Heading 0.5 Length 98 Width 98 Id 01 Surface -1 Markers 0 THRESHOLD 0 Lights 0 ThrLightsN 00 ThrLightsF 00 ) Smoothing ( 0 ) PerspectiveCall( :D0 ) Jump( : ):D0 Perspective RefPoint( 2 :Lights 1 %1 %2 E= %11 V1= 10000 V2= 1000 ) RotatedCall( :D2 0 0 0 ) Return:D2 LoadBitmap( 0 L5 EF 255 255 255 "*.bmp" ) Smoothing( 1 ) Points( 1 -15 0 15 15 0 15 15 0 -15 -15 0 -15 ) ShadedTexPoly( m 0 32767 0 0 1 0 255 2 255 255 3 255 0 4 0 0 ) Smoothing (0):Lights; Helipad Border Lights (OPTIONAL) IfVarRange( :Strobes 028c 0002 0004 ) LineColor( 10 F0 ) DotLine( 15 0 15 -15 0 15 16 ) ; 1 DotLine( -15 0 15 -15 0 -15 16 ) ; 2 DotLine( -15 0 -15 15 0 -15 16 ) ; 3 DotLine( 15 0 -15 15 0 15 16 ) ; 4:Strobes; Helipad Corner Strobe Lights (OPTIONAL) IfVarAnd( :D4 282 5555 ) RGBLColor( EF 255 255 255 ) Brightness( 100 ) Dot( 15 0 15 ) Dot( -15 0 15 ) Dot( -15 0 -15 ) Dot( 15 0 -15 ):D4 ReturnEndA---------------------------------------The above (invisible runway derived) code works for FS2002.The below (typical Area16) code suffices for earlier versions of MSFS but not always reliable in FS2002 for elevated surface hardening. Tom Hiscox has retained it in the Apt26 routine for backwards compatibility.-----------------------------------------;Harden elevated surface for HelipadArea16( a %1 %2 5.5 5.5 ) RefPoint( 2 : 1 %1 %2 E= %11 V1= 10000 V2= 1000 ) SenseBorder( : -20 20 20 20 20 -20 -20 -20 ) SetElevation( %11 )End16Although the above code should work as a stand-alone macro, I'd suggest you use the routines direct in Apt26 build 157 in case I made some errors. Remember that the 'Anchoring' flattens and pads are important in FS2002.There may be routines for making helipads in GMAX and placing them as .api's using 'FSREGEN', also. Hopefully, someone might respond on that.'Regards;J.R.

[1mikel151 71]

Hey JR, thanks for the reply! Your code leaves me to believe that my macro is coded the old way for a landable surface, since the code I copied is from the macro I am using and it mentions the area 16 value. I have a corporate (VA) HQ macro I did, placed on top of a building in downtown LA, I have it set up to start on the pad, but 50% of the time it either goes thru the floor or on landing it falls thru as well. I was trying to see if I could change a parameter in the macro (landable surface part) that would stregthen it. Thoughts?Regards, Michael

[Guest JR Morgan]

'Nice pad Michael. In FS2002, I've not found that old Area16 code to be reliable. As mentioned, it seems to work fine in FS2000 and earlier sims but as you've noticed, FS2002 frequently dumps you. I've tried and tried but to no avail. The routine I posted is the only one I've had success with. Surely there must be others but I haven't ran across them. If you have or can get Apt26, you can get it working pretty quick I think. I'm a heli nut and I must have spent hundreds of hours trying the older code until going with the (small) elevated invisible runway. The one I posted is the only one I've tried that's reliable. Let us know your results, OK? If you can't get it going, you can post the PRECISE latitude, longitude and elevation of you pad and I can probably send you a .bgl for it.J.R.

[1mikel151 71]

Hey JR., thanks! I use FSSC, EOD and NOVA, tried APT when I first started scenery design and found FSSC more to my liking. Guess I should break down and install the newer version since I know it has the invisable runway function. I have 4 scenery projects working and have become very used to the version I have and I know it is going to take some getting used to the new one which is why I hesitate, oh well!If you want to try your hand at a BGL I'll send you the scenery and you can play with itRegards, Michael

[Guest JR Morgan]

Michael, I think all I would need is the PRECISE latitude, longitude and elevation of your rooftop the pad is to be located-on. Please do not send a scenery file :-).J.R.

[Guest JR Morgan]

Hi Michael. Based on the screenshot you posted, I found your building in LA and made a FS2002 Helipad for it. I did not include a Texture bitmap for it as I see you have one already.Just unzip the 2 small files in the attached zip file into your active scenery directory for tht building. One is an exclude bgl and the other is the active bgl for the rooftop helipad.H'mm --- not sure that worked because zipfile was not an option in the attachment choices. I'll attach them seperately.Have Fun...J.R.P.S. If this didn't work, send me your email address and I'll attach them to that.