I've heard that Pete Dowson now has the capability to at least "see" both ground and airborne AI aircraft via FSUIPC. I'm curious if FS has the functionality for a stand-alone program to control AI. If this is possible, it could (in theory) handle the complications of overlays/gate radius/disappearing aircraft without all of the work-arounds that we are having to do now.Taken to the extreme, one could (theoretically) create an AI ATC engine that could route AI aircraft on realistic departure/enroute/arrival patterns. Gate holds could be issued. Logic could be used to control gate/runway assignments. Overflow parking could be simplified. There could even be an IP based traffic source that could include AI plans as well as VATSIM traffic. Possibilities would be endless.To a certain extent I suppose this could also be done with a dummy multiplayer source via WideFS that would automate an array of aircraft but isn't multiplayer limited to 12 a/c?This is probably "pie-in-the-sky" at the present, but it seems like if the technology is there to control it then this would be a certain payware success. Anyone care to guess if this would be possible with FS2K2? Be it freeware or payware, would you use/buy it? It seems like we spend all kinds of hours working on a scheme to make our AI traffic be "as real as it gets" only to find a fatal flaw in our plan. Perhaps the answer is working outside of FS. What do you think?

Dennis,That is the essence of a question I posted a while backftp.avsim.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=read_count&om=1069&forum=DCForumID13My question was geared towards an ATC simulation where a user on a machine with FS2002 (or on a networked PC) would send commands to AI aircraft via a radar screen interface. The user would act as an air traffic controller, guiding AI aircraft through FS2002 airspace.Some how the ATC engine within FS2002 would have to be circumvented which I think would only be accomplished by hacking the code. Unfortunately there are no published API's on the ATC or AI subsystems.I too am frustrated with the limitation of the ATC system in FS2002 and would love to see it enhanced in any way possible.-DN