AI aircraft don't use the runway "Start Points."

[Guest Captain Barfbag]

I was playing around with RWY 26 at KPHX last night, and noticed that the AI aircraft would enter the runway from the south side, turn towards the short end of the runway, taxi a short distance and turn around. They would then take off from the edge of the runway rather than the center line. I'd seen this before, but this time I wanted to fix it.Moving the runway Start Point in AFCAD had no effect. It seems that is only used when starting a flight from the UI.Finally, I used AFCAD to shorten the runway by a few hundred feet. It looks like the AI bases its start point on the runway center point and the runway length. Sure enough, the planes now enter the runway, turn in the right direction and take off from the center line. (I shortened RWY 26 by 400 feet, incidentally. 300 feet might have been enough, but that's a project for another time.)This has some implications for anyone who changes AI runway selection by modifying the runway length. Be aware that you are also changing the AI start point when you do this. A few feet shouldn't matter, but hundreds of feet do.

[Holger 0]

Howdy:thanks for pointing this out. Initially, I wasn't quite sure whether I agreed with your discovery but I remembered a case where I was trying to set up a turnaround loop in AFCAD that was meant to use the actual concrete patch visible in the FS2002 default scenery. No matter where I place the Start Point, the aircraft always turned before reaching the loop. In the end, I moved the loop forward an thus into the grass. I guess I should go back to the airport (if I can remember which one) and try extending the runway length. Also, the AFCAD manual does NOT mention that the Start Point has any influence on the AI aircraft but it's easy to fall into the trap of believing it does, since that's what AFCAD is all about.Cheers, Holger

[Guest Stamatis]

...the AI aircraft would enter the runway from the south side, turn towards the short end of the runway, taxi a short distance and turn around.I believe there is another way to cure this, without altering the runway length: Simply do not put a node towards the short end of the runway. First runway node should be at the intersection with the taxiway.If there is no node towards the short end of the runway, there will not be a black "runway" line either, and the AI aircraft should not turn towards... nowhere, but turn towards the long end of the runway instead, and takeoff.Stamatis

[Guest Captain Barfbag]

That works in some cases, but not in all. For instance, I was playing with the Moscow scenery that showed up a few days ago. (Really neat, by the way. Moving trucks and buses, and even passengers strolling through the glass walkway.)Anyway, 24 Left (I think) has a problem with offset taxiways. The one from the south terminal links up to the end of the runway, but the one from the north terminal comes in a few hundred feet later. I had to adjust the runway length so the AI start point is beyond the north taxiway entrance, but that meant I still had to have nodes for the south entrance.I also realized that shortening the runway affects both ends. To correct this, I need to slide the runway back towards the far end (in AFCAD) so I won't modify that end as well.

[Guest Stamatis]

Captain,I am afraid that unless I see a diagram I cannot understand the problem you describe above.I can only say that my suggested solution in my previous message seems to be working.Stamatis