AI Aircraft held on taxiway

[Guest retxed1]

Some of my AI aircraft are told to hold, stating other aircraft on taxiway. On checking no other aircraft are moving or in the area of that aircraft. The aircraft stands still until eventually it disappears. AFCAD fault finding reports no errors. Has anyone got an explanation for this?

[Guest MikeS]

Are they crossing the active RW when they *get stuck*, where another AI has been cleared to land? The fault finder isn't 100% accurate, considering the many layouts an A/P can have. Especially with the HS nodes and crossing RW's etc. Sounds a lot like it's a hold short node problem...Mikewww.aimadeeasy.comwww.flightontario.comI'm confused. Wait...maybe I'm not!

[Guest]

Couldn't find "delete" to delete my answer. I was suggesting checking the hold points to see if they were close enough to the runway, but on re-reading, this doesn't sound like the issue. Thought we could delete posts in a certain amount of time.

[Guest retxed1]

Hi Mike. The aircraft has just landed and left the runway, gone past the hold short node. Requesting taxi to gate, the aircraft then proceeds on a unbroken AFCAD taxi line ( no nodes). Moments later its told to hold "caution other traffic on the taxiway" No traffic visible or moving. I've even deleted all other aircraft at the airport. No change it just sits there. Rather strange problemKeith

[Guest MikeS]

That IS strange. I've seen some pretty strange things with AFCAD, but never that. Maybe you could post the AFCAD so everyone could have a look. Someone might find the problem.Mikewww.aimadeeasy.comwww.flightontario.comI'm confused. Wait...maybe I'm not!

[RFields5421 1]

All airports - or one airport - if so which one?Some airports have taxiways broken into segments - and most of us did not realize that we could really messup taxi flow/ behavior by "fixing" the taxiway designations.KJFK, EGLL, EHAM are some most susceptible to this problem.

[Guest retxed1]

Hi Mike, Thanks for your reply. I would happily post the AFCAD. Please advise of process for doing so.Keith

[Guest retxed1]

Just one airport that I'm aware of. Just happens to be my local airport in the NE of England. (EGNT). The airport is a down load from UK2000 Scenery/G.Summons 2005. I have modified the AFCAD slightly but only by adding additional nodes, on turns to smooth out aircraft movement. Can you be more specfic with regard to your term "fixing" the taxiway designations. How do you check for any of these?

[Guest MikeS]

Try clicking reply. You'll see a text box below the response window with a link "Click here to choose your attachments"...Either a screenshot or the actual AFCAD...Mikewww.aimadeeasy.comwww.flightontario.comI'm confused. Wait...maybe I'm not!

[RFields5421 1]

"Some of my AI aircraft are told to hold, stating other aircraft on taxiway"Is it every aircraft at EGNT, or just some models - if so which models and what is the radius value you have for them?I seem to remember something about some radius values causing issues with taxi holds. Another thing - hit pause when the ATC gives the AI aircraft it's taxi instructions - write down the taxi path and trace it in AFCAD - make sure there are no breaks in the path.The biggest potential for your basic problem at EGNT that I see is the runway crossing - if an AI aircraft exits the runway on the opposite side of the runway from the assigned parking spot - the runway lockout described above can easily cause the aircraft to time-out and disappear.Are you familiar with the runway crossing diamond technique?EGNT in the default does not have multiple separate segments of a single taxiway - so that is okay on the "fixing" issue.By "fixing" - the I and O taxiways at EGLL are segmented by Microsoft for ground traffic flow. AI aircraft own their taxiway segment. Combining the entire I taxiway (Inner) into one designated segment increases the taxi delays because everything I can test tells me FS only knows what segment the AI aircraft is on, not it's location until it comes within one radius of the other aircraft.Soon after we first got AFCAD for FS2004, we would think things like several taxiway segments with the same designator were errors and we would fix them. Not knowing we were making ground taxi behavior less efficient.

[Guest retxed1]

Thanks for your reply.However I've found the problem. During testing of Flightplans in and out of EGNT, I was using a tower view from Traffic 2005. At some point I must have moved the tower around the airport using slew mode, this appears to have marked a zig-zag "progressive taxi" route just beyond the point which the traffic were being held. It only held aircraft being directed to gates 1 to 7. Having recreated the flight without moving the tower other than back from gate 1 all now works fine.Once again thanks for your help.Keith

[Guest retxed1]

Hi MikeI've found the problem. During testing of Flightplans in and out of EGNT, I was using a tower view from Traffic 2005. At some point I must have moved the tower around the airport using slew mode, this appears to have marked a zig-zag "progressive taxi" route just beyond the point which the traffic were being held. It only held aircraft being directed to gates 1 to 7. Having recreated the flight without moving the tower other than back from gate 1 all now works fine.Thanks for your help.Keith