Departure Runway Assignment

[Guest CTyankee]

Hi JD,I just tried to create a flight from KSEA to KOAK using the PMDG 737-700NG. RC ATIS and Ground Control both designated Runway 16L for departure. Yet I could see that all AI aircraft were using 34R -- the same runway, but in the opposite direction. Not only that, but I couldn't even taxi to 16L because there was a stream of AI airplanes heading towards 34R and blocking my plane on the taxiway.I'm using Active Sky 2004 as the weather engine.I've noticed other instances where RC selectd a different departure runway than the one being used by the AI traffic, but this was the first time that I could't even get to the runway assigned by RC.What's going on, and can anything be done about this situation?Best regards,Sandy

[Guest Scott Campbell]

FS ATC only uses certain runways. RC uses all runways, and picks the best for the wind.You can request another runway from RC ground. Then you can use the runway the AI are using.V4 will use the runway the AI are using, but you may be taking off with a significant tail wind.

[Guest CTyankee]

Hi Scott,Thanks for the suggestion. The problem is that you may not know which runway the AI aircraft are using at the time that RC clears you to taxi to the runway it has picked. Many times you can see the AI aircraft taking off and landing only after you are already taxiing.Is there any sure way to determine which runway the AI aircraft are using before getting taxi clearance from RC, so that you can request that runway if desired?Best regards,Sandy

[jd 57]

trafficlook is included with fsuipcyou can listen to ms fs atc, to see where they are sending the planesjd

[Guest Scott Campbell]

As JD says, listen to FS ATIS, or tune to FS ground to see where they're sending aircraft.

[Guest mkuebeler]

Something I discovered about using AS2004 is that if you change the weather after the AI traffic has loaded such that the winds favor a different runway than the AI planes were using to start, they keep using that direction in spite of the wind direction. Easy to fix: after AS has updated the weather, set the FS9 time ahead by a minute or two. The AI traffic will reset and they'll be using the correct runways for the wind direction.Mark Kuebeler

[Guest CTyankee]

Hi Mark,That looks like a neat suggestion. I'll give it a try.Thanks,Sandy

[Guest CTyankee]

Hi jd and Scott,I tried trafficlook. It seems to be a great program, but unfortunately the Rwy column is blank for all AI aircraft. It's even blank for my own non-AI user aircraft when sitting on a runway. Maybe I'm doing something wrong.So I guess I'll have to listen to FS ATIS or FS Ground.Mark Kuebeler

[jd 57]

under file, choose ground traffic. you might have been looking at airborne ai planes

[Guest CTyankee]

Hi jd,I was looking at ground traffic.Sandy

[chumley 0]

Sandy et alIn one of the MS released SDK's there is a facility that loads to the FS menu that enables you to look at AI in Map or Explorer style view. The Explorer view shows all AI aircraft currently visible and the current status e.g. landing, sleeping taxiing etc. When a runway has been assigned it shows on this pop-up.RegdsAndy b