Clipper Ocean Spray

Some updates: AIFlow v1.1 HF4: https://www.mediafire.com/file/4zus3a2gda7e22r/AIFlow_v110HF4.zip/file Added: AITerminalAreaMaxSpeed option (similar to min. speed). Prevents AI from going over max. speed in terminal area. Used in combination with AITerminalAreaMinSpeed gives AI a consistent speed range in terminal area before final intercept. Fixed: First a big one that I wish I had caught earlier: changing AIArrivalSpacing value from default did not have any effect due to bug! If anyone had experimented with changing AIArrivalSpacing from default (especially increasing it), please download this fix and retry. Also, AIArrivalSpacing=0 didn’t disable spacing. Output console text would sometimes freeze. Better program stability and efficiency. Excessive altitude gain when using AITerminalAreaMinSpeed option causing final approach problems. AIGround v1.1 HF4: https://www.mediafire.com/file/y1rannpb82hxk9h/AIGround_v110HF4.zip/file Fixed: Output console text would sometimes freeze. AICull v1.0 HF1: https://www.mediafire.com/file/s82bp9ve14kpi7c/AICull_v100HF1.zip/file Added: New “Smart Retain X Current ICAO” Mode - maximizes arrival and departure activity at the user’s current ICAO while still retaining “X” number of AI. Lowest priority to retain: AI that is neither departing from or arriving at the user’s current ICAO. Most of the AI in this category will usually be deleted in order to obtain the specified "X" number. Medium priority to retain: AI that is sleeping at the user’s current ICAO. Highest priority to retain: non-sleeping AI departing or arriving at user's ICAO. This AI will be selected on a random basis for deletion only as last resort in order to obtain the specified "X" number. Added: ability to customize the "X" number in the menu system for both the “Smart Retain X Current ICAO” and “Closest X” options in the AICull menu system. Thus, users with faster PC capable of handling larger amounts of AI can bump up the “X” numbers (e.g., Mode A3 = 60, Mode A4 = 90, Mode A5 = 120). Fixed: menu interface consistency, better output console text updates, sometimes all AI would get deleted. P.S. I've received very good suggestions (thanks!) that I can't implement without reading .bgl files, which I don't want to do with these particular programs in order to keep it simple.

Nice description. Makes sense and done. The algorithm you outlined is working well and will be available in the latest AICull hotfix.

I think default, but set UserAISeparaonDistance = 0 just to be safe. I would add AIBadApproachFilter = 1 because AI injected too high and too close really stink up the show (even if AIFlow will eventually get them landed, they go through unrealistic descents that may be visible from the control tower). Also suggest AITerminalAreaMinSpeed = 170 and AITerminalAreaMaxSpeed = 210 (new option available to be available in latest hotfix) to get AI flying through terminal area at consistent range of speed. Finally, INIPERIODICUPDATE=1 in case you want to tweak the settings on-the-fly. I would also use AICull or another AI traffic limiter and set it to your current ICAO where you're watching in the control tower.

Yes it would, I'm down in the weeds, thanks for the logical suggestion (that is very easy to implement as well). BTW, the min. AI approach speed had some bugs (AI getting way off final approach descent profile) that will be fixed in the new hotfix.

That is interesting, glad to read you are still using it! Wow, v1.4 goes back a ways! Although I don't think I had a choice at the time, it turned out well that it was targeted it to the FSX vanilla simconnect libs. It should be compatible with AIGround definitely. Probably AICull too. I don't remember off-hand is v1.4 had the old AICull version, but the latest version I'm working on now is better.

AFlow wasn't designed to go that low on monitor radius, but perhaps it unintentionally works ok. You shouldn't be seeing AI landing 20 nm out and bobbing along the ground as of HF2. Do you have the latest version, HF3? https://www.mediafire.com/file/donrrkqljazpnn3/AIFlow_v110HF3.zip/file What typically causes that problem is the AI injected too high, too close goes into a dive-bomb (under control of the P3D AI engine) and can't pull out of the dive. HF3 (and HF2) will detect this and get the AI airborne again, however again this relates back to the original issue of the AI being injected too high. That's why I suggest AIBADAPPROACHFILTER=1 to just get rid of these problematic AI from the beginning.

I think it would just be too complex if they were all parts of the same program. E.g., it is possible the user is just interested in extended ground rolls, so all they have to figure out is AIGround. If you're watching AI from the user aircraft while airborne, do you have USERAISEPARATIONDISTANCE=0 set? If that's fine, probably ok to decrease AIMONITORRADIUS to 175940 or so (95 nm), but I wouldn't go below that (for AIFlow). I've done a lot of testing at EGLL and the AI tend to get injected there high and too close to the airport, especially when landing west. Rather than have AIFlow try to rehabilitate the situation (which will involve AI circling descending rapidly in the terminal area), just use AIBADAPPROACHFILTER=1 to get rid of them. They were not injected in a realistic manner to begin with. Try AITERMINALAREAMINSPEED=170.0 to keep the turbos moving to final intercept. You can also reduce AIARRIVALSPACING=1.5 to tighten spacings and reduce holding, but his will increase go-arounds. Make sure to retain AIGOAROUNDLEAVEAREA=1 (default) so going-around AI(s) do not loiter in the terminal area. Holders will eventually land, but if there are too many at one time to your liking, reduce the max number of holders (e.g., AIMAXHOLDING=10).

FYI, here's the non-default .ini file settings I'm currently using (may not work best with your preferences/setups however). AIFlow.ini AIANTIRUNWAYINCURSION=1 //view readme to understand what this does before enabling AIBADAPPROACHFILTER=1 //AIFlow can deal with AI injected too high and close, but why bother? Get rid of them from the get-go! AITERMINALAREAMINSPEED=170.0 //Get those turbo-props and GA moving INSIMMESSAGELEVEL=1 //prefer minimal feedback as to what program is doing INIPERIODICUPDATE=1 //prefer option to change settings and not restart AIFlow although doing so will not cause any problems AIGround.ini AIEXTENDEDPUSHBACK=1 //at the very least prefer AI pointed toward apron after pushback AILANDINGBRAKINGSCALAR=15.0 //good initial value if using landing target time below AILANDINGTARGETTIME=25 //probably between 20-25, GA and turbos will automatically be less, heavies more INSIMMESSAGELEVEL=1 //like minimal feedback as to what program is doing INIPERIODICUPDATE=1 //prefer option to change settings and not restart AIFlow although doing so will not cause any problems AICull.ini Currently using all defaults.

Hi Kael, I could do it, but (and I realize you've probably been asked this question before 😉), how is that a significant advantage over the option to just limit traffic to the departure and destination specified in your flight plan? For example, you're flight plan is EGLL-EGPH, that removes all the AI at London City, Gatwick and Stansted.

Agreed, v4.5 was so reliable for me in that respect, it is difficult to leave that behind. Currently have both 4.5 and 5 active, but not entirely happy about the extra expenses. Remember that bad old days of FSX, before the virtual address space limitation was fully understood, when FSX would just vanish to the desktop as your were approaching your destination after a long flight that you had meticulously set up? The empty feeling of never wanting to touch FSX again? v4.5 was the opposite of that in every way. As someone else said on the forum recently, when v4.5 stuttered a bit on final approach, you knew it was going to pull through and not let you down.

Some updates: AIFlow v1.1 HF3: https://www.mediafire.com/file/donrrkqljazpnn3/AIFlow_v110HF3.zip/file Added: (1) start minimized; (2) periodic read of .ini file to aid tuning/tweaking (can save changes and keep AIFlow running); (3) auto switch to external airport database (included in package) if simconnect bug reading internal database; (3) option to specify min. AI approach speeds in terminal area (good for slower AI or AI in a long-slow approach from distance). AIGround v1.1 HF3: https://www.mediafire.com/file/6phos9ju3vtte54/AIGround_v110HF3.zip/file Added (1) start minimized; (2) periodic read of .ini file to aid tuning/tweaking (can save changes and keep AIGround running); (3) option to specify target landing rollout time (by automatically changing braking scalar) yielding more consistent results for different AI sets used at same time. New Utility: AICull AICull v1.0 https://www.mediafire.com/file/d60ip7ktp28uxqh/AICull_v100.zip/file In-sim, multi-mode AI traffic limiter. Operates via P3D menu system located under the "Add-ons" menu. Provides options to limit AI traffic to the user's departure and destination airports (if flight plan loaded), the user's current airport or the closest 25, 50 or 75 AI to the user's aircraft. Exceptions can be made for enroute AI (e.g., higher than 10,000 or 18000 ft). AICull requires FSUIPC v5 or later (registered preferred).

My next revision lets the user specify a target landing ground roll time (adjusting the braking scalar dynamically to achieve it) for an average jet. Turbos and GA will automatically take less time and heavies perhaps a bit more. It seems to be working fairly well, with some natural variability in the actual ground roll times. A more-or-less constant ground-roll time mirrors reality IMO. Regardless of runway length (excluding exceptionally short runways), the roll is always going to be about the same, sort of a constant de-accel that is comfortable for the passengers, easy on the aircraft, but getting the aircraft to exit promptly. Davii, the other suggestions are good. My earlier AIController did some of those things, but it had to read the airport .bgl files to do it, which I want to avoid for these utils.

Wow, that sounds great! My current utils follow ATC, so if you can direct ATC to change takeoff/landing runway(s) and parking, that would be huge. Specifically, being able to change the AI landing runway(s) is one of the most frequent requests I get. My earlier AIController did it, but it wasn't compatible with default ATC. It would also be a huge help for the weather programs too.

I think there might be a bare bones way (simple and light) to do the first thing, I'll look into it. Re: the second, I'm adding an option to periodically read the .ini file, so if you're approaching an airport that you want to change spacing for, you can just change the value in the .ini and it will be automatically saved and applied. The other ideas are great and a lot of them I supported in my earlier AIController. The problem with that earlier effort was it broke compatibility with the default P3D ATC comm system plus it was a lot more complicated to setup.

Yes, there will absolutely be an option to start minimized next revision. The users have spoken loud and clear on that one. 🙂 Edit: re: second request, I'm finishing up a traffic limiter that will read the flight plan and limit traffic to those airports.