Clipper Ocean Spray

Some updates: AIGround v1.1 HF7: https://www.mediafire.com/file/ytizy4ukf1ze2xg/AIGround_v110HF7.zip/file Added: AI takeoff roll distance can now be adjusted (similarly to how landing roll distance is adjusted). Fixed: All .ini parameters now revert to default when commented out when using .ini periodic reads (makes tweaking easier). Fixed: AI landing roll out time was not turned off (zero) at default Fixed: Extraneous white space around value in .ini file causes value not to be read. AIFlow v1.1 HF7: https://www.mediafire.com/file/r03jw5an4s1jng5/AIFlow_v110HF7.zip/file Fixed: All .ini parameters now revert to default when commented out when using .ini periodic reads (makes tweaking easier). Fixed: Extraneous white space around value in .ini file causes value not to be read. AICull v1.0 HF3: https://www.mediafire.com/file/uj0qwtz5zhgh2ja/AICull_v100HF3.zip/file Fixed: Extraneous white space around value in .ini file causes value not to be read.

Great idea, although I'm hesitant to add features (want to upload an official revision to the lib), I'm adding this one because it is a logical extension of the landing roll out. Thanks!

Some updates: AIFlow v1.1 HF6: https://www.mediafire.com/file/m5io0cix4v0p1g5/AIFlow_v110HF6.zip/file Fixed: sometimes when using bad approach filtering (AI too high), AIFlow would also redirect the user's plane. Added: option to further customize existing user-AI separation functions: (1) min. vertical separation at cruise alt. AIGround v1.1 HF6: https://www.mediafire.com/file/z3y832kt77flpnl/AIGround_v110HF6.zip/file Fixed: Sometimes AI would stop when too close to the user as normal, but then start again, then stop (cyclic stop-start). AICull v1.0 HF2 (No Changes): https://www.mediafire.com/file/vkwco8nznwkx6vo/AICull_v100HF2.zip/file

Hi Grzegorz, I think AIController 1.4 (SID/STAR) can be run at the same time as AIGround. AIController is not compatible with AIFlow however because they would both be commanding the same AI on approach to do different things. I've read reports that AIController 1.4 runs in P3d v4.5, you just have to setup the install paths correctly.

Add this to AIGround.ini: AILANDINGBRAKINGSCALAR=15.0 AILANDINGTARGETTIME=25 INIPERIODICUPDATE=1 //so you don't have to restart AIGround when you change .ini values. You may need to tweak the values above in addition to AILANDINGBRAKINGGAIN. There's extra info. in the readme about these parameters. Thanks for the heads up, good catch!! I'll get this fixed.

I'm pretty sure it will work via the usual simconnect networking setup (e.g., installing a simconnect client on a networked PC and configuring it to communicate with the simconnect server on the P3D PC).

INSIMMESSAGELEVEL=0 turns simconnect messages off. See readme for further details.

I'm curious, why are you using the kill function in FSUIPC when closing down P3D? All three utilities should end automatically when P3D ends.

Sure, that's very easy to do. On caveat, I only use a 1 sec. sampling rate (for low overhead purposes), so if the enroute vertical separation is decreased to a very small value, AIFlow may have problems detecting it in a timely fashion (especially if there is also a high closing rate between the user and AI at cruise speeds). I think +/- 800ft would be fine though.

Some updates (re-post to correct AIGround link): AIFlow v1.1 HF5: https://www.mediafire.com/file/h86rmzj5lof3e02/AIFlow_v110HF5.zip/file Fixed: Sometimes AIFlow would stop vectoring AI after switching to external database. The user might not have noticed this bug if in-sim messages were turned off. If at anytime you noticed AIFlow not controlling AI, especially with the message level turned down, please download this fix. Added: AI plane spotting option for users who may be airborne at their spotting position. AIGround v1.1 HF5: https://www.mediafire.com/file/pnnm12zttdes4th/AIGround_v110HF5.zip/file Added: AI plane spotting option for users who may be airborne at their spotting position. AICull v1.0 HF2: https://www.mediafire.com/file/ajow5p98b40ugza/AICull_v100HF2.zip/file Fixed: AICull sometimes crashed when switching to an external database or jumping between airports. Fixed: Doesn't close the FSUIPC link properly. I'm looking to wrap up the latest versions and upload to lib. Please report problems with existing feature (e.g., AIFlow stops processing AI for no apparent reason). Also please let me know of any utility crashes. Thanks! Roland

Oops, thanks for the heads up, will re-post the corrected link!

Some updates: AIFlow v1.1 HF5: https://www.mediafire.com/file/h86rmzj5lof3e02/AIFlow_v110HF5.zip/file Fixed: Sometimes AIFlow would stop vectoring AI after switching to external database. The user might not have noticed this bug if in-sim messages were turned off. If at anytime you noticed AIFlow not controlling AI, especially with the message level turned down, please download this fix. Added: AI plane spotting option for users who may be airborne at their spotting position. AIGround v1.1 HF5: http://www.mediafire.com/file/h86rmzj5lof3e02/AIFlow_v110HF5.zip/file Added: AI plane spotting option for users who may be airborne at their spotting position. AICull v1.0 HF2: https://www.mediafire.com/file/ajow5p98b40ugza/AICull_v100HF2.zip/file Fixed: AICull sometimes crashed when switching to an external database or jumping between airports. Fixed: Doesn't close the FSUIPC link properly. I'm looking to wrap up the latest versions and upload to lib. Please report problems with existing feature (e.g., AIFlow stops processing AI for no apparent reason). Also please let me know of any utility crashes. Thanks! Roland

Yes definitely, AITerminalAreaMinSpeed keeps the AI from getting too slow in terminal area, but tends to cause AI to get off descent profile, then over-correct on landing with a hard touchdown. Decrease this speed or increase AITerminalAreaMinDist .

FSUIPC installed? Do you get any error statements from the console?

Yep, same here with on my kid's PC (they don't have an admin account). There are other utilities that require me to run P3D in admin mode (in an non-admin account) as well.

Clive, are you using a simconnect-based traffic injector like Ultimate Traffic? They will re-inject culled traffic (they have their own traffic limiters).

Weird, I don't see that when I use the P3D control tower, but it is super-easy for me to add an AI observation mode only for plane spotting that makes sure there won't be a problem even if the user is determined to be airborne, so I'll go ahead and do that.

Vincent, thanks for the report. I'll look into this in terms of error-handling, but I wouldn't run AICull while directly jumping to new locations. For operational modes that require detection of the current airport (e.g., Current ICAO and Smart Retain X), AICull prevents the closet airport from immediately switching to some random nearby airport as the user aircraft departs in order to maintain consistent AI traffic liming. However because of this, if the user “jumps” to another another airport (e.g., Navigation\Go to Airport”), the user should “STOP and RESET," jump, then EXEC again (see readme for more details).

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).