FSX-MS AI Controller 1.4 (SID, Jet Route, STAR and Final Approach) (New) Beta

[toelg 1]

he reason why i disable enhanced mode is because when planes land, they go until the finish of the runway and are stuck there. they stop and dont move

Similar at me : At the end of the runway, they retract the flaps and stop for about 5 -10 seconds at the edge of the runway. After that, some are deleted and the other continue  taxiing, but atways not to the assigned gate.

 

BTW : I just had a look at my "AI_cfg_data.txt" and found tons of data of other objects like animals, AI-ships and objects of FSDT GSX (baggage-cars, star-trucks etc.). Seems, that they are scanned too by decompling, as they are also at the "SimObjects"-folder.

 

Best regards

Dietmar

[Norbo 0]

My AI aircrafts on approach and exit sharply jump in the air, sometime accelerate or decelerate, no smoothness movement.

It's okay when the AI Controller is disabled.

What I am doing wrong?

 

P.S. Prepare 3Dv2.5, Traffic UT2, MDesign UUDD.

[bib974 0]

I could solve that by reducing Taxi-speed from 15 kts (default) to 10 kts at AIMonitor options . It looks much smoother now (for me at least).

 

Thanks I will give it a try.

 

Roland, I still have some issues I cant seem to resolve, not necessarily about taxi but also all the previous and original options AIController was designed for.

 

1) The first of which is AI Separation. To me it is not working well, no matter what number I use for AI separation the results often gets compromised at big airports with many AI. In this regard, I have some questions on how your program works so as to better design my STAR

a) How does the program calculate the spacing between AIs? Is it only by the exact time they will reach the last STAR waypoint? the airport? If I have many STAR, should at least one (or the last) STAR waypoint be common to all these STARs so separation works?

b) Could there be a way that th program commands a different altitude for close AI. Often I have a long queue of AI separated by less than 2-3 nm and descending from the same altitude, at the same descent rate etc...not really realistic

Eventually I often have finals with 3 to 4 AIs separated by only a few nm

 

2) I switched back to enhanced mode off a few days ago to try the STAR, and I have a lot of this issue: reaching the last STAR waypoint, AI cirle around a bit and then intercept to land, some intercepts directly, some not. I tried different setting with AI assigned altitude when exiting star=0, i modified the STAR to specify an altitude for the last waypoint, everything, but it is still very random. Trying to understand how this works.

The weird hing is for the north runway this seldom happens, for the south runway, it almost always does. How to prevent this? My last STAR waypoint is distant to the IAF by a few miles.

 

3) I cant seem to be able ot use custom approach. Even if the files are in the right folder, it is not recognised unless enhanced mode is on (I did put 1 in the use custome final approach setting)

 

SIDs work flawlessly

 

Thanks for your help!

[Clipper Ocean Spray 189]

I am using version 1.4B and still have this problem.  The smoke effect happens when the AI exits the runway.

 

I'm seeing touchdown smoke consistently.  The AI do however touchdown at different rates (for variation).  The greasers don't trigger the smoke, which is then delayed until the AI exits the runway.  I've also noticed less likelihood of touchdown smoke at airports near sea-level (not sure why).  So there are probably airports where you see less touchdown smoke.

 

 

the airport is GCLP, form sim-giants. do you think we have a solution?

 

Yes, fix coming shortly.

 

 

I figured it out.  Disable Ehanced Mode and animations work as they are supposed to.

 

That's one way to do it (if you really like touchdown smoke on every landing)!  Disabling enhanced mode essentially reverts the program back to ver. 1.3B.

 

 

Similar at me : At the end of the runway, they retract the flaps and stop for about 5 -10 seconds at the edge of the runway. After that, some are deleted and the other continue  taxiing, but atways not to the assigned gate.

 

BTW : I just had a look at my "AI_cfg_data.txt" and found tons of data of other objects like animals, AI-ships and objects of FSDT GSX (baggage-cars, star-trucks etc.). Seems, that they are scanned too by decompling, as they are also at the "SimObjects"-folder.

 

Fix incoming regarding taxi problems.  As for the wide search path for aircraft.cfg data, it is sort of the wild west out there regarding where these AI packages get placed (I think due to rise of sharing installations between multiple sims).  The fix actually widens the search for this data.

 

 

The first of which is AI Separation. To me it is not working well, no matter what number I use for AI separation the results often gets compromised at big airports with many AI.

 

When you turn off enhanced mode, separation will not be as effective.  Still, there's a lot of options to tweak in non-enhanced mode.  Don't forget the options in the AI Holding Options menu, such as increasing the AI Release Timer and decreasing the AI Target Landing Rate, both of which will cause separation violations in order to achieve timed releases from hold and target landing rates.  What options are you using?  

[do_denver2 18]

How to download?  The links provided no longer seem to work.

[Clipper Ocean Spray 189]

2) I switched back to enhanced mode off a few days ago to try the STAR, and I have a lot of this issue: reaching the last STAR waypoint, AI cirle around a bit and then intercept to land, some intercepts directly, some not. I tried different setting with AI assigned altitude when exiting star=0, i modified the STAR to specify an altitude for the last waypoint, everything, but it is still very random. Trying to understand how this works.

The weird hing is for the north runway this seldom happens, for the south runway, it almost always does. How to prevent this? My last STAR waypoint is distant to the IAF by a few miles.

 

In non-enhanced mode, the AI have to get clearance to land and intercept a FSX-generated IAF.  Some AI get this clearance quickly, some don't.  That's why you some some land right away and others not.  If there are no custom finals or the old autogen finals, the AI will be released back to FSX control unless you have a holding (for clearance) option enabled.  The best way to prevent it (besides using enhanced mode) is to have custom finals/autogens available for the landing runway and the force land options enabled, that way the AI won't bother trying to intercept some imaginary IAF generated by FSX.

 

 

 

3) I cant seem to be able ot use custom approach. Even if the files are in the right folder, it is not recognised unless enhanced mode is on (I did put 1 in the use custome final approach setting)

 

Yes, I just noticed that problem (for non-enhanced mode), thanks for bringing it to my attention.  There was also a problem with the heartbeat check being set too low (non-enhanced mode) causing AI to disappear from AIMonitor and re-appear.  Fix on the way.  If you're really interested in non-enhanced mode, you might want to go back to ver. 1.3B (that last version before enhanced mode was added), which was pretty stable and didn't seem to have too many bugs.  There's also increased documentation  regarding tweaking non-enhanced mode parameters.

 

 

How to download?  The links provided no longer seem to work.

 

There's a new hotfix coming, should be available soon.

[Capt Speirs 52]

There's a new hotfix coming, should be available soon.

 

 

First I want to thank you for your hard work on this great utility that I am still trying to grasp fully. What I have grasped so far is amazing.

 

My question is (apologize if this has been asked already) does this utility replace the following?

 

AICull

 

AISmooth

 

AI Dupe

 

Traffic Optimizer

 

TrafficLook

 

I also noticed that there was a box ticked that limited jets to 6500 ft runways, how does this affect AI Traffic at KSNA that only has a 5000 ft runway?

[Clipper Ocean Spray 189]

A new beta version of AIController v1.14B (full version including Hot Fix 3) is available at the following link:

 

http://www.mediafire.com/download/51kfat13dck47jt/AIController14B.zip

 

Hot fix 3 by itself is available at the following link:

 

http://www.mediafire.com/download/qwl7c62lwxzjc00/AIController14BHF3.zip

 

Please do not mix with any version of 1.4A or earlier.  Instead, install into a separate directory for testing.

 

New for Version 1.4B Hot Fix 3:

 

NEW:  Manually delete AI (or a group of AI(s)) by highlighting them in AIMonitor.  Highlight the AI(s) in the AIMonitor window, right-click, then choose delete.  This is similar to the old AI Traffic Explorer utility.  Good for deleting pesky AI that you can't get to with the FSUIPC zapper, but you can identify on the AIMonitor. 

 

NEW:  Persistent highlighting of selected AIMonitor rows.  This feature was added to support the delete option above, but has actually been requested several times by itself!  I presume the persistent highlighting will allow the user to better track particular aircraft. 

 

NEW:  Specify AI install directories outside of the FSX/P3D path.  In the config menu, advanced options.  Useful if an AI package has been installed to location outside the SimObject path.

 

NEW:  Absolute path to UNC path translator for Scenery.cfg.  In the config menu, advanced options.  Useful for when AIController is running on a networked client.  You can tell AIController the corresponding UNC path for any absolute path (e.g., a path containing a drive letter) appearing in the scenery.cfg.  As always, relative scenery paths (relative to the main FSX/P3D installation directory) are not a problem for AIController, so I recommend using relative paths if possible.  However, absolute paths are very useful for sharing scenery between different simulators (e.g., FSX and P3D).

 

New for Version 1.4B (Prior Revisions)

 

NEW:  Manual Landing Runway Selection:  If the user for whatever reason dislikes the current landing runway, which is based on prevailing winds, the user can instead enter up to three runways in AIMonitor to override all wind-based landing runway selections.  The AI will immediately switch to the new patterns, there will be no gradual transition.  When two runways are entered (e.g., 32L,32R), the load-balancing will be approx. 50-50.  When three runways are entered (e.g., 17C,18R, 18L), the load-balancing will be approx. 33-33-33.

 

NEW:  Max. Time Departing AI Remains Stopped on Taxiway Before Deletion.  Maximum time that AI taxiing OUT to the departure runway will be allowed to remained stopped on the taxiway before deletion (default 60 seconds).  Occasionally (even when not using AIController), departing AI becomes "stuck" just before runway entry holding up that AI and all the AI line-up behind it waiting.  This parameter will delete the AI that has become "stuck", allowing the AI behind it enter the runway and take off at a consistent rate.  The parameter cannot be used to increase waiting time higher than the FSX default value.  

 

NEW: AI Rollout Performance and Parking Based on AI's Aircraft.cfg File and ADE:  The AI rollout performance (e.g., braking distance) and parking preference (e.g., parking codes) are based on performance data in each AI's config file.  The parking algorithm has been revised to conform to typical FSX/P3D - ADE design methods (e.g., first AIController looks to gate radius, second AIControler looks to airline parking codes in the gate order as listed in the ADE parking list).  Version 1.4B automatically reads AI aircraft.cfg data to get each AI's braking, radius, airline code, etc. data, no user action is required.  Thus, the old GrabAIParkingCode utility is being retired.  An interesting note:  AIController will scan more than 5 airline codes per gate, thus eliminating the old FSX restraint.

 

NEW: Improved Landing Animations.  Consistent touchdown smoke, wheels (including nose-wheel) make firm contact with runway at correct angle, no more smoke effects when AI exits the runway and enters taxiway.  Touchdown smoke may be less prevalent at airports near sea level.

 

NEW: Special WinXP versions of AIController.exe and AIConv.exe are included in the distribution:  If you're running AIController in a networked configuration on an older laptop running WinXP, please use the AIController_WinXP.exe and AIConv_WinXP.exe files in the WinXP folder (see the readme in that folder for further instructions).

 

NEW: Latest version of SIDSTARConverter included, which allows you to select your preferred version of AIConv.exe.  The latest AIConv.exe is included in the AIController installation directory.

 

Fixed for Version 1.4B:

 

HOTFIX 3: (1) AI being deleted after rollout at some airports.  Problem was due to conversion error (parking radius stored in scenery files as meters, AI wingspan stored in aircraf.cfg files as feet); (2) AIController sometimes crashing because of bad taxi-graph read; (3) Multiple fixes for non-enhanced mode, including custom final approach/autogen files not being selected and AI disappearing/re-appearing in AIMonitor; (4) Waypoint updates can be made while FSX/P3D running.

 

HOT FIX 2:  (1) Expanded search for *.cfg files in all of the SimObjects subdirectories.  I don't have all AI add-on packages, so I suppose it is possible some package will have the AI reside outside Simobjects.  If so, let me know and I'll patch it up again; (2) Fixed continuing issue with repetitive "Scenery Change Detected" message and then AIMonitor attempting update waypoints at the same time it starts AIController; (3) Fixed bug where sometimes AIControllerPath.txt doesn't sometimes contain the "taxi=" paths even though the user just ran an update; (4) Revised code to support "My Document" paths to better support auto-injection of departing AI at monitored airport (to maintain departure rates if user remains at airport for long periods of time); (5) Extended "Force Landing Runway" to support 3 runways; and (6) Removed ability to keep the "Force Landing Runway" option to remain active across different AIMonitor sessions (to reduce the chance of accidentally keeping option enabled when switching airports). 

 

HOT FIX 1:  Repetitive repetitive "VARIABLE WINDS or TIMEOUT waiting for wind direction data" message in AIController.  Fixed repetitive "Scenery Change Detected" when AIMonitor started for first time. 

 

FIXED: Jet, prop, and VFR ONLY STARs/SIDs not recognized.  This has been fixed, but jet, prop and VFR only patterns are now specified by "pattern type" instead of "pattern name" to maintain consistency with final approach pattern types.  Any custom user files that user the "pattern name" to specificy jet-only, prop-only, or VFR-only files will have to be modified so that "pattern type" is used instead (this should be an easy modification, see the readme.pdf for further details).   

 

FIXED: Duplicate line added to AIControllerPath.txt file.

 

FIXED: Excessive error messages when attempting scenery scan, such as when program paths incorrect.  AIController will now limit the error messages to five when an unsuccessful scenery scan occurs.

 

FIXED: Sometime AI didn't park at gate at correct heading.  This has been fixed.

 

FIXED:  Generic left and right base pattern names reversed.  This has been fixed.

 

FIXED:  Pattern entry points (enhanced generic left-right patterns) sometimes not the closest to AI's present position.

 

FIXED:  Some approach files converted from nav data contained missed approach data causing AI to perform missed approach procedure (go-around) when landing.  This has been fixed.

 

FIXED:  Addon/scenery folder not being scanned when active in FSX/P3D (this is where use-generated ADE files typically reside!).

 

FIXED:  AI's landing runway displayed more consistently on AIMonitor.

 

FIXED:  Departing AI not being auto-injected at some airports.

 

FIXED:  Locale issue continuing to cause errors when comma-deliminated error.  For those users who switched affected by this error, please give this fix a try.

 

FIXED: Quicker assignment of wind-based runway selection, less incorrect STARs that have to be re-assigned later.

 

Important Revision:  A registered version (4.9x or later) of Peter Dowson's FSUIPC utility is recommended to use the full functionality of AIController.  For example, AIController will not be able to delete problematic AI targeted for removal (e.g., parked at gate after arrival for the specificed parking time).  For networked configuration users, Peter's WideFS (ver. 6.9) is also recommended.

 

Various other fixes/revisions were also made.

 

Important New NOTAMS!

 

ENTERING FINAL APPROACH COORDINATES.  Do not use FSX when entering final approach coordinates for runway positions (e.g., touchdown, rollout) as the FSX in-game coordinate display (shift-Z) lacks the necessary precision (significant digits).  Use the freeware Airport Design Editor X (or similar) instead.

 

ENTERING RUNWAY DATA.   Ensure the runway number corresponds to the FSX runway description (for whatever airport scenery you are using).  Often, the latest FMS data will reference changed runway numbers that do not correspond to stock FSX runway descriptions.  For STAR files, if the runways do not match (STAR versus FSX), AIController will choose the STAR based on the waypoint having the closest entry point to the AI’s current position (i.e., not based on runway data), which often is satisfactory, but not always.  For Final Approach files, if the runways do not match, AIController might choose the final approach file having the incorrect runway data.

 

Please see the Original Thread Post for Additional Details Regarding Ver. 1.4 Including Installation Video.

 

Thanks!

-Roland

[romeocharlie 0]

Thanks for the update Roland, the changes for network paths has fixed my problem of AI Controller not "seeing" add-on scenery on my FSX machine, so it is now generating all the files on the network.

 

I have though spent 30-45 minutes watching activity at EGLL and I have to report not one inbound AI plane in that time came under the control of AI Controller - all stayed with FSX and consequently I had no approach and taxi in control, no separation and a lot of go-arounds. My question is, what am I doing wrong?

 

Many thanks

 

Rob

[JSkorna 137]

Rob,

 

Is AIC still reading your Sid/Star data files upon start up?

[romeocharlie 0]

Yes Jim, insofar as I can tell. 

[Clipper Ocean Spray 189]

My question is (apologize if this has been asked already) does this utility replace the following?

 

AICull

 

AISmooth

 

AI Dupe

 

Traffic Optimizer

 

TrafficLook

 

No, they all have their roles!  It's all good!

 

 

 

I also noticed that there was a box ticked that limited jets to 6500 ft runways, how does this affect AI Traffic at KSNA that only has a 5000 ft runway?

 

Just reduce the number below 5000 and apply changes (perhaps the default 6500 number is too high - I researched that number, but it might not be practical).

 

 

Yes Jim, insofar as I can tell. 

 

Do you have the arrival and departure paths for EGLL checked (enabled) in the Departure/Approach paths screen?  Out-of-the-box EGLL is disabled in 1.4B.  Also when AIController first starts, it will display what airports (ICAOs) it is monitoring in the console window.  Sorry you spent 30 minutes.  At a busy airport like EGLL with even reduced AI traffic density, AIController would normally place several AI under its control immediately after startup (if the particular airport is being monitored).

[Chris Zoepound 0]

Hello Roland.

I've followed your tutorial video on AI Controller 1.4 that you uploaded to Youtube. At first when I clicked Start AI Controller..it asked me for the msvcp120.dll, which it seems was missing from my system..Went on google, downloaded it, got it among the other files where I installed AI Controller

Now the problem is every time I click on "Start AI controller" I get this error:

     

             - The application was unable to start correctly (0xc000007b). Click OK to close the application. -

 

As you can imagine, it was very annoying to reach the final step and fail, especially seeing that it works fine for you and other i suppose. lol.

 

I dont know how to get rid of this error. Saw some supposed "fixes" on line..but they dont work.I also have my doubts that my own ai controller files that i created for the Jamaican Airports will work in 1.4, because in 1,3B they didnt work at all.command kept saying that alot of "stuff" werent being read correctly or were missing(cant remember the "stuff" exactly at this moment) so ai controller would then exit...and i created it following one of your tutorials on an older version of ai controller i think..but it was the only one i could find that expained how to create files for areas not included in the samples..  Your samples worked though.

 

Anyways now i upgraded to 1.4 and as i said I'm getting that error and I need some help. 

 

I was hoping you or somebody who has experience with these issues help me out here.

 

Also my Norton antivirus kept annoying me because it would delete every .exe file and i would have to restore and exclude them so they wouldnt be deleted again.

 

I dont know if this might have something to do with me seeing this 0xc000007b error

[romeocharlie 0]

Do you have the arrival and departure paths for EGLL checked (enabled) in the Departure/Approach paths screen?  Out-of-the-box EGLL is disabled in 1.4B.  Also when AIController first starts, it will display what airports (ICAOs) it is monitoring in the console window.  Sorry you spent 30 minutes.  At a busy airport like EGLL with even reduced AI traffic density, AIController would normally place several AI under its control immediately after startup (if the particular airport is being monitored).

I do have them selected, yes. I noticed yesterday, that restarting the sim and AIController saw all EGLL AI come under the control of the programme. However, I left the sim running and came back an hour later and found most AI control had gone back to FSX, which was very strange.

 

Rob

[romeocharlie 0]

It would appear AI Controller is relinquishing AI control to FSX after exiting the STAR, so I'm not getting any managed approaches. 

 

Rob