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Yragorn

Upper Level Winds Query

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Hello,

 

I'm currently flying from Toronto to Edinburgh, and I'm currently at FL330 in an attempt to catch the Jet stream on the way, but I came accross a heavy headwind instead. 

 

asd.jpg

 

Fullsize image: http://s14.postimg.org/kg9qpfi8x/asd.jpg

 

What to do to get the accurate weather? Did I miss a step?

 

Settings: ddd.jpg

 

Fullsize IMG: http://s14.postimg.org/kg9qpfi8x/asd.jpg

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Disable Stabilised GRIB Data, enabling this will make the upper winds static, it was intended for systems with bad wind shifts. We have introduced some further anti-windshift measures in the latest beta posted today. If you still encounter wind shifts then enable Use Maximum Stabilisation.

 

Cheryl

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I disabled the Stabilised GRIB Data and did another transatlantic flight. Unfortunately, OpusFSX keeps using a previous GRIB data (1200Z) of the same day (today being 18th), which is inaccurate since the time is now 2300Z, almost 12 hours since last GRIB update. (I know that it checks the "Use Previous GRIB Data" automatically once airborne)

 

How often does the GRIB get updated on OpusFSX? 

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Opus will not reload GRIB DAT if airborne, you must do this on the ground and before flight. Also Opus will consider any GRIB cycle still current up to 9.5 hours after the cycle date and time (Zulu time that is).

 

Each GRIB forecast cycle, cycles generated every six hours, has 360 hours of forecast data in. But GRIB cycles are never posted by NOAA on time and can be up to 6+ hours late.

 

So nothing to worry about really, 360 hours should cover your long haul flight. If you do want to force a fresh GRIB download then just delete the OpusFSX\GRIB\Grib.dat file and update the weather, you must be on the ground though.

 

Stephen

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Hello,

 

I am also having some issues with the upper level winds.  Currently at 21,000 feet and according to the winds aloft forecast they should be about 235 degrees at 9 knots, however, in the sim they are 065 degrees at 41 knots.  Kind of a big difference? 

 

Also, if I want to fly the sim without using Opus, how can I get my Track IR to work?  It will only work if the Opus program is opened. 

 

Thanks,

 

John

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Compare your upper winds with the target values displayed in the Opus Upper Atmosphere Weather report. Also check the OpusWeatherReport.txt text report file.

 

If you have specified your Max Cruise Altitude then you will get the correct forecasted wind target at your cruise altitude. The lower altitude winds can be adjusted to make them 'Sim Friendly', this is necessary to prevent FSX generating wind shifts as it fails to maintain any unfriendly targets.

 

But please use the Opus on screen weather reports and text report files rather than any other package. Opus uses the world wide standard GRIB forecast data, this data can be viewed in the text report file. Also use the Opus Cruise Level Wind weather map.

 

But check the Opus wind targets on the weather reports, this is what FSX will be working to. Nothing else matters really as the GRIB data is the world wide standard reference for this data, and the targets are all derived from that.

 

Stephen

 

Please consult the Getting Started Guide and Live Camera guides for details on setting up TrackIR for use with Opus, and without. You must basically rename the manifest files. This is down to Natural Point not Opus.

 

Stephen

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You could consult our SimForums topic Using The Live Weather Engine for additional details on setting the weather options and using the various on-screen reports, report text files, LWA and weather maps. But a quick look at either the Upper Atmosphere report or better still the OpusWeatherReport.txt (GRIB Data Report) text file will show you all the forecasted winds and temps along with the Sim Friendly adjusted targets up to your specified Max Cruise Altitude.

 

Its the targets that really matter, I usually monitor the Local or Destination weather report throughout the climb keeping an eye on the target wind and FSX ambient winds. FSX should keep slightly ahead of the changes. In the cruise FSX will factor in what winds are up ahead, you will find the Cruise Wind weather map useful for this.

 

Make sure you stick to the recommended weather update frequency and distance. Do not let the aircraft travel great distances (beyond 160km or 100 miles) without weather updates. Do not disable the weather updates either. FSX has limited capability for storing accurate weather over distance, especially target winds, so if left to its own devices it will start to drift away from the targets.

 

The Sim Friendly wind adjustments should help your system achieve its cruise level wind by the time it reaches TOC.

 

Once again make sure you use the actual GRIB forecasted wind targets, those downloaded by Opus, not sourced anywhere else. Consult the OpusWeatherReport.txt (GRIB Data) and possibly the OpusFlightReport.txt (En Route Flight Report) text report files.

 

This is the only data that really matters because its the data that is used by the LWE.

 

Stephen

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Ok.  I specified my cruise altitude and according to the NOAA website the winds should be at roughly 028 @ 18 knots, however, in the sim they are 154 degrees at 22 knots.  If I check the assistant page in Opus, it doesn't show any winds at 21,000.  It says FL210 000@00?  I also checked the Opusflightreport file and it says "no grib data available" for all the waypoints along my flight?

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The LWA and weather maps only show you your Cruise Level winds. You should examine either the on screen Upper Atmosphere weather report or better still the OpusWeatherReport.txt (GIB Data) text report file. This file will show you ALL the wind targets and raw GRIB data from FL040 upwards.

 

Be careful what source you look at. The NOAA GRIB forecast data is posted in 6 hourly cycles. You cannot compare unless you are comparing the same cycle.

 

Also bare in mind Opus may have to 'adjust' the raw GRIB wind and temp data to make it Friendly to the sim. The sim is not capable of achieving certain wind and temp gradients, it just fails completely, hence the LWE may have to adjust the targets to coax FSX up to your Cruise Level.

 

So once again, you already have all the data at your fingers tips in the Opus weather reports, text file reports, and various weather maps. This is the data that must be checked. The GRIB cycle date and time is displayed in the reports.

 

If you specify and process a flight plan the OpusFlightReport.txt file will also contain some very useful wind and temp data.

 

No GRIB Data Available ...

 

This means you are not using GRIB data so ALL your Upper winds are Simulated ... They are not the RW forecasted winds derived from the GRIB data.

 

Make sure you specify your Max Cruise Altitude and Destination. Open the Spy window and display the Opus Upper Atmosphere weather report on the screen. Then force a weather update and follow its progress.

 

You must get your system downloading, extracting and decoding the GRIB data.

 

No GRIB data means NO upper winds, just simulated winds.

 

Check our FAQs for details on problems downloading and decoding the GRIB data.

 

Stephen

 

Please read our SimForums topic on Using The Live Weather Engine and get used to checking the Local, Lower, Upper, and Destination weather reports before you fly. That way you will know if there is anything wrong and will be aware of what weather and winds to expect. I also check the LWA weather maps to get an idea of the likely weather along with the OpusFlightReport file whenever I have specified and processed a flight plan.

 

If you follow these procedures then you will always be fully aware of what weather to expect and immediately know if the download and weather generation is OK.

 

There are a number of reasons why you may be not getting GRIB data, best check the FAQs.

 

Stephen

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I checked the FAQ section of the user guide and didn't anything with regard to GRIB data.  I've opened the SPY window and updated the weather.  The only thing I see regarding GRIB data is that it reused GRIB forecast data, January 1, 2012 Cycle 00:00 Zulu.  Otherwise the spy box displays only metar data.

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You can only download GRIB data when the aircraft is on the ground, when airborne it will 'reuse' the last cycle data since each cycle contains 360 hours of data.

 

Please check the FAQs ... The section is called 'I can't load or extract GRIB data'.

 

Stephen

 

Extract from FAQs ...

 

I can't load or extract GRIB data

 

If you have Adjust Options Automatically enabled in the weather dialog and have configured a Max Cruise Altitude greater than 6000 feet then GRIB data will be downloaded. If you don't have Adjust Options Automatically enabled then enable Download GRIB Forecast Data in the Weather Download Options dialog.

 

Check your \OpusFSX\FSDECODER.log file for errors.

 

If your GRIB data is not decoding then it may be caused by a setting in the Windows operating system English culture setting. OpusFSX automatically selects and uses a generic English (GB) culture to ensure correct floating point number conversion. We have had problems where people have edited the English culture setting and changed the Windows Number format decimal separator from a dot to a comma. Don't edit any of the English (GB) culture settings and ensure the dot character is assigned as the decimal separator in the Windows Number format, not the comma.

 

If you can't extract or decode GRIB data then delete everything except the degrib.exe program from your OpusFSX\GRIB folder. If this doesn't work delete the GRIB folder and reinstall OpusFSX since the degrib.exe program may be corrupted.

 

Ensure you don't have more than one copy of OpusFSX installed via Control Panel. If you do then uninstall all versions and reinstall the latest version.

 

Never run antivirus software when using FSX, all AV software will adversely effect the FSX performance.

 

Stephen

 

I assume of course you have already upgraded to the latest release or better still the latest beta version.

 

Stephen

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Along with Opus I also use Aivlasoft EFB, which also gets it's weather data from NOAA. It is always 100% accurate, for me at least. This is using both PMDG 737/777 and Aerosoft Airbus A320 1.15. EFB runs on a second PC and looking at them now en-route to EGPF they both say 231/18.


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YouTube:- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC96wsF3D_h5GzNNJnuDH3WQ   ProATC/SR FB Group:- https://www.facebook.com/groups/1571953959750565

Flight Simulator First Officer User Group:- https://www.facebook.com/groups/564880128522788 ProATC/SR and Flight Sim First Officer (FSFO) Beta tester

Reality Is For People Who Can't Handle Simulation!

 

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Ok, it seems to be working now.  I think it was my fault, I didn't realize the weather had to be manually updated on the ground to get the current GRIB data.  Sorry for the confusion and thank you for the help. 

 

Best Regards,

 

John

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That is due to the (preferred) Disable Weather Update on Startup option. It allows you to sort your flight plan out, specify your cruise altitude and destination prior to clicking the Update Weather button.

 

Stephen

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Opus will not reload GRIB DAT if airborne, you must do this on the ground and before flight. Also Opus will consider any GRIB cycle still current up to 9.5 hours after the cycle date and time (Zulu time that is).

 

Each GRIB forecast cycle, cycles generated every six hours, has 360 hours of forecast data in. But GRIB cycles are never posted by NOAA on time and can be up to 6+ hours late.

 

So nothing to worry about really, 360 hours should cover your long haul flight. If you do want to force a fresh GRIB download then just delete the OpusFSX\GRIB\Grib.dat file and update the weather, you must be on the ground though.

 

Stephen

Hi Guys,

 

I have similar to above but the issue is when doing a couple of short haul flights in one day.

 

The upper winds can shift quite a bit in just a couple of hours, especially if the centre of an area of pressure is moving across the country.

 

So if i do a flight in the morning and then switch off the PC and come back some hours later to do another the grib file is the same one as one i switched off but this can be really out of date by then. 

 

Is the only solution to delete the Grib.dat file as above or am I doing something wrong?

 

I can get it to update doing the above but seems a bit of a faff.

 

I have tried doing an update weather on the ground but the upper winds seem to stay the same unless I do as you mention deleting the Grib.dat file.

 

Thanks, steve

Edited by speed707bird

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