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View Full Version : arms twisted; SIMPLE AI Flight Planner -STEP by STEP



nigel richards
January 8th, 2012, 08:39
Okay Falcon, I hear you!


Please understand that this walkthrough is NOT written by an expert.

I just use it for personal traffic - and its a year since I last used it.
Anyone wishing to correct me or add suggestions;
Jump in! You'll be doing me and everyone else a big favour...and maybe we can finally get the AI traffic flowing.

Let us begin;

Download and install the latest version of 'AI Flight Planner'

Install on to your computer and read the installation notes - its simple and its the only part I will not touch.


Step1



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Find your desktop icon for AI Flight Planner. Enter, double-click!

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All boxes empty? We'll take care of that...

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The first thing to do is get some planes - click the box named aircraft; you'll be given a choice of actions.
Forget the choice!...

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Select: 'create new aircraft list'...

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Dang! You'll probably get a message like this (if you have your headphones on as always like me :icon_lol: you'll hear the dang!)
Beginning problems? did I do something wrong?
Nope! Just press ok and continue...




Edit: however I did press something wrong on the thread here.
Disregard the 3 pics below.

falcon409
January 8th, 2012, 08:50
lol, there ya go!! Well done Nigel, lol. You'd think that after reading Job Guides and Tech Manuals in the Air Force for 26 years, just to turn a screw or tighten a "B" nut, a short Tech Manual would be a breeze, but I think my head just finally said "Enough Already", lol. Thanks for the Tutorial. I'll bookmark it to come back to when necessary (which will probably be constantly for a few weeks at least).:salute:

nigel richards
January 8th, 2012, 09:13
lets continue;

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so you're in the 'create new aircraft list' dialog box. Good.
1. select your fs version or both.

2. Press the 'scan folders' box and direct 'AI Flight Planner' to your fs main 'aircraft' folder.
It may take a few moments loading all your aircraft, but you should eventially see a list of all your aircraft as here.

3. For simplicity, press the 'use all' button; I'm telling you to do this because you might want to choose a different aircraft
halfway through your flightplan. That's nearly what you're ready to do!

Look in the righthand corner of the 'AI Flight Planner' main screen;
you'll see you now have a #.

Yes? That's good!

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scroll down the list (yeah! your mouth's already watering)...

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Choose a fairly reliable aircraft to begin with;
I chose the Avia 156 (I'm trafficking in my sound testing sim)
Go for something fairly 'normal' for now. (you'll probably give it the chase, if you're doing traffic for the first time)

Milton Shupe
January 8th, 2012, 09:16
Well done Nigel. Now, where can I get AI Planner? Is it freeware?

nigel richards
January 8th, 2012, 10:04
Falcon: hope its some help my friend.


Milton: Thanks Sir!

Yes, its a great, reliable and continually tested/improved freeware program.

Download here (its in the blue dialog box on the lefthand sid of the site page.):


http://stuff4fs.com/newpage.asp?folder=AIFP

nigel richards
January 8th, 2012, 10:47
Not long now,gentlemen...we'll soon be seeing traffic.

I now want you to consider where your traffic will be flying from, and a very nearby destination.

Make sure they both have parking areas!
(most medium to large airports have plenty of room - keep it simple for now)

here we go...

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we've chosen our aircraft? Good!...

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1. Press 'start new FP'

2.You're selected aircraft may not show now, if not, just scroll the 'aircraft list:
you can even still select a different one if you like!

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1.Time zone.
Don't touch anything for now, just leave it alone.

2. Active level
This will determine the traffic density level where your traffic file will be active!
Remember! If you put 100%, the traffic slider in your fs must be to this level.
If you put 1% then your traffic, even set at a low level on your fs traffic slider will always show.

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Traffic frequency
If you're a beginner at traffic, choose the 1 or two hour option.
There's nothing more complicated with the others except that you'll have to start choosing days etc.
And for your first traffic, you're going to be sitting around the airport to see your pride and joy!
The choice is yours, we want fast, easy results for now....

Note: if you look further down on the viewer, its still impossible to check destinations etc...

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press the IFR button and Bingo!
Don't bother with VFR, as far as I know fs doesn't do it...
I could be wrong though. Press IFR!


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1. Oh look, A. Simpleton forgot to choose an aircraft...just testing! Choose!
2. As I said: IFR!

Milton Shupe
January 8th, 2012, 12:30
Got it, tried it, got the first half leg in, but no buttons light up to do the return leg, so ...

I guess I'll ****. :)

nigel richards
January 8th, 2012, 13:39
Phew!

Writing this guide is a darn sight harder than using the program.

legs:

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now's the time to choose your airports.
Either use the 'airports' dialog box - select 'Get Airport information'
or
If you're familiar with their codes, type the codes directly as shown below...


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1. Type out a 3 digit flight number - 007 is a good start.

2.Type the airport code of the airport from where our aircraft begins the flight.
You don't type its full name; as soon as you type the code, ai Flight Planner does it for you.

3. Type the departure time (24:00 clock) For now type 0900 (I'll explain further down when we go to watch our first traffic).
If you're lazy, like me, when you type 0900, as soon as you get to the next step, you'll receive a warning! Just ignore this and place your pointer in the 'To' box. Look again at the time, and you'll see the program has corrected - it now reads: 09:00.

4. Type the destination To airport code.
Remember!!! With the 1 or 2 hour flight this must be a placed near to your point of departure.
I'm flying from LGTS (Thessaloniki) to LGSD (Sedes) its only a mile away. If you wish to use these airports you'll have to create parking space at Sedes. Not recommended for this exercise.

5. Height

Anything you like, but you'll cause delay problems if your Cessna has to climb to 20,000ft just to land a mile or two away!
Try and avoid a mountainous area too for now for obvious reasons.
I typed in 30, which gives me 3,000ft. Plenty.

That's it - You have your first leg....

okay, so why can't I save?

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Because you need a callsign

Either simply press the FN (flight number) button (arrow 2 above reg)
or
1. invent a reg. number, as I did here.
2. Press the Reg button

As soon as you complete this, you'll be given the option to save.
Save! (but don't exit the program yet or you'll lose the 'save'!

Under the 'save' button' you'll now see the 'Add leg' button.

Press! :icon_lol:

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Do the second leg and we're done, patience! :)

1. Create a flight number for this leg...any 3 digits.

2. ai Flight Planner knows where you are! YOU dont write anything.

3. ai Flight Planner has done some math and provides the 'ideal' time.

4. Destination; for this exercise put the same airport name as your departure airport in the first leg.
Mine was LGTS.

5. Height
keep it simple again (see first leg) I'll stick to 30.

Well thats just about your flightplan...

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Press 'save' again...

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Dang! Oops! What's this?
Well I told you its a pretty smart program...

its warning me that my arrival time back at LGTS is cutting it too close!

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1. So i do a little thinking, correct my departure in the second leg from 09:39 to 09:30.
This doesn't often happen, I just don't want anyone panicking if it does on your first go.

2. With the time now adjusted, I try for another 'save'.


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Bingo! This time its accepted.
So now we press the 'Add FP To List' button, and see it appear on 'FLIGHT PLAN LIST'

Congratulations Gentlemen:
we now have a viable flightplan ready for Bgl compilation!

But before patting one another on the backs, we want to make a permanent save!

Dont exit the program yet, or you'll lose your flightplan.

nigel richards
January 8th, 2012, 13:44
Got it, tried it, got the first half leg in, but no buttons light up to do the return leg, so ...

I guess I'll ****. :)

Patience my friend, we're getting to the best bit: Traffic! :)

nigel richards
January 8th, 2012, 15:14
We have the flightplan in the 'FLIGHT PLAN LIST'

just before saving, quickly open the properties option of the desk icon as you do when adding something to fs.
There are four folders. The 2 we are interested in are;

1. Flightplans
2. TrafficFiles

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This is a good place to store all your work.
By saving flightplans you can open them up in the program, change times, places, aircraft or even dupes.
For now we're just saving.

Back in the program, ready to save...
so we now click on the top lefthand corner 'Files'


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Go to 'Save as' and press!

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direct the 'save in' browser to the flightplans folder we just took a look at.
When open, name your work - by default, the names should always begin with:Flightplans_l

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We're ready to compile the flightplan into a traffic bgl.

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Top left, Files again, this time: 'Compile Traffic bgl'. select!

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1. Select your target fs9, fsx or both.

2. Guide the browser to the TrafficFiles folder mentioned above.
If you know what you're doing in scenery, you can guide it to a specific ADDON folder.
TrafficFiles is safer for now.

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1. TrafficFiles as above

2. Name the file with a relevant name (remember it), save and we're done!

If you have followed these steps, you have just created you very first traffic with AI Flight Planner.

And now deserve some fun!

To use the traffic file you've just made, open the TrafficFiles folder
find the traffic bgl file - mine was: Traffic_sedesavia1

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Copy/Paste the bgl file into an active addon scenery/scenery file.

So let's load up fs, for the pleasure of seeing our first traffic.


If its your first time, I'll now walk you through with some hints 'n pics on seeing you own traffic.

Naismith
January 8th, 2012, 15:23
Thank you Nigel from me too, for what it is worth I found this elder walkthrough in two parts at YouTube. The interlocator has a grasp of language without limping through sentences and gives a fair representation of someone who knows what he is talking about. As I say it's for a previous AIFP2 version 2.1.19 but some people like a visual aid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkwCpGwa-Ac
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZcjlVn6tmY&feature=related

nigel richards
January 8th, 2012, 15:32
Naismith, that'll be of great assistance because the basic use and logic of the program hasn't changed.

Many thanks Sir.

nigel richards
January 8th, 2012, 16:33
Its all your own work, and you are now truly in command of your own airspace.

Go on then...Fire up your sim! You deserve it.

Go to your departure airport

Check you have your traffic setting at or above that which you made the flightplan.

What's the time? Remember we said 09:00hrs. If its 1 hour traffic, the actual hour doesn't matter.
What does, is to be there a little early...say 08:56. This will give you time to search around for where fs has parked your traffic.
If your airport is large, you may have to slew around a little till you find it.

Pick yourself a chase-aircraft a good measure faster than your traffic. Good!

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Aha! There she is! Sitting there motionless. Good!


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Now tune into 'Ground', book yourself a flight, then sit and watch. Enjoy!
What's this? Your traffic talking to 'Control'? Excellent!

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She's doing push-back and taxi!

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Oh my! Will you look at that pretty plane taxying.

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Can't resist it...follow m'leader. Tune into tower!

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Great! She's cleared for take-off.

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Let the gal get a headstart...

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There's my baby!

Wing_Z
January 8th, 2012, 17:13
A picture is worth a thousand words.30 pictures = 30,000 words.
This was too simple... Nigel please can you give us the Comprehensive Walk-through? ;)

OK I am yanking your chain... still, I prefer to work in Traffic Tools as it is very direct.
For example, a cut 'n paste of an aircraft name in each of 2 text files, followed by a quick compile, produces 787's instead of 767's for existing ANA and JAL WOAI files:

http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/CHARL_photos/SOH/B787.jpg

Can AIFP do this too?

nigel richards
January 8th, 2012, 21:58
2:30 a.m.? Phew!, You re telling me Wing Zulu...all this tutoral stuff set me back flight sets for about 200 major airports.

All that writing reminded me of hand editing traffic :icon_lol: Nobody will ever read it!

Milton Shupe
January 9th, 2012, 04:21
Nicely done Nigel! Now I can try it. :-)

Daube
January 9th, 2012, 04:58
Nigel, thanks a billion for this excellent little tutorial.
Now I can start my own tests and investigations, I never found the courage to do this before.

For information, for any FSX'ers reading this => AIFP also allows you to automatically look for FS9-format AI Flight plans in your FSX folder, and then proposes you to convert them to FSX format.
(FS9-format flight plans will prevent any other FSX-format traffic to work, including the boats and aircraft carriers. Once you convert the FS9 ones to FSX, all the traffic comes back.)

PS: I believe this topic desserves to be a permanent sticky, because it's usefull.

rich12545
January 9th, 2012, 05:54
Does this work very well with marine traffic?

nigel richards
January 9th, 2012, 08:32
After finishing this tutorial late last night, it suddenly dawned on me that the whole thing would probably be heading due-south at lightning speed.

My only consolation was that maybe, before taking a nosedive, it would help at least 1 person with traffic.

I am therefore thrilled, to see it may now be three!



Nicely done Nigel! Now I can try it. :-)

Thankyou so much Milton.
It would be nice to think that for once, you would be at the receiving end, after so much giving.



Nigel, thanks a billion for this excellent little tutorial.
Now I can start my own tests and investigations, I never found the courage to do this before.

For information, for any FSX'ers reading this => AIFP also allows you to automatically look for FS9-format AI Flight plans in your FSX folder, and then proposes you to convert them to FSX format.
(FS9-format flight plans will prevent any other FSX-format traffic to work, including the boats and aircraft carriers. Once you convert the FS9 ones to FSX, all the traffic comes back.)

PS: I believe this topic desserves to be a permanent sticky, because it's usefull.

Thankyou Daube!
Its worth a billion to hear it may be useful.



Does this work very well with marine traffic?

Yes, Rich!
You will be able to handle all your traffic. Ships, cars, buses, trucks...even motorbikes! Yep, I pinched 'Maverick' from the excellent MAIW 'Miramar' pack, and have him shooting around a fair few airports.

You can install a whole fleet of battleships in one file. I'll later be covering something similar.



Gentlemen, my greatest reward, would be to see some pics up here from what you have picked up.

Duckie
January 9th, 2012, 09:34
Hey Nigel, thank you so much for taking the time to put this down on "paper" for us AI challenged folks. I will certainly give it a try once my easel is sufficiently cleared to the point where I won’t feel guilty actually getting in a little stick time! :icon_lol:

:applause::applause:

nigel richards
January 9th, 2012, 10:27
This step is like a holiday - you make it as deatailed as you like. EASILY!!!

We're going to use the hardwork you did with your first traffic file, and in a couple of minutes; fill an airport!...

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1. Depending on your settings you may or may not see your aicraft.
If you dont, it doesn't matter!

2. Go to File, Open TTools File Set.

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You'll get a pop-up dialogue box!
Find the first flightplan you successfully made in the previous tutorial.

Open!

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1. There's your flightplan!

2. Still no aircraft? Yikes?

Nope! No problem!

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1. Double-click your flightplan.

2. Bingo! There's your aircraft!

3. There's the flightplan details!

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1. For the first time, you're going to click 'Insert FP in LIst'

Click it!

2. You just created a second Flightplan with the click of a button!

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1. Like it? Okay, go on clicking till your hearts content!

Each click is a new plane in your traffic! Wow!

Stop! That's enough for now.

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1. You now have access to each Flightplan, simply by clicking.

2. For each individual Flightplan you select, you have complete access to edit parameters without affecting the others.

As you're making your airport busy, you'd be well advised to start playing around with duration.

Go back to the first flightplan if you're lazy, then do that clicking stuff again.

or

individually select each Flightplan and vary the flight duration.

For this exercise, make them all 2hr flights.

Here comes the best bit...

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You can now choose any aircraft in your aircraft list.

Click each Flight plan, change the aircraft and save each one at a time.

Now, as you did yesterday:

1. Save as the Flightplan (only once - they're all together here).

2. Compile the Flightplan to Bgl

3. Exit the program (we're done there). now copy/paste your new Bgl File to your scenery folder!

That's it!

It takes a couple of minutes to do,...
A couple of hours to explain/illustrate!

Now, we're firing up fs again. Ready?

nigel richards
January 9th, 2012, 10:41
Hey Nigel, thank you so much for taking the time to put this down on "paper" for us AI challenged folks. I will certainly give it a try once my easel is sufficiently cleared to the point where I won’t feel guilty actually getting in a little stick time! :icon_lol:

:applause::applause:

Thankyou Sir!

That easel of yours is churning out magic!

You really deserve a double helping of stick-time when you're done!!! :medals:

Wing_Z
January 9th, 2012, 10:47
Good to see this as a sticky, and I would hope it migrates into the Tweaks and Tips Subforum when done here.
I would suggest that this programme is a fairly painless way to get into AI, especially if you previously glazed over at the thought of Traffic Tools.
But remember each item you put into a flightplan is required, be it in a text file or in "remote control" software like Nigel describes here.

And if you want to get a little further into AI, you will need to get into the text files to have an understanding of how the traffic will work.
"Remote control" will take you 90% of the way, which may or may not be enough for you...
I also have an aversion to "manually" editing stuff, and so I have generated a spreadsheet which takes all the pain out of the repetitive stuff.
It is still a "source" thing though, as I prefer to see the data. (There are spreadsheet solutions which are "remote control" too.)
I may post a 3-step of that in due course...

Nigel, please forgive me for chipping in to your thread above, I was playing with these new 787's and was delighted to see them show up as planned!

EDIT: Oh, and FS does do VFR!
It's fun to watch VFR planes gloomily sit on the apron, when it rains.
Also, you can get creative with touch and go circuits, depending on whether they are VFR or IFR.

nigel richards
January 9th, 2012, 11:31
Here we are back in the sim already.
Can't be bad!

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Oops! All alone! Did I put that Bgl file in the scenery file?
What have I being doing with my 'traffic' settings today?

Ah! Yes, I put them at zero while working on some sounds this morning...still don't have a cockpit for that one..:wavey:

YET! :jump:

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Traffic slider shoved up! That's more like it.

Put a Cat amongst the pigeons.

If you did the 2hr edit, you may have to bump up the time by an hour.

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Variety really is the spice of life.

56015

Still kept a healthy population of Avias...its like flying with SOH buddies.

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I even did a variation of our little lesson with different paints of one basic aircraft.
The Grumman is me, wisecracks!

56017

Here comes that traffic...looks like a little buddy we're all familiar with at SOH!

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I just jumped into my Hawk 'chase-plane'

Yeah, that's our Smoothie out there in front...not the grey one, I think that's AndyG43; always the polite Gent!
They're all here, though, somewhere.

Time for a little pay-back, for knocking the tops off my olive trees!
Go on then little buddy, leave the Smooth talk with the ATC girl and get on with the clearance!

(He doesn't know I'm here yet...my Hawk's got cammo)

56019

Oh, hello Matt! Going somewhere perhaps...or is this your flying lesson?

Milton Shupe
January 9th, 2012, 11:43
Okay, I am getting the hang of this my friend. Thank you a bunch for introducing me to this. I have avoided it for years.

Naismith
January 9th, 2012, 13:30
And now Milton is teasing us....:applause:

Flyboy208
January 9th, 2012, 13:51
Wow! I had never heard of this software before .... Gonna give it a go tonight. Cheers Nigel ! Mike ;)

nigel richards
January 10th, 2012, 00:15
Good to see this as a sticky, and I would hope it migrates into the Tweaks and Tips Subforum when done here.
I would suggest that this programme is a fairly painless way to get into AI, especially if you previously glazed over at the thought of Traffic Tools.
But remember each item you put into a flightplan is required, be it in a text file or in "remote control" software like Nigel describes here.

And if you want to get a little further into AI, you will need to get into the text files to have an understanding of how the traffic will work.
"Remote control" will take you 90% of the way, which may or may not be enough for you...
I also have an aversion to "manually" editing stuff, and so I have generated a spreadsheet which takes all the pain out of the repetitive stuff.
It is still a "source" thing though, as I prefer to see the data. (There are spreadsheet solutions which are "remote control" too.)
I may post a 3-step of that in due course...

Nigel, please forgive me for chipping in to your thread above, I was playing with these new 787's and was delighted to see them show up as planned!

EDIT: Oh, and FS does do VFR!
It's fun to watch VFR planes gloomily sit on the apron, when it rains.
Also, you can get creative with touch and go circuits, depending on whether they are VFR or IFR.

Thanks Wing Zulu, beautiful pics my friend.

Now you've got me learning too! I read that bit about IFR/VFR traffic a few years back in a zillion-page-long 'expert' guide to TTools or something.

Glad to hear its not true...took the guide for face value, and never bothered to try.

I admire and respect hand-editing WZ, its the only way I would ever work on sounds. A case of what works best and familiarity I suppose.

I don't have that ease with traffic, and don't have the time to attain it.

So I need a versatile tool, that will allow me to do everything in traffic, and tell me when I'm messing up!
AI Flight Planner does that!

And I remember in my bad old days of TTools, when, through my editing mistakes, I was sitting around on airports, ranting and raving like a mad dog...or Englishman, furious because the bally 08:45 bus to Biggin was late...or didn't show up at all! :icon_eek:





Wow! I had never heard of this software before .... Gonna give it a go tonight. Cheers Nigel ! Mike ;)

Go for it Flyboy!

And make me proud as punch of yer, with some nice progress pics when you have time. :jump:

Ps: You'll be able to use those awesome MAIW planes for some smooth traffic of your own now!

nigel richards
January 10th, 2012, 00:47
This should have been the first sentence in the whole tutorial!

So I sincerely hope the author of this wonderful program will forgive me for this major oversight.

And thankyou Don Grovestine, for that other amazing piece of magic;

Static Aircraft .mdl Maker...or SAMM as we have all come to know it! :applause:

Milton Shupe
January 10th, 2012, 05:48
Now that I am getting over the newness, I shall try to get more realistic. But I can't help posting two more as the Dash 7 looks great in FedEx clothes, and Oleboy's photo real scheme on the 156 is awesome!. :)

rdaniell
January 10th, 2012, 05:58
Now that I am getting over the newness, I shall try to get more realistic. But I can't help posting two more as the Dash 7 looks great in FedEx clothes, and Oleboy's photo real scheme on the 156 is awesome!. :)

Yep! You done hooked now Milton...:icon_lol: I can just see the skies filled with your great creations. I'm not sure which key it is on the keyboard but, you can mash it and just take a look at all the AI traffic in your vicinty. I am confident that somebody reading this post will tell both of us what that key is.

Romeo-Delta

Wing_Z
January 10th, 2012, 11:40
...I'm not sure which key it is on the keyboard but, you can mash it and just take a look at all the AI traffic in your vicinty. I am confident that somebody reading this post will tell both of us what that key is.RD, Ctrl-W in spot view will cycle the views... but if you have 100+ of the beasties in the air, it's worth installing Traffic Toolbox from the FS2004 SDK.
This allows realtime viewing and tinkering with AI in the sim.



...I remember in my bad old days of TTools, when, through my editing mistakes, I was sitting around on airports, ranting and raving like a mad dog...or Englishman, furious because the bally 08:45 bus to Biggin was late...or didn't show up at all!AI is absorbing, frustrating, and ultimately rewarding... one mark to you, Nigel, for engendering some interest in this stuff.

Another bit of software you cannot do without: Peter van der Veen's ACA2005v1.6 (http://aifs.pvdveen.net)
Once you have gotten over the initial amazement of actually getting the bus to depart, this programme will tell you every single thing you need to know about the fleet, including the conductor's name!
I claim 149 ways to screw up AI traffic, and this will find all of them.
You can even go to a specific airport, and get arrivals and departure information, so you know when to go to the bus stop :running:.

nigel richards
January 10th, 2012, 13:15
RD, Ctrl-W in spot view will cycle the views... but if you have 100+ of the beasties in the air, it's worth installing Traffic Toolbox from the FS2004 SDK.
This allows realtime viewing and tinkering with AI in the sim.


AI is absorbing, frustrating, and ultimately rewarding... one mark to you, Nigel, for engendering some interest in this stuff.

Another bit of software you cannot do without: Peter van der Veen's ACA2005v1.6 (http://aifs.pvdveen.net)
Once you have gotten over the initial amazement of actually getting the bus to depart, this programme will tell you every single thing you need to know about the fleet, including the conductor's name!
I claim 149 ways to screw up AI traffic, and this will find all of them.
You can even go to a specific airport, and get arrivals and departure information, so you know when to go to the bus stop :running:.

Handy sounding bus there Wing, thanks!


Uum...Wing...you're preaching to the converted: Romeo-Delta's a hand editor as yourself, the rest of us?....

We're using TTools too! It's placed ready installed inside ai Flight Planner :icon_lol:...jump right in, the water's fine buddy! :wavey:

Wing_Z
January 10th, 2012, 13:35
Hang on... I was talking about Traffic Toolbox, not Traffic Tools!
It's in the SDK, and you run it while the sim is live...

nigel richards
January 10th, 2012, 13:46
Hang on... I was talking about Traffic Toolbox, not Traffic Tools!
It's in the SDK, and you run it while the sim is live...

Thanks for correcting me Wing.

Drzook
January 14th, 2012, 16:57
Nigel,
I would like to say THANK YOU for this tutorial. :ernae::applause::ernae:
It taught me two things:
1-it is actually possible for me to get AI in my virtual skies-you have no idea how often I tried and failed at this before.
2-I need more memory for my laptop--a lot more (frames drop to about 5fps when in sight of the Airhead Super Deke I set up as AI). I currently have only two gigs RAM-Theoretically it can go to four. Definitely looking into that.

modelr
January 15th, 2012, 08:38
Nigel,

Great tutorial. :applause:

Strangely, I just found it, because I've been spending the last few days just finally loading some of the GiGs of AI stuff I've downloaded. I've been using AIFP for a while now, and it is an absolutely great tool. OBIO needs to find this thread, if he hasn't yet.

One thing, if, like me, you have a lot of add-on scenery installed, (or even a small amount,) be sure and do the Airport search/update, in order to get ALL your airports into the list. If, like me, you have a lot, it WILL take some time, and is a TWO-step step.

And, for those who don't like aircraft without VC's, but like AI, go ahead and download those non VC aircraft, and use them as AI. If you don't have to many at a time, they work great. Not as well as true AI aircraft, but they look better!

Keep going Nigel, this is great. :guinness:

modelr
January 15th, 2012, 08:46
Nigel,
I would like to say THANK YOU for this tutorial. :ernae::applause::ernae:
It taught me two things:
1-it is actually possible for me to get AI in my virtual skies-you have no idea how often I tried and failed at this before.
2-I need more memory for my laptop--a lot more (frames drop to about 5fps when in sight of the Airhead Super Deke I set up as AI). I currently have only two gigs RAM-Theoretically it can go to four. Definitely looking into that.

DZ, when loading those beautiful full up aircraft as AI, make separate folder for the one you want to use, and in the texture folder, remove all the textures for the VC. This will greatly decrease the texture load. Also, if you know how, reduce those 32 bit textures to DXT3. Helps greatly on low memory units. Also, don't forget to rename the TITLE of that aircraft to include "AI" in the aircraft.cfg, so you don't have duplicate titles. (I make totally separate aircraft folders for the ones I want to use as AI, also resetting the aircraft type to type"2" in the airfile, so they don't show up in my flyable list.)

!Just sending a little help your way, Nigel.) :kilroy:

Wing_Z
January 15th, 2012, 18:24
Yes you can lose the panel and sound folders too, anything that doesn't contribute to the external model.

BillgjCook
March 13th, 2012, 10:51
Is there a way to assign aircraft to a specific parking spot in fsx or do I need another program for that?

Thank you for this tutorial Nigel.

nigel richards
March 17th, 2012, 10:07
Is there a way to assign aircraft to a specific parking spot in fsx or do I need another program for that?

Thank you for this tutorial Nigel.

Thankyou Sir for the encouraging words - the more people able to set up traffic in their sim, the more worthwhile the simple tutorial.

I have no experience making traffic files for fsx, but imagine it must be fundamently simple.

For fs9, it simply meant using AFCAD: by openning: tools/Aircraft editor and assigning a Parking Code for a specific aircraft.

Then, assign a specific Parking code to a Parking spot on the airport AFCAD in question.

You will be using ADEX to do the same...I'm a bit rusty there, so will come back to you on this.

Anyone who knows the steps, please feel free to jump in.

nigel richards
March 17th, 2012, 10:14
Oops!!!! Drzook, modelr:

I thank both of you Gentlemen for such kind and encouraging comments, and see I owe a good many beers too!

I didn't realize till today, that this tutorial was still around! :salute:

:icon29: :icon29::icon29::icon29::icon29::icon29::icon29::i con29:

BillgjCook
March 17th, 2012, 16:27
Thankyou Sir for the encouraging words - the more people able to set up traffic in their sim, the more worthwhile the simple tutorial.

I have no experience making traffic files for fsx, but imagine it must be fundamently simple.

For fs9, it simply meant using AFCAD: by openning: tools/Aircraft editor and assigning a Parking Code for a specific aircraft.

Then, assign a specific Parking code to a Parking spot on the airport AFCAD in question.

You will be using ADEX to do the same...I'm a bit rusty there, so will come back to you on this.

Anyone who knows the steps, please feel free to jump in.

Thank You Nigel, I was thinking that was it but I was notsure I have been working on a airport that has CDF aircraft at one end of therunway and would like to make them park at that end, will do some experimentingand see what happens.

nigel richards
March 18th, 2012, 04:22
BillgjCook; sounds like you're getting things nicely squared away there. :applause:

If you get the show running the way required, we'd love to see some pics too.

BillgjCook
March 25th, 2012, 04:36
Got a cupple picx for ya, still a work in progress.
6190361904

nigel richards
October 14th, 2012, 02:05
hi there, i have just been reading your tutorial about how to use AI Flight planner and was hoping you could help me. I am trying to create a KLM flight from Amsterdam to Sydney via SIN, but when i try to add another leg, the leg from SIN ends up like this: Deaprts - WSSS; Arrives - WSSS. What should I do?

Hi ryanspringer2294,

My apologies for answering your PM question via the thread, but I think the screenshots may be of some value in sorting out the issue.

I've just put a flightplan together to see whats happening.
No problems as far as I see (except overlooking vfr - ifr lol).



7399473993



This is for a daily flight.

First leg we have a 737 departing EHAM at 00:10 - WSSS (eta 12:35) Alt 300

Second leg: from WSSS departing 12:55 - YSSY (ETA 20:30) alt290.

Check out the screenshots for details - if you still have issues, send me a screenshot of what's happening.

Hope this helps.

Best Regards,
Nigel

gray eagle
April 13th, 2016, 12:23
Anyway to get the attachment to appear? Thanks.




lets continue;

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/attachment.php?attachmentid=55905&stc=1

so you're in the 'create new aircraft list' dialog box. Good.
1. select your fs version or both.

2. Press the 'scan folders' box and direct 'AI Flight Planner' to your fs main 'aircraft' folder.
It may take a few moments loading all your aircraft, but you should eventially see a list of all your aircraft as here.

3. For simplicity, press the 'use all' button; I'm telling you to do this because you might want to choose a different aircraft
halfway through your flightplan. That's nearly what you're ready to do!

Look in the righthand corner of the 'AI Flight Planner' main screen;
you'll see you now have a #.

Yes? That's good!

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/attachment.php?attachmentid=55903&stc=1

scroll down the list (yeah! your mouth's already watering)...

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/attachment.php?attachmentid=55904&stc=1

Choose a fairly reliable aircraft to begin with;
I chose the Avia 156 (I'm trafficking in my sound testing sim)
Go for something fairly 'normal' for now. (you'll probably give it the chase, if you're doing traffic for the first time)