AI flying boats package

[GHD]

The first problem is that the flightplan uses EGX2 but there is no AFD for this ICAO.

[GHD]

Well, it sort of works but the Catalina isn't a true flying boat, it takes off and lands with its wheels down. There is also a wake effect from the tip-floats but they don't extend.

There are also a couple of weird models at Pembroke.

[TSR2]

Easiest thing to do is import it into AI Flightplanner and then convert it to FSX. After that you can change the ICAO codes easily enough. Definately worth using the tool for FS9 and FSX as it does both and converst between the two in either direction. There really is no reason for anyone (FS9 or FSX) to still be using the old TTools, which was great in its time, but this takes it way beyond TTools while still supporting the TTools formats.

http://members.shaw.ca/aifp/images/no_c ... latest.zip

[GHD]

After that you can change the ICAO codes easily enough.

Change it to what?

[TSR2]

Hi George,

Sorry, thast didn't make much sense did it.

I was meaning if an ICAO code had changed between FS9 and FSX its easy to switch them in AIFP, obviously it assumes that you have a AFCAD / AFD etc for the airport. Having re read your post, you were meaning the AFD was actually missing, so AIFP can't add something thats not there, merely swap it for somewhere else unless the correct AFD or AFCAD was added.

[rohan]

3.Two sets of AFCAD files for the water landing sites, one for FS9 default scenery and one for the additional FS9 UKVFR payware scenery

Please can someone clarify with which payware scenery this is designed to work ? IIRC, there were two payware products for FS9 just as there are for FSX - Just Flight and Horizon.

Thanks in advance for any help,
Ro

[GHD]

There was only one photo-scenery for FS9 but it was sold by both JF and Horizon.

The afcads for the photo-scenery are in AFCADSvfr, but, as I tried to explain to Ben, EGX2 is missing.

There are also afcads in AFCADSfs9 which I assume are for the default scenery but they have different ICAOs so won't work with the supplied flightplan.

There are also problems when converting the afcads to FSX format in that a few have invalid comms frequencies. These can be easily fixed in ADE.

[speedbird591]

Well, it sort of works but the Catalina isn't a true flying boat, it takes off and lands with its wheels down.

AI seaplanes are a dark art. I spent many 'happy' hours trying to get some organised around Alaska one time. The runways and taxiways in the AFCADS are invisible concrete ones but the AI doesn't know they're invisible so the u/c is deployed for landing and taxi. Pure seaplanes with floats should work OK.

Peter McLeland is the guru in this (as in most things) and he has created water runways at McLeland Field for his seaplane base. I'm sure he'll be along soon with some advice.

Ian

[GHD]

AI seaplanes are no different from AI landplanes. All that is necessary is to define the contact points as wheels at the correct height.

Unfortunately the Sunderland supplied with this package has the contact points too high



For amphibians, it is necessary to remove the gear animation which hasn't been done on the Catalina.

However, I have never seen a PAPI system floating in the Thames



It won't be staying on my FSX system

[dswanson]

Hmm,

As this is my first public release of a package to the wide world I seem to have droppped some clangers and some messages in the README file have not been clear enough I apologise for these shortcomings.

I don't have FSX so can't comment on any compatibility issues

As far as I am aware, as noted by another contributor to this thread, the two UKVFR scenery sets for FS9 were the same. The package is based on the the Just Flight ones. There may be some incompatibilities if other scenery, notably terrain, is present

I did note the Catalina's U/C and wingtip float issues in the README file and as I have no skills in decompiling etc. the MDL file, had to retain this "as is". The "sit" of the Sunderland is a compromise between having the "waterline" on the model correct, with the wing floats then submerged, or the floats at a sensible height and the waterline a little high. The wake effects of the "flyable" Sunderland & Catalina cannot be fully replicated in the AI model, so another effect is used. Again, I have no skills in effects editing.

I apologise for the errors between the FS9 default AFCAD set and the flightplans. I got confused when creating both sets in my system. I will revise them and issue an update

I have had other comments emailed to me and perhaps I have realised that while I created this package for personal use some time ago, and was happy with its shortcomings, releasing it into the wider flightsim community is another game entirely....