AI Flight Planner

AI TRAFFIC FILE ISSUES

Don't Mix FS9 and FSX Traffic Files


FS9 traffic files are compatible with FSX. However, as described more fully in the User Manual, if FSX "sees" a compiled-for-FS9 traffic file, it will generate AI traffic for that file and any other compiled-for-FS9 traffic files it "sees"; but, it will not generate traffic for any compiled-for-FSX files. This has nothing to do with AI Flight Planner. It is a FSX "feature".

So, if you don't get (or suddenly stop getting) AI traffic from compiled-for-FSX traffic files, the first thing to look for is a compiled-for FS9 file somewhere within FSX's scope - probably in the "\Scenery\World\Scenery" folder. You'll find AI Flight Planner's Find FS9 Files function very useful for this.

MAIW fans may be interested in knowing that an updated installation guide for MAIW packages, including full directions for converting them for FSX operation, are available at The Owl's Nest

Traffic Files Don't Have to be Saved in the "FSX\Scenery\World\Scenery" folder


Many add-on flight plan packages recommend placing (or automatically place) their traffic files in the "\Scenery\World\Scenery" folder along with the default traffic files. This is not necessary and can be problematic.

Traffic files may be placed in any folder that FS9 or FSX can "see". Partitioning your traffic files helps avoid mixing FS9 and FSX traffic files and can make diagnosis easier when mixing is suspected. Do youself a favor and move all those add-on traffic files out of the "\Scenery\World\Scenery" folder and put them in the "\scenery" subfolder of one or more folders enabled/disabled from the Scenery Library. That way, you can easily turn that traffic on and off and isolate it when necessary.

The "37 Minute" Problem


Both AI Flight Planner and TTools permit specification of arrival time for a flight plan leg. (TTools used the "@" symbol to designate a user-specified arrival time. AI Flight Planner does not use the "@" symbol; any arrival time more than two minutes different from the system-calculated ETA is assumed to be user-specified.)

Unfortunately, the AI/ATC "engine" does not "understand" user-specified arrival times. AI Flight Planner fully addresses the issue. However, when using earlier compilers, if a user-specified arrival time was more than about 37 minutes later than an ETA based on the distance between departure and destination at the specified cruise speed of the AI aircraft involved, the AI for that leg of the flight time may never have materialized for landing. The problem was most likely to occur when simulating airline long-haul operations where the scheduled arrival time is often substantially later than the system-calculated (distance/speed) version. This led many suppliers of TTools-compatible AI flight planning information, including WoAI, MAIW and AIG, to specify artifically low cruise speeds.

While these reduced cruise speeds usually avoided the 37 minute problem, when used with AI Flight Planner, they lead to other difficulties. So, prior to using prepared flight plan data with AI Flight Planner, you should ensure your cruise speed data is realistic. If not, AI Flight Planner provides several alternatives for restoring cruise speeds.

For a fuller explanation of the "37-minute problem", please refer to Section 4 of the User Manual.

We welcome your questions, comments and suggestions regarding AI Flight Planner and this website. Please feel free to contact us at aifp@shaw.ca. AI Flight Planner's support forum is located in the "Tools support" area at http://fsdeveloper.com.