Creating my own traffic files -- need help...

[pms707]

Hi All:

I am making my first custom traffic file for my fictional 1968 airline, PMS. I am using a Pan Am 1969 flightplan as the base and taking bits and pieces from a couple others. I am confused as to how the flight plan section should be formatted based on my particular situation. I have multiple tail numbers of each fleet type:


//707-320B

AC#1,484,"AI PMS 707-321C N780PN 1968"

AC#2,484,"AI PMS 707-321C N781PN 1968"

AC#3,484,"AI PMS 707-321B N787PN 1968"

AC#4,484,"AI PMS 707-321C N788PN 1968"

AC#5,484,"AI PMS 707-321C N789PN 1968"

AC#6,484,"AI PMS 707-321C N790PN 1968"

//727-100

AC#7,484,"AI PMS 727-21 N365PN 1968"

AC#8,484,"AI PMS 727-21 N358PN 1968"

AC#9,484,"AI PMS 727-21 N360PN 1968"

AC#10,484,"AI PMS 727-21 N363PN 1968"

AC#11,484,"AI PMS 727-21 N370PN 1968"

AC#12,484,"AI PMS 727-21 N371PN 1968"

//727-200

AC#13,484,"AI PMS 727-221 N201PN 1968"
AC#14,484,"AI PMS 727-221 N202PN 1968"
AC#15,484,"AI PMS 727-221 N203PN 1968"

AC#16,484,"AI PMS 727-221 N204PN 1968"

AC#17,484,"AI PMS 727-221 N205PN 1968"

AC#18,484,"AI PMS 727-221 N206PN 1968"

//737

AC#19,484,"AI PMS 737-221 N101PN 1968"

AC#20,484,"AI PMS 737-221 N102PN 1968"

AC#21,484,"AI PMS 737-221 N103PN 1968"

AC#22,484,"AI PMS 737-221 N104PN 1968"

AC#23,484,"AI PMS 737-221 N105PN 1968"

In the original PA flight plan, after each AC# appears a tail number, which I assume the author randomly assigned -- since there was not originally an AC# assigned for what appears, in the end, to have accounted for the entire 1969 PA fleet -- with each routing having a different AC tail number:


// Pan American Boeing 707-023B

AC#1,N788PA,1%,WEEK,IFR,3/03:45,@3/07:45,320,F,6005,PHNL,3/09:45,@3/15:45,310,F,0826,KLAX,4/05:45,@4/09:59,340,F,0811,PHNL,4/11:15,@4/15:55,320,F,0875,PWAK,4/16:55,@4/21:05,340,F,0875,RJTT,4/22:30,@5/05:05,300,F,0875,VLVT,5/07:00,@5/11:30,290,F,0876,RJTT,5/12:45,@5/16:00,370,F,0801,PGUM,5/18:00,@6/01:30,300,F,0879,VLVT,6/04:30,@6/18:55,330,F,0880,PHNL,6/21:00,@0/03:00,370,F,0892,KPDX,0/03:30,@0/04:05,210,F,0892,KSEA,0/05:30,@0/07:45,320,F,0901,PAFA,0/08:59,@0/13:05,310,F,0902,KSEA,0/15:00,@0/15:35,200,F,0894,KPDX,0/18:15,@0/22:35,300,F,0891,PHNL,0/23:00,@1/04:50,330,F,0814,KSFO

AC#1,N787PA,1%,WEEK,IFR,3/05:55,@3/09:55,360,F,0875,PHNL,3/11:30,@3/19:05,320,F,0841,PGUM,3/20:10,@3/23:25,360,F,0841,RPLL,4/00:30,@4/03:45,320,F,0841,VVTS,4/04:30,@4/04:40,360,F,0841,WSSS,4/23:45,@5/02:55,290,F,0842,VVTS,5/04:05,@5/05:30,350,F,0842,RPLL,5/06:30,@5/09:45,310,F,0842,PGUM,5/10:45,@5/17:55,350,F,0842,PHNL,5/20:00,@6/02:00,310,F,0820,KLAX,6/23:25,@0/00:30,360,F,0161,KSFO

So my question is, are tail numbers required for FSX (or the BGL compiler) to read through and correctly log each routing, or am I free to delete the tail number altogether? Essentially, I am using each AC#/Paint to complete one routing, and then moving to the next paint # for the subsequent routing. 

Here is what I am doing:

//PMS Boeing 707-321B/C
AC#1,484,"AI PMS 707-321C N780PN 1968"

AC#2,484,"AI PMS 707-321C N781PN 1968"

AC#3,484,"AI PMS 707-321B N787PN 1968"

AC#4,484,"AI PMS 707-321C N788PN 1968"

AC#5,484,"AI PMS 707-321C N789PN 1968"

AC#6,484,"AI PMS 707-321C N790PN 1968"

// PMS Boeing 707-321B/C

AC#1,1%,WEEK,IFR,3/03:45,@3/07:45,320,F,6005,PHNL,3/09:45,@3/15:45,310,F,0826,KLAX,4/05:45,@4/09:59,340,F,0811,PHNL,4/11:15,@4/15:55,320,F,0875,PWAK,4/16:55,@4/21:05,340,F,0875,RJTT,4/22:30,@5/05:05,300,F,0875,VLVT,5/07:00,@5/11:30,290,F,0876,RJTT,5/12:45,@5/16:00,370,F,0801,PGUM,5/18:00,@6/01:30,300,F,0879,VLVT,6/04:30,@6/18:55,330,F,0880,PHNL,6/21:00,@0/03:00,370,F,0892,KPDX,0/03:30,@0/04:05,210,F,0892,KSEA,0/05:30,@0/07:45,320,F,0901,PAFA,0/08:59,@0/13:05,310,F,0902,KSEA,0/15:00,@0/15:35,200,F,0894,KPDX,0/18:15,@0/22:35,300,F,0891,PHNL,0/23:00,@1/04:50,330,F,0814,KSFO

AC#2,1%,WEEK,IFR,3/05:55,@3/09:55,360,F,0875,PHNL,3/11:30,@3/19:05,320,F,0841,PGUM,3/20:10,@3/23:25,360,F,0841,RPLL,4/00:30,@4/03:45,320,F,0841,VVTS,4/04:30,@4/04:40,360,F,0841,WSSS,4/23:45,@5/02:55,290,F,0842,VVTS,5/04:05,@5/05:30,350,F,0842,RPLL,5/06:30,@5/09:45,310,F,0842,PGUM,5/10:45,@5/17:55,350,F,0842,PHNL,5/20:00,@6/02:00,310,F,0820,KLAX,6/23:25,@0/00:30,360,F,0161,KSFO

AC#3,1%,WEEK,IFR,1/20:00,@2/06:30,350,F,0120,EGLL,2/08:15,@2/08:15,270,F,0122,LFPO,2/10:00,@2/19:00,300,F,0117,KJFK,2/20:00,@2/22:25,350,F,0283,TJSJ,2/23:30,@3/00:25,330,F,0451,TAPA,3/01:30,@3/02:45,310,F,0219,TTPP,3/12:00,@3/13:15,320,F,0220,TAPA,3/14:00,@3/18:50,320,F,0220,KJFK,3/22:45,@4/04:15,340,F,0811,KLAX

AC#1,N785PA,1%,WEEK,IFR,5/13:30,@5/15:55,310,F,0291,TJSJ,5/17:15,@5/21:50,300,F,0294,KJFK,6/02:45,@6/08:50,350,F,0074,EHAM,6/11:00,@6/13:40,320,F,0065,EINN,6/14:30,@6/22:25,340,F,0065,KORD,0/00:45,@0/07:40,350,F,0064,EINN,0/08:30,@0/09:00,330,F,0064,LFPO,0/11:30,@0/20:30,300,F,0115,KJFK

AC#4,1%,WEEK,IFR,6/16:55,@6/22:25,320,F,0161,KLAX,6/23:30,@0/03:45,300,F,0823,PHNL,0/19:30,@1/05:00,320,F,0877,RJTT,1/08:30,@1/13:30,320,F,0001,VHHX,1/21:30,@2/00:15,310,F,0878,RJTT,2/01:00,@2/08:10,350,F,0800,PHNL,2/09:00,@2/15:00,310,F,0824,KLAX,2/17:15,@3/05:45,320,F,0847,RJTT,3/06:15,@3/07:10,300,F,0877,RJOO,3/08:20,@3/12:50,320,F,0877,VHHX,3/13:50,@3/15:20,300,F,0877,VTBD,3/17:30,@3/18:30,340,F,0001,VYYY,3/19:15,@3/20:50,360,F,0001,VECC,3/21:35,@4/00:30,360,F,0001,OPKC,4/01:30,@4/06:35,360,F,0001,OLBA,4/08:00,@4/12:15,360,F,0119,LIRF,4/13:45,@4/14:30,320,F,0119,LFPO,4/15:30,@5/00:30,340,F,0119,KJFK

AC#5,1%,WEEK,IFR,1/09:00,@1/15:00,350,F,0824,KLAX,1/18:30,@1/22:30,320,F,0807,PHTO,2/00:00,@2/05:45,330,F,0808,KLAX,2/18:00,@2/22:15,300,F,0803,PHNL

AC#1,N782PA,1%,WEEK,IFR,1/14:30,@1/15:30,220,F,0247,KIAD,1/23:50,@2/00:45,210,F,0248,KPHL,2/14:30,@2/15:30,220,F,0247,KIAD,2/23:50,@3/00:45,210,F,0248,KPHL,3/14:30,@3/15:30,220,F,0247,KIAD,3/23:50,@4/00:45,210,F,0248,KPHL,4/14:30,@4/15:30,220,F,0247,KIAD,4/23:50,@5/00:45,210,F,0248,KPHL,5/14:30,@5/15:30,220,F,0247,KIAD,5/23:50,@6/00:45,210,F,0248,KPHL,6/14:30,@6/15:30,220,F,0247,KIAD,6/23:50,@0/00:45,210,F,0248,KPHL,0/14:30,@0/15:30,220,F,0247,KIAD,0/23:50,@1/00:45,210,F,0248,KPHL

AC#6,1%,WEEK,IFR,5/15:45,@5/18:15,350,F,0247,TJSJ,5/18:45,@5/20:05,320,F,0441,SVMP,5/21:00,@5/22:00,330,F,0441,TTPP,6/10:45,@6/11:50,340,F,0442,SVMP,6/12:30,@6/13:50,330,F,0442,TJSJ,6/14:45,@6/18:05,360,F,0442,KMIA,6/20:00,@6/20:35,190,F,0473,MYGF,6/21:00,@6/21:35,210,F,0244,MYNN,6/22:30,@0/01:10,350,F,0244,KIAD,0/14:15,@0/16:50,300,F,0243,MYNN,0/17:30,@0/18:05,200,F,0243,MYGF,0/21:00,@0/21:35,210,F,0244,MYNN,0/22:30,@1/01:10,310,F,0244,KIAD

AC#1,1%,WEEK,IFR,2/23:45,@3/00:30,270,F,0501,MNMG,3/01:00,@3/01:45,270,F,0501,MROC,3/02:10,@3/03:10,350,F,0501,MPHO,4/22:15,@5/01:50,340,F,0088,KMIA,5/23:00,@6/00:25,320,F,0503,MGGT,6/01:00,@6/01:30,210,F,0503,MSLP

AC#2,1%,WEEK,IFR,0/00:15,@0/00:50,190,F,0475,MYGF,0/01:40,@0/02:15,210,F,0207,MYNN,0/13:00,@0/13:45,260,F,0410,KMIA

Will this work?

Thanks in Advance...

Alex

[shaggy22]

Long story short, no you do need a tail number (or whatever number it happens to be) in the flightplans. AIFP (or whatever you use) won't recognise the flightplan without one

[cgold]

As shaggy22 was saying, these programs read punctuation very closely. Even if one period or backslash is in the wrong place, AIFP or TTools will balk and an error message will populate.

[pms707]

Got it thanks. That what I did and it’s good. Now the issue is that when loaded into the add on scenery folder with rather than the world scenery folder, the AI aircraft are not visible. The path should be correct:

FSX>Addon Scenery>AI Traffic >1968>scenery>traffic.bgl

I correctly added “1968” to the top of the scenery library, and checked it. No planes. They are visible when the traffic.bgl file is placed in the default World Scenery folder though. Not sure why this is.

[shaggy22]

Again the sim is very particular in where traffic bgl's can go, it can either go in the scenery/world/scenery folder (that's where mine live for ease if nothing else). Also they can be added into any active scenery folder or as part of an active add-on in P3D, providing the add-on is formatted correctly that is

[pms707]

Another simple but obvious question: When someone authors an AI flight plan compiled from historic timetables, do they typically use departure/arrival times in LOCAL or GMT? Obviously this will determine what time zone to designate when I am compiling BGLs in the flight planner. All of the flight plans I am using are for FS9, downloaded from here or AVSIM/Flightsim, and for late 1960s/early 1970s schedules. I have looked through all the readme.txt files and none seem to specify this, so I am assuming that the there must be some sort of hobby-wide standard -- that one assumes the times are either in GMT or local. I did originally compile a couple in GMT, but then saw little traffic, which did not make sense, so I recoiled them in LOCAL. My guess would be to use LOCAL time for BGL compilation, but I am still not sure.

Thanks!

[chrisP]

Aug 15, 2021 14:46:27 GMT -5 pms707 said:

Another simple but obvious question: When someone authors an AI flight plan compiled from historic timetables, do they typically use departure/arrival times in LOCAL or GMT? Obviously this will determine what time zone to designate when I am compiling BGLs in the flight planner. All of the flight plans I am using are for FS9, downloaded from here or AVSIM/Flightsim, and for late 1960s/early 1970s schedules. I have looked through all the readme.txt files and none seem to specify this, so I am assuming that the there must be some sort of hobby-wide standard -- that one assumes the times are either in GMT or local. I did originally compile a couple in GMT, but then saw little traffic, which did not make sense, so I recoiled them in LOCAL. My guess would be to use LOCAL time for BGL compilation, but I am still not sure.

Thanks!

As far as I'm concerned, it's always local bcz that's how the actual timetables show them. Since time zones did change over time, I often need to edit the ttools database to reflect what the original timezone was wrt GMT.
Traffic Tools will then convert everything back to GMT.

Exit runway when able.

Christian

[pms707]

Got it. Thanks!