Post Global = Much Bigger Flying Space = Less ATC Coverage
I want to keep it simple & sweet.
The Problem
Calculating decent and approach path how you want it is great but not realistic. It’s been quite a challenge to calculate the perfect decent as stated by many threads. Approach coverage is little to none on TS1 at even major airports because either there is too little traffic or too much traffic to control. In real life, approach routes and altitude is always directed by ATC.
The Solution
Create AI Bots which play the role of Approach ATC. Assigning altitude, speed and heading as you proceed to your destination. The directives are influenced by airport charts, airspace traffic, emergency requests, etc.
Disclaimer - This request is only for the approach frequency. This is because it is very practical for it to be controlled by AI. Tower & Ground frequencies don’t have the need to be operated by AI as there are already a unicom frequency which help pilot’s communicate effectively.
Altitude Directives : Put certain boundaries (at a pace of distances) around the airport where the ATC sends instructions to climb/ decent to a certain altitude. If the pilot feels like the instructions don’t suit then he can send a request for altitude change which will or might not be approved.
Heading Directives : When the pilot requests ILS/GPS approach for a runway the ATC vectors him to certain “entry” points to approach final for the runway keeping in mind and sequencing traffic appropriately.
Speed Directives : “reduce speed” or “maintain best forward speed” will be sent if the ATC predicts that the aircraft is going too fast to be able to carry out the instructions properly.
It would very useful, as there is a community like the airport editors that might be willing to program different paths into the game. It won’t have to be for every airport, larger ones first. Most large airports don’t sit in mountains nor have complicated approaches
I agree there is alot of important things which haven’t been added to the game yet. However I’m thinking this could be something more of a community effort rather the FDS working on it. For example, as @GordenW mentioned there could be a team like the airport editor team which was made for global. Starting off with airports that don’t have terrain surrounding them which aren’t too busy such as KDFW, KFLL and increase coverage slowly and effectively. This will be a incentive for people to try out more airports and explore the rest of the globe.
Yes there are plenty of tutorials on how to calculate decent, however IRL the pilot almostnever calculates decent. And alot of people still don’t know how to properly calculate decent which is proved by the number of people which are either on 10,000ft or 400ft on final on TS1. And this will not only provide altitude directives but also heading, approach, sequencing, and speed directives.
Okay, I understand that what I’m saying is all negative, but I feel it needs to be said.
With a basic understanding of game coding, coding an AI, especially something that has to deal with many things and many input sources, is extremely hard. And that it would have to be done for most airports. And that it would need to know when to run and when not run, which can chew up RAM…
I mean it’s a good idea, but not realistic for a mobile game.
Lol as a VATSIM controller I dont think someone will ever say Altitude your discretion when clearing for ILS or Visual. Something like descend via the glideslope is something they would say thats a better terminology :)
This would be pretty neat and would allow a much more realistic feel when flying Global. It may be tough to do, but it would definitely enhance the simulator.
I get what you mean, and yea my terminology is kinda wrong.
IF is a simulator, one that has a very serious community, but at the end of the day, it’s a game, we do it for pleasure.
And yea, mobile games have AI, but normal those AI aren’t under constant use, and there’s very few.
In IF we would need the to be able to take multiple inputs, compute the best option, and reply in a matter of seconds. And those would need to be constantly using this for airports like EGLL, KLAX, KJFK, etc. and while not every airport would have this system, a bunch would.
Again, this is a really cool idea, I just don’t believe it’s realistic to see on a mobile simulator, but more on a computer based simulator.
I suggested something similar a while back but this is more thought out. I’m not a programmer but I must admit approaches are what make this Sim extra exciting for me especially when there’s ATC