Running a simulator session

Tower Simulator

Loading data

After opening the dialog box is completely empty. You should load the scenario first or start editing a new one from scratch. To load some existing data, click the Load button. A popup menu appears where you can define what you would like to edit. You have the following options:

  • Load from file – Just load a scenario, edit and save. This is the most common way of the editor.
  • Load current situation – With this option the current radar client situation is loaded. It may be a live VATSIM connection or a simulation session, a playback or even a live situation when connected to an SBS. All planes and flight plans are loaded. You may filter, change and save for a further scenario.
  • Load current simulation – Like the prior one, but it loads the data from the simulator.
  • Attach editor to the simulator – using this you may edit the currently running simulation. While you are editing the simulator is paused. You may add, delete planes. Then save the situation or continue the session with the new data.

After loading the data, you may see the file name at the top edit box. Use the other buttons:

  • Save – Save the edited scenario to the file it was loaded or saved before.
  • Save as – Save the edited scenario to a new file.
  • Close – Close and discard all the changes.

Planes TAB

The left of TAB contains all the simulated planes. Select one from the list to edit its attributes.

  • Callsign – The callsign of the plane.
  • Reconnect – If you change the callsign of a plane while editing a live simulation session data, press this button to force a reconnect of this plane to the server.
  • IAS variation – The average variance of the speed from the performance defined value.
  • Delay – Obsolete. Since the new architecture the simulated planes are reacting immediately.
  • Position – The initial position of the plane. You may enter the coordinate here manually. Or drop down the combo box. It is filled with the positions defined for the TAXI network in the ESE file (ESE Files Description). Or press the From screen button to position the plane with mouse clicks.
  • On the ground – Set this check box to indicate if the simulation starts on the ground. The altitude is set to the airport level automatically.
  • From screen – After clicking on this button you may define the plane position by mouse. The first click defines the position, and the second one defines the heading.
  • Squawk – The code transmittedby the plane.
  • Heading – The initial heading of the plane. It is used on the ground only. Otherwise it is calculated from the route and position.
  • Altitude – The initial altitude/level of the plane.
  • Requested altitude – The initial climb or descend altitude/level.
  • at – At which point should the plane be at Requested altitude.
  • Flightplan – Short extract of the flight plan data. It is read-only here.
  • Edit – Press this button to edit the flight plan via the Flight Plan Setting Dialog.
  • Route – The point-by-point route the plane should follow. From v3.2 it may be empty. That case the route extracted from the flight plan will be used. Every route point may have an optional altitude request using a / after the name. This will climb/descend the simulated plane to the requested altitude/level at the point. These altitude requests will be used automatically, without any pseudo pilot command, except when pseudo pilot and tracking controller is the same.
  • From FP – Press this button to extract the route data from flight plan just now. It opens a popup menu to define how the altitude profile is added to the route section:
    • Include all profile altitudes – Using this will add altitude requests to all points.
    • Include initial profile altitude only – Using this only the first altitude constraints will be added to the route. It may happen that prior points will have altitude constraints if the last segment is not long enough for the climb/descend.
    • Do not include profile altitudes – This option will convert the points only without any altitude requests.
  • Initial pilot – Who will be the initial pseudo pilot of the plane. If empty, someone must get the simulation manually before issuing any command.
  • Simulator – In general you may leave it empty. It is used only in complex scenarios, when the simulation is distributed between simulator engines. This value will define which simulator engine will simulate the selected plane.
  • Start at – How many minutes after the session starts should the plane appear on the screen.
  • Instructions – Here you can add messages that will appear at the pseudo pilot workstation as private message. Using that you can configure various actions at specified time or altitude. Every line is a single message. The message is built up from constraint and message. The constraints can be:
    • Simulation time (@37:00) – In this case the message will be sent when simulation time passes the specified time. It is in HH:MI format.
    • Altitude (@2400ft) – In this case the message will be sent when the plane first passes the specified altitude (ascending or descending).
  • Sym type – The type data to be sent to P3D connector (see Tower simulator). If empty, then the plane type from the flight plane will be used.
  • Livery – The livery data to be sent to the P3D connector (see Tower simulator). If empty, then the first three letters of the callsign are used.
    • If you have trouble connecting the correct plane in P3D from sym type and livery, then enter the actual code from aircraft.cfg file to sym type and let livery empty. In this case the model matching is not used in P3D connector.
  • From sim files – Using this button you can open a selection dialog. In that dialog you can specify the P3D SimObjects folder, and system scans all CFG files and lists the available type/livery pairs.
  • Taxi speed – The maximal taxi speed of the plane/object.
  • Ground alt: – If nonzero, then P3D will insert the plane to that altitude above airport altitude. It should be used if ground clamping does not work correctly.
  • Taxiways – The code value that defines which taxiways the plane/object can use. See the taxiway definitions in ESE Files Description.
  • Extent – the size of the aircraft/object. It is used for collision detection.

Editing buttons:

  • Import – Using this button you can load plane definitions from another scenario file. It can also be used to import *.DAX scenario files used at HungaroControl.
  • Duplicate – It creates a new plane in the scenario using all data from the selected one.
  • New – It creates a new plane in the scenario using default data.
  • Delete – Id removes the selected plane from the scenario.

Runways TAB

The number of runways you may define for a scenario is still limited to 4. They can be edited in the ILS section:

  • ILS list – Select the RWY you are to be edited.
  • Name – The name of the RWY.
  • Threshold – The position of the threshold.
  • Far end – From 3.2 you may define the RWY not only by its direction but by two points. Fill the far end coordinates here.
  • Heading – The old method is still available; hence the precision of the heading is increased.
  • From screen – Using this button you may define the RWY by clicking the threshold and the far end on the screen.
  • Airport altitude – It is independent from the selected RWY and saves the ground level of the airport.
  • Import – Use this button, select an existing scenario file and import the ILS section from it.

Routes TAB

Here you can add, delete or modify predefined routes for the session:

  • List – Select any of the routes to be modified.
  • Name – The name of the predefined route.
  • Text box – In the text box you can define the route point by point. After each point you may define altitude with a /.
  • Import – Use this button to import routes from another scenario file.
  • Add – Add a new route.
  • Delete – Delete an existing route..

Controllers TAB

Here you can add, delete or modify the simulated controllers:

  • List – Select any of the controllers to be modified.
  • Callsign – The desired callsign of the simulated controller.
  • Frequency – The primary frequency of the controller.
  • Simulator – In general you may leave it empty. It is used only in complex scenarios, when the simulation is distributed between simulator engines. This value will define which simulator engine will simulate the selected plane.
  • Auto start – Check this box to start simulating the controller from the scenario start.
  • Import – Use this button to import controllers from another scenario file.
  • Add – Add a new controller.
  • Delete – Delete an existing controller.

Holdings TAB

Here you can add, delete or modify the holdings data:

  • List – Select any of the holdings to be modified.
  • Point – The main point of the holding.
  • Heading – The inbound course.
  • Turn – The turning direction.
  • Import – Use this button to import holdings from another scenario file.
  • Add – To add a new holding pattern.
  • Delete – To delete the selected one.

METARs TAB

Here you can add, delete or modify quick METAR descriptions:

  • Text box – Here you do not have Add and Delete buttons. Edit the METAR lines in the text box in a way that each line should form a complete, well defined METAR. The station name should be GLOB to work perfectly with P3D v4 or above.
  • Import – Use this button to import METARs from another scenario file.