FSX Formation Flying

[mikesingh]

Hi guys!
I thought I'd try out some formation flying and came up with this on the net...



It says:

Start a flight in FSX on any runway.
Switch to a windows explorer window and browse to the folder with the FormationSetup files.
Double click the icon for FormationSetup.exe
Set the formation parameters as described in the overview.
Click the "Connect to FSX" button, then click the pop-up 'Ok' button.
Switch back to FSX.
The 'Add-ons' pull-down should now be visible on the FSX menu bar.
Select 'AI Formation' and 'Add Formation' from the 'Add-ons' menu, and the AI formation will appear.
To start the formation rolling, Select 'AI Formation' and 'Start Formation' from the 'Add-ons' menu.
Take off and fly with the formation!

The AI aircraft will fly in loose formation and climb to the selected altitude (feet) and attempt to accelerate to the selected air speed (kts). If their top speed is less than selected, they'll fly at their top speed. In the distance selected (nm) they will turn 90 degrees to the right, and they will keep turning 90 degrees right after traveling the same distance to form a square race track pattern.

Well, I've managed to get to the last bit but when I click 'Start Formation', the AI aircraft don't move and are idling on the runway. They don't take off! Damn!

Any idea what's the problem?

Cheers!
Mike

[Dave T]

I downloaded this version and it didn't work properly try this link http://mudpond.org/ and have a look at my posts viewtopic.php?f=42&t=174379
viewtopic.php?f=39&t=174456

[mikesingh]

Thanks buddy! I'm on it......

Edit: Crap! No damn luck even after downloading from the link you provided!! I dunno WTF is happening! I've tried everything but the planes refuse to take off. But the planes are idling though.

Can you paste your FormationSetup config file here so I can compare? Mine is this after selecting four Extra 300 planes:

[FSXpath]
MRU=E:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes
[params]
ai_1=Extra 300S Paint1
ai_2=Extra 300S Paint2
ai_3=Extra 300S Paint3
ai_4=Extra 300S Paint4
ai_1_wing_span=24.6
ai_2_wing_span=24.6
ai_3_wing_span=24.6
ai_4_wing_span=24.6
formation_shape_i=0
flight_pattern_i=0
distance_selected_i=0
altitude_selected_i=0
speed_selected_i=1
distance_selected=1.0
altitude_selected=500.0
speed_selected=100.0

Thanks.

[Dave T]

Hi Mike it could be a permission thing try running exe as administrator, I run formation tools from c drive and run multiple copies.
Here is the cfg you asked for
[FSXpath]
MRU=C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Microsoft Flight Simulator X\SimObjects\Airplanes
[params]
ai_1=Extra 300S Paint1
ai_2=Extra 300S Paint2
ai_3=Extra 300S Paint3
ai_4=Extra 300S Paint4
ai_1_wing_span=24.6
ai_2_wing_span=24.6
ai_3_wing_span=24.6
ai_4_wing_span=24.6
formation_shape_i=0
flight_pattern_i=1
distance_selected_i=0
altitude_selected_i=0
speed_selected_i=1
distance_selected=1.0
altitude_selected=500.0
speed_selected=100.0

its working on my laptop



check that the simulation is not paused if you have removed the red warning labels.

[Dave T]

Which version of windows are you using? FSX AI Formation Toys V4 crashed my version of fsx gold plus acceleration that's why I use the version from my link. I'm running windows 7 64bit and multiple copies to get up to 40 aircraft so far on a mediocre laptop which I use for my screenshots so I'm at a loss as to why its not working for you. I would try running the exe from a different location on your computer, I run all 10 copies on C drive with a shortcut to each in a folder on the desktop which works for me. The formation setup folder should contain four items ai_formation_log.txt,FormationSetup.cfg,FormationSetup.exe,Readme.txt after you have run it once as this creates the ai formation log text.

[mikesingh]

Hi Dave! I'm running 32 bit Win 7 Ultimate. And my FS is on drive E. I tried opening the formation toys program with administrator control, but still no luck. My config file is the same as yours except that FS is on drive E and not C.

I wonder if it is clashing with some other 3rd party AI programs?

[Dave T]

Hi Mike I have a few extra ai installed orbx ai,heli traffic, all of ai ship packages by Henrik Nielsen and they do not interfere with this program. You have the aircraft on the runway ready to go, is the simulation paused?

Is the pause on task switch checked or unchecked, when checked it will pause the sim when you switch tasks.

[mikesingh]

Dave, I've configured FSX exactly as yours in your above post, but still zilch! I think I'll give it up as a bad joke!! Jeeez!

But I've downloaded FS Recorder where you can record your previous flight(s) and then use them simultaneously in formation in the present one. The advantage here is that you can decide your own aerobatics in your previous flights according to your wish unlike the AI one in FS toys and try and follow the planes in your present one.

Have you tried it?

[Dave T]

Yes I have FS Recorder installed but haven't used it yet, I hope you have more success with it Dave. Everyone's systems are different what works on one system might not work on another chuck in all the variables of installed addons as well to the mix, I had two laptops both running exactly the same operating system and one ran FarCry with the 64bit patch and the other one didn't, it turned out one had a dll file that was not present on the other machine, copied the missing dll to the other machine and it ran flawlessly.

[BlueSkies]

Just a quick thought here Mike.
When you got the AI aircraft lined up on the runway and ready to go, did you go to the top of the screen, hit the drop down menu and tell the AI aircraft to start their run ??
I installed it the other day and it worked straight away, but even though the AI were on the runway with engines running I still had to start their run up from the drop down menu at the top of the screen.
So remember, use the drop down menu first for the AI to show up, and once again to get the AI to start their run.
Hope this might be of help to you.

[mikesingh]

Hi Blueskies!
Thanks buddy, I tried that too! But NIX!

[TUCANTO]

This was a great utility in FSX basic but unfortunate I can not get it to run in FSX Steam edition.

[Daddymac555]

I also have failed to get it to work on the Steam addition. Does anyone have any advice.

[papituwall]

Working for me in FSX-SE stand alone install.

Dou you have the proper registry path for FSX-SE?. If not sure, use TweakFS-FSX Registry Utility : https://www.tweakfs.com/store/free_tools.php

Previously I had a dual install and only worked in the FSX boxed.