using helicopters for AI

[wish_bear]

Does anyone know how to incorporate helicopters as stationary AI at military airports? The blades are horizontal to the tarmac but the actual helicopter model is floating at about 90 degrees face down from the tarmac?

Wish_bear

[Holger]

Hi Wish_bear:

did you have a look at my AI Helicopter starter kits, available in the Helicopters section of the file library? They contain set-up templates for several military choppers; once installed, you can place them at any airport just like any other AI traffic. For use as statics, write up some flightplans that have a single closed-circuit flight (15 min) at night and they'll be sitting around on the tarmac all day, space provided (though too many of the Blackhawks or others would require pretty good CPU horsepower).

Cheers, Holger

[bm]

If you need them just as ground non moving objects - a program called M98 to BGL can do that, by changing FS98 aircraft into API format. Tese can be placed on default scenery with FSSC.
  Holger, I thought your AI helecopters were great, shame there aren't more diferent types out (not with flightplans and airports-just on there own).  It would be great if there were some heleports done for around where I live. Ill see if I can include a Heleport in my bristol airport scenery.
  Can I convert helecopters myself - I not too clever with messing round with aircraft CFG and stuff though.

[magicman]

Another question on Helicopter in AI
What does the chopper do at take off??
Do you connect the landing spot with the runway as in normal aircraft?

[emh8]

I've understood that building AI flight plans with helicopters will cause them to behave like fixed-wing aircraft, which means they'll leave their parking space and taxi to the active runway for takeoff.  And yes, this would require that their assigned parking space is connected to the taxiway system in AFCAD.  Note that I use the term "parking space" instead of "helipad."  I don't think that an AI aircraft can start from a helipad.....

I'm not familiar with the AI Helicopter Kit mentioned in the previous post by Holger - maybe you'll want to check it out.......

[magicman]

I played with Holgers Starter Kits and have using his AI choppers and my own afcads and schedules set up a full helicopter flying airfield at an Airforce basein my region
By following his instructions re AI helicopter downloads and using his guidelines for AFCAD design it was easy,the only problem I struck was A/ C radius which you couldnt alter with AITM as it doesnt appear there.
Solution was getting it from the A/C  cfg file
By keeping the taxiways short it makes it look very realistic
It adds a new dimension to AI and there is no reason it should not work on a normal AI airfield as long as you set up special runways for chopper ops using an overlay
Must learn to repaint to fit in with my local  Air Force colours

[emh8]

Hmm.  Glad it worked out for you!  I'm not a helicopter person, but if I ever get into helicopters I'll have to check out that utility.

As for AITM, you can change the aircraft radius by clicking on "Tools" and selecting "Aircraft Editor."  Or perhaps the AI helicopters didn't show up on the list?  That part of your post wasn't clear............ :-/

[magicman]

Just as I mentioned Holgar intentinally made the AI helicopter not to be shown on AITM so thats why you cant change it on the Aircraft Editor because it doesnt appear there or on aircraft selection on th FS2K
I got some screenshots but dont know how to load them on to the forum?????

[emh8]

To upload screenshots, go to the top of this page, look under the Simviation banner and click on "Upload Images."