Making AI fly repainted planes

[digant]

How can you make the AI planes fly repaints that I've added?  I've downloaded lots of cool planes that I can fly (like Delta, and AA, etc) but the AI always seems to fly the phony planes included with FS9.  Anyway to change that?

[737NGCapt]

http://www.projectAI.com

[dave3cu]

Download Traffic Tools here  http://www.simviation.com/fs2004utilities1.htm

With this utility you can easily substitute your new paints for the default AI. You can also create new AI flights, but that can become time consuming.

Best to read the instructions fully before diving in.

Cheers,
Dave

[WebbPA]

There is an easier way that works for me in FS02.  I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work in '04 but you are advised to back up first.

Using the B747 as an example, the sim looks through the aircraft.cfg for (Title) Boeing 747-400, Boeing 747-400 Paint 1, etc.

The Title names are crucial, as I found out when I changed a few of them and lost all of my AI aircraft.

The sim doesn't care which  textures, airline, etc. are associated with, for example, Boeing 747-400, so you can overwrite the textures with alternative textures.

For example, my 747's are:

texture - Lufthansa (Title=Boeing  747-400
texture.1 - Swissair (Title=Boeing 747-400 Paint1)  ...

My aircraft.cfg looks like this:
[fltsim.0]
title=Boeing 747-400
sim=Boeing747-400
model=
panel=
sound=
texture=
kb_checklists=Boeing747-400_check
kb_reference=Boeing747-400_ref
atc_id=N700MS
atc_airline=Lufthansa
atc_flight_number=009
atc_heavy=1
ui_manufacturer=Boeing
ui_type=747-400
ui_variation=Lufthansa
description= ...
visual_damage=1

[fltsim.1]
title=Boeing 747-400 Paint1
sim=Boeing747-400
model=
panel=
sound=
texture=1
kb_checklists=Boeing747-400_check
kb_reference=Boeing747-400_ref
atc_id=N700MS
atc_airline=Swissair
atc_flight_number=1123
atc_heavy=1
ui_manufacturer=Boeing
ui_type=747-400
ui_variation=Swissair

As long as you use default texture repaints, taking care to   include all necessary .bmp files (repaints sometimes only give you partial .bmp files) this should work.

[digant]

By what I have read, it looks like you can only have a set variety of AI planes (i.e. you substitute the Orbit planes for the Delta planes, etc).

[dave3cu]

With Traffic Tools, you can add additional ai aircraft, airports and flights. Dont know if there is a limit, never heard of one.

Its just that the easiest way to get your ai in is to substitute for the default (unless you want to keep the fictional airlines or default ga in your pattern  :) ). And this requires only minimal editing in TTools, as explained in the instructions.

Cheers,
Dave

You might want to visit the AFCAD and TTOOLS Forum. Sure you'll find additional help there.

[digant]

Sounds excellent, thanks!