Looking for input here, particularly from you Army and/or Rotorhead types ---Posting a photo of KGRF Grey AAF just for reference.
Wanting to ask how you guys might approach this, from an active runway standpoint. Would you go with just the regular straightforward main runway AFCAD (eg., all helos make use of all the taxi ways and main runway, just like a fixed wing aircraft)? Is that what they do in real life? Or would they like up and take off some other location on the ramp? In that case where? Anybody familiar with this? I am considering doing something like what MAIW did with Middle Wallop and the RAF Apaches there, which basically gave them their own mini AFCAD to use, separate from the main base.
I guess that would not be possible without having a separate AFCAD and traffic file for each helo taking off. That effect might be better achieved using something Heli Traffic 2009, wouldn't it? Although not everybody has that, or wants to mess with it.
Still kinda intrigued by the multi-AFCAD possibilities. Might need to tinker with it a bit.
Depending on what flight dynamics the AI helicopters are using, you might get away with a single AI with two runways. If you look at my build of JMSDF Kanoya, it has two runways. The AI helos always use the short one and the P-3s go off the long one. On the other hand, for my Ft. Hood stuff I built it using multiple AFCADs to keep the fixed wing and AI helos separate. Still trying to figure out which approach is best for Hunter AAF. I would first try putting some 800 ft unmarked runways under the taxiways and see if that works before having to break out overlayed AFCADS. I really don't like using the multiple AFCAD technique when avoidable because then you have to remember all the airport designations you created while flight planning... and other people creating AI plans that go to your base just gets all sorts of messy
Go to JBLM about 2-3 times a week. About 90% on time they use the runway for takeoffs and landing. Sometimes they used a grass field next to the runway. Also there is a training strip (KZ0A) south of the main base.
I can see multiple options that would be successful for both multiple afcads and single afcads. For AI models that hover taxi and vertical liftoff is it possible to co-locate parking spot, hold short and runway underneath helo spot [H] so all clearances movements happen in the same place?
I have also been interested in using ADE to ensure "Copter" approaches are available wherever published approaches exist.
I think for now we have enough evidence to just stay with the 'traditional' AI model for our initial release. We might decide to experiment further with it as well go and see what we are able to come up with.
1-229 moved a couple of years ago during the change from 3rd ACR. As mentioned, the sod would be used to free up the active runway. Here at Ft. Hood (the other Gray AAF) KGRK, the parallel taxiway is used exclusively by rotary wing, all fixed-wing to include the RJ’s (GRK is joint use) use the main 15/33 rwy. Rotary are also supposed to fly opposite side traffic patterns compare to fixed-wing, something only multi AFDs would allow. I think if you add grass strips to free up the main paved runway, it would be somewhat accurate.
I haven’t been out to JBLM yet. Would love to see "air assault" formations with 10' altitude deviations.
Would you be interested in helping us with the AI portion of our project -- if not the paint jobs, then helping us come up with the reg numbers, units, and overall OOB?
If this was Navy or Marine Corp I'd have a better handle on it. Even USAF I'd get close. Army Aviation is a bit foreign to me and I'd welcome your input.
As an aviation enthusiast in addition to my current occupation, would love to help. Caveat that as "click" mentioned for his projects, Army Aviation is difficult to keep track of. I'm on the fixed-wing side now, but even the mostly ArNG/USAR ones change hands often. I added what I could to scramble at one time for rotary, but much of the tail# info I can get is labeled "offical use".
Flight planning can be fictional and I can only assume Lewis units have a similar "local" flying area that we use here at Hood.
Click has already sent me some good intel by PM so we do have some stuff to work with.
As for flight planning, we think we have a semi-reasonable handle on it - a lot of back and forth to Vagabond AAF over in Yakima, plus Pacemaker and some occassion visits to local muni fields around in the area (mostly those that have to allow them in to qualify for federal funding assistance). Woogey points out that there is more and more joint ops these days, going up to NAS Whidbey and dropping troops off on ships, that kind of thing. If that is not enough, we have CH-47D SAR ops going up to rescue the occassional lost climber on Mount Rainier.
I saw this thread while looking searching for something else - hence the super late reply. I'm trying to upload a scenery package for KGRF that I've worked on. Here are some notes:
1) Package was created with the guidance of John Stinstrom, using the usual suspects (FSDS, AFCAD Designer, TTools, etc).
2) Package includes AH64 & CH47 traffic plans that are not realistic -- just to add traffic around the AAF and get in my way when I fly the C17 approach. Traffic does not include UH60, as I didn't have a working model. John Young's UH60, both OD Green and SOAR black will fit the bill.
3) Buildings are accurate circa May 2013 - there's a new hanger being built between the WA Army Natl Guard and the Priority Air Transport ramps. I haven't had time to model it yet.
4) This is my first scenery - critique the hell out of it - I've got thick skin.
5) I got the ball all the way down to the 1-yard line - feel free to finish off the package - only caveats: 1) You have to distribute it as freeware - for the good of the community; 2) Gimme credit; 3) Post it at either MAIW, AVSIM or Flightsim.com
Go for it! I am/was/will be again eventually doing the scenery with some basic PR elements mixed in, and it will be made to blend into ORBX FTX which means FSX and P3D.
I have done NOTHING with the AI except to test the models, sans repaints, that they work around the airfields (I am doing a couple outlying fields as well).
Really so far the models I have done are base housing and an early attempt at Madigan Army Med Center. I want to eventually expand over to KTCM and have it all fit nicely together.
At Wattisham, the Apaches hover taxi, across to about mid runway, remain in hover until clearance, then take off
