I spend most of my time developing XML ILS approachs for new runways that real world airports add.

Just recently I have noticed post where the star concept is being used without success for activating non-parallel or crosswind runways.

I am listing the technique that I use to activate certain non-parallel or crosswind runways when developing my Active ILS Series of Airports.

There are plenty of post on how to create a workable star but the problem is that aircraft will use this star when visiblity is greater then 3 miles and planes land where they are not suppose to (on the grass).

Follow these steps:

1. The star degree offset between any 2 runways that you pair together cannot be greater then 7.9 degrees. Always add 7.9 degrees or less to the True heading in runway property's. Mag heading will update and change automactically.

2. The new visual runways MUST BE a minimum of 10 X 10 ft and closed on both ends (4 ticks) for T/O and Landing. Place the new runways anywhere on the airport property until all have been added.

3. After the star is finished use the list dropdown menu in AFCAD2 and look at all the runways. The new visual runways must be placed (drag) between 2 of the default FS9 runways. When you complete this step you must now re-name all the runway link lines (black) to the original runway numbers.

Now most of you have already tried all of this and the runways still did not work. So continue

4. Slew the user aircraft in any direction at a high altitude away from the airport up to 108 NM. Use a VOR/DME (if available) to see how far away you have slewed the plane. Try and place the user aircraft at a position that does not get a lot of arrival AI Traffic.

5. Note the crosshair of your User Aircraft on the Grid of the AFCAD screen.

6. Now drag all of the star visual runways you created to the crosshair symbol using the rubberband method or the shift select keys.

7. Using AFCAD2 make sure all active runways at the current airport are open on both ends and listen to ATIS which will check and tell you the fake runways exsist if everything was done correctly.

Are you starting to see what you have now accomplished?

By placing the visual runways 100 miles from the airport all the AI Traffic arrivals will find an active runway at the airport and not a visual fictious runway 100 miles away. Based on direction and LAT/LONG of each active runway, ATC approach will vector arrivals accordingly to your new paired or additional crosswind runway based on winds.


Hope this helps

John:

I will work up KCLT (USAir's home airport) which has parallel north/south runways and one ENE 5/23 runway and attach within 24 hrs. as an example.

Well, I think the first 1/2/3 steps are the most important ones and if you get AIs on the good runways I cannot  understand why the following steps?
Am I wrong thinking steps 4/5 /6 are useful only to move  AIs that still would like to use  false runway(s) to land out of sight?
When you ask to:

 I think you mean for landing? because if you open runways also for take-off it might happens problems for them.

Waiting to see your example anyway.
Bon courage

Cvgee:

It does nothing to close a default FS9 runway on both ends for arrival. This has to do with the direction and vsual zone the landing plane comes from.

Any AI plane that is within a 8 degree arc (direct line from departure airport) of a closed runway will continue to use that runway.

The closing of a runway on both ends for departure is more of a hard code for FS9 then arrivals.

hey i have seen where u work wonders with the miami went spotting there and go arounds were very minimal. i am eager to try your method but like fs 9 i have limitations that needs to be tweaked. if u could be kind enough as to explain what is the star concept and how to use it to bcreate runways

thanks much

Damn you bet me to it, i was just about to suggest placing the star well away from the airfield.
Now the next trick is to have ATIS ignore the star runways, and to make atc assign departing runways a bit more randomly.
I have YMML working really well, but Qantas and half of international terminal a/c use 09/27, while virgin,the other half of international and freight use 16/34.
But the landing side of things is very good and not much different from real life.

Excellent stuff mate
Thanks for sharing

Jim,
    Downloaded and ran your KCLT and I must say excellent job, you are the man! Traffic not only landed on all three runways but took off using all runways also. First time I used it was using actual weather (T-storms) and traffic used 36L &R and 5 for takeoff and landings. Next I changed weather too wind gusts out of the south and they used 18L & R and 23. I am impressed, this could be a major breakthrough on the non parallel runways. I am going to start working on KDFW and can hopefully get something working with that.

Right now: takeoffs 36R/18L and 35L/17R with 36L/18R and 35C/17C used occasionally.
               landings 36L/18R and 35R/17L

Would like to get DFW more realistic: Landings 36L/18R and 31R for the east side of airport.

35C/17C, 35R/17L and 13R for west side of airport.

Going to see what I can do with it tonight and tomorrow. Thanks for the download, that cleared things up alot.

Steve

This is true I believe. Worked on the stars method you provided tonight Jim and no luck at KDFW.

Another problem I have is most of the terminals/parking are on the East side of the airport so I tried to force most of the American Eagle's to use 18L vs 17R to eliminate so much traffic waiting 17R/35L departure. I went as far as adding an overlapping taxiway over the existing one just for Eagleflight parking on the Eastside all the way to a node just before 18L. ATC still has them taxi to 17R, they will taxi up to 18L and then make a U-turn and backtrack to 17R.

Still working on the Stars with KDFW, do you have to add the black taxiway line on the dummy runways located 50 miles off the airport or just add the runways, disable them and you are done?

Steve