This is a paratrooper airdrop effect for military AI traffic. The time when airdrop
begins and its duration can be adjusted by edition of FX file using any text editor
such as Notepad.


Installation

1. Copy included Effects folder into the main Flight Simulator folder.
2. Open aircraft.cfg file of the aircraft, which you have selected to carry
   paratroopers. 
3. Add following line to the [LIGHTS] section:

light.XX=2, -58.30, 0.0, 0.0, fx_paratroopers

   where XX is last light number+1. Adjust parameters 2, 3, 4 (effect placement X,Y,Z)
   as necessary. Default values are for Lockheed C-130H Hercules by Henry Tomkiewicz.
4. Make and compile AI flight plan(s) for selected aircraft.
5. Follow the aircraft using Microsoft TrafficToolbox, Most Realistic AI Traffic View
   Board or by flying in formation with carrier aircraft. In approximately 20 minutes
   after takeoff airdrop will start and subside in about 1 minute later.


FX file adjustment

Open fx_paratroopers.fx file located in Flight Simulator Effects folder.
Following are key variables

[Emitter.0] 
Lifetime=60.00, 60.00   // Airdrop duration, 60 sec.
Delay=1200.00, 1200.00  // Delay before airdrop starts, 1200 sec = 20 min.

[Particle.0]
Lifetime=1800.00, 1800.00 // Delay before dropped paratroopers disappear.
                          // Depends on drop altitude. Can be adjusted to
                          // eliminate prolonged floating at ground level
                          // after touchdown. 1800 sec = 30 min.

You can make number of FX file copies with different delays under different names and
specify correspondent name in aircraft.cfg of selected aircrafts.


Limitations

Selected aircraft will always make an airdrop independent of current livery or flight
plan. It is a good idea to make a separate copy of aircraft dedicated for airdrop. Don't
forget to use unique title for copied aircraft. It is not checked yet, but probably
aliasing mechanism could be used to eliminate multiple copies of whole aircraft folders.

Airdrop delay countdown begins at the moment when strobes are switched on (when aircraft
is cleared to enter runway) or when aircraft enters active AI zone. In second case airdrop
start time may be significantly shifted forward depending on "dead" period. Time shift will
happen also if user appears in active AI zone while carrier aircraft is airborne.

Acknowledgement

Although no single piece of their code or artwork was used, Id like to credit Heather
Sherman and Pierino Primavesi for a basic idea. 


Copyright

Content of this archive is FREEWARE and cant be sold in any way or included in any
shareware/payware package without written authors permission.


Disclaimer

Author accepts no responsibility of any kind. Use at your own risk.


alexown@mail.com