Hi Tom,
Here is a detailed scenario of how this happens:
- I load up an IFR flight
- I then load Active Sky Evolution for the weather
- I then load FS Passenger
- The initial ATC commands happen as expected with a Clearance to the destination airport and Taxi Command with a specific route from the gate to the runway.
- During this taxi phase, if there are other AI Aircraft, then ATC either stops my aircraft or the AI aircraft if there is a taxi conflict.
- Once I place the Takeoff request, this also works as expected in that if there is either aircraft on approach or the runway, ATC issues the "Hold Short" instruction until the conflicts are clear.
- During the enroute phase of the flight this also works as expected with ATC issuing traffic alerts for the AI aircraft.
- During the decent phase, this also works as expected and ATC will issue a Landing Clearance or a "Go-around" if there is and conflicts.
- Once landing has occurred, ATC then ask you to "Turn next Taxiway," and once I do, I get the "Contact Ground on ***" for instruction.
This is where sometimes things go haywire.
- I stop and receive the taxi instructions with a specific route from this point to either the gate or parking.
- I begin to proceed on the instructed route and in most places, there is no area to turn off if an AI aircraft begins or turn onto the Taxiway I am already on.
- If I see the aircraft, I stop but not because ATC instructed me to do so like in number 5 above but to attempt to avoid the impending collision.
- However, the AI Aircraft does not stop, nor does ATC issue any Stopping instructions to either the AI aircraft or my plane.
It is as though ATC no longer see my aircraft, and that the AI aircraft also no longer recognize there is another aircraft present. Once this happens, there is no chance to salvage the situation and I must either abort the flight since a crash in FS Passenger results in the death of the active pilot and loss of all the ranks achieved, or if FS Passenger is not active, FS9 says a "Crash Occurred" and your flight will be reset. Obviously, this results in a colossal waste of time if the flight is of any normal length. (I do not use time acceleration - and you are penalized for using it in FS Passenger.
What I have found is that while this can happen at almost any addon airport, it seems to happen more frequently at ones with lots of traffic and flights longer than 1 hour. I use Ultimate Traffic for my traffic engine along with having the traffic settings in FS9 at maximum. Also, it makes no difference what type of plane I am flying.
What I am wondering, is there a way to adjust internally the way ATC controls ground traffic at airports. By internally I mean in the programing data of FS9, not the typical End-User limited control features.
Thanks again for all your help,
Jeff