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Airfield Lights ToolBox is Ready

jetblst

jetblst

Messages
142
Country
us-georgia
Hi Don!

Thank you for putting the time in on this and I am excited to get a chance to use this.

Now it seems like you are focused on runway/taxi/apron areas which is fantastic. However, I have, along with a good many others I think
looking for a way to get the rotating beacon to be more functional. I get the search light effect and that is a little neat but it does not work
as a beacon really ought to.

My thoughts would be to have it work like it currently does but then say at 5 miles and beyond it ought to be more of a flash effect.

Do you think you will be able to incorporate a fix like this with your tools or is that way out of scope?

Mark
 
G

gadgets

Resource contributor
Messages
9,388
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ca-britishcolumbia
Mark, the beacon in AFLT is an obstruction beacon, i.e., a blinking light on a 150' tower, not a airfield control tower.

I have never investigated the rotating beacon atop control towers, but I agree it could use some improvement. When I'm looking for another project, I'll consider it.

Don
 
jetblst

jetblst

Messages
142
Country
us-georgia
GREAT! Ya that is the one I meant. If you could figure out how to fix that one, that would be huge. Especially if it could fix all of them. Thanks for the reply. I hadn't got the chance to look at the AFLT kit yet, I just finished my first ADE airport tonight! Stoked. Now to see how your lighting works.

Question. Again hadn't looked at it. RW pilot here. Some nights the soup is so thick that the only time I was able to land was when Tower put the approach lights on HIGH. I read you have a pilot control lighting feature. N E A T. Can you now vary the intensity of the lights? Too cool.

Thanks!

Mark
 
jyarddog

jyarddog

Messages
2,291
Country
us-washington
The PDF file is great, but where can I find a step by step tutorial? i.e. Let's place rwy end lights. 1. do this. 2. do that. Oops.... to get the textures do this. etc.
 
2wheelsup

2wheelsup

Messages
183
Country
us-utah
So far there is not a step by step tutorial. It is more of a trial and error by reading the manual and experimenting and asking questions.

Alan
 
G

gadgets

Resource contributor
Messages
9,388
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ca-britishcolumbia
I read you have a pilot control lighting feature. N E A T. Can you now vary the intensity of the lights?
Click to expand...
Mark, my earlier reply to your query seems to have disappeared into cyberspace. Light intensity is variable when a light is created. However, once compiled, it is fixed and cannot be varied with PCL.

The PDF file is great, but where can I find a step by step tutorial? i.e. Let's place rwy end lights. 1. do this. 2. do that. Oops.... to get the textures do this. etc.
Click to expand...
Jyarddog, Alan, I don't see how I could be any more step-by-step specific than the section in the manual entitled "Creating a Light Element", the three appendices and the sample array definitions. Use of textures isn't mentioned because textures are managed internally; AFLT includes a complete set of finished 3D models. All you need do is describe the light characteristics and (tell AFLT where to) place those models. Perhaps you don't realize how little you have to do.

I developed AFLT as a tool for my own use but realized afterwards it would be useful to other developers, so I "prettied it up", had a short beta trial and released it. The keyword here is "tool". Given a hammer and a nail, a carpenter will drive the nail straight. Others will eventually learn, but even with detailed instructions and pictures, are bound to bend a few nails or hit their thumb a few times while doing so.

As noted in the introduction of the manual, use of AFLT requires a fundamental understanding of airport design and scenery placement techniques - techniques that have been documented numerous times in several forums. With that understanding, use of AFLT should be largely intuitive.

I'm happy to clarify sections of the manual that would benefit from it - when someone identifies specific shortcomings (that don't fall under the heading of fundamental knowledge). As well, if there are specific issues (about AFLT light design), I'm happy to address them. But, a more detailed, step-by-step tutorial is not "in the cards" - at least not from me.

Don
 
2wheelsup

2wheelsup

Messages
183
Country
us-utah
Hi Don,
I just meant to read the manual and go from there. The manual is pretty straight forward and tells what is needed. Sometimes things don't click from just reading the manual so you have to experiment with what the manual says to do and then the meaning and objects will become clearer and easier to do the more you do them.
Jyarddog, just read, try, experiment with placement and you will get that "AHA moment when it clicks....
Great program...
Thanks Don,
Alan
 
JohnC1

JohnC1

Messages
289
Country
us-vermont
My generic PAPI lights moved to the middle of one of my KBTV runways, because I reconfigured the crossing runway (ADE ) to track real world changes .

Does AFLT support deleting existing lights, especially PAPI?, . I'm checking ADE forum as well.....
 
JohnC1

JohnC1

Messages
289
Country
us-vermont
My generic PAPI lights moved to the middle of one of my KBTV runways, because I reconfigured the crossing runway (ADE ) to track real world changes .

Does AFLT support deleting existing lights, especially PAPI?, . I'm checking ADE forum as well.....
 
G

gadgets

Resource contributor
Messages
9,388
Country
ca-britishcolumbia
Does AFLT support deleting existing lights, especially PAPI?,
Click to expand...
Yes. Please refer to the section of the manual entitled
PREPARING YOUR AIRPORT FOR AIRFIELD LIGHTS TOOLBOX LIGHTS .

Don
 
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