FS2004 FS9 problems with AFLT version 4.3.04

[737pilot]

I have used AFLT version 4.1.16 to add lights to many of my FS9 airports successfully, however I downloaded and installed version 4.3.04 and now have the following problems when attempting to place airfield lights at a new airport (LGAV Athens):

1. Can not place runway centre or edge lights.

2. With correctly placed PAPI's, the operation of the PAPI's is now incorrect, all 4 lights change from red to white as the aircraft is flown below the glideslope to above the glideslope and vice versa, can not obtain a state of 2 reds and 2 whites when on the glideslope.

I reverted back to AFLT version 4.1.16 and managed to successfully place runway centre and edge lights along with PAPI's that operate correctly, so the problem must be caused by AFLT version 4.3.04

Regards Simon.

 

[gadgets]

so the problem must be caused by AFLT version 4.3.04

Not necessarily. For reasons explained somewhere along the way, the placement algorithm in 4.3.nn is quite different from 4.1.nn. 4.1 required you to select or enter most of the lighting parameters. 4.3 assumes you want all the stock data but may wish to add more. Consequently, the data in the respective Placement.xml files has different parameters and may not be compatible.

4.3.04 - which will be replaced with 4.3.05 today or tomorrow (more uniform light spacing) has been very thoroughly tested. While there are a few issues (fixed in 4.3.05) none are nearly as severe as those you report.

I suggest you discard your 4.1.16 data and start over. 4.3.04 will capture all the lighting specified in your airport bgl with only a few mouse clicks. While it still may create some rework for you in re-entering lights not in the stock data, I think you'll be much happier with the results.

 

[tgibson]

Hi,

If I choose an airport as the Reference File that contains an *unlit runway*, I cannot add Edge or CL lights to it. I right click, choose Add/Edit Edge and CL LIghts, set up the lights the way I want, and click Place Lights. No lights are added to that runway. I've attached an example airport, that only contains a single unlit runway.

 

[gadgets]

Thanks, Tom. Quite aside from the inability to add lights, when I experimented with the issue reported yesterday, I got an exception - once. I was not able to reproduce it until now. It seems AFLT makes some bad assumptions at startup.

 

[gadgets]

Tom, the runway is only 6m long. What spacing did you specify?

 

[tgibson]

Oh, oops. I just chose a small airport, I didn't realize it was that short. If I specify a 3 ft spacing they appear OK. My mistake, sorry.

 

[gadgets]

You're forgiven

 

[tgibson]

Thanks. I can confirm the problem with a PAPI, all the lights turn red at the same time. This is true for PAPI2 and PAPI4.

 

[tgibson]

Simon, try this for the runway lighting:

1. Click the runway so it turns red.
2. Right click runway, choose Delete Edge and C/L Lights.
3. Right click runway, choose Add/Edit Edge and C/L Lights.
4. Set parameters as desired, click Place Lights.

What happens now?

 

[gadgets]

Tom, Simon PAPIs are fixed (in 4.3.05)

 

[737pilot]

Thanks to Don and Tom for your replies, I have re-installed version AFLT version 4.3.04 but I'm not quite sure of the way forward. I loaded my LGAV Athens airport project but there are only 3 delete options when right clicking on the red runway, namely:
Delete PAPI's/VASI's
Delete Approach lights
Delete runway end lights

There is no 'Delete Edge and C/L Lights' option because there aren't any Edge and C/L Lights placed in the LGAV airport due to the problem I have reported.

To continue; I loaded a previous airport LEIB Ibizi (project) that had lights placed using AFLT version 4.1.16, all the lights were displayed so now right clicking on the red runway I was able to obtain a 'Delete Edge and C/L Lights' option, I deleted the edge and C/L lights. I then tried to place the runway Edge and C/L Lights but it will not allow me to.

Over to you,

Regards Simon.

 

[gadgets]

Simon, if you loaded LGAV .bgl into the re-installed AFLT4.3.04, there is no need to delete anything. (Tom was suggesting a fix for your earlier problem, i.e., the incompatibility between 4.3.nn and 4.1.nn.) You should see exactly the lights specified in the .bgl. You should be able to add any lights you wish, including edge/CL lights to the runway(s) or deleting anything you don't wish to keep.

 

[737pilot]

Don, Tom.

I loaded a another airport LEIB Ibizi (project) that had lights placed using AFLT version 4.1.16, all the lights were displayed correctly in version 4.3.04.

Trying Tom's suggestion I right clicked on the red runway, I was able to obtain a 'Delete Edge and C/L Lights' option, I deleted the edge and C/L lights as he suggests.

I then tried to re-instate the runway Edge and C/L Lights by clicling on 'Add/Edit Edge and C/L Lights' but version 4.3.04 will not allow me to add these lights, all other types of lights can be deleted/added as in previous AFLT versions without any problems observed.

To summarise: Version 4.3.04 will not allow me to add runway Edge and C/L Lights to my new LGAV project or any other project that has not had runway Edge and C/L Lights added by previous versions of AFLT.

Regards Simon.

 

[gadgets]

Were you able to add edge/CL lights if you didn't first delete them.

It would be very helpful, Simon, if you sent us the airport .bgl you are loading into AFLT4.3.04 so that we can hopefully reproduce what you aree experiencing.

 

[737pilot]

No I can't add Edge and C/L Lights to a runway that has never had them previously deleted, ie my LGAV project.

I have attached the LGAV bgl for your investigation Don.

Regards Simon.

 

[gadgets]

Simon, I have no difficulty in adding runway edge lights to your .bgl and I have confirmed they display in FS9.

Just in case your issue is due to some change I've made since 4.3.04, I've attached the current version I'm using (which also fixes the PAPIs). To ensure no hold-over effects, please install to a new folder.

 

[737pilot]

Okay Don, I will install this version into a new folder and report back.

 

[737pilot]

Don.

I installed the engineering version of AFLT into a NEW folder on my C: drive.

I have just managed to install the Edge and C/L Lights to a runway in my LGAV project with no problems observed, I also installed a set of PAPI's and ran a check on the simulator and can confirm the PAPI's function as normal. I attach a pic for your interest.

Further, I transferred the LEIB project from AFLT version 4.1.16 folder into the engineering version and was able to delete the existing runway Edge and C/L Lights and re-instate them with no problems.

Now the question remains, what is the difference between AFLT version 4.3.04 that prevents the placing of runway Edge and C/L Lights and the engineering version that now allows the deleting and restating of the runway Edge and C/L Lights.

Just a thought, could it now be a requirement to install the new version into a new folder instead of the method of updating AFLT as employed at this time?

Regards Simon.

 

[gadgets]

Now the question remains, what is the difference between AFLT version 4.3.04 that prevents the placing of runway Edge and C/L Lights and the engineering version that now allows the deleting and restating of the runway Edge and C/L Lights.

As noted earlier, I was unable to duplicate the issue, so I am unable to explain it. My thoughts on the matter are that either:

• there was some sort of unknown deficiency in the earlier version you were using that prevented 4.3.04 from doing it's job, or
• AFLT encountered something unexpected in your system configuration.

While the design approach of the two versions was quite different, I'm not aware of anything specific that should have prevented upgrading. Glad it's all working for you now.

Just a thought, could it now be a requirement to install the new version into a new folder instead of the method of updating AFLT as employed at this time?

If I am aware of some reason to do so, I would. But, in this case, a number of users have reported simple upgrading to 3.4.04 without problems. The added difficulty in that approach is that all "history" is lost, requiring the error-prone process of selective copying of files/folders to recover. Of course, if you want to be super-cautious, it's not a bad approach to adopt personally.

That being said, I've just posted 4.3.05 and I assure you its safe to copy it over the version I sent you yesterday.

 

[737pilot]

Don,

Thanks for your time sorting these problems out, its much appreciated, today I've being using the engineering version you posted last evening with no problems whatsoever, I'll download the release version of 4.3.05 tomorrow and utilise it, I'll report back my findings to you.

Regards Simon.