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Water Runways

Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 7:47 am
by IslandBum
As I havnt tried yet - I thought Id ask first
Does the client have any known problems recognising water runways?
Im assuming the as the client DOESNT allow you to start at the end of a runway, that I need to build "docks" of the AFCAD for these airfields - again as part of the Alaskan Operation I would like to have the ability to schedule flights into pure water
operations to give my pilots the ability to try their skills with the PZL powered Otter (I just uploaded it to the database) on water


Cheers

Leif

This would open the door for a lot of things
including those who like to fly "retro airlines" the ability to fly large Flying boats like the C Class, Boeing 314 , Sandringham etc etc in Flynets AOR and Im betting you will see an influx of bush operations :D

Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 10:47 am
by Quantum
Hi Leif,

I have started at the runway on many occasions and the client has never 'spat me out' for not being at the right airport. I'm sure the client checks your position by co-ordinates, with a certain radius around it. I reckon if you set the co-ords in the centre of your water runway you should be safe. Try it and see. The client can't recognise the surface type under the aircraft yet else we wouldn't incur taxi speed penalty if it knew we were still on the runway.

Rgds

John

Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 5:36 pm
by joefremont
Biggest problem I see for sea plane operations is the lack of a parking brake on aircraft without wheels, how would you end the flight if there is no parking brake to set?

Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 5:39 pm
by CAPFlyer
There's ways around it... Even a flying boat can be equipped with parking brakes.

Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 6:03 pm
by Quantum
I think you just need to make sure this is in the aircraft.cfg file :

[brakes]
parking_brake=1

Rgds

John

Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 6:04 pm
by cmdrnmartin
Yes, as Capflyer said. basically pretend that when you engage the parking brake, your throwing an anchor over the side...

Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 6:39 pm
by IslandBum
Id already consider that - as the particualr aircraft Im hoping ot use is the PZL Otter amphib....therefore it comes with parking brakes already..thanks for the input guys -- Ill mod some water AFCADs and see how we do :)


Leif

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 8:17 am
by IslandBum
For any who are interested the concept seems to work

It requires (obviously) the seaplane bases added to Flynets data base AND a proper AFCAD with parking stands (read Docks) - the parking brake application is just that - Flynet registers the application of the parking brake and then seems
to look for any other movement - then it bing bongs you (BTW It just dawned on me why Flynet uses the Cabin chime -
its international airline signal for Cabin secure and slides disarmed) Anyway - it works - as long as you have a parking place that isnt the end of a runway. Ive just submitted half a dozen or so real seaplane bases on the lower Alaskan coast all radiating out from Juneau - Hopefully they will be loaded as "Seaplane" - so any of you aspiring push pilots want to have a go :) You can leave a PM for me and I can provide the modified AFCADs for those seaplane bases


Mahalo

Leif

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 7:02 pm
by CAPFlyer
Lief -

I approved the ones you put up. Need you to do something for me though becuase I noticed several had been approved previously with some issues. You need to go back and check all of your fields and make sure that they all have an ICAO designator on them. The correct format would be to add a "P" in front of the FAA ident if they don't have a full ICAO code for Alaskan airports. Also, please don't add "Ak" to the end of the airport city locations. The format is city only, not city and state, let's keep it that way for consistency.

Posted: Sun Nov 19, 2006 9:13 pm
by IslandBum
No sweat Chris

Ill drop the Ak - it was so this decaying memory would remember where he left them

As to the ICAO codes - Those airport identifiers came from Fairbanks FSDO and not one of the seaplane bases use fourletter codes - I guess it wouldnt hurt to put P infront of them because they wont get duplicated.

Thanks for uploading them - Im working on the water runways afcads for them as we speak

Having said all of the above Chris - the very next afcad I started on was for Port Alexander Seaplan (AHP) and if you do as you suggested (add a P) you get PAHP which is Hooper Bay


Leif :roll:

Posted: Mon Nov 20, 2006 12:06 am
by CAPFlyer
According to Airnav, Port Alexander has an ICAO - PAAP.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/PAAP

Might want to double check your data because about half of the SPBs you uploaded have ICAO codes in addition to IATA or FAA codes. I added them in using Airnav when I approved them.

Also, remember that the database is built around ICAO codes, so not having one in there can cause problems.

Posted: Fri Nov 24, 2006 5:34 am
by IslandBum
Thanks Chris
Dont know why I didnt think to use that resource - its on the computers at work :) Its much better than the Fairbacks
FSDO information -EXCEPT for the photographs which help for building docks and scenery.

Right - the AFCADs have been modified where needed to add parking spaces - Elvin Cove is a simple one
as there are beaching parking spots - so I guess I will fly it tomorrow am and see if I can fool Flynet - it will
make the ability to bush fly using Flynet much more amenable. The only problem I have at present is that its
so damn dark up there that I have to time the schedules so I make it after it gets light. If anyone else is
thinking of diving into bush flying Ill be glad to give you the AFCADs Ive built for some of the seaplane bases
not presently available.


Leif

(Anyone have a PBY they want to try?) :D