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Military AI Works Pratica di Mare Airshow

 

        

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Version: 1.0

For FS 2004 / FS9

Project Manager: Giorgio Perotti

 

 

 

This freeware MAIW Pratica di Mare Airshow Package was produced by Giorgio Perotti in conjunction with the Military AI Works to provide a unique bonus AI package to all its staff, contributors and loyal customers to whom so much is owed for the success of MAIW.

 

The Military AI Works Pratica di Mare Airshow takes place on Saturday and Sunday at Pratica di Mare airbase (LIRE), the biggest Italian Air Force base, home of Reparto Sperimentale Volo (RSV), 14th Wing (KC-767; P-180), part of the 15th Wing CSAR, and various other Groups of many Italian armed forces as the Air components of Guardia di Finanza.

The Military AI Works Pratica di Mare Airshow Package, includes the excellent custom scenery by John Stinstrom, all the custom airshow AI aircraft, AI FDE’s, repaints, AFCADs, flight plans, effect files and call sign files required for the AI airshow.

The package, also contain aircraft and flight plans to activate the KC-767 from 8th Gruppo of 14th Stormo and, as optional files, the repaints and flightplans to activate the ATR-42 of Guardia di Finanza. (see Appendix at the end of this file)

 

 

Table of Contents

 

1. About MAIW

 

2. Credits

 

3. Units Included in This Package

 

4. Installation

 

5. Troubleshooting

 

6. Notes and Resources

 

7. Permissions and Disclaimers

 

8. Appendix

 

 

1. About MAIW

 

Military AI Works (MAIW) is a loosely affiliated, international group of flightsim enthusiasts who share the common goal of seeing realistic military AI traffic in MS Flightsim.  Our goals:

 

1) Produce only high-quality, freeware packages and products

2) Create military AI traffic accurately within the bounds of MS Flightsim

3) Promote new freeware military AI models, scenery and products

4) Advance military AI modeling of countries around the globe

5) Respect the rights of designers and contributors

 

To learn more about MAIW or to become a contributor, visit our website at http://www.militaryaiworks.com.

 

2. Credits

AFCADs: 

·         Giorgio Perotti, John Stinstrom

 

Custom Scenery: 

 

Models:

 

FDE:

 

Effects Design:

 

Repaints:

 

Voicepacks:

 

Flightplans and waypoints:

 

 

Return to Contents

 

3. Units Included in this Package

 

 

 

 

frecce-tricolori-logo-badge

313° Gruppo Addestramento Acrobatico

Callsigns: Pony; Arrow; Diamond

Aircraft: MB-339-A/PAN

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Patrouille de France

Callsign: Atos

Aircraft: Dassault/Dornier Alpha-Jet-A

BABadge

United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron

Callsigns: Blue Angels; Fat Albert

Aircraft: F/A-18A/C/D, C-130T

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Patrouille Suisse

Callsign: Swiss Air Force

Aircraft: Northrop F-5E Tiger II

RABadge

The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team

Callsigns: Red Arrows; Apollo: Big Battle

Aircraft: Hawk T Mark 1A

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Russian Knights Aerobatic Team

Callsign: Russian Knights

Aircraft: Sukhoi Su-27P

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Aeronautica Militare

Callsigns: Brandy; Luce; Guizzo; Lupo; Pony; Lyra; Verde; Pante; Freccia; Tiger; Strega; Daga

Aircraft: Typhoon; Tornado; AMX; C-27J; G-91 PAN; C-130J; MB-339A; F-104G;     F-16A; MQ-1B; MQ-9B; Atlantique

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Marina Militare

Callsigns: Wolf; Randa

Aircraft: AV8B+; SH-3D; F-35A

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Esercito Italiano

Callsigns: Lifter; India

Aircraft; CH-47D; Do-228

SPECIAL LIVERIES

Luftwaffe: Tornado JBG32_46+23; Typhoon JG73 30+09

Swiss Air Force: F-18C J-5011

Armee de l’Air: Mirage 2000C 103-YN

Marine Nationale: Super Etendard_FNY 11F 23

Royal Air Force: Typhoon RFR 29 ZK308

Croatian Air Force: MiG-21UMD 165

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8th Gruppo – 14th Stormo

Callsign:Laser

Aircraft: KC-767A

 

 

Return to Contents

   

 

4. Installation

 

Step 1) Install this package

 

1a) Install the package in accordance with the on-screen prompts

 

 

Step 2) Remove duplicate AFCAD files

 

Open your “Flight Simulator 9/Addon Scenery/scenery” folder and remove any previously installed AFCAD’s for the following airports (e.g. “AF2_XXXX.bgl,” “AF2_XXXX_DEFAULT_XX.bgl” or “PAI_AF2_XXXX_DEFAULT.bgl”)

 

LIRE

LI04

 

NOTE: IF YOU HAVE PREVIOUSLY INSTALLED ONE OF THE ITALIAN MAIW PACKAGES, YOU MUST DELETE ALSO THE FOLLOWING FILES FROM ADDON SCENERY\SCENERY DIRECTORY:

 

MAIW_ADE9_LIRE_DEFAULT.BGL

MAIW_exc_LIRE_Praticadimare.BGL

MAIW_LIRE_Exclude.BGL

MAIW_LIRE_Flatten.BGL

MAIW_LIRE_VTPP.BGL

 

NOTE:  Failure to remove these duplicate files may result in problems with AI aircraft parking and operation.  It is recommended you move these to a temporary folder instead of deleting them; however, you should not need them again as the AFCADs included in this package are thoroughly researched and highly detailed.  If you are using add-on scenery for one of the above airfields, it is recommended you do NOT remove the AFCAD for the add-on scenery, but instead remove the MAIW AFCAD file (e.g. MAIW_XXXX_DEFAULT.bgl) after installation.

 

 

Step 3) Install callsign voicepacks

 

3a) If you don’t have the EditVoicepack 3.1 freeware installed, download it and install it by clicking here.

 

3b) Run EditVoicepack and import all vcpmod files included in with this installation

 

3c) Choose “Import” from the “File” menu

 

 

3d) Find the folder “Flight Simulator 9\Military AI Works\Italy\MAIW_Pratica di Mare_Airshow\Voicepack Callsigns

 

 

3e) Click “open” for each file

 

ANNEX.vcpmod

FAT ALBERT.vcpmod

LUPO.vcpmod

TRIPLEX.vcpmod

APOLLO.vcpmod

Freccia.vcpmod

LYRA.vcpmod

VERDE.vcpmod

ARROW.vcpmod

GERMAN AIR FORCE.vcpmod

PANTE.vcpmod

WOLF.vcpmod

ATOS.vcpmod

GRIFO.vcpmod

PONY.vcpmod

 

Big Battle.vcpmod

GUIZZO.vcpmod

RANDA.vcpmod

 

BLUE ANGELS.vcpmod

INDIA.vcpmod

RED ARROWS.vcpmod

 

BRANDY.vcpmod

LANCER.vcpmod

Russian Knights.txt

 

CEV.vcpmod

LASER.txt

STREGA.vcpmod

 

DAGA.txt

LIFTER.vcpmod

SWISS AIR FORCE.vcpmod

 

DIAMOND.vcpmod

LUCE.vcpmod

TIGER.vcpmod

 

 

 

3f) Update the Voicepack for FS9 by choosing “Update Voicepack” from the “File” menu--ensure the “Custom/Callsigns” box is checked in the left hand window.  (note: the update may take a few minutes—do not attempt to start FS9 until the update is complete.  Look for “Ready” in the lower left corner)

 

voicepackupdate

 

 

3g) When ready press save to keep the modifications

 

 

Step 4) Activate MAIW Scenery

 

Included in this package there is the custom scenery by John Stinstrom for Pratica di Mare (LIRE). This scenery will be automatically placed into the correct directory for installation when you install this package.

1) The folders “MAIW Pratica di Mare LIRE”, “MAIW Scenery Library Objects” and “MAIW_Italia_Libraries” have already been installed into the “Addon Scenery” folder of your FS directory.  In order to activate this scenery you must start FS9, go to Settings and find the Scenery Library.

2) Click on “ADD AREA” and navigate to the MAIW Pratica di Mare LIRE”, “MAIW Scenery Library Objects” and “MAIW_Italia_Libraries” folders which should be, by default after installation, located in “Flight Simulator 9\Addon Scenery”.

NOTE: it is important that you place the “MAIW Scenery Library Objects” folder as far down your addon scenery list as possible by using the Move Down button.  Ideally they should be lower than any other scenery you may have added and just above the default FS9 scenery libraries.

3) Shut down FS and then when you restart the scenery will be installed and ready to use.

That’s it!  You’ve successfully installed this package.  Your AI traffic files will be automatically updated the next time you run FS9

 

The scenery has been created for a default set up, and can cause some issues, depending on what you have installed in your FS9. Please read the original Pratica Di Mar Readme.txt by John Stinstrom in your main FS9 directory under Military AI Works\Italy\MAIW_Pratica di Mare_Airshow\Optional Files directory.

 

 

 

Return to Contents

 

 

 

 

5. Troubleshooting

 

Problems addressed:

“I’ve installed the package, but there are no Military AI aircraft at the airports”

“When I go to an airport, there are AI planes parked on top of one another”

“I can’t find the aircraft in the aircraft selection menu”

“When the Military AI planes talk to ATC, they use only numbers, not callsigns”

“I’m following the Military AI aircraft, and they won’t come back for touch-and-gos”

 

 

Problem:  “I’ve installed the package, but there are no Military AI aircraft at the airports”

 

Potential issue:  FS9 AI traffic density set too low

Fix action:  In FS9, set the AI traffic density slider to at least 50%.

 

 

Problem:  “When I go to an airport, there are AI planes parked on top of one another”

 

Potential issue:  Multiple AFCADs active for the same airport

Fix action:  Using Windows Explorer, open the folder “Flight Simulator 9/Addon scenery/scenery.”  Look for duplicate entries for the following airport identifier:

 

LIRE

LI04

 

Files may be named in several ways.  The most common are “AF2_KXXX.bgl,” “AF2_KXXX_DEFAULT_XX.bgl” and “PAI_AF2_DEFAULT.bgl.”  Keep the file names starting with MAIW and remove all others with duplicate airport identifiers.

 

Problem:  “I can’t find the aircraft in the aircraft selection menu”

 

Issue:  These are AI aircraft and have been programmed to not show up in the flyable aircraft selection menu

Fix action:  If you simply must select these aircraft, use an editing program such as AirEd and change the Aircraft type from “2” to “0”

 

 

Problem:  “When the Military AI planes talk to ATC, they use only numbers, not callsigns”

 

Potential issue:  Callsign Voicepacks were not installed correctly

Fix action:  Run the EditVoicepack software.  Look for the following callsigns in the “custom modifications/callsigns” section of the program:

 

ANNEX.vcpmod

FAT ALBERT.vcpmod

LUPO.vcpmod

TRIPLEX.vcpmod

APOLLO.vcpmod

Freccia.vcpmod

LYRA.vcpmod

VERDE.vcpmod

ARROW.vcpmod

GERMAN AIR FORCE.vcpmod

PANTE.vcpmod

WOLF.vcpmod

ATOS.vcpmod

GRIFO.vcpmod

PONY.vcpmod

 

Big Battle.vcpmod

GUIZZO.vcpmod

RANDA.vcpmod

 

BLUE ANGELS.vcpmod

INDIA.vcpmod

RED ARROWS.vcpmod

 

BRANDY.vcpmod

LANCER.vcpmod

Russian Knights.txt

 

CEV.vcpmod

LASER.txt

STREGA.vcpmod

 

DAGA.txt

LIFTER.vcpmod

SWISS AIR FORCE.vcpmod

 

DIAMOND.vcpmod

LUCE.vcpmod

TIGER.vcpmod

 

 

 

If any of these are missing, choose “File/import” and open the appropriate .vcpmod file in the folder:-

“Flight Simulator 9/Military AI Works/Italy/ MAIW_Pratica di Mare_Airshow /Voicepack Callsigns”

 

Once this is complete, or if all callsigns are present, ensure the “Custom/Callsigns” box is checked in the left hand window and choose “File/Update Voicepack” to install them into FS9 (this may take a few minutes, do not open FS9 until the lower left of the EditVoicepack screen says “Ready.”)

 

 

Problem:  “I’m following the Military AI aircraft, and they won’t come back for touch-and-gos”

 

Potential issue:  You’re following your AI aircraft

Fix action:  Stop following your AI aircraft.  For some reason, a watched AI aircraft does not always behave the way it is programmed to.  If you wait for the aircraft at the airport, it will arrive on schedule

 

 

 

Return to Contents

 

6. Notes and Resources

 

Timing of the Pratica di mare Airshow.

 

To view the Pratica di Mare Airshow go to LIRE and set your favorite AI spotting vehicle about 1/3rd on the right of Runway 31L. To test the package I’ve used the following position: Aircraft: N41* 39.08' - E12* 27.25' Tower: N41* 39.92' - E12* 25.93' – 440ft.

If you don't already have a favorite AI spotting vehicle, then it is highly recommended that you download and install the outstanding Mobile Control Tower addon from the mct074rc.zip (12.3 MB) by Ronald R. Cachemaille available at http://library.avsim.net/download.php?DLID=50656. It is also highly recommended that you use Microsoft’s Traffic Explorer from the TrafficToolBox_SDK (1.4 MB) available at http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/resources/traffic-toolbox-sdk.41 to both track which AI are within the AI viewable area around Pratica di Mare and occasionally switch to spot view to follow along with any of them. The FS9 ATC does not support the type of Airshow AI flights and precision timing involved in this Airshow and thus the runways at Pratica di Mare have to be uncontrolled and use UNICOM set to 123.250 for LIRE, 125.275 for LISX and 122.225 for LIDX. These two AFD are overlapping AFCAD. If you want to listen to the pilot transmissions to Pratica di Mare traffic, set a communications radio to one of these frequencies. Please do not use a second communications radio to also listen to either or both approach and departure control as these transmissions may step on the UNICOM transmissions to Pratica di  Mare Traffic and impact the timing of the Airshow AI flights.

 

Unfortunately with FS9 this type of AI Airshow must be watched from the exact Airshow starting time, or the flyby and demo flight sequencing will become compromised.

Here below, what you can see from Friday morning, to Sunday afternoon. (GMT Time)

 

Set time at: Friday 08:40

Arrivals of the aircraft of the static display. First landing around 08:55, (MB-339; F-35; AMX; AV8B+; Tornado; Typhoon; F-16; DO-228; C-27; C-130; MQ-9; F-104; G-91; SH-3D; CH-47; MQ-1; Atlantique) last landing around 10:35

 

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Set time at: Saturday 10:20

Arrivals of Blue Angels (Fat Albert at 10:24), Red Arrows, Frecce Tricolori, Russian Knights (11:50)

 

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Set time at: Saturday 12:40

Arrivals of Special Liveries aircraft. from 12:45 to 13:06 (MiG-21; F-18; Tornado; Typhoon; M-2000; S-Etendard)

 

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Set time at: Saturday 18:40

Arrivals of Patrouille Suisse and Patrouille de France. (from 18:45 to 19:21)

The aircrafts of the acrobatic teams, arrive every 3-4 minutes in groups of three aircraft and land together.

 

Set time at: Sunday 10:58, the Airshow begins at 11:00

Take-off of Patrouille Suisse, Patrouille de France, Russian Knights, Special Liveries aircraft.

 

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Fly-pass of Patrouille Suisse, Patrouille de France, Russian Knights, Special Liveries aircraft, Italian couples (AV8B+; Tornado; Typhoon)

 

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Take-off of Blue Angels and Red Arrows.

Fly-pass of Blue Angels and Red Arrows.

 

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Take-off of Frecce Tricolori

Fly-pass of Frecce Tricolori (12:38)

 

Set time at: Sunday 15:00

Take-off of the aircraft of the static display.

 

During the Airshow please be aware that some of the AI aircraft models included, have novel new animations developed by Mark Griggs and these animations occur whether FS9 is running or paused. Therefore during the flybys watch carefully for Blue Angel 5, 7 & 8. If the animation for any of these AI aircraft is not occurring pause FS9 until it starts and then un-pause FS9 to watch the animation. In the case of Blue Angel 5 it is best to watch the animation with FS9 paused. 

 

Enjoy the show!

 

“Bismarck”

 

 

NOTAMS

 

1) DO NOT set the FS9 time, to a time between the hour indicated above (GMT) for this Airshow because it will seriously scramble the Airshow timings.

 

2) FS9 was never intended to support the type of AI flights and the precision timing involved in the Pratica di Mare Airshow, and thus does not provide as precise control of the Estimated Times of Departures (ETD's) for the AI as would be most effective and consequently there will be some variation in the timing from one Airshow viewing to the next.

 

3) The decompiling and recompiling of traffic.bgl files with TTools can introduce ETD time drifts and in the case of the types of precisely timed AI formation flights utilized in the Pratica di Mare Airshow can be catastrophic, so please do not decompile and recompile any of the Traffic files.

 

4) All the waypoints that were used in this package are imaginary in that they do not have AFCADs, so none of the Airshow AI can be followed and/or viewed outside the boundary of the AI viewable area around Pratica di Mare either with Traffic View Board or a user flyable FS9 aircraft.

 

5) Traffic View Board causes significant if not infinite extension of the downwind leg of the VFR AI pattern when used to follow AI VFR flights in the VFR pattern, or to follow AI IFR approaches in the vicinity of AI VFR flights on the downwind leg of the VFR pattern. It is recommended that Traffic View board not be used to follow any AI arrivals or fly-pass at Pratica di Mare.

 

6) Known problems and bugs.

The movement at ground, take-off and landings, are managed by three overlapped AFD files. These are AF2_LIRE_Custom_JS.bgl, the main AFD, MAIW_ADE9_LIDX.BGL and MAIW_ADE9_LISX.BGL.

For FS9, these are effectively, three independent airports. Due to their complexity, this sometimes leads to some error when the aircrafts taxiing from/to their parking spots.

It could happen that you can find one aircraft into another during taxi. Hundreds of tests and modifications to the AFDs have been made, but it is almost impossible to eliminate completely this problem.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

This package was built by the Military AI Works online community.  If you are interested in making Military AI traffic more realistic, visit this site!

 

Flightplans:

The Flightplans are fictional, but have been researched via Internet and message forums.   We have tried to make the plans as “realistic” as possible and have had to use our own judgment.  Aircraft in this package fly to bases that may need you to download a separate AFCAD for the aircraft to show up there, AFCADs may be found at Avsim.com, Flightsim.com and the Project AI Afcad site

 

All Flightplans were created using Notepad and Rysiek Winawer’s excellent RPP FPGen Flightplans Generator v1.0

Flightplans were installed using Lee Swordy’s TrafficTools freeware traffic compiler.

 

Callsigns:

The callsigns used in this package are actual callsigns used by these units, based on information obtained in manuals and on internet. 

 

All callsigns were created using the ingenious EditVoicepack freeware.  This program is extremely simple and fun to use—if you need a new AI callsign, give it a try!

 

AFCADs:

All AF2 files were created using Lee Swordy’s AFCAD v2.21.  This has got to be one of the finest freeware programs ever created. All ADE9 files in this package were created using Airport Design Editor 9x ADE9x. 

 IMPORTANT NOTE: please only open ADE9 formatted AFD with Airport Design Editor. Opening the ADE9 formatted AFD with any other AFD program will lose important and needed data.

 

Return to Contents

 

 

7. Permissions and Disclaimers

 

Adverse Effects:

The contents of this package should not adversely affect your FS9 or computer operation if installed according to the instructions. The authors make no guarantee and bear no responsibility for adverse operation or lost/overwritten files on your computer.

 

Use of Contents:

THESE FILES MAY ONLY BE UPLOADED TO AVSIM or FLIGHTSIM.COM BY THE AUTHOR(s)

 

THESE FILES MAY NOT BE UPLOADED TO ANY OTHER SITE WITHOUT THE AUTHOR'S WRITTEN PERMISSION. THESE MODELS, REPAINTS AND FLIGHTPLANS ARE FREEWARE AND MAY NOT BE SOLD, OR PUT ON ANY SITE THAT CHARGES FOR DOWNLOADING FREE FILES. THE FILES FOUND IN THIS ARCHIVE MAY NOT BE DISTRIBUTED ON CD OR ANY MEDIUM FOR ANY KIND OF FEE, INCLUDING THE COST OF PRODUCTION, MATERIALS OR POSTAGE.  THE MODELS, REPAINTS AND FLIGHTPLANS OWNERSHIP REMAIN WITH THE AUTHORS AS MENTIONED IN THE PACKAGE

 

Upload to FSPLANET.com will never be allowed by Military AI Works.

 

Any questions, suggestions and feedback on the contents may be directed to the forums at www.militaryaiworks.com. 

 

 

Sources:

All information used to create this package was obtained via online, open-source research. All flight plans and schedules, while reasonable for military units, are fictional.

 

Thanks to everyone who made this possible.

e

 

 

 

 

Return to Contents

 

 

8. Appendix

 

Some of the aircrafts in this package were already available in the 6th Anniversary MAIW Package released back in 2012. The directory structure of the new aircrafts, is the same of the old one. If you have installed 6th Anniversary MAIW Package, the aircrafts will be overwritten. For some of them, the only difference with the old one, is the use of a new colored smoke effect.

 

MAIW_6th_Bday_NBAI_F-18C BA 4-Ship (new smoke effect)

MAIW_6th_Bday_NBAI_F-18C BA 6-Ship (new smoke effect)

MAIW_6th_Bday_NBAI_F-18C BA Solo Roll (new smoke effect)

MAIW_6th_Bday_NBAI_F-18C BA Solos

MAIW_6th_Bday_NBAI_Hawk RA Apollo (new smoke effect and Fifty Anniversary livery)

MAIW_6th_Bday_NBAI_Hawk RA Big Battle (new smoke effect and Fifty Anniversary livery)

MAIW_6th_Bday_NBAI_MB-339 FT Arrow (new smoke effect and 55th Anniversary Livery)

MAIW_6th_Bday_NBAI_MB-339 FT Diamond (new smoke effect and 55th Anniversary Livery)

MAIW_HTAI_C-130H NAS Pensacola

MAIW_NBAI_F-18C-D_NAS Pensacola

 

ATR-42 Guardia di Finanza

 

Oskari Syynimaa produced a really good ATR-42-400 for AI traffic, but he seems to be retired from the hobby, so we can’t have his permission to use his model in our package.

If you want to activate the ATR-42 of Guardia di Finanza based at Pratica di Mare, you have to do the following:

Download the original aircraft from Flightsim

Install it as per included readme.

Go to your C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9\Military AI Works\Italy\MAIW_Pratica di Mare_Airshow\Optional Files\Aircraft\OSP_ATR-42 Guardia di Finanza directory, and copy the four texture folders, in your newly obtained C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9\Aircraft\osp_atr_42_400 directory

Go to your C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9\Military AI Works\Italy\MAIW_Pratica di Mare_Airshow\Optional Files\Aircraft\OSP_ATR-42 Guardia di Finanza directory, and copy the content of aircraft.txt, in the aircraft.cfg of the original aircraft,overwriting the original [fltsim.x] section.

Go to your C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9\Military AI Works\Italy\MAIW_Pratica di Mare_Airshow\Optional Files\Scenery\World\scenery directory, and copy Traffic_MAIW_ATR-42_GDF.bgl in your C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Flight Simulator 9\Scenery\World\scenery directory

You are done!

 

Additional textures

 

The Pratica di Mare Airshow uses nine aircrafts for the Red Arrows, eight aircrafts for the Patrouille de France, eight aircrafts for the Blue Angels, and six aircrafts for the Patrouille Suisse.

In the relevant directory of these aircrafts, there are the additional textures also for the aircrafts in use by the acrobatic teams, but not involved in the airshow. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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