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Military AI Works Ellsworth B-1B Package

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Version: 2.0

For FS 2004 / FS9

Initial Release Date: September 2007

Project Manager: Desmond “Reconmercs” Burrell, reconmercs@militaryaiworks.com

 

In the second and last part in a two part series, MAIW brings you the Ellsworth AFB component of the B-1B Lancer package.  This easy to install package features the B-1B Lancer beautifully recreated for FS2004 by Nick Black and Rysiek Winawer.  Also featured are repaints by Mike Pearson recreating most of the aircraft stationed at Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota with the 28th Bomb Wing.  As with all MAIW packages, also included are flightplans, afcads and callsigns for these units.

 

 

 

Table of Contents

(use hyperlinks to navigate)

 

1. About MAIW

 

2. Credits

 

3. Units Included in This Package

 

4. Installation

 

5. Troubleshooting

 

6. Notes and Resources

 

7. Permissions and Disclaimers

 

 

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

B-1B Lancer

- Nick “nickblack423” Black and Rysiek “RipPipPip” Winawer

 

 

FDE and Effects Design

-Mike “mikewmac” MacIntyre

 

Repaints:

- B-1B: Mike “mikeblaze” Pearson

 

Voicepacks:

- Stewart Pearson

 

Flightplans:

- Desmond “Reconmercs” Burrell

 

Afcads:

- Ellsworth AFB: Dan “Delta” Bourque

 

Beta Testing:

-MAIW Beta Team

 

 

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3. Units Included in this Package

Patches from http://usafpatches.com – used with permission

 

 

Ellsworth AFB (KRCA)

28th Bomb Wing

 

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37th Bomb Squadron

Aircraft:  B-1B

Callsign:  “Tiger”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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34th Bomb Squardon

Aircraft:  B-1B

Callsign:  “Argos”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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4. Installation

 

Step 1) Install this package

 

1) 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 AFCADs for the following airports (e.g. “AF2_KXXX.bgl,” “AF2_KXXX_DEFAULT_XX.bgl” or “PAI_AF2_KXXX_DEFAULT.bgl”) NOTE: LEAVE ALL AFCADS BEGINNING WITH “MAIW” as they were installed with step 1:

 

KRCA

 

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 addon scenery for one of the above airfields, it is recommended you do NOT remove the AFCAD for the addon scenery, but instead remove the MAIW AFCAD file (e.g. MAIW_KXXX_DEFAULT_XX.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

 

3b1) Choose “Import” from the “File” menu

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3b2) Find the folder “Flight Simulator 9/Military AI Works/USA/USAF/Ellsworth AFB/Voicepack Callsigns” in the “Look in:” window

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4b3) Click “open” for each file

 

4c) 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)

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Step 4) Activate MAIW Scenery

 

Not applicable, no additional scenery was included in this package

 

That’s it!  You’ve successfully installed this package. 

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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 60%.

 

 

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:

 

KRCA

 

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 files named “AF2_KXXX_DEFAULT_RM.bgl” 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 “0” to “2”

 

 

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:

 

ARGOS

BONE

CHISEL

RAZOR

TIGER

 

 

If any of these are missing, choose “File/import” and open the appropriate .vcpmod file in the folder “Flight Simulator 9/Military AI Works/USA/USAF/Ellsworth AFB/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

 

 

 

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6. Notes and Resources

 

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 yield realistic appearing operations.  I’ve tried to keep everyone happy by balancing the flights time hours with a large majority flying early morning and late afternoon.

 

Bomber aircraft typically fly in 2-ship or 4-ship formations.  While much research and experimentation has been done to allow AI aircraft to fly in formation.  I decided it would be impractical for the general user to include these techniques because of their potential instability and impact to non-military AI traffic.  Instead, fighters in this package are assigned to a 2-ship or 4-ship which will depart and arrive at the same time.  These aircraft will taxi together, but will still fly as single ships and take off and land in sequence, not in formation

 

All flightplans were created using the yRoute freeware AI traffic editor and tweaked using a text editor to remove spaces and unwanted characters.  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 found online here.  While squadrons generally use several different callsigns for training missions, I have included only one for each squadron for simplicity’s sake. 

 

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 AFCADs were created using Lee Swordy’s AFCAD v2.21.  This has got to be one of the finest freeware programs ever created.  Want to add some AI parking to your local airport?  AFCAD makes it fun!

 

 

 

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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. 

 

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.

 

 

 

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