DaveB wrote:Hi Nigel
Interesting conundrum isn't it Jersey
Yup.. I was aware of how the traffic spots get used but wasn't aware that the order could be pre-determined.. shuffled for want of a better word. Looking at the list of runways/parking from within flightsim.. it gives the impression that the order has been randomized but checking the order against the afcad shows a different story. I can't imagine the real gates are so numbered but you never know. Here's what the list in FS shows..
ATB
DaveB :tab:
I included the edited quote so we know which post I am replying to but we don't put everyone to |-) Although, I will now do my best to try and accomplish that.
I had senior moment and forgot that the sort order in AFCAD reflects the order within each type. That list is sorted by gate type (gate small, cargo, Ramp GA small, etc) If you open AFCAD and open the parking list and click on the first entry then the "properties" button on the right side of the list, a pop up opens with the details of the parking space. On the top right side of that pop up is a button that says "Next Spot" click that and you can cycle through all the spots. The spot is highlighted on the AFCAD airport layout when you do this, but you will have to plan ahead and arrange the arrange the location of the airport to the right of the screen so the dialogue boxes don't cover up the airport. Those pop up dialogue boxes can be moved, but if you open the "Properties" box, you can't move the "Parking List box underneath it. Read carefully the "Parking List Order" section of the AFCAD help file.
Geez, that lot should do the |-) trick!
I have an idea, why don't you try randomizing the list (save a copy of the AFCAD bgl file first) or you can click on a parking spot on the list in AFCAD and drag it to another position, either lower of higher. That would alter the parking order you outlined. If you haven't sacked that Mike chap, I would leave his spot alone since I don't know how exactly that works. In other words keep his space in the same position in the parking list and make sure he is not :drinkers: If you randomize rather than manually adjust each spot in the list, you then adjust his space with the drag method to place it in the original place in the list. Might be worth a shot to see if it improves anything and if you don't like it, you saved the original so you can go back.
Another idea - have you checked the UK2000 forums for anyone reporting this problem at EGJJ?
By the way, although you have nothing big enough to use Gate 28, it may be used because if all the gates are full, ATC can direct a plane to a larger gate (never a smaller one.)
Bottom line is, I suspect that even with changing the parking order, the bottleneck problem may still appear, but at least if you change it, the parking will be a little more spread-out which I think is more realistic rather than all bunching together one after the other. You could arrange the order so the first spots used are those in the front, alternating spots so they are not in sequential order, then use the rear spots. Your Gate numbers will be different but to illustrate if the front has five spots numbered 1-5, maybe arrange the order as 4,1,3,5,2 then use the rear spots. This way the terminal front spots will fill before the rear spots and that will cut-down on the potential conflicts because an arriving flight will park in the front unless all those spots are filled.
;-)
The order now reads..
