810 lines
35 KiB
Markdown
810 lines
35 KiB
Markdown
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# Red Griffin ATC
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### A speaking Air Traffic Controller addon for FlightGear
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#### Version 2.3.0 - Release date 7 May 2021
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### Main features:
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* Support for ground, take off, visual approach, ILS and landing operations
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* ATC assisted approach, guiding the pilot to the proper route, altitude and
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speed up to the final approach point to runway and according to aircraft type
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* Festival Speech Synthesis System support
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* Squawking
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* Approach and slope monitor
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* Speech synthesis of messages through native FlightGear speech synthesizer
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* ATC can be operated both with mouse and keyboard
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* Independent dialog window or pop-up window operation modes
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* Determination of proper take-off and landing runways according to wind direction
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and airport settings
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* Status monitor for both ground and flying modes (ground speed, current position,
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runway alignment, runway approaching)
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* Determination of approaching routes and patterns according to position and route
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manager
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* Automatic control and warning in case of incorrect procedure
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* Radio station type check according to ATC request
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* Automated ATC callback messages according to procedure
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* Dedicated window with available radios
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* Automatic selection of ATC requests according to aircraft status and position
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* Information about the current airport
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* Information about the tuned communication radio
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* Support for CTR (Controlled Traffic Region)
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* When flying in an approved CTR, ATC will check your correct altitude and warns in
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case the aircraft is flying too low or towards terrain, such as hills or mountains.
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ATC may also require the pilot to change altitude according to heading and area.
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* When flying in an approved CTR, the pilot can request to the ATC to change its current
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flight level with dedicated buttons
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* When flying in an approved CTR, in case the aircraft is about to leave the CTR range,
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ATC will inform the pilot about the neighboring CTR and gives information about the
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corresponding radio in order to request transition approval to the new zone.
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* Displayed information according to flight/approach/lading modes
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* Buttons for aborting approach, ILS and landing procedures
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* And a lot more
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You can download the latest "ready to install" package from the [sourceforge repository](https://sourceforge.net/projects/red-griffin-atc/files/latest/download).
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## How to install Red Griffin ATC
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* Download Red Griffin ATC package from the this [sourceforge repository](https://sourceforge.net/projects/red-griffin-atc/files/latest/download).
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* You will automatically get either a <code>.zip</code> or <code>.tar.gz</code> depending
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on your system
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* Unpack the archive with a proper command (<code>zip</code> or <code>tar</code>) or utility in a convenient place
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of your disk
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* It will be created a directory named <code>RedGriffinATC</code> containing the addon
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### Running Red Griffin ATC addon from command line
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* Start <code>fgfs</code> including <code>--addon=<your_local_path>/RedGriffinATC</code> option in the command line
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### Running Red Griffin ATC addon from the Launcher
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* Start FlightGear launcher
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* Click "Add-ons" button
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* Scroll down to "Add-on Module folders" section
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* Click "Add +" button
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* Select "RedGriffinATC" directory from the path where you unpacked the distribution file
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* The add-on will be added to the list of installed addons. Make sure it is enabled
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and the corresponding "check-box" is checked.
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* Start FlightGear by clicking the "Fly!" button
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### How to use Red Griffin ATC
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Red Griffin ATC can be operated both with the mouse and the keyboard. You will
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find a new item "Red Griffin ATC" in FlightGear's menu from which you can open
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and close the main dialog window as well as get help about keyboard commands and
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information about the addon. You can open or close the main dialog window by
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pressing the <\> key (backslash). You can also show the "pop-up dialog" by
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pressing <ctrl+\\\> key sequence (control + backslash).
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### The Main Dialog
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Red Griffin ATC can be operated with the mouse through its main dialog window in
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which are shown information about the current flight, radios, approaching and
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landing instructions.
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The dialog is divided in three main areas:
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* **Top area**: information about the current airport, altitude, speed,
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approaching and landing instruction, current CTR, radio station in use
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* **Middle area**: Requests to the ATC, Radio list
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* **Bottom area**: CTR requests, Flight level requests, Abort requests, Radio
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list, Dialog close
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#### Top Area
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The top area of the dialog is divided in three sub areas: white (top), blue
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(middle), yellow (bottom).
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The **white area** changes according the flight status. During ground operations
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and when the aircraft is flying over an airport area, in this part are shown
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airport information, aircraft speed and altitude according to the status of the
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flight.
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During the flight and in case the aircraft is not flying over an airport, in
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this part are shown flight information such as altitude, AGL, heading and speed.
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When the aircraft is approaching an airport for landing (both visual and ILS) in
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this area are shown the course and distance to both the pattern point and final
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point (see picture above) as well as the landing runway.
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When the aircraft is on the final course to landing, here are shown the
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approaching runway, distance to the runway, AGL and a "correction bar". This bar
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shows the correction in relation to the center of the runway: the shorter the
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more the aircraft is near the runway horizontal path. For example, a bar like
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this one [===>] means the aircraft should heavily correct the course to the
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right, while a bar like [=>] means the aircraft need to slightly turn to right
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in order to be in the correct path, [ok] means the aircraft is aligned to the
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center of the runway. In case the correction needs a left turn, the bar is shown
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as [<===] or [<=].
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The **blue area** is reserved to CTR information (Controlled Traffic Region)
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such as name of the airport controlling the CTR, controlled area range in
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nautical miles, distance and course to the center of CTR, frequency of the
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corresponding radio. In this area is also reported the aircraft status in
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relation to the CTR: "inside", "approved" or "flying to". "Inside" means the
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aircraft is flying inside the CTR but has not been approved by the ATC;
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"approved" means the aircraft is flying inside the CTR and has been granted
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transition permission by the ATC; "flying to" means the aircraft is outside the
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CTR but it is flying towards the controlled area.
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The **yellow area** is reserved to the radio information and status, such as COM
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radio in use, radio station name and type, frequency, distance and course to the
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station, readability quality from 1 to 5.
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#### Middle Area
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The middle area is divided in two parts. In the left side are found the
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operational buttons with the requests to be transmitted to the ATC, in the right
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side is found the list of the available radios provided and operated by the
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currently tuned airport.
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The left side provides a maximum of four buttons, each corresponding to a
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specific request and depending on the aircraft position and status. In the top
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part can also be found a "R" button (Repeat) to be used for requesting the ATC
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to repeat the last message.
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The right side is used to tune and select a specific radio from the ones
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currently available and operated by the tuned airport. Each entry is actually a
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button to be used for tuning the COM in use to the corresponding radio station.
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#### Bottom Area
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The bottom area of the dialog is reserved to CTR, flight level requests, abort
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operation, radio list and dialog closing. The Leftmost button is used to request
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the CTR transition to the ATC, while the three buttons in the center are used
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for requesting a new flight level to the ATC. During the approach, ILS and
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landing operations, these three buttons are replaced by the "abort" button used
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to cancel the current operation. The "radio" button shows a list of the radio
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stations available in the current airport, while the "close" button dismiss the
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dialog. The dialog can be reopened by pressing the backslash key or by using the
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menu.
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### Red Griffin ATC Keys and Commands
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* **<\>** (backslash) - Open or close dialog
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* **<ctrl+\\\>** (control + backslash) - Show popup dialog
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* **<Ctrl+4>** - Send message 1 to ATC
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* **<Ctrl+5>** - Send message 2 to ATC
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* **<Ctrl+6>** -Send message 3 to ATC
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* **<Ctrl+7>** - Send message 4 to ATC
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* **<Ctrl+9>** - Repeat last ATC message
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* **<Ctrl+0>** - Request CTR transition
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* **<Ctrl+Shift+4>** - Request Flight Level 1
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* **<Ctrl+Shift+5>** - Request Flight Level 2
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* **<Ctrl+Shift+6>** - Request Flight Level 3
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* **<Ctrl+Shift+0>** - Abort Approach/ILS/Landing
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### Settings
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Red Griffin ATC can be configured by using the settings dialog in which it is
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possible to set how the ATC will provide information to the pilot as well as how
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the pilot will interact with the ATC.
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To open the settings dialog select the corresponding function in "Red Griffin ATC"
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menu.
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The changes done in the settings dialog are immediate and are effective as soon
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as the dialog is closed. The settings dialog allows to change the following
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options and therefore affecting the operational mode of the Red Griffin ATC
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addon:
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* **Dialog Position** *(possible values: Top Left, Top Right, Bottom Left,
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Bottom Right)* - Sets the initial position of the main dialog relative to the
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screen or window.
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* **ATC text position** *(possible values: Top Left, Top Center, Top Right,
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Middle Left, Middle Center, Middle Right, Bottom Left, Bottom Center, Bottom Right)*
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- Sets the position of the ATC messages relative to the screen.
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* **ATC text transparency** *(possible values: Off, Very low, Low, Medium, High,
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Very high)* - Sets the transparency of ATC messages in the screen.
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* **Call sign** - Pilot call sign or aircraft registration code. It defaults to
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<code>/sim/multiplay/callsign</code> property. This value is copied both to
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<code>/sim/multiplay/callsign</code> and <code>/sim/user/callsign</code>
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properties.
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* **Call sign usage** *(possible values: Complete, Last three letters, First and
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last two letters)* - Defines how the ATC will use the pilot's call sign in all
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communications. Please note whenever a radio is tuned for the first time, the
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pilot will always provide the call sign in complete form in the very first
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contact to the radio station.
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* **Include manufacturer** *(possible values: Yes, No)* - Defines whether the
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name of the aircraft manufacturer is to be used during the communication with
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the ATC.
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* **QNH reported in** *(possible values: hPa, inHg, hPa and inHg)* - Sets the
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unit of measure used by the ATC to report the QNH value (atmospheric pressure)
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to the pilot for the proper altimeter setting: hectopascal (hPa), inches of
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mercury (inHg) or both.
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* **Aircraft type** *(possible values: Auto, Small single engine, Small multi
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engine, Executive turboprop/jet, Business jet, Airline jet, Large/military jet,
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Special military)* - Defines the rules and settings used by the ATC and
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according to the aircraft type. In particular, it changes the parameters used in
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the assisted approach procedure - such as altitude, distance and speed - initial
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altitude after take off and cruising altitude. When set to "Auto" Red Griffin
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ATC will try to automatically detect the aircraft type according to the values
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set in <code>/sim/tags</code>. In case it was not possible to detect the
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aircraft types, including the case the aircraft in use has no tags defined, Red
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Griffin ATC will warn the user to properly choose the aircraft type. In case the
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user does not set an aircraft type, Red Griffin ATC will consider the aircraft
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as a "Small single engine" and set operational parameters accordingly. The
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currently selected aircraft type is always shown in the main dialog's title bar.
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* **Squawking** *(possible values: On, Off)* - Enable or disable ATC squawking.
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When on, the ATC will require the pilot to properly set the aircraft's
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transponder as well as operating it according to the ATC requests.
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* **Open dialog at startup** *(possible values: On, Off)* - Enable or disable the
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opening of Red Griffin ATC dialog at FlightGear startup.
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* **Pilot request** *(possible values: Disabled, Voice only, Text only, Voice
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and text)* - Defines how the pilot requests to the ATC are to be shown, spoken
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or disabled. Text modes will show a pop-up message with the pilot request to be
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transmitted to the ATC, Voice modes will activate the speech synthesis for the
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requests by using <code>/sim/sound/voices/pilot</code> property and will
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therefore use the voice assigned by FlightGear for that specific purpose.
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* **Pilot response** *(possible values: Disabled, Voice only, Text only, Voice
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and text)* - Same as "Pilot request" but referring to the confirmation responses
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and message used by the pilot to acknowledge the ATC operations and
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instructions.
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* **ATC message** *(possible values: Voice only, Text only, Voice and text)* -
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Defines how the ATC messages to the pilot are to be shown or spoken. Text modes
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will show a pop-up message with the ATC message, Voice modes will activate the
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speech synthesis for the messages by using <code>/sim/sound/voices/atc</code>,
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<code>/sim/sound/voices/approach</code> and
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<code>/sim/sound/voices/ground</code> properties according to the radio station
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type and will therefore use the voice assigned by FlightGear for that specific
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purpose.
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* **ATC radio** *(possible values: Auto, COM1, COM2, COM3)* - Select the COM
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radio to be used for ATC communications. In case it is set to "Auto", the first
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radio tuned to a valid ATC frequency will be used.
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* **Too low warning** *(possible values: On, Off)* - Enable or disable ATC
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warning in case the aircraft is flying too low.
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* **Terrain warning** *(possible values: On, Off)* - Enable or disable ATC
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warning in case the aircraft is flying towards terrain, such as a mountain or
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hill.
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* **Multiplayer chat** *(possible values: Off, Important messages only, All
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messages)* - Define how ATC messages should be broadcast to the multiplayer chat
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in order to let other know about the traffic in your current airport. When set
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to "Important messages only", only relevant traffic information will be sent to
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the multiplayer chat, such as taxing, take off and landing.
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* **Approach slope angle** *(possible values: from 2 to 8)* - Approach slope
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angle in degrees for the final leg to the destination runway. Default: 3
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degrees.
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* **Reset button** - Resets all the setting options to their default value.
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* **Close button** - Close the settings dialog and permanently save the options
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to the file <code>$FG_HOME/Export/RedGriffinATC-config.xml</code>
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### ATC Log
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Red Griffin ATC logs every message sent and received to or from any radio tuned
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during the flight session. The ATC Log can be opened by selecting "ATC Log" from
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the menu. The messages can be scrolled with the mouse wheel or by grabbing the
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"scroll bar" to the right of the window.
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The log widows has two buttons and corresponding to the following actions:
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* **Clear** - Clears all the messages contained in the log
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* **Close** - Close the log window
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### Supported Aircraft Types and Operational Values
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Red Griffin ATC provides support for the below aircraft types. Each of them uses
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specific operational values and used by Red Griffin ATC in determining the
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procedures of approach and landing, such as minimum cruise altitude, speed,
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approach and pattern distance. For each aircraft type are used the below values:
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#### Small single engine
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* Minimum cruise altitude: 3500 feet
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* Pattern speed: 100 knots
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* Approach speed: 90 knots
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* Final speed: 70 knots
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* Approach point distance: 10 nautical miles
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* Pattern point distance: 3 nautical miles
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#### Small multi engine
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* Minimum cruise altitude: 3500 feet
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* Pattern speed: 120 knots
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* Approach speed: 100 knots
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* Final speed: 85 knots
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* Approach point distance: 10 nautical miles
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* Pattern point distance: 3 nautical miles
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#### Executive turboprop/jet
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* Minimum cruise altitude: 5500 feet
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* Pattern speed: 160 knots
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* Approach speed: 140 knots
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* Final speed: 120 knots
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* Approach point distance: 12 nautical miles
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* Pattern point distance: 5 nautical miles
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#### Business jet
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* Minimum cruise altitude: 5500 feet
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* Pattern speed: 170 knots
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* Approach speed: 150 knots
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* Final speed: 130 knots
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* Approach point distance: 15 nautical miles
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* Pattern point distance: 5 nautical miles
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#### Airline jet
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* Minimum cruise altitude: 7500 feet
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* Pattern speed: 180 knots
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* Approach speed: 160 knots
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* Final speed: 140 knots
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* Approach point distance: 15 nautical miles
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* Pattern point distance: 6 nautical miles
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#### Large/military jet
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* Minimum cruise altitude: 8500 feet
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* Pattern speed: 210 knots
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* Approach speed: 190 knots
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* Final speed: 150 knots
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* Approach point distance: 15 nautical miles
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* Pattern point distance: 7 nautical miles
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#### Special military
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* Minimum cruise altitude: 8500 feet
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* Pattern speed: 210 knots
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* Approach speed: 190 knots
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* Final speed: 150 knots
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* Approach point distance: 15 nautical miles
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* Pattern point distance: 8 nautical miles
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### Aircraft compatibility
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Red Griffin ATC radio support and use rely on FlightGear properties and, for this
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reason, it is essential for the aircraft to provide a functional implementation of
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both the radio stack and transponder. Red Griffin ATC has been extensively tested
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with tens of aircraft and, according to these tests, not all aircraft seem to
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provide a complete implementation of COM radios and transponder. In this particular
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case, those aircraft will not work because of lack of fundamental properties needed
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by Red Griffin ATC. As of version 2.3.0, Red Griffin ATC uses and relies on the
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following radio properties for each COM radio:
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* <code>/instrumentation/comm[x]/serviceable</code>
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||
|
* <code>/instrumentation/comm[x]/signal-quality-norm</code>
|
||
|
* <code>/instrumentation/comm[x]/volume</code>
|
||
|
* <code>/instrumentation/comm[x]/volume-selected</code>
|
||
|
* <code>/instrumentation/comm[x]/power-btn</code>
|
||
|
* <code>/instrumentation/comm[x]/airport-id</code>
|
||
|
* <code>/instrumentation/comm[x]/station-name</code>
|
||
|
* <code>/instrumentation/comm[x]/frequencies/selected-mhz</code>
|
||
|
* <code>/instrumentation/comm[x]/track-distance-m</code>
|
||
|
* <code>/instrumentation/comm[x]/true-bearing-to-deg</code>
|
||
|
|
||
|
Moreover, in order to be fully compatible with Red Griffin ATC, the aircraft must also
|
||
|
provide operative support for its transponders, in particular, the below properties need
|
||
|
to be properly defined and usable:
|
||
|
|
||
|
* <code>/instrumentation/transponder[x]/serviceable</code>
|
||
|
* <code>/instrumentation/transponder[x]/operable</code>
|
||
|
* <code>/instrumentation/transponder[x]/inputs/knob-mode</code>
|
||
|
* <code>/instrumentation/transponder[x]/id-code</code>
|
||
|
* <code>/instrumentation/transponder[x]/ident</code>
|
||
|
|
||
|
In case the aircraft does not provide some of the above properties, Red Griffin
|
||
|
ATC will show a warning message in the main dialog and any radio operation will
|
||
|
not be possible. In this specific case, you can contact the aircraft developer
|
||
|
and ask for a revision of the radio implementation in order to comply to the
|
||
|
above properties.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Please note Red Griffin ATC reads and uses the above properties "as they are"
|
||
|
and relies on their data. If you notice some incongruence in data shown both in
|
||
|
the radio stack or Red Griffin ATC dialog window or popup, it is probably
|
||
|
because of improper data written by the aircraft in FlightGear properties.
|
||
|
|
||
|
A list of the aircraft tested with Red Griffin ATC can be found
|
||
|
[here](https://wiki.flightgear.org/Red_Griffin_ATC_compatible_aircraft). The
|
||
|
list is continuously updated and tries to provide both a reliable and up-to-date
|
||
|
source of compatible and incompatible aircraft. You are invited to browse this
|
||
|
list and check aircraft compatibility in case you see or experience a wrong or
|
||
|
unexpected behavior in Red Griffin ATC.
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
### Controlled Traffic Region
|
||
|
|
||
|
Red Griffin ATC provides a simple Controlled Traffic Region (CTR) management
|
||
|
however effective and enough for normal flight simulation. CTR range is
|
||
|
determined according to the the supposed size of the airport controlling it.
|
||
|
Airport size is arbitrarily determined by the number of radio stations operating
|
||
|
in the airport. The greater the number of radio stations, the bigger the
|
||
|
supposed airport size and according to this schema:
|
||
|
|
||
|
* 1 radio station: small
|
||
|
* 2-4 radio stations: medium
|
||
|
* 5 or more radio stations: big
|
||
|
|
||
|
CTR range is therefore determined according to this schema:
|
||
|
|
||
|
* Small airport: 20 nm
|
||
|
* Medium airport: 30 nm
|
||
|
* Big airport: 50 nm
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
### Assisted Approach and Landing
|
||
|
|
||
|
Red Griffin ATC can guide the pilot to the proper route up to the final leg to
|
||
|
the runway. In order to work properly, the assisted approach and landing
|
||
|
procedure requires the pilot to provide the right operational settings, in
|
||
|
particular aircraft type and approach slope angle. It is also very important to
|
||
|
set the altimeter according to the QNH provided by the ATC in order to follow a
|
||
|
reliable and consistent altitude.
|
||
|
|
||
|
As for approach slope angle, Red Griffin ATC uses 3 degree as a default value,
|
||
|
however this can be changed in the settings dialog. The pilot is therefore
|
||
|
required to properly set the approach slope angle before initiating the assisted
|
||
|
approaching procedure and according to the destination airport and runway. The
|
||
|
correct approach slope angle is usually reported in airport charts and each
|
||
|
airport usually has its own angle setting.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Before initiating the assisted approach procedure (or before taking off) it is
|
||
|
advised to follow this very minimal checklist:
|
||
|
|
||
|
* Set aircraft type (settings dialog)
|
||
|
* Set approach slope angle according to the runway of destination airport (settings dialog)
|
||
|
* Set the altimeter according to the QNH provided by the ATC (aircraft cockpit panel)
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
### Approach and slope monitor
|
||
|
|
||
|
When the aircraft is about to land, while it is flying the final leg to runway
|
||
|
and within 5 nautical miles from the runway landing area, Red Griffin ATC gives
|
||
|
the pilot both the distance to the touch down point as well as an "approach and
|
||
|
slope monitor" in order to assist the pilot in following the right course and
|
||
|
glide path to landing.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Course correction is represented by a "bar" showing the direction in which the
|
||
|
aircraft should turn in order to align to the center of runway. Specifically,
|
||
|
when the monitor shows "<===" means the pilot should turn to the left, whereas
|
||
|
in case it shows "===>" it is needed a turn to the right. The longer the bar,
|
||
|
the farther the distance from the center of glide path.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The monitor also provides information about the correction in altitude in order
|
||
|
to follow the proper glide path to the landing area of runway. In case the
|
||
|
monitor shows a "v" it means the aircraft is flying too high and the pilot must
|
||
|
descend, whereas in case it shows a "^", the aircraft is flying too low and the
|
||
|
pilot must climb.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In case the aircraft is perfectly aligned and following the proper glide path,
|
||
|
the monitor will show "ok".
|
||
|
|
||
|
## Festival Speech Synthesis System Support
|
||
|
|
||
|
Red Griffin ATC can take advantage of the superior voice quality offered by the
|
||
|
[Festival Speech Synthesis System](https://www.cstr.ed.ac.uk/projects/festival)
|
||
|
through FlightGear direct support for Festival running in server mode. In order
|
||
|
to use the Festival Speech Synthesis System, you need to have a properly
|
||
|
installed and working Festival system in your machine as well as having at least
|
||
|
FlightGear version 2020.3.6. Prior to this version, FlightGear cannot properly
|
||
|
support and initialize the Festival Speech Synthesis System and will therefore
|
||
|
fall back to the internal default speech synthesizer.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Festival Speech Synthesis System running in server mode allows up to ten
|
||
|
simultaneous connections, therefore it can provide up to ten different voices.
|
||
|
Red Griffin ATC takes advantage of this feature and can provide a fuller and
|
||
|
deeper experience by using those ten different voices and by assigning them to
|
||
|
each specific radio. The available voices are assigned at random from the whole
|
||
|
pool of voices available and properly configured through FlightGear COMM
|
||
|
properties. This will give the sensation of speaking to different operators
|
||
|
during the whole flight session. Red Griffin ATC associates a specific voice to
|
||
|
any specific radio frequency and the association is kept for the whole duration
|
||
|
of the flight. This means you are going to hear the very same voice in case you
|
||
|
are tuning back to a radio frequency already used in the current flight session.
|
||
|
Please note pilot voice is associated to a specific voice and exclusively used
|
||
|
for that purpose. This means the pilot voice will never be used for radio
|
||
|
operators.
|
||
|
|
||
|
### Configuring Red Griffin ATC with Festival Support
|
||
|
|
||
|
Festival Speech Synthesis System support in Red Griffin ATC is implemented
|
||
|
through FlightGear internal properties, in particular those related to sound and
|
||
|
voice support, found in the <code>/sim/sound/voices</code> tree.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Voices can be defined and set up by using a configuration <code>XML</code> file
|
||
|
describing each FlightGear voice according to the internal structure of the
|
||
|
property tree. Here it is how a voice should be configured in order to support
|
||
|
the Festival Speech Synthesis System:
|
||
|
|
||
|
<code>
|
||
|
<voice><br>
|
||
|
<desc>Pilot</desc><br>
|
||
|
<text type="string"/><br>
|
||
|
<volume type="double">1.0</volume><br>
|
||
|
<pitch type="double">100.0</pitch><br>
|
||
|
<speed type="double">0.8</speed><br>
|
||
|
<preamble type="string">(voice_cmu_us_rms_cg) (audio_mode 'async)</preamble><br>
|
||
|
<festival type="bool">true</festival><br>
|
||
|
<htsvoice type="string">cstr_uk_female-1.0.htsvoice</htsvoice><br>
|
||
|
</voice><br>
|
||
|
</code>
|
||
|
|
||
|
In order to be used in Festival, a voice needs the <code><festival></code>
|
||
|
and <code><preamble></code> properties to be properly initialized.
|
||
|
Specifically, <code><festival></code> property must be <code>true</code>
|
||
|
(that is, enabled) while <code><preamble></code> property must contain
|
||
|
valid Festival <code>scheme</code> commands to be sent to the server at
|
||
|
initialization time. The <code><preamble></code> property must at least
|
||
|
contain the <code>scheme</code> command selector for the specific Festival voice
|
||
|
to be associated to a FlightGear voice.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In this regard, it is strongly advised to set Festival in asynchronous audio
|
||
|
mode by adding the <code>scheme</code> command <code>(audio_mode 'async)</code>
|
||
|
to the <code><preamble></code> property. In this case, Red Griffin ATC
|
||
|
will interact with Festival in a way that will provide a quicker response and by
|
||
|
actually creating utterances while speaking, therefore getting a better
|
||
|
synchronization with ATC texts shown in the screen.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In case <code>(audio_mode 'async)</code> is not used, Red Griffin ATC
|
||
|
interaction with Festival server will result with an "out of sync" speaking in
|
||
|
relation to the text shown in the screen.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Voices can also be "fine tuned" by properly setting <code><volume></code>,
|
||
|
<code><pitch></code> and <<speed></code> properties.
|
||
|
|
||
|
The property <code><desc></code> can optionally describe the defined voice
|
||
|
and, in particular, the voice to be used for the pilot. In this specific case,
|
||
|
<code><desc></code> property must be assigned to "Pilot", like the sample
|
||
|
shown above. In case no voice is assigned to the pilot, Red Griffin ATC will use
|
||
|
the value found in <code>/sim/sound/voices/pilot</code>.
|
||
|
|
||
|
Red Griffin ATC is distributed with a sample configuration file defining ten
|
||
|
different Festival voices and can be used "out of the box" or used as a template
|
||
|
in case it is wished a different voice scheme or configuration. The sample
|
||
|
configuration file is found at
|
||
|
<code><your_local_path>/RedGriffinATC/festival.xml</code>. The
|
||
|
<code>festival.xml</code> is configured in order to use some Festival default
|
||
|
voices as well as some of those available at
|
||
|
[http://festvox.org/packed/festival/2.4/voices Festvox website]. In order to use
|
||
|
the configuration file provided with Red Griffin ATC, you need to properly
|
||
|
install the Festival voices defined in <code>festival.xml</code> and available
|
||
|
at the Festvox website.
|
||
|
|
||
|
### Running Festival in Server Mode
|
||
|
|
||
|
In order to run Festival, you need it to be properly installed and working in
|
||
|
your system. Festival can be compiled and installed from the source distribution
|
||
|
or by using the binary package available for your system.
|
||
|
|
||
|
To start Festival in server mode, you need to open a shell or console window and
|
||
|
type:
|
||
|
|
||
|
<code>festival --server</code>
|
||
|
|
||
|
The Festival Speech Synthesis System will then listen to port 1314 waiting for
|
||
|
incoming requests and will accept up to ten simultaneous clients.
|
||
|
|
||
|
### Running FlightGear with Festival Support
|
||
|
|
||
|
In order to have FlightGear using the configuration file as described above, you
|
||
|
need to use the <code>--config</code> option.
|
||
|
|
||
|
In case you are going to start FlightGear from the command line, you need to
|
||
|
append the <code>--config</code> option and the path of festival configuration
|
||
|
file:
|
||
|
|
||
|
<code>fgfs [your_options] --config=<your_local_path>/RedGriffinATC/festival.xml</code>
|
||
|
|
||
|
In case you are using FlightGear launcher, you need to add
|
||
|
<code>--config=<your_local_path>/RedGriffinATC/festival.xml</code> in the
|
||
|
"Additional Settings" box found in the "Settings" tab.
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
### Videos and tutorials
|
||
|
|
||
|
For a quick preview and sample sessions of Red Griffin ATC, you can watch these videos:
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
### Demonstration Flight and Tutorial
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEuz9hTpvuI]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOxDTGj9UnQ]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**Initial operations and setup**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=110]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**Take-off**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=313]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**Terrain alert**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=513]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**Flight information**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=660]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**Altitude check**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=708]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=1470]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**Leaving and entering CTR**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=848]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=1905]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=2105]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**CTR assigning a new altitude**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=957]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=1945]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**Flight level change**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=1023]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=1190]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=1505]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**Flying over an airport area**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=1278]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**Request ILS procedure**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=2380]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=2460]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**Abort ILS procedure**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=2450]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**ILS established**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=2865]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**Request visual approach**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=2950]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**Reaching pattern point**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=3210]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**Reaching final approach point**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=3305]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**Landing**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=3413]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
**Abort landing**
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=2910]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
### Red Griffin ATC videos
|
||
|
|
||
|
Assisted Visual Approach and Landing
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7XqA1iUBF4]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
ILS Landing
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FEtAvhdx4U]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
Operating the ATC with Keyboard Only
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9G_zkjUMnY]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
Procedure Control, Warning and Approach Routes
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHfvSL_4XuA]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
Altitude, Terrain Control, Flight Level Change
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65KjUT3Avl4]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
Red Griffin ATC Using Festival Speech Synthesis System
|
||
|
|
||
|
[[embed url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IhPebn2TgI]]
|
||
|
|
||
|
### Resources and links
|
||
|
|
||
|
* [Red Griffin ATC Wiki Page](http://wiki.flightgear.org/Red_Griffin_ATC)
|
||
|
* [Red Griffin YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/c/RedGriffin)
|
||
|
* [Red Griffin ATC Thread in FlightGear Forum](https://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=36755)
|
||
|
* [FlightGear Newsletter April 2020](https://wiki.flightgear.org/FlightGear_Newsletter_April_2020#Red_Griffin_ATC_release)
|
||
|
* [FlightGear Newsletter October 2020](https://wiki.flightgear.org/FlightGear_Newsletter_October_2020#Red_Griffin_ATC_2.0_released)
|
||
|
* [FlightGear Newsletter November 2020](https://wiki.flightgear.org/FlightGear_Newsletter_November_2020#Red_Griffin_ATC_2.0_released)
|
||
|
* [Festival Speech Synthesis System](https://www.cstr.ed.ac.uk/projects/festival)
|
||
|
* [Festvox Project](http://festvox.org/festival/index.html)
|
||
|
* [Voices and lexicons for Festival 2.4](http://festvox.org/packed/festival/2.4/voices)
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
### Special thanks
|
||
|
|
||
|
Special thanks to the FlightGear community for the valuable help and for providing
|
||
|
very useful information about ATC phraseology, procedures and communication, in
|
||
|
particular to those participating to [Red Griffin ATC](https://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=36755)
|
||
|
thread in [FlightGear forum](https://forum.flightgear.org)
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
#### Note
|
||
|
|
||
|
Red Griffin ATC has been developed and written by Antonello Biancalana (Red
|
||
|
Griffin, IK0TOJ) in Nasal language and it has been tested in FlightGear
|
||
|
2019.1.1, 2019.1.2, 2020.3.x and 2020.4.0 git, specifically in my Fedora Linux
|
||
|
FC33. I understand there can be bugs or the ATC procedures may be formally
|
||
|
incorrect. On this regard, any feedback, suggestion, criticism and hint on how
|
||
|
to improve this addon are warmly welcome. You are kindly invited to contribute
|
||
|
with your ideas and feedback by posting in the forum thread.
|
||
|
|
||
|
I am not a pilot and I do not have a plane pilot license, I have never been in a
|
||
|
real aircraft's cabin and all the times I have been in a real airplane I did it
|
||
|
as a passenger. All of my "plane pilot" experience is only as a "virtual and
|
||
|
simulated pilot", a hobby I started in 1982 and the very first flight simulator
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I used was subLOGIC's FS1 Flight Simulator by Bruce Artwick running on an Apple
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II.
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It was not my computer though as at that time I owned a Commodore VIC20 and,
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alas, the only "flight simulators" available for it were Ron Wanttaja's IFR
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Flight Simulator and Anirog's Flight Path 737. The big step forward was Flight
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Simulator II for Commodore 64 in 1984 and featuring a Piper PA-28-181 Archer II.
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The giant step forward was in 1987 when it was released the Commodore Amiga
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version (one of the most amazing and very best, revolutionary, exceptional
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computer of all times) which featured three aircraft: Cessna 182RG, Gates
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Learjet 25G and Sopwith Camel.
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I therefore have no real ATC procedures experience and what I know about this
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subject is from what I read in specialized books about ATC procedures and
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phraseology found in various website of flight schools, airports and aero clubs.
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Most of the phraseology used in Red Griffin ATC is created according to the
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procedures found in these books and manuals, as well as from the many valuable
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contributions from Red Griffin ATC users, both in FlightGear forum and direct
|
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exchange of messages from amateur and professional licensed pilots. I understand
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the procedures used in this addon may however result incorrect to real pilots,
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either because of my lack of experience in this subject or because of improper
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implementation. I am more than glad to get any feedback about ATC procedures
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from experienced pilots and anyone knowing this subject in order to improve this
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addon.
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Red Griffin ATC is hosted in [https://sourceforge.net/projects/red-griffin-atc/](https://sourceforge.net/projects/red-griffin-atc/)
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Red Griffin ATC (C) 2019-2021 Antonello Biancalana, Red Griffin, IK0TOJ
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