Serge,
Thanks for your detailed input!
Oh, no. Thank *you* for all your hard work!
How do you autostart the vLSO? In a .CMD file or what?
It's an XML file called "Exe.Xml". I don't really understand how all that works, but the computer geek who walked me through it says it's detailed in the SDK.
Right now the abeam altitude is limited by 800'. I agree that this is probably incorrect, but what the upper margin should be? 650' or even more? And, what should be the vLSO's reaction when you fly above that level?..
I would say +/- 100' is easily doable by most pilots if they're paying attention to their scan. Generally the LSO will inform the pilot if he's a little off at the abeam if the pattern's not loaded. "Bullets 203 paddles contact, slightly high and close aboard", that sorta thing.
No problem, what parameters?
I would say any parameters that would be useful to tweak for different aircraft (AoA, abeam distance, eye-to-hook, etc), but others have suggested that *all* variables should be external to the .exe in order to make it more adaptable.
FWIW, I have another idea for the OK trigger: If you get an OK 3 pass with absolutely no additional comments, it upgrades it to OK 3.