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Developer's Backdoor => GSX Backdoor => Topic started by: p3dx3 on December 08, 2016, 10:16:14 pm

Title: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: p3dx3 on December 08, 2016, 10:16:14 pm
In the new beta of GSX, I started with the PMDG 777F. I have not customized anything it all should be default. When I request deboarding I do not get air stairs coming to the main pax door, but a large ladder. How do I change this? Thank you
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: virtuali on December 08, 2016, 10:35:31 pm
That's precisely what is supposed to be happening, and it's a feature which has been suggested on the forum by some user, who rightly noticed it's not very appropriate to have large/fancy passenger doors on a Cargo plane, when only the crew will board, so we took the suggestion, and added a simple ladder to be used on Cargo planes.
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: p3dx3 on December 09, 2016, 05:09:11 am
That's precisely what is supposed to be happening, and it's a feature which has been suggested on the forum by some user, who rightly noticed it's not very appropriate to have large/fancy passenger doors on a Cargo plane, when only the crew will board, so we took the suggestion, and added a simple ladder to be used on Cargo planes.

Never have I looked at the type of stairs and it looked different than the regular air stairs available. There might be a difference where you do not get a fancy overhang with the air stairs but the stairs itself is still a stairs. The ladder is weird like you have to climb up that is dangerous for a large airplane. For the cargo ramps you get the ground handling companies bringing the generic air stairs

Some examples I found here

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/AeroLogic_777.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7449/10660163453_d1a1313309_b.jpg

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gTWJ09uI_qs/maxresdefault.jpg

https://www.flugzeuginfo.net/images/gallery/2015/boeing_777f_aerologic_d-aalb_2_lax15-6_t.jpg

https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/dimension=349x1024:format=jpg/path/s43e7277b181ca307/image/ie883737799800c6e/version/1471846419/image.jpg
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: Claude on December 09, 2016, 06:57:43 pm
I agree with the poster. The "ladder" is unrealistic. Imagine trying to climb up (or down) carrying a flight bag and/or a suitcase?  I'd vote for regular stairs without, if you wish, any specific name or decoration.

Overall, so far I've encountered no problems with the GSX Beta version, but I do have an observation/comment.

While experimenting with the PMDG 777 I experienced the tanker empty and waiting for a second tanker with about 3-4mins of fuel uplift remaining.  By the time the second tanker arrived, PMDG "refueling" was completed. Now the 2nd truck wouldn't leave and GSX continued to remind me to refuel using the aircraft's system. I finally "hit" Reset Position (perhaps I didn't wait long enough). I have since discovered the Multiple tanker option, but wonder if there could be a command to send the 2nd (or 3rd tanker) away when fueling is completed.

Keep up the great work!
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: virtuali on December 09, 2016, 10:40:34 pm
I agree with the poster. The "ladder" is unrealistic. Imagine trying to climb up (or down) carrying a flight bag and/or a suitcase?  I'd vote for regular stairs without, if you wish, any specific name or decoration.

Well, I can only promise that, next time I hear another user suggestion, I'll try to research into it better...

Quote
While experimenting with the PMDG 777 I experienced the tanker empty and waiting for a second tanker with about 3-4mins of fuel uplift remaining.  By the time the second tanker arrived, PMDG "refueling" was completed.

We'll try to check this specific (and a bit unlucky) case, and prevent it. But to make it really perfect, we would need some kind of help from PMDG, since we should have a way to "pause" their refilling, when the truck is away.

In fact, we had some positive reaction by PMDG owner, Robert Randazzo, who proposed we might coordinate, something we'll surely plan to do in the future:

http://www.avsim.com/topic/499155-gsx-refueling-system-ok-with-pmdg/?p=3523133
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: p3dx3 on December 10, 2016, 02:12:16 am
Hi Umberto thank you. If possible in a future update if I can get the regular air stairs back that would be nice thanks.
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: Claude on December 10, 2016, 04:30:14 am
Hi Umberto thanks for the reply. I'm not going to worry much about the "ladder" considering all the other things you've managed to provide with GSX.

I had read your exchange with Robert Randazzo in the PMDG forum and the potential for future coordination with him can only make GSX integration with PMDG even better.
 
Claude
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: AirbusA330 on December 10, 2016, 11:04:00 pm
I haven't seen the "ladder" yet, but as far as I remember I have sometimes seen cargo planes using more simple and maybe cheaper kinds of stairs like this one:

http://www.globalgse.com/uploaded/images/orig_14032011220654366_11032011903.jpg (http://www.globalgse.com/uploaded/images/orig_14032011220654366_11032011903.jpg)
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: p3dx3 on December 12, 2016, 08:53:43 am
2 more things of course just minor and not bugs. More suggestions...

For the PMDG 777F freighter again, the lower right aft pallet unloader is bringing pallets from the back of the airplane forward to be unloaded when they should be coming from the front of the plane. It looks odd since you can see the pallets clip through the bulk cargo area if the bulk cargo door is open.

Another thing is great that some cargo ground handlers are added, like DHL. But now I get no options for other ground handling companies, it is always a cargo company. In some big airports like Hong Kong I would like to be able to select the regular ground handler. At Dubai, Dnata but I can only select cargo handlers like DHL or UPS. But still keep the freight cargo containers unloaded. Thank you Umberto.
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: p3dx3 on December 12, 2016, 08:54:35 am
Hi Umberto thanks for the reply. I'm not going to worry much about the "ladder" considering all the other things you've managed to provide with GSX.

I had read your exchange with Robert Randazzo in the PMDG forum and the potential for future coordination with him can only make GSX integration with PMDG even better.
 
Claude

Why did you come into my topic and decide the ladder is not important?
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: Eisbahn on December 12, 2016, 11:21:07 am
Quote
Why did you come into my topic and decide the ladder is not important? 

And why do you think any topic raised by you is more important than anything else?
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: virtuali on December 12, 2016, 12:27:07 pm
But now I get no options for other ground handling companies, it is always a cargo company. In some big airports like Hong Kong I would like to be able to select the regular ground handler. At Dubai, Dnata but I can only select cargo handlers like DHL or UPS. But still keep the freight cargo containers unloaded.

This issue, which of course is not a GSX issue, but a scenery issue, has been discussed here:

http://www.fsdreamteam.com/forum/index.php/topic,14346.msg105728.html#msg105728

I'll repeat it again here:

In latest versions, we added the distinction between cargo and non-cargo companies, so you won't have unrealistic situations of having passenger companies on cargo parkings.

However, there's a new fad going around with some developers, that flags *everything* as cargo or military cargo, most likely to get rid of default ground vehicles, something that might have been achieved using the "ga ramp" type, in order to preserve the difference between cargo and non-cargo. In this situation, you'll probably get random operators.

Which is why, we added also the ability to override the parking TYPE too, so you can restore the proper parking type, without having to edit the scenery AFCAD.
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: p3dx3 on December 20, 2016, 10:57:05 am
But in doing that separating cargo and passenger, you get rid of being able to use typical ground handling companies like Menzies, Dnata, etc that also do cargo ground handling. If you are saying I have to go to each airport and customize everything to change my freighter spots to passenger just to get some ground handling by Dnata and others that should still be there that is  a lot of work.
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: p3dx3 on December 20, 2016, 10:58:18 am
i gave a suggestion and as a paying customer I am entitled. If you do not care about ladders, you can make a topic telling them great job and keep the ladders. It is rude to come to my topic and tell me that my opinions are not important. Have some respect.
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: virtuali on December 20, 2016, 01:44:14 pm
Quote
But in doing that separating cargo and passenger, you get rid of being able to use typical ground handling companies like Menzies, Dnata, etc that also do cargo ground handling.

Do you have a list of companies that do BOTH ?

Quote
If you are saying I have to go to each airport and customize everything to change my freighter spots to passenger just to get some ground handling by Dnata and others that should still be there that is  a lot of work.

For an airport, it's a 10 seconds work. Just select all parkings at once, and everything you edit, will be applied to all selected parkings at once.
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: p3dx3 on December 21, 2016, 01:11:24 am
Quote
For an airport, it's a 10 seconds work. Just select all parkings at once, and everything you edit, will be applied to all selected parkings at once.

I fly to a lot of different airports, and remember I am the guy with the crashing of fsx when changing between full and windowed mode, so to get into the gsx customization screen it is a long process of starting fsx, quickly changing to window mode and then quitting, and restarting fsx again so it is set to start in window mode. Then going to all the airports I fly to and change it.

I can make a more complete list if you want, but ground handling companies like Dnata, Menzies, Swissport, Aviator provide the ground vehicles like pushback trucks and unloaders in cargo ramps too.

At VHHH there are multiple ground handling companies: https://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/passenger/departure/all/airline-information/ground-handling-agents.html

At EDDF I do not get Fraport ground handling with a cargo airplane and they also do freight handling for some and provide the pushback trucks.

If I fly a cargo flight for a DHL company it would be good to have DHL as a ground handling option when landing as well as the regular ground handling service companies. For example taking off at Dubai, I can choose Dnata but after landing at Brussels I could choose DHL.

I found this website I do not know if it is up to date but it lists a lot of ground handling companies world wide: http://www.airlineupdate.com/content_subscription/gha/country-index.htm

Why not just get rid of the restriction for if you are a cargo flight, and give you the complete list including cargo handling? And if you are a passenger airplane give you the option of passenger airlines and ground handling companies in the select provider list?

And back to catering issues, I have flied in fsx to more airports in a freighter and not once have I been able to select different catering services that I could when you fixed that bug and I was flying a passenger airplane.
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: virtuali on December 21, 2016, 10:33:42 am
Why not just get rid of the restriction for if you are a cargo flight, and give you the complete list including cargo handling? And if you are a passenger airplane give you the option of passenger airlines and ground handling companies in the select provider list?

That might be the easiest solution.
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: virtuali on December 21, 2016, 10:36:20 am
Quote
I found this website I do not know if it is up to date but it lists a lot of ground handling companies world wide: http://www.airlineupdate.com/content_subscription/gha/country-index.htm

That's precisely the site where we originally took most of the information already present in GSX. However, it's still not very precise. We have another (professional) database that we subscribed to, which is far more accurate, so we also integrated some of that data of it.

Quote
Why not just get rid of the restriction for if you are a cargo flight, and give you the complete list including cargo handling? And if you are a passenger airplane give you the option of passenger airlines and ground handling companies in the select provider list?

That might be the easiest solution.
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: p3dx3 on December 21, 2016, 10:52:03 am
Why not just get rid of the restriction for if you are a cargo flight, and give you the complete list including cargo handling? And if you are a passenger airplane give you the option of passenger airlines and ground handling companies in the select provider list?

That might be the easiest solution.

Thanks. Is it possible to add back the regular stairs for freighters at the same time you change that? GSX will be perfect with those changes.
Title: Re: beta problem: PMDG 777F no airstairs only ladder
Post by: virtuali on December 21, 2016, 11:01:56 am
Thanks. Is it possible to add back the regular stairs for freighters at the same time you change that? GSX will be perfect with those changes.

You can do it quite easily yourself.

Select a staircase you think would be appropriate for a cargo crew (maybe the FSDT_Staircase_fixed, which is not too fancy) in the Simobject/Misc folder, and change this line in the SIM.CFG file from this:

condition = ( %(exitAlt)f >= 2.22 ) and ( %(exitAlt)f <= 4.01 ) and ( %(isCargo)f == False )

into this:

condition = ( %(exitAlt)f >= 2.22 ) and ( %(exitAlt)f <= 4.01 )