[RESOLVED] SafeDock lights not coming on

[Ray Proudfoot]

Hi Umberto,

P3Dv5.3HF2. Parking at LIEO (3rd party) I customised the parking positions to switch from a Marshaller to a Safedock T3-9 Ground Stand.

I tested it by slewing back a few hundred feet and then selected gate 103 to park. The lights came on and the countdown distance was shown.

Twice now on flights into LIEO when I select a gate the Safedock lights do not come on. Screenshot attached plus log. Appreciate any help you can provide. After landing I had to restart Couatl as the jetways were in the sky.

[Ray Proudfoot]

Umberto, any idea why the Safedock lights aren’t coming on?

[Ray Proudfoot]

I see Umberto is busy on the MSFS section so I’m sure he’ll soon be here. It’s not the greatest of problems but some clue as to why the Safedock lights won’t illuminate would be helpful.

[virtuali]

I cannot possibly test your 3rd party scenery so, I placed a T3-9 Safedock on the default airport, and it works, see the video:

https://youtu.be/a2f0WppxiXc

[Ray Proudfoot]

Thanks for the demo. Given mine is also a free standing unit it’s hard to think how the buildings could be interfering. I’ll have another try bringing it forward.

[JimmyJr1981]

Hi Ray,

I had the same effect on many airports. It simply was a time problem. Activating the parking to early always resulted in a not working SafeDock or other parking system. With a marshaller this didn't happen. I simply think that this is an effect of SODE. When taxiing in I really try to wait until I'm at least 1 minute away and then select the desired parking stand.
Maybe this helps?

[Ray Proudfoot]

Hi Ray,

I had the same effect on many airports. It simply was a time problem. Activating the parking to early always resulted in a not working SafeDock or other parking system. With a marshaller this didn't happen. I simply think that this is an effect of SODE. When taxiing in I really try to wait until I'm at least 1 minute away and then select the desired parking stand.
Maybe this helps?

Thanks Jimmy. I’m about to fire up my sim so will try your suggestion and let you know how it goes. Good detective work! 

[Ray Proudfoot]

Many thanks Jimmy. I selected the gate as I taxied onto the apron and the Safedock lights came on.

Umberto, any comments on this? Selecting a Safedock gate too early seems off the cards for now and perhaps forever.

[virtuali]

Umberto, any comments on this? Selecting a Safedock gate too early seems off the cards for now and perhaps forever.

What do you mean with "too early".

Surely, it will never work if you pre-select a gate in flight, since by that time, no docking system have been created yet, and I'm sure you can realize it would be a problem for fps and memory if GSX tried to create possibly hundreds of objects that are only supposed to be used when parking, even before you land.

[Ray Proudfoot]

What do you mean with "too early".

Surely, it will never work if you pre-select a gate in flight, since by that time, no docking system have been created yet, and I'm sure you can realize it would be a problem for fps and memory if GSX tried to create possibly hundreds of objects that are only supposed to be used when parking, even before you land.

You provide an option in GSX to select a parking position once below FL100 and <250kts. I can’t remember if I chose that when arriving at LIEO and the Safedock lights failed to illuminate. That would explain choosing a gate too early and it not working.

Perhaps you can explain when choosing a gate that early would work. If none will the option is useless.

[virtuali]

Perhaps you can explain when choosing a gate that early would work.

I said the opposite: choosing a gate that early will surely not work.

[Ray Proudfoot]

I said the opposite: choosing a gate that early will surely not work.

Then why provide the option?

[virtuali]

Then why provide the option?

- So you can already have the GSX equipment ready by the time you arrive.

- Because users asked for it, even if I'm not really sure how much value adds, considering it's very likely your gate will be taken by the time you land, meaning you will still have to change it in GSX which, incidentally, is also what will reactivate the Safegate as well.

[Ray Proudfoot]

Umberto, I’ll stick to what now works for me. Selecting an available gate as I taxi onto the apron. I appreciate you giving us the option <10,000ft but it clearly has limitations.