Full cold ramp startup sequence in VoiceAttack possible?
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There are times I would rather not go through the whole thing a mouse click at a time but still want to start in the Ramp position vs. Taxi or takeoff. Be nice to have a “Start Jet” command sequentially execute the list, if I had the complete list of KB commands in sequence I could try it, but don’t want to reinvent the wheel. Anyone have this working?
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g_bRampTaxiStart will start you on your parking spot with a ready jet, but as it’s TAXI you will just have 4 minutes before your takeoff time. This can be a problem in busy TEs or Campaign missions where you have lots of flights taxiing together, especially at larger airbases where you will have to taxi further.
BMS-Technical-Manual page 162.
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… I could try it, but don’t want to reinvent the wheel.
yep … so … more simply click “Taxi” or “Runway”.
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g_bRampTaxiStart will start you on your parking spot with a ready jet, but as it’s TAXI you will just have 4 minutes before your takeoff time. This can be a problem in busy TEs or Campaign missions where you have lots of flights taxiing together, especially at larger airbases where you will have to taxi further.
BMS-Technical-Manual page 162.
In addition, you can also set set g_nTaxiLaunchTime x, where x is the amount of minutes before TOT. I don’t know if there’s a limit before BMS goes all wonky on you, but it allows a bit more minutes to set up your jet, and still reach the runway in time.
yep … so … more simply click “Taxi” or “Runway”.
I’m surprised to see you recommend “Runway” as well. IMO, that is one of the things that should be disabled by default, or maybe even removed altogether. (in few cases, it can be useful while building missions, though)
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Did you figure this one out?
May be able to do it by setting up macros. Timing might be tricky between different blocks. For example, time to wait from the jfs 2 and rpm stabilization for idle detent. Also differences in the gps alignment timing. I suppose that last piece might not matter much, could just turn the knob when you are ready to taxi.
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If you use VoiceAttack you can import this command into your profile.
It follows the checklist procedures mostly, but omits some of the tests like Gen Test, SEC Check, Fuel Checks, DBU Check, Trim Check, Air Refuel Check, OBGS Check and ATIS check.
If your MFDs are set as default, then it will automatically load the DTE and clear your TEST faults page. It will start the INS Alignment, but you will be responsible to change the INS switch to NAV once alignment is complete, remove wheel chocks, and turn on your radar altimeter.
I have included the VoiceAttack profile that you will need to use to load the command into the profile that you already use. To activate it once it cockpit you say “Engine Start” or press CTRL and NUMPAD 0
It takes about 5 min and 45 sec to run through the startup process, so try not to click any buttons in the meantime as it might mess up the sequence.
I also included a list all the commands used so you can see what it is running.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ixnv1tFc2KxCIdbTxcs5YOAna2h4V2Lk <–- Voice Attack Profile
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rMDtkVzVHa-t8EsFWD-askhSdyebeFn9 <–- Excel Doc showing command list
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It should be possible to have the sequence complete after alignment, given a proper pause, and if you can get the channel changed to ground, you can use a command to remove the chocks (keys: T … 2) as I use in my voice control radios profile for VoiceAttack
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It is. I had the command to remove the chocks in there, but during testing with a light jet it would move, so I decided to leave that out. Now that I think of it, I could activate the parking brake and remove the wheel chocks, maybe there could be a v2 if it was that important. I did not include the EPU checks as part of the startup so if the pilot wanted to do that check after the process completes they would have to put the wheel chocks back on and disable the parking brake for the test anyway. I did use the T…1 function to remove the EPU pin though.
I also originally had it set to automatically change to NAV mode after alignment, but timing is different between different blocks (4:30 sec vs 8:22) so it seemed easier to just leave it up to the pilot/driver to change it. Otherwise you would need a different profile to use for all the steps to happen automatically at the right timing. I suppose a second command could be added to the profile to change that know if one did not want to click the knob to the next position.
If the ground (channel 2) is set to default in the DTC, then when you load the DTC it will automatically be on the correct ground channel, allowing those functions to work.
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If you are bypassing any tests or checks, especially using a slick jet which is much lighter, you should be engaging the parking brake as the first step in the After Engine Start section. Technically, it can be engaged as soon as battery power is applied, but as there is no sense with a chocked jet with no power, it would be more appropriate for it to follow engine start. Normally, the SEC test follows engine start and requires the parking brake to be off, but then you’d turn it back on particularly if you call for the chocks to be removed at this stage. But prior to calling chocks to be removed, it is essential to have parking brakes engaged for safety of the ground crew AFAIK. Personally I always use the parking brake and only disengage it for a brakes check just prior to taxi (in the same motion after rolling, a quick full stop to be sure, then onto the taxiway). Not sure it hurts anything to have it on during the majority of the cold start, and I don’t always follow strict IRL procedures anyway.
A lot of these guys have IRL procedures to note, I fly much more casual but close to IRL, so my suggestions may be off, and I’m constantly learning something new (after almost 10 years now).
EDIT: In VoiceAttack, you could for example create a second command, say “Alignment Complete” or something along those lines (multiple phrasing options FTW) – and this could simply change some boolean like RAMP_WAITING to True – where your pause in the RAMP Start command is just a “While true Pause 1 sec” and a check “If RAMP_WAITING == True then Break Loop”. (Trust me, this method is preferable to “While RAMP_WAITING == False”, it’s not a raw code, it’s a UI for voice commands)
It would then move onto the next lines in the script, you get the picture. I used these sorts of tricks in a lot of my profiles for pacing and responses, etc. Just a suggestion. -
Thanks for the input! This isn’t the startup procedure that I normally follow, but I figured if I was going to do a startup procedure I might as well try to follow the checklist. I think it would make sense to engage Parkin brake early on because from what I understand you wouldn’t do the EPU check at the ramp anyway due to health concerns for the ground crew. I will look into that and would not mind trying to learn what I would consider more advanced profile development. This one was very simple, I just used the record keystroke function to get all the timing.
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With the posibiltiy to interface VA with SharedMemory one could even go further, no need for guessing or wait times, you could react to values read back from the game. So like after JSF react to SEC Light out and RPM over 20 to let VA execute Idle Detent command and so on
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With the posibiltiy to interface VA with SharedMemory one could even go further, no need for guessing or wait times, you could react to values read back from the game. So like after JSF react to SEC Light out and RPM over 20 to let VA execute Idle Detent command and so on
Interesting, have you written a script you would like to share? I haven’t reinstalled VA and it’s partner that I forget at the moment yet, but I will soon…
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Interesting, have you written a script you would like to share? I haven’t reinstalled VA and it’s partner that I forget at the moment yet, but I will soon…
doe to the request/questions in this thread. I just started to do a little POC for interfacing BMS to VA so instead of only sending commands to BMS do the other way round and read values from BMS into VA as well.
During lunch break it made that little POC to request my ownship fuelstate and let VA tell me the value.
So as I know what BMS Shared Memory can provide I just checked the posibility with VA to have a polling loop with conditions in order to react on in game changes.
I don’t have a profile for a full ramp start with interfacing, I even don’t plan to make one. Just wanted to showcase that that there are ways to interactive react between VA and BMSJust a very basic sample how to include F4SharedMem.dll into VA and read a value from BMS to be use in VA.