answered PAJN Aircraft float off runway only when scenario is first loaded.

[DonMuskopf]

Beginning with P3Dv5.3 I've had this strange runway elevation problem at PAJN (Juneau). When I first load the scenario, my aircraft will float one or two feet off the runway. If I then takeoff, make a circuit and then land, the planes sits nicely on the runway and is okay after that. The problem only seems to happen when the scenario is first initialized.

I've installed the Orbx\FTX_AU\FTXAA_ORBXLIBS\Scenery\Orbx ADE_FTX_SAK_PAJN_elevation_adjustment.BGL, but this either is not recognized or does not solve the problem.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Thank you.

[Doug Sawatzky]

Hi

 

Check to ensure your mesh resolution setting in P3D is set to 5m.

 

Also, you could set up a flight in a position of your choosing with the aircraft firmly on the ground, and then save it as a saved flight to access when desired.

[DonMuskopf]

 

 

51 minutes ago, Doug Sawatzky said:

Also, you could set up a flight in a position of your choosing with the aircraft firmly on the ground, and then save it as a saved flight to access when desired.

 

Hi Doug, thanks for answering my post, and so quickly!

 

Well, I can't seem to get an aircraft firmly on the ground anymore, lol. I tried loading a scenario at KJAC where this problem does not exist and then switching airports, but that didn't work either. Do you know if the ADE_FTX_SAK_PAJN_elevation_adjustment.BGL still applies, and if so where should it go? I know it doesn't appear in the scenery.cfg where I see other Orbx elevation stubs.

 

Thanks again.

Don

 

[Doug Sawatzky]

Hi Don

 

No, that file does not apply to P3Dv5.

 

Maybe do a verify files from within Orbx Central of the airport PAJN, the SAK region, the Orbx Libraries, and Orbx Objectflow.

 

What you are describing has happened to me before, but not at PAJN. If I remember correctly it is a slightly common phenomena limitation of the simulator.

 

If you could do what you mentioned in your opening post, by flying into PAJN and everything is good after that, then setup a flight to save?

 

You could also post a couple screenshot of the airport and area, so we can confirm it is correct.

 

You could also please post a copy of your “scenery.cfg” file and the “add-ons.cfg” and the “scenery_add-ons.xml” file found at C:\ProgramData\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v5.

Please note: Do not open the files and copy and paste the contents, just attach the files.

[DonMuskopf]

5 minutes ago, Doug Sawatzky said:

please post a copy of your “scenery.cfg” file and the “add-ons.cfg” and the “scenery_add-ons.xml” file found at C:\ProgramData\Lockheed Martin\Prepar3D v5.

 

Attached are the files you asked for. I did do a verify files on all the Orbx addons after I installed HF1+1.

 

 

add-ons.cfg scenery.cfg scenery_add-ons.xml

[Doug Sawatzky]

Thanks

 

The screenshots look normal, but I have identified three possible culprits in the images below. So just uncheck\deactivate them in your scenery library and see what happens.

 

 

[DonMuskopf]

I unchecked all three scenery entries, but the problem still persists. I also can't seem to get a good landing to save. I even flew to PAGS and back thinking maybe I needed to be further away from the airport before landing again.

 

As far as the position of the entries in the scenery library, I didn't arrange them that way. As far as I can tell, Orbx Central did the arranging after sync simulator.

 

 

 

 

[Doug Sawatzky]

I see you also have a TOPOSIM Terrain Mesh product installed, maybe try deactivating it.

[DonMuskopf]

 

6 minutes ago, Doug Sawatzky said:

I see you also have a TOPOSIM Terrain Mesh product installed, maybe try deactivating it.

 

Still no luck, but thanks for the suggestion. I have the toposim blg files that cover the Orbx regions disabled. But I hadn't thought about the TAP files. Little quirks like this drive me crazy, lol.

 

Anyway I know it's getting late (we're almost in the same time zone, I'm in the DFW TX area). Sorry to keep you at so long. If you think of anything else, let me know. I'll check back tomorrow.

 

Thanks again.

 

[Doug Sawatzky]

Thanks Don, sounds good. 

[DonMuskopf]

Doug, I've noticed one thing about this issue. If I taxi off the runway onto the adjacent ground, there is a drop off and the plane will then sit firmly on the ground as I travel on the ground. If I then taxi back onto runway it will start to "float" again.  It only seems to float on the runway and taxi ways.

 

Do you think this can be fixed in a program like ADE?

 

FYI

[Doug Sawatzky]

Hi Don

 

Possibly, but I have no experience with ADE.

 

It is not a wide spread issue, so ADE should not be required.

 

I still believe it is something specific to your system, such as another addon that is not reacting as required when unchecked\disabled in the scenery library.

 

I would next do a Windows search of your entire system for "PAJN.bgl" without the quotes, as in the below example image, and look for anything that is not Orbx.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DonMuskopf]

Thanks for the quick reply. I searched the whole drive for PAJN.bgl. This file does not exist. The file with the airport is PAJN_ADEP2_TRB.bgl and there is only one of this file.

 

Edited to correct file name.

Edited December 27, 2021 by DonMuskopf

[Doug Sawatzky]

I am not in front of my flight sim PC at this time, but is there any Orbx PAJN files? I know there would be in my system.

[DonMuskopf]

There are lots of Orbx files with names that contain PAJN.

 

PAJN_ADEP2_TRB.bgl is the file containing the airport. I can load it into Aircraft Design Editor. There is only one of this file on the drive (the drive that contains the simulator and all the addons).

[Doug Sawatzky]

I would also check all your drives.

[DonMuskopf]

Well, I only found one more copy, in a P3Dv4 backup on my backup drive. I deleted that Orbx directory, but this did not solve the problem.

 

Maybe it's my imagination, but the PAJN runway seems slightly sloped. The aircraft sits higher off the ground at one end of the airport than the other.  Makes me wonder if LM has messed things up a bit with their improvements for sloped runways.

[Doug Sawatzky]

My next move would be to do a full uninstall and reinstall of the SAK region and the PAJN airport.

[DonMuskopf]

Well, I did as you said and it seemed to mitigate the problem somewhat. But here's the thing. If I slew down the runway to right in front of the terminal and exit slew mode, the aircraft sits firmly on the runway. If I slew to the opposite end of the run way the aircraft sits about 2 or 3 feet above the runway.

[Doug Sawatzky]

Thanks Don, at least some good news.

 

I have never used slew mode, but I will have another look at mine when I get a chance. I would normally just drive the aircraft from one end of the runway to the other and hope that works? 

 

There are still limitations to the simulator, and in real life there are elevation differences from one end of the runway to the other that the simulator can not always compensate for.

[DonMuskopf]

Hi Doug,

 

Just to let you know, I can't solve the problem, but I've found the same problem at KSUN. If you place your plane on RWY 13 for takeoff, you can look down the runway and actually see the runway smoothly slope down as it changes with the underlying topography. At the higher end of the runway, the plane sits on the ground and at the lower end of the runway it floats.

 

I just purchased this airport and I don't think this Airport was designed with a sloped runway, was it? LM made improvements to sloped runways in this version. Maybe that has something to do with it. Can you see the same thing at KSUN?

 

 All I know is this problem began with P3Dv5.3. Maybe it can't be fixed unless LM or Orbx make some updates.

[Doug Sawatzky]

Hi Don

 

Did you do a clean new install of v5.3, or just a couple of modules?

 

I did the complete new install and have no issues at PAJN,  I am not in front of my FS PC at the moment but will check KSUN when able.

[DonMuskopf]

Thanks.

 

I did a completely clean install of v5.3. I also did an uninstall and reinstall of Orbx base. Ran Verify files for all Orbx products. Ran sync simulator and checked the insertion points. I did notice the Orbx rearranged some of the scenery layers, though.

 

Also, the "floating" occurs on the taxiways and in the hanger at the end of the runway. Whether you slew down the runway or taxi down it, the result is the same. FYI. 

Edited December 29, 2021 by DonMuskopf

[Doug Sawatzky]

Is this the issue you are seeing?

 

I do see the slight floating at both PAJN and KSUN, but certainly not 2 to 3 feet.

From inside the airplane I don't notice any of this and it does not affect the operation of the airport.

It is probably a compatibility issue with v5.3.

But lets ask @Ed Correia

[DonMuskopf]

Yes, this is what I'm seeing. It's not always the same height though. Sometimes more, sometimes less depending on where you are on the runway, what airport you're at (at KSUN it can be higher than that, inside the hanger I believe). It's sometimes more or less when you load or set up a scenario again.

 

However, what you're showing is definitely representative. I'd estimate the front wheel of that aircraft is about two feet off the ground.

 

Thanks for your patience with this issue. I know it may not bother some people, but for me it's kind of immersion killer. It's most noticeable when skies are clear and shadows are more defined. What I don't understand is how the runways appear to be sloped.

 

Thanks again.

 

FYI. I checked Orbx KIDA and Aerosoft PANC. They're  both okay. Haven't had time yet to check other Orbx airports.

 

Edited December 29, 2021 by DonMuskopf

[Doug Sawatzky]

19 hours ago, DonMuskopf said:

I'd estimate the front wheel of that aircraft is about two feet off the ground.

 

I would estimate it to be maximum one foot off the ground, but regardless, I guess there is nothing we can do about it at this time.

 

 

[DonMuskopf]

 

1 hour ago, Doug Sawatzky said:

I guess there is nothing we can do about it at this time.

 

I'm not surprised. But thank you for taking the time to look into this.