Stennis AI FA-18 Lot 20 Recovery test

[Sickdog]

So I've read accounts of AI bugs with taxiing/landing/operations on the Stennis and decided to put it to test myself. I created a mission (which I've attached along with tracks and screenshots) with the following parameters for the test:

 

 

-5 groups of 4xFA-18 Lot 20 AI controlled aircraft with a waypoint to Land on the CVN, pilots skill all High, each with same loadout but separate skins and ship numbers per group for ID purposes. They are staggered vertically by 1000' and 10NM in trail of each other, which doesn't seem to matter as they seem to be programmed to Marshall in a certain way, and immediately do their own thing at mission start. On that note, they do a decent job sequencing to get onboard, but definitely not perfect.

 

 

-1 CVN group with 4xNormandy escort, all steaming North at 25 knots

 

 

-Weather: NO WIND/Turbulence, clouds at 2000', density of 5.

 

-1 client FA-18C Lot 20 for flexibility of testing, but in the tracks it is not utilized as I'm just a spectator.

 

 

I've repeatedly tested this mission with the same results: the first 2 groups land and park just fine. Then the third group Lead slows down and stops as he's parking such that Dash-2 bumps into him and causes damage/fire and stops them both. Sometimes Dash-3 and 4 gets involved in the pile up, sometimes not. The remaining two groups continue endlessly to Marshall at 2000', and when I try to advance time to see what happens when they get to Bingo fuel, eventually the program CTD's, a whole different can of worms but I don't care about that right now.

 

 

Tracks: So, I watched the track after saving it. I understand that watching tracks in DCS has always been a strange experience, often the story changes quite a bit. And sure enough, the first time I watched it the third group landed and parked perfectly with no collisions! WTF? Well, I watched a few more times and even recorded a second track (which in both I advance time, not sure if that screws this whole test up or not) and each subsequent test and track I watched I had the original group 3 collision while taxiing issue. Just had to mention in case anyone watches the tracks and sees no collisions and wonders what I'm smoking. ;)

 

 

Anyway, hopefully this gets addressed and ED can use this post for some troubleshooting as I'm trying to be as complete as possible with information and tracks.

 

 

Still loving this sim, despite issues like this! Good job ED!

Carrier AI Landing test.miz

StennisFA-18Clot20AIRecoveryTestk.trk

StennisFA-18Clot20AIRecoveryTestk2.trk

[Sickdog]

quick follow up

 

Just tried replacing the number 3 group of 4xFA-18C Lot20's with 1xS3B to shake things up a little. That made a HUGE difference. For some reason the S3B lands after group 1, but then everyone else gets onboard and taxis to parking without issue. And even got to see the last two Hornets park on the elevator, descend to the hangar deck, taxi inside, shut down, and watch elevator return to topside. Pretty cool!

 

Anyway, looks like the issue is with parking spaces with only Hornets. Hopefully they can figure it out.

Carrier AI Landing test2.miz

StennisFA-18Clot20AIRecoveryTestk3.trk