Prioritize landing planes before departing.

[Amarok_73]

I think, some of us (especially mission editors using the scripting) would appreciate if ED would consider optimization of the landing/departing algorithms, so the landing planes would have priority before departing ones, or they would operate based on interleaved slots. And second thing is the taxing planes shouldn't automatically block the possibility for landing, especially when the latter is on final.

Edited July 3, 2024 by Amarok_73

[Tank50us]

In the real world, ATCs will send one out before letting one land, and they'll keep that up until all of either in the 'block' are either down or away. If they need to, ATC will instruct departing aircraft to use Runway X while Arriving aircraft use Runway Y to avoid confusion over coms (and collisions).

You see an example of the latter case in Carrier Ops. If planes are coming in while planes need to depart, Cats 3 and 4 will be closed off, while Cats 1 and 2 are used since the landing area goes over 3 and 4.

I feel much of this will get fixed when ED gets to fixing the ATC, but this is unfortunately a fairly low priority for them.

As a scripting work-around, you could have 'arriving' aircraft fly to a 'holding point' where they'll orbit and wait until the departing aircraft either reach a certain way point or have cleared a certain altitude threshold. At least for the AI jets.

[Pizzicato]

4 hours ago, Amarok_73 said:

I think, some of us (especially mission editors using the scripting) would appreciate if ED would consider optimization of the landing/departing algorithms, so the landing planes would have priority before departing ones, or they would operate based on interleaved slots. And second thing is the taxing planes shouldn't automatically block the possibility for landing, especially when the latter is on final.

This is right up there near the very, very top of my personal wishlist (along with randomisation settings for time of day and weather, and persistence between campaign missions). It's insanely frustrating that AI landings are effectively prohibited if there's any movement at all on the airfield. The whole startup, taxi and taking-the-active flow would be so much more interesting with AI landings being conducted at the same time. 

[Amarok_73]

4 hours ago, Tank50us said:

As a scripting work-around, you could have 'arriving' aircraft fly to a 'holding point' where they'll orbit and wait until the departing aircraft either reach a certain way point or have cleared a certain altitude threshold. At least for the AI jets.

This is what image shows. They all circle on holding point, awaiting for the free runway. The problem is that if the airport constantly generates new planes (by purpose, according to the tactical situation), the ones in the air will never have a moment to land, because the game engine seems to set it so when those on the ground start taxing, the runway is set as occupied. So even if the plane on the ground taxing from the farthest end of the airport and it will take him like 5-10 minutes, there's no possiblity to land in meanwhile these planes that are awaiting in holding pattern.

 

3 hours ago, Pizzicato said:

The whole startup, taxi and taking-the-active flow would be so much more interesting with AI landings being conducted at the same time. 

Yes, using the Hold Short point and alternate runways as it is in the real life.