fixed AI flies way too fast with sling load

[Don Rudi]

The AI flies at 110 to 114 knots IAS with for example an L118 as sling load. Way too fast. As a player aircraft, the external cargo will tear off at around 70'ish knots. Not a big issue, but a pain, if you want to build a mission, where the player is not the lead aircraft.

So an automatic speed reduction, if a sling load is carried would be very welcome.

[BIGNEWY]

HI, 

I understand your point, however to add speed restrictions automatically would create other problems. The current way is for the mission designer to set the speed for the AI, it is the easiest way to have them match a speed required for a particular part of a mission. 

thank you  

[Don Rudi]

26 minutes ago, BIGNEWY said:

HI, 

I understand your point, however to add speed restrictions automatically would create other problems. The current way is for the mission designer to set the speed for the AI, it is the easiest way to have them match a speed required for a particular part of a mission. 

thank you  

Problem is you cannot do so. If I have an AI with advanced waypoint option Cargo transportation (external), it will race in a straight line from pick up to drop off. 
It also overrides a manually set Group.getByName(myLittleChinook"):getController():setSpeed(30) (also tried to set it in continous trigger)

Maybe add a fourth field to the external cargo action to set the speed?

Or am I missing an option here (certainly don't want to rule that out).

Edited September 15 by Don Rudi
4th field, not 3rd field

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

9 minutes ago, Don Rudi said:

Or am I missing an option here (certainly don't want to rule that out).

I believe you're overthinking it. You can add a speed (and altitude) for AI to fly at in the waypoint options. I think that's what Bignewy was alluding to.

[Don Rudi]

Just now, Raven (Elysian Angel) said:

I believe you're overthinking it. You can add a speed (and altitude) for AI to fly at in the waypoint options. I think that's what Bignewy was alluding to.

Yes, in theory. But as stated above, when having the AI doing an external cargo transportation, it ignores all waypoints and races directly to the drop off zone. AFTER that, he will fly to his waypoints and adhere to the set restrictions.

[BIGNEWY]

12 minutes ago, Don Rudi said:

Problem is you cannot do so. If I have an AI with advanced waypoint option Cargo transportation (external), it will race in a straight line from pick up to drop off. 
It also overrides a manually set Group.getByName(myLittleChinook"):getController():setSpeed(30) (also tried to set it in continous trigger)

Maybe add a fourth field to the external cargo action to set the speed?

Or am I missing an option here (certainly don't want to rule that out).

Can you add a simple mission example with just the units needed on Caucasus, we can take a look. 

2 minutes ago, Raven (Elysian Angel) said:

I believe you're overthinking it. You can add a speed (and altitude) for AI to fly at in the waypoint options. I think that's what Bignewy was alluding to.

yes speed and altitude can be set for the waypoint

[Don Rudi]

1 minute ago, BIGNEWY said:

Can you add a simple mission example with just the units needed on Caucasus, we can take a look. 

yes speed and altitude can be set for the waypoint

I will prepare and upload a sample after work. Thanks for looking into it.

[BIGNEWY]

3 minutes ago, Don Rudi said:

I will prepare and upload a sample after work. Thanks for looking into it.

thanks, and no rush, enjoy your day, feel free to tag me when you post. 

[BIGNEWY]

I've checked with the team and I am wrong, the speed for the waypoint is not a factor, the AI doing the sling load will pick its speed for reaching the drop off during the task. 

It maybe something we can tweak, I will wait for the example. 

thank you 

[Don Rudi]

2 hours ago, BIGNEWY said:

I've checked with the team and I am wrong, the speed for the waypoint is not a factor, the AI doing the sling load will pick its speed for reaching the drop off during the task. 

It maybe something we can tweak, I will wait for the example. 

thank you 

@BIGNEWY attached is the sample mission, with just one piece of cargo and one ai helicopter. I wrote everything into the mission description. You will see, the helo picks up the cargo, flies straight to the drop off at 107 knots (yesterday on CWG up to 114 knots with 5 knots wind) and immediately after drop off, it will reduce to the assigned 60 knots.

It would be great to have it work like the troop transport - so we can assign a route and drop off the cargo at any given waypoint via advanced waypoint actions. Especially in the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan, that would be highly beneficial, imho.

Thanks for looking into it.

CG_AI_Sling_Load.miz

[BIGNEWY]

Thank you, I will make a improvement request to the team. 

I am not sure what can be done yet, so can not make any promises. 

But I think we should consider reducing speed for external loads, I will ask the team if this is possible. 

 

[BIGNEWY]

I have made an internal report for the team. 

thank you 

[Don Rudi]

14 hours ago, BIGNEWY said:

I have made an internal report for the team. 

thank you 

Thanks! I know it is just a niche a problem, therefor great that you guys are looking into it

[BIGNEWY]

Thank you to everyone for your input. In todays patch 22nd October 2025 

• AI aircraft. New tasks added for helicopters:

  • ‘External Cargo Load' and 'External Cargo Unload'. Old task 'Cargo Transportation (External) is removed, and the possibility to add in the mission editor has been hidden for new missions while compatibility with old missions has been retained.

  • ‘External Cargo Load' makes HAI hook up cargo as it was in old task, but after hooking, HAI will continue its route set by the missionmaker so that it is the missionmaker’s responsibility to now limit altitudes and airspeed for such cargo delivery.

  • ‘External Cargo Unload' is an advanced waypoint action with trigger or script. It will make HAI fly towards the cargo drop zone and unhook cargo there (if HAI have any) after calling the task.

  • Some tuning was added to HAI control when it carries external cargo that includes yaw velocity and max AoB limitations when cargo weight is more than 10% of helicopter gross weight. It will reduce arrival and landing speed (40m/s, 77knots, 144 km/h max).
    
    
    
    We look forward to your feedback
    Thank you 

 

[Don Rudi]

@BIGNEWY that sounds great, thank you! Can't wait to test it after my vacation in 3 weeks

[CRUD]

For AI I would just add a bunch of way points adjusting the speed appropriately on approach to the DZ.  For AI helicopters it led to a smoother transition from full flight to the DZ for cargo or troop drops, it also kept the aircraft from making a bunch of crazy circles.  It's AI, it don't know if you don't tell it...

Edited yesterday at 01:04 AM by CRUD

[Don Rudi]

7 hours ago, CRUD said:

For AI I would just add a bunch of way points adjusting the speed appropriately on approach to the DZ.  For AI helicopters it led to a smoother transition from full flight to the DZ for cargo or troop drops, it also kept the aircraft from making a bunch of crazy circles.  It's AI, it don't know if you don't tell it...

Before this change, the problem was that AI picked up cargo, dashed to the drop off point and only thereafter followed the flight plan.