Airport CEO DLC's (Cargo Feature and Historic Times Feature)

[andyc]

Sure that was the super simple way.

On air-side:
If you use cargo on passenger planes there is a small time frame where baggage is unloaded and the baggage load or ULD loader is waiting for the new baggage. That time slot can be used for cargo handling. Otherwise the turnaround time is already full with other stuff blocking the freight doors.
If you use cargo only planes, there you can implement new vehicles, but why? They also use ULD loader and baggage trucks in RL.

On the ground side:
Sure, you can build your own building and cargo conveyor sorting system. But as @RubenGass it’s also nothing different to the normal baggage sorting system, just looking slightly different. Maybe the management of new contracts for landside cargo handling will be the only real new stuff.

[Schwayne]

From my experience working at HAJ. Cargo worked by unloading material from lorries into dedicated bays. This material was then loaded straight through security machines located next to the bay doors and then loaded loaded onto ULDS to the aircraft. But I do understand all cargo bays are different.

Ones in the Royal Air Force again I have experience working on, work very similar. However cargo was tied down by huge nets due to the type of AC used such as c130’s and c17’s.

[EG0611]

In my opinion here is how cargo system works;

Arrival cargo;

1. Cargo aircraft parks on specific stand
2. Cargo unloading starts (like ULD unloading but with more units). Small airplanes can have cargo as boxes (like baggages) and medium and large airplanes can have ULDs.
3. Unloaded cargo delivers to cargo bay (similar to baggage bay) via baggage trucks
4. Unloaded cargo goes to non secure area and via a vehicle bay, it gets loaded to the trucks.

Departure process of cargo will be same but with including scans. Of course all other systems like aircraft refueling, service round and pushback will be similar as current system.

What additional can be: Cargo warehouse. A black box (like vehicle depots) that have inputs and outputs of cargo. It is basically subway station as being an ULD spawner/despawner.

Another addition is extra check for international cargo. Like passport control for passengers.

Cargo is the best suitable feature to be included as DLC:

• It adds a brand new feature to game.
• It is completely separated and by-itself system. You can still play AirportCEO with or without cargo.
• Having DLC means less chance to distribution of pirated game.
• Eventually Apoapsis Studios will need additional income.

[JuliusTheCanadianAv]

I think cargo stands should be same stands we use right now but there’s switch, once you switch it to cargo some textures change and in flightplanner stand is marked as “cargo” so only cargo flights can be scheduled

[Titule]

This is a very good idea as it is

• not too complicated
• realistic
• open for extensions.

I do think it adds more gameplay as you have to deal with mixed cargo/passengers flights and cargo-flights which needs a different (less) services.
I also like the idea of cargo warehouses as a combination of catering and trash depot.

Possible add-ons (as I mantioned before):

• With international flights, you’d also need a customs regulations
• Cargo security (Scanners, checkpoints)
• Special cargo

Anyway, IMHO it’s too early to talk about DLCs

edit: I forgot to mention CAO: cargo that is not allowed on passenger flights

[enthusiasticfuturist]

In my opinion, here is how a cargo (package processing) expansion should work.

First, you can change you stands from being commercial/general aviation to being cargo (someone else suggested this). Then, you build a baggage processing facility (similar to a terminal) where your sorting, ULD loading/unloading, and scanning/security will go. This facility (the main building of the operations) should include the following:

• A drop off point for outside trucks (local) to drop off raw baggage (non-ULD).
• A drop off point for ULDs (currently on baggage trucks) unloaded from cargo planes to enter the sorting facility.
• A system of unloading ULDs, turning them into raw packages.
• Some security scanners that will check for dangerous goods, and possibly a customs system for international packages.
• Several ULD loading sites, which are similar to baggage bays for passenger flights, but only load packages into ULDs.
• A network of conveyor belts to bring the raw packages (both from the outside delivery trucks and from the now-unloaded ULDs from the planes) through the scanners, and into their respective ULD loading site (gonna need a better name).

Then, the ULDs will be loaded onto baggage trucks, and brought off to the planes where they will be loaded, and the flight will take off via the airports taxiway/runway infrastructure (shared or separate with passenger/general aviation flights).

During the time between when the ULDs are unloaded from a plane and when the new ULDs are loaded onto the plane is when other services such as refueling, de-icing, and service rounds can occur.

A new staff type could be added for the sorting facility, and there should be a way to set a workplace for ramp agents (cargo or commercial).

It would be cool if a majority of cargo planes came in at night, and then cargo planes trickle in during the day, but they could also come day-round.

In early days, ULD cargo can go on medium/large flights, and raw packages can go on small flights, until there’s enough demand for cargo only flights. (Someone else suggested this)

For additional complexity, if you’re baggage sorting facility is not efficient enough, if the loaded ULDs are late to the plane, thus delaying it, then there should be some sort of penalty, possibly a drop in reputation. This would encourage your facility to be efficient.

You could also have a system of sorting packages based on size (small, medium, and large) and have different ways of sorting based on the package size.

You could also add a warehouse that will store some packages from one night to the next, which would require a conveyor belt for the packages to get there.

When building your airport, you (as a CEO) get to decide weather you want to focus on cargo or commercial, or both, and what the right balance is between them. Of course, you’re going to have to sign contracts with cargo operators to allow them to bring packages in.

I like having to place the baggage belts, but I think that with this system, the ability to create your own custom sorting center would be wonderful. This would definatley add to the gameplay.

[win_win]

Totally agree. From my exspriences near ground, the arriving plane gets to the stand where in the cases of a Mid-Long haul plane, ULD’s get unloaded into awaiting baggage vehicles. They then get hauled to a processing facility and then a warehouse where they sit for a few hours or days. Once the cargo arrives it gets scanned, processed, and checked (with special dogs), and put on shelves. Once ready the packages will be sent on there way out of the warehouse to a nearby facility that has to be connected by conveyer belts which will be processed, sorted, and loaded onto awaiting trucks.

In ACEO I will give my process of how the cargo aspect could go.

1. The Flight Planning

Flight Planner and Requirements

In order to receive cargo flights you have to get cargo flights and accessories researched. Once that is researched you need at a cargo stand, (S, M, or L). You will also need a cargo processing facility, baggage trucks, ramp agents, and a cargo distribution center, (ULD loaders are optional depending on stand size). Lastly you will have to connect the cargo processing facility and distribution center by conveyer belt and a public road for trucks to come and pick up the cargo from the distribution center.
Once all facilities are built, to accept cargo flights, you need all the given requirements and preferably enough staff. In the contract instead of giving the amount of PAX, it shows how many ULD’s or bins of parcel there are onboard. (Ratio will depend later on in development). Another change will be an extra category that you can see before accepting the flight, how long the parcels or cargo will sit inside of your warehouse. We’ll say you get a bonus for every hour the mail sits in your warehouse.

2. The plane arrives at a special stand that only allows cargo planes.

Cargo Stand

A cargo stand can only have cargo planes scheduled. Cargo stands do not have any option for jet bridges, and if they are Medium, and Large cargo planes there will still be only one stair truck that arrives at the nose of the plane. Small planes will not have any stair trucks. The crew of the plane will disembark and go either into the terminal or onto an awaiting bus. The medium planes will have two ramp agents to unload the ULD containers via one ULD unloader. The large planes however will have two and will require 4 personnel, one to man the ULD unloader, and another to load the baggage onto awaiting baggage trucks. Small planes will only need one ramp agent and a baggage truck.

3. The cargo has to be processed.

Processing the Cargo/ Cargo Processing facility

The cargo will be led to a cargo processing facility that will take out the cargo from the ULD’s, scan them and then place them onto either shelves in a warehouse, or go directly to a storage area inside the cargo sorting facility. The only thing here is you build your own. You will need to set up at least one cargo unloading area, where there will be x amount of ramp agents that will unload all the baggage from the ULD’s and put them onto a conveyer belt to get scanned. You will have to place down the different scanners and all the parcels will fall into separate containers (each container can fit x amount of parcels) and they will get transported by a ramp agent to an awaiting shelf. (Unrealistic, but minimizes the effort or work otherwise needed to even think of doing this action). After this it will sit there for a few hours, or days depending on the initial contract.

4. Cargo gets distributed.

Cargo Distribution Centre

Once the cargo is released from your warehouse it will be transported by hand, by a ramp agent to a conveyer belt that is heading to your distribution centre. In my mind, unfortunately I don’t think this building can be hand built so it will be a placable object instead. The conveyer belt will be attached and it will arrive into the building. The “Cargo Distribution center” will have to connected to a pubic road and a conveyer belt. Once the baggage arrives it will be loaded onto trucks waiting at the different docks and on there way.

When it comes to loading the cargo, it will arrive the same way, but instead you will need another conveyer belt going the other way and it has to go through another scanning station with different scanners that will scan for different items that are generally not allowed onto the plane. (The baggage coming in was only checked for bugs, drugs, and etc…). The baggage will return it’s journey and be re-loaded onto the plane.

I appreciate your time reading this humble opinionated mess. I have written in most detail my brain allowed me to in the 20 minutes it took to write this. Anything to add on, just continue it in the chat. This is only my perception of how this process would work, there is still about 3/4 of year left till ACEO is out of alpha so until then the ideas can keep coming.

[VOID]

With the stand and the stair trucks, because pilots and stuff don’t get off, let’s just not have that, and also that for medium remote stands for pax can also be combi flights ( has both cargo and pax in the main cabin)

[win_win]

I would stay optimistic @VOID.

[Titule]

@enthusiasticfuturist

cargo (baggage processing)

but these are two totally different things

[yanniskass]

1. Cargo
2. Airport City (hotels, retail parks, theme parks, etc)
3. Emergency (police, fire, ambulance)
4. Transport (trains, proper subway, tram, etc)

A historic, starting in the 50s would be a completely new game. I don’t think the developers can do that given their limited resources. They are not Paradox

[win_win]

So form you list, Cargo is a very awaited feature and I think it would heavily strengthen the game to attract more people and to have a larger base for people to build on.

I think commercial plaza’s can already be built, but yes a great addition would be the hotels as there are many major airports with hotels. I am not so sure about the theme parks.

Emergency item tingys will come in Alpha 36!

And lastly transportation in the form of detailed trains and trams is highly unlikely, but there is still the possibility of a monorail.

[enthusiasticfuturist]

Sorry, I meant to say package processing.

[RichiieEV]

Really love to see this will be cool but please improve the playground if you going to add cargo with large stands its all very tricky to place everything…

[fatfluffycat]

I would love to see cargo added, currently it’s only commercial flights and GA, having freight operations would spice things up a bit.

[Bardaek]

I’d pay for that too. I’m sure you guys are totally aware of entire infrastructures at relatively small airports for this and massive infrastructures at some of the larger city airports. UPS 747s please.

[Bob233]

(Just an idea but hope to adopt and implement.)
I planned a very complete plan and process about the Cargo jet and Cargo.

As you see, many international airports are have the Cargo Apron, so I think our airport will have the Cargo Apron too, (On the basis of the big map). Also there are lots of Cargo Airline in the world (Ups FedEx SF DHL) And many big airline (CA CZ MU) have the cargo jet. So I think when the freight system is added to the game, the game will once again rise to a new level.

1. New play
   Cargo plane and passenger plane(Cargo).Player can choose you want to or not.
   2.New plane
   A330-200F B737-700/800F B747-400/8F B757-200/300F B767-200/300F B777-300F MD11F
   3.New building
   Freight station, Cargo apron(M L)
   Loading process: The goods are transported by trucks to the airport (there is a special unloading site), after I, II, and III inspections, the workers (ground staff) put them into the LED boxes, and finally they are delivered to the plane by the luggage cart.
   
   

[humoresque]

I like the idea but this has already been requested elsewhere… Maybe suggest or move this entire post here.

(@EG0611 you can make sure that link goes to the right place )
Note that this post is from another topic that was locked