Hello everyone and devs! I would like to suggest some interactions that are not very functional as a gameplay, but rather attractive to observe as a simulation (from an airport architect’s point of view, of course).
1. Communication Audios
I think the implementation for aircraft communications with the Tower Control would bring an immensely better simulation thrill to appreciate in ACEO. While there is a greater focus on more functional implementations for the game, I think many should agree that there is nothing more rewarding for an architect than seeing their creations working as designed.
I will leave more details of the subject at the end of this post, since the second and next subject complements this one.
2. Taxiway Codes
So far, in ACEO, airplanes make their own route to the runways and to the terminals, so setting a taxiway’s codes would not be very functional to implement at the moment, but that matter is of utmost importance for the operation of an airport (in the matter of realism and simulation) and that it would be good to be exploited. Together with the idea of radio communication, the player will know how your airport air/ground traffic is through the audios, and work on other tasks while listening to everything that happens. Afterwards, players can specify taxiway routes and control the traffic themselves, commanding airplanes to taxi the taxiways they choose, choosing runways to take off or landing, etc.
Aircrafts & Tower Control Communications Details
Most of the communication between the aircraft and the tower control is given by codes that can mean Airlines, Runways, Taxiways and even GA (General Aviation) flights. In addition, numbers are also said separately, for example, the number 7093 (seventh thousand ninety three) is said “Seven, Zero, Niner, Three”. Letters alone also mean codes, as B means Bravo, C means Charlie, and so on.
I thought that adding separate audios to numbers, letters, and airlines and reproducing them in order would be a nice way, but it’s more up to the developers how to implement it in the best way. I made a small demonstration of what would be the communication of a Maple aircraft, number 3086, landing at a demonstration airport on Steam:
Approach: MP3086 <-> Tower Control
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Missing 20 minutes for the airplane to land:
Airplane: “Contact Tower, approaching airport, Maple Three Zero Eight Six”
Tower: “Maple Three Zero Eight Six, clear to land, runway One Eight”
Airplane: “Clear to land, runway One Eight, Maple Three Zero Eight Six” -
After landing and before taxing:
Tower: “Maple Three Zero Eight Six, taxi via Alpha, Echo, Charlie, Golf”
Airplane: “Taxing via Alpha, Echo, Charlie, Golf, Maple Three Zero Eight Six” -
When you stop at the terminal:
Airplane: “Tower, taxi complete, Maple Three Zero Eight Six”
Tower: “Maple Three Zero Eight Six, start procedures.”
Departure: MP3086 <-> Tower Control
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When requesting for pushback:
Airplane: “Tower, requesting for pushback, Maple Three Zero Eight Six”
Tower: “Maple Three Zero Eight Six, pushback approved, runway One Eight, taxi via Golf, Delta”
Airplane: “Taxing via Golf, Delta, Maple Three Zero Eight Six” -
When passing through the holding point node:
Tower: “Maple Three Zero Eight Six, runway One Eight, cleared to takeoff”
Airplane: “Taking off, runway One Eight, Maple Three Zero Eight Six” -
When leaving the map:
Tower: “Maple Three Zero Eight Six, contact departure, have a nice flight.”
Airplane: “Contacting departure, Maple Three Zero Eight Six. Good day!”
I hope this example helped to understand the general idea a bit.
These are standard procedures at every airport in the world, and I think for all of us, as airport architects, it will be pleasant to hear every procedure that happens while working on that complex baggage bay system.
I hope everybody like the suggestion, I tried to explain the best I could without many delays, but interesting enough.
Good day to everyone!
(Post made on Google Translator)