I want, in fact, to give my personal contribution to the Flightgear community with gratitude for the countless hours I have spent in using this amazing flight simulator in the hope everyone can enjoy my addon and find it useful.
I am also posting a couple of demo videos in which you can see my Red Griffin ATC addon in action and what it can do. I started this project a couple of months ago as I have always wished to have a similar addon or service in Flightgear. I hope everyone will enjoy this addon as much as I did in developing and using it.
Red Griffin ATC is written in Nasal language and it has been tested in Flightgear 2019.1.1, 2019.1.2, 2020.2.0, 2020.3.x and 2020.4.0 git, specifically in my Fedora Linux FC33. Any feedback, suggestion, criticism and hint on how to improve this addon are warmly welcome. On this regard, please read the note at the end of this message.
For a detailed description of Red Griffin ATC and instructions, please refer to the wiki page or watch the videos in my YouTube Channel.
RedGriffin ATC 2.3.0 - 7 May 2021
Main features:
- * Support for ground, take off, visual approach, ILS and landing operations
* ATC assisted approach, guiding the pilot to the proper route, altitude and speed up to the final approach point to runway and according to aircraft type
* Festival Speech Synthesis System support
* Squawking
* Approach and slope monitor
* Speech synthesis of messages through native FlightGear speech synthesizer
* ATC can be operated both with mouse and keyboard
* Independent dialog window or pop-up window operation modes
* Determination of proper take-off and landing runways according to wind direction and airport settings
* Status monitor for both ground and flying modes (ground speed, current position, runway alignment, runway approaching)
* Determination of approaching routes and patterns according to position and route manager
* Automatic control and warning in case of incorrect procedure
* Radio station type check according to ATC request
* Automated ATC callback messages according to procedure
* Dedicated window with available radios
* Automatic selection of ATC requests according to aircraft status and position
* Information about the current airport
* Information about the tuned communication radio
* Support for CTR (Controlled Traffic Region)
* When flying in an approved CTR, ATC will check your correct altitude and warns in case the aircraft is flying too low or towards terrain, such as hills or mountains. ATC may also require the pilot to change altitude according to heading and area.
* When flying in an approved CTR, the pilot can request to the ATC to change its current flight level with dedicated buttons
* When flying in an approved CTR, in case the aircraft is about to leave the CTR range, ATC will inform the pilot about the neighboring CTR and gives information about the corresponding radio in order to request transition approval to the new zone.
* Displayed information according to flight/approach/lading modes
* Buttons for aborting approach, ILS and landing procedures
* And a lot more
Please refer to Red Griffin ATC Aircraft Compatibility page in order to see whether your favorite aircraft is supported and fully functional with the addon. You are encouraged to update this wiki page in case you find a new compatible or incompatible aircraft.
Demonstration Flight and Tutorial
Initial operations and setup: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=110
Take-off: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=313
Terrain alert: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=513
Flight information: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=660
Altitude check: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=708 - https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=1470
Leaving and entering CTR: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=848 - https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=1905 - https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=2105
CTR assigning a new altitude: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=957 - https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=1945
Flight level change: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=1023 - https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=1190 - https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=1505
Flying over an airport area: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=1278
Request ILS procedure: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=2380 - https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=2460
Abort ILS procedure: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=2450
ILS established: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=2865
Abort landing: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=2910
Request visual approach: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=2950
Reaching pattern point: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=3210
Reaching final approach point: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=3305
Landing: https://youtu.be/ZOxDTGj9UnQ?t=3413
Old, beta and preview videos
Quick preview of visual approach
Quick preview of ILS landing
Operating the ATC with keyboard only
Procedure control, warning and approach routes
Altitude, terrain control, flight level change
Red Griffin ATC using Festival Speech Synthesis System
You can download Red Griffin ATC here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/red-griffin-atc
Direct download links to "ready to install" package
https://sourceforge.net/projects/red-griffin-atc/files/latest/download
Note: Red Griffin ATC has been developed and written by Antonello Biancalana (Red Griffin, IK0TOJ) in Nasal language and it has been tested in FlightGear 2019.1.1, 2019.1.2, 2020.3.x and 2020.4.0 git, specifically in my Fedora Linux FC34. I understand there can be bugs or the ATC procedures may be formally incorrect. On this regard, any feedback, suggestion, criticism and hint on how to improve this addon are warmly welcome. You are kindly invited to contribute with your ideas and feedback by posting in the forum thread.
I am not a pilot and I do not have a plane pilot license, I have never been in a real aircraft's cabin and all the times I have been in a real airplane I did it as a passenger. All of my "plane pilot" experience is only as a "virtual and simulated pilot", a hobby I started in 1982 and the very first flight simulator I used was subLOGIC's FS1 Flight Simulator by Bruce Artwick running on an Apple II.
It was not my computer though as at that time I owned a Commodore VIC20 and, alas, the only "flight simulators" available for it were Ron Wanttaja's IFR Flight Simulator and Anirog's Flight Path 737. The big step forward was Flight Simulator II for Commodore 64 in 1984 and featuring a Piper PA-28-181 Archer II. The giant step forward was in 1987 when it was released the Commodore Amiga version (one of the most amazing and very best, revolutionary, exceptional computer of all times) which featured three aircraft: Cessna 182RG, Gates Learjet 25G and Sopwith Camel.
I therefore have no real ATC procedures experience and what I know about this subject is from what I read in specialized books about ATC procedures and phraseology found in various website of flight schools, airports and aero clubs. Most of the phraseology used in Red Griffin ATC is created according to the procedures found in these books and manuals, as well as from the many valuable contributions from Red Griffin ATC users, both in FlightGear forum and direct exchange of messages from amateur and professional licensed pilots. I understand the procedures used in this addon may however result incorrect to real pilots, either because of my lack of experience in this subject or because of improper implementation. I am more than glad to get any feedback about ATC procedures from experienced pilots and anyone knowing this subject in order to improve this addon.