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Autopush: Automated pushback

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Autopush: Automated pushback

Postby merspieler » Thu Aug 09, 2018 11:29 pm

What is autopush?

Autopush aims to develop a generic pushback for JSBSim and YASim
aircraft, with the following characteristics.

1. Do the pushback procedure automatically.
2. Scale to different aircraft with minimum changes to their logic.
3. Use no computer resources in flight.


So what does autopush change for the user?

First of all, the pushback doesn't disappear when the dialog is closed:

The dialog it self has changed a bit as well:
Image

The upper part can be used like the old pushback: Click connect and use the speed to push (or pull) you.

The lower part belongs to the autopush system.

By clicking `Enter` you can plan your pushback route in advance (if you are not in an outside view, the view will go outside, into a satelite like view):

Image

If you're planing your route in proximity to obstacles like buildings or other aircraft, you can tick `Show Wingtip` to see the path that your wing tips will follow to make sure you don't clipp into any objects.

With `Delete` you can delete points you've entered in reverse order.

`Sharp` Ends the current curve and starts a new one. Points with the "Sharp" attribut are displayed as hexagons.
If you plan a direction change of over 90 degrees from such a point, the point will be displayed as 6 outward pointing arrows and the pushback will change direction:
If you got pushed, you will be pulled from there on.
If you got pulled, you will be pushed now.

If the route turns red, it means that your planed route make a too tight curve. Delete the last point and try to give it a wider bow.

When you're done with entering your points, klick `Done`.

To review your route, tick `Always Show`.

Klick `Start` to start the automatic pushback. `Pause` will pause the pushback procedure. You can continue at any time by klicking `Start`again.

The dialog can be closed at any time without influencing the system.

This system gives you the possibility to do your engine start procedures or checklists while pushback.


You are a user and want to try autopush?
There are a couple of aircraft, including the A320 and B777 which have it.

If you want your favorite plane to have autopush open an issue or write the maintainer on the forum and link him/her here.


You are a developer and want to add autopush to your aircraft?
You can find the instructions on how to add autopush in $FGDATA/Docs/README.autopush


No matter if you are a developer or a user, no matter if you have a bug or a feature requests please go here.

For general feedback, please write a reply to this post.
Last edited by merspieler on Sat May 16, 2020 11:24 am, edited 17 times in total.
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Re: Autopush: Automated pushback

Postby Isaak » Sat Aug 11, 2018 6:00 am

Thanks a lot for this great feature! I 've implemented an earlier version some time ago locally on the 777 and it's really fun!
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Re: Autopush: Automated pushback

Postby wkitty42 » Sat Aug 11, 2018 11:14 am

merspieler wrote in Thu Aug 09, 2018 11:29 pm:This system gives you the possibility to do your engine start procedures while pushback.

wait... what?

someone is going to start their engines while they are being pushed back? that sounds hideously dangerous... especially if there is external equipment hooked up to facilitate engine startup...
"You get more air close to the ground," said Angalo. "I read that in a book. You get lots of air low down, and not much when you go up."
"Why not?" said Gurder.
"Dunno. It's frightened of heights, I guess."
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Re: Autopush: Automated pushback

Postby merspieler » Sat Aug 11, 2018 11:27 am

wkitty42 wrote in Sat Aug 11, 2018 11:14 am:someone is going to start their engines while they are being pushed back? that sounds hideously dangerous... especially if there is external equipment hooked up to facilitate engine startup...


Well, in real life (the huge room where the ceiling is sometimes blue and sometimes black with many small lights) they do that. Just watch the pilots eye videos ;-)
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Re: Autopush: Automated pushback

Postby wkitty42 » Sat Aug 11, 2018 5:10 pm

wow... just wow... i would have thought that they already had their engines started and idling before requesting push back... maybe they do it with some craft for other safety purposes?

generally speaking, i don't have time to watch many videos and i don't know which ones you might have watched to see something like this... however, if someone were to link a video, i might watch it if there was some explanation for the link ;)
"You get more air close to the ground," said Angalo. "I read that in a book. You get lots of air low down, and not much when you go up."
"Why not?" said Gurder.
"Dunno. It's frightened of heights, I guess."
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Re: Autopush: Automated pushback

Postby merspieler » Sat Aug 11, 2018 5:41 pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8e4t3L4_2Wo&t=540 (pushback and startup, watch time 2:30min )

It depends as well on the airport... eg. i've seen charts where you are not allowed to start engines on the gate but you have to be pushed back first.
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Re: Autopush: Automated pushback

Postby wkitty42 » Sat Aug 11, 2018 7:12 pm

interesting... i assume they push back to a safe position before starting up... alright... cool... it just seemed strange... keep up the good work ;)
"You get more air close to the ground," said Angalo. "I read that in a book. You get lots of air low down, and not much when you go up."
"Why not?" said Gurder.
"Dunno. It's frightened of heights, I guess."
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Re: Autopush: Automated pushback

Postby merspieler » Sat Aug 11, 2018 7:20 pm

wkitty42 wrote in Sat Aug 11, 2018 7:12 pm:i assume they push back to a safe position before starting up...

Exactly.... Ground crew sometimes give ground clearance for this purpose.

wkitty42 wrote in Sat Aug 11, 2018 7:12 pm:keep up the good work ;)

Thank you.
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Re: Autopush: Automated pushback

Postby merspieler » Thu Aug 23, 2018 3:35 pm

We've released v1.0-rc2. Please test and give feedback.
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Re: Autopush: Automated pushback

Postby bbuske » Thu Aug 23, 2018 7:50 pm

Thanks for this great tool / update!
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Re: Autopush: Automated pushback

Postby Octal450 » Fri Aug 24, 2018 2:15 pm

IDG-A32X, IDG-A33X, and IDG-MD-11X now include autopush. Have fun :D

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Re: Autopush: Automated pushback

Postby Isaak » Mon Aug 27, 2018 2:10 pm

777 will have the autopush function soon, I 've been implementing it yesterday, but have to tune a bit because I have some strange behaviour in the latest Autopush version (didn't have that earlier, so I can compare :) )
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Re: Autopush: Automated pushback

Postby Isaak » Wed Aug 29, 2018 8:50 pm

As of today, the 777 (in the official hangar, downloadable through the launcher) has the Autopush functionality. I 've tested and tuned all variants, but please let me know if anything goes wrong. This is my first commit to fgdata, I tested everything dozens of times to be sure my first commit doesn't break the 777 for everybody, so please test and let me know if you experience any issues :-)

I 've had some issues for the Autopush to stabilise after an automated pushback: instead of stopping, the autopush keeps some force, resulting in the aircraft slowly rolling forward or backward. The force is only completely stopped when the pushback is disconnected. It might be worth investigating this.

Kind regards,

Isaak
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Re: Autopush: Automated pushback

Postby MMV » Sun Sep 02, 2018 1:14 pm

Is autopush compatible with FG version 2016.4.4?
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Re: Autopush: Automated pushback

Postby legoboyvdlp » Sun Sep 02, 2018 3:09 pm

It should as it is just Nasal - but I'd advise to upgrade to 2018.2 if possible ;)
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