just added some new code to src/Main/fg_init.cxx that allows FlightGear's airport dynamics functions to give you a valid parking position without having to bother about the details of whether the parking is of hte right type, whether it is large enough, etc etc. To achieve this, the --parkpos option recognizes the keyword AVAILABLE (in capitals). However, in order to get it to work, you need to set some properties:
/sim/atc/radius: should be a nummeric estimate of the size of your aircraft. A small aircraft fits into a large parking, but a large aircraft does not fit into a small parking space. Because the AI part of radius is also used for slightly different purposes (prioritizing gate assignmments, the given valuem may deviate slightly from the real aircraft size. See http:/wiki.flightgear.org/Aircraft.radii for an overview of currently used values for the redius property.
/sim/atc/flight-type can be any one of "ga", "cargo", "gate", "mil-fighter", "mil-cargo", or "vtol". See http://wiki.flightgear.org/Interactive_ ... erspective for more information.
optionally, the property /sim/atc/airline can be set set to a three letter icao airline code.
In order to simplify the procedure somewhat, I have just committed two small xml to the git fgdata repository, which you can include in your startup sequence. I deliberately keep the number of sample startup setting files small, because the system may still need some fine tuning and I don't want to end up changing hundreds of startup configuration files.
To give a few examples on using the new option:
Starting up a commercial 777 flight at KSFO:
fgfs --aircraft=777-200ER --airport=KSFO --parkpos=AVAILABLE --config=/path/to/fgdata/Startup/777-commercial.xml
Doing the same, but now explicitly requesting the startup location for a specific airline:
fgfs --aircraft=777-200ER --airport=KSFO --parkpos=AVAILABLE --config=/path/to/fgdata/Startup/777-commercial.xml --prop:/sim/atc/airline=UAL
This feature is highly experimental and I haven't had the chance yet to test it out on a great variety of airports (specifically not on ones without ground networks), so please use with care, but have fun.
Obviously, you do need to build from the latest source or get a recent snapshot dated Sept 17 or later for this to work.
Cheers,
Durk