Winds and Global versus stations

[jcboliveira]

Hi Pete

Just one question. As far I understand FSUIPC3 has two models for weather: Global (same as FS2002) and multiple stations (new in FS2004).

If I understood the FSUIPC manual (this time I read it :) ) that could mean:

if the aloft winds are injected using local weather model the Wind Smoothness doesn't apply and abrupt wind changes can happen when going from one station to another

Is there any workaround?

Best regards

José

[Pete Dowson]

As far I understand FSUIPC3 has two models for weather: Global (same as FS2002) and multiple stations (new in FS2004).

Not exactly FSUIPC's doing. The original FS98 weather interface only supported setting universal or global weather, as did the "Advanced Weather Interface" I provided to take advantage of the weather additions in FS2000. FSUIPC has never been able to directly set specific local weather stations before, even though there were most certainly local weather facilities in both FS2000 and FS2002.

All that is added for FS2004 is an interface which allows external programs to set weather at specific weather stations (and read it too). This is in addition to the other two methods, and it is called the "New Weaher Interface" (NWI). (How's that for imaginitive naming? :lol: )

If I understood the FSUIPC manual (this time I read it :) ) that could mean: if the aloft winds are injected using local weather model the Wind Smoothness doesn't apply and abrupt wind changes can happen when going from one station to another

FSUIPC has never provided any smoothing of anything for local weather. That's not changed. FS itself does that. The weather at any point in FS (especially FS2004) is an interpolation of the weather from a number of nearby weather stations -- it is not just one, then the other!

Your "abrubt wind changes" will certainly occur if you "go from one station to another" abrubtly, using the Go To Airport menu, for example. But it certainly shouldn't if you fly there, as FS is interpolating the weather all the way along the route.

Why not load up FS2004, get it to download the weather for you, and try it? All the NWI provides is the opportunity for external programs to supply the same facilities. Why should Microsoft exclude 3rd party programs from being able to provide the same locally variable weather as they do through their arrangements with Jeppesen?

If you don't like the new localised weather capabilities of FS2004, then you don't need to use them. The old methods still work. They are just not as good in my opinion. Let's move forward, not back, eh?

Regards,

Pete