ASX vs FSUIPC wind smoothing

[Tibor]

Hello,

I use FSX (SP2) with registered FSUIPC and Zinertec Ultimate Weather FX for nicer clouds.

Also I have a second PC in network configuration where I have SB4 and Active Sky X and WideClient for acars software.

My problem is as stated above; generally below Fl100 during approach or descent I have heavy circulating wind around the plane which cause over speed and extreme side winds during the approaches.

Already tried many settings, especially wind smoothings in ASX and FSUIPC with different values, but the phenomena still exists.

Generally I use Wilco A320, PMDG 747 or Level-D 767 for my flights and I can experience the problem with each of them.

Both computer has Win7, on the FSX PC it is 64bit, on the network PC it is 32bit, the connection between the PCs are OK; SB4, WideClient and ASX connects without any problem.

I really do not know the source of the problem, but in my understanding when the ASX sends the weather data to the FSX the FSUIPC should apply the smoothing with the selected values. Am I right?

Maybe someone else experienced such a problem? Any suggestion?

Thanks in advance,

Tibor

[Pete Dowson]

I really do not know the source of the problem, but in my understanding when the ASX sends the weather data to the FSX the FSUIPC should apply the smoothing with the selected values. Am I right?

FSUIPC wind smoothing isn't 100% successful, but generally it works well. It is mainly aimed at preventing the 180 degree sudden wind shifts which FSX (and FS9 actually) is liable to in the upper winds. These are due to an interpolation bug in FS's Weather.DLL which was never fixed.

Such wind shifts rarely if ever occur in the surface winds because either they are generally either nowhere near any other wind layers, or, because you are taking off or landing at the time, near enough to a weather station to avoid any interpolation between stations in the first place. Note also that ASE (I don't know about ASX) does have a facility for fixing the weather at the destination once you are within a certain range (up to 50nm I think).

I don't really know what you mean by "generally below Fl100 during approach or descent I have heavy circulating wind around the plane", because certainly I've never experienced anything like that with ASE. Maybe it is a bug in ASX now fixed in ASE? Or maybe it is a turbulence or gust effect -- in which case you can probably turn it off. It certainly doesn't sound like anything which FSUIPC would be involved in creating or removing.

Have you tried Active Sky support, or considered upgrading to ASE?

I don't know "Zinertec Ultimate Weather FX", but have you checked whether that adds other effects apart from "nicer clouds"? Gusts and turbulence are common in and just below thick cloud layers.

Regards

Pete

[Tibor]

Pete,

Thanks for your quick reply!

I don't really know what you mean by "generally below Fl100 during approach or descent I have heavy circulating wind around the plane", because certainly I've never experienced anything like that with ASE.

For instance on the Wilco A320 you have wind indicator on the ND. When this problem starts, for instance the wind starts from 90deg/22kts goes to 270deg/22kts and back again to 90deg/22kts and it starts again. One turn is around 1-2sec. When I reach (in one piece) app.200ft on landing it seems to be reduced or stopped.

Have you tried Active Sky support, or considered upgrading to ASE?

Yes, they answer for the time being to adjust the wind smoothing to "higher value" in FSUIPC. While I do not know really what is the problem I do not want to purchase additional tool as maybe the problem will remain.

I don't know "Zinertec Ultimate Weather FX", but have you checked whether that adds other effects apart from "nicer clouds"? Gusts and turbulence are common in and just below thick cloud layers.

I checked the description of Zirtec and this application just gives better textured clouds and so on, nothing to do with weather generation.

Tibor

[Pete Dowson]

For instance on the Wilco A320 you have wind indicator on the ND. When this problem starts, for instance the wind starts from 90deg/22kts goes to 270deg/22kts and back again to 90deg/22kts and it starts again. One turn is around 1-2sec.

That certainly sounds like the interpolation problem, though I've never heard of it happening at such low altitudes. And, further, that is the FS fault which FSUIPC smoothing is designed to handle, within reason. If it is taking 1-2 secs maybe you have the smoothing set incorrectly? The 180 changes without smoothing are instantaneous. If it is taking 1-2 secs it may be doing its best with the settings you've chosen.

Where are you flying when this happens? If it is in an area with a large number of nearby weather stations then it could be exacerbated, especially if any one or more of the stations have corrupted weather data downloads. I'm pretty sure they did a lot in ASE to remove bad data so the problems are much less obvious.

Yes, they answer for the time being to adjust the wind smoothing to "higher value" in FSUIPC.

Sounds like good advice. And have you done so? The "higher value" thery refer to is the time. Not the change allowed.

Regards

Pete

[Tibor]

If it is taking 1-2 secs maybe you have the smoothing set incorrectly?

I will check again the smoothing settings today eve.

Where are you flying when this happens?

LHBP, LROP, EDDF area

Sounds like good advice. And have you done so? The "higher value" thery refer to is the time. Not the change allowed.

I will check it today eve. Do you have any suggestion for the values?

On the other hand it is strange why it happens just during descend, approach and never during take-off.

By the way thanks for your advise, after the trials I will come back with the results.

Tibor

Edited June 27, 2011 by Tibor

[Pete Dowson]

On the other hand it is strange why it happens just during descend, approach and never during take-off.

It certainly is -- and also strange why you see it in lower winds at all. As far as I can recall the problem has always been with upper winds, during cruise. It's almost as if you are seeing some other fault altogether.

Sorry, I've no idea about values to try. I don't suffer the problems at all, using ASE in Direct Wind control mode (so, only global weather, no interpolation done in FSX). Even before switching to DWC mode I only very rarely saw it, flying in Europe (I only ever fly in Europe).

Regards

Pete

[Tibor]

So, I made a trial with the suggested settings. (5secs for ewach kt or degree of change)

The situation is slightly better, but far away from the acceptable.

Now the wind changes "just" in 45 degrees continously, and also when even in ASX I have a surface wind 30002kts on 500ft just before landing the wind is arr.15-18kts continously changing between 280 and 320 degrees which cause over speed and continous nose movement. It seems the ASX applies a higher wind aloft data even on surface level.

I am quite convinced it is not an FSUIPC issue, just wanted to update you, and hopefully I can give the final solution as well just for learn out something from the issue :)

Regards,

Tibor

[Pete Dowson]

So, I made a trial with the suggested settings. (5secs for ewach kt or degree of change)

The situation is slightly better, but far away from the acceptable.

So, why not try 10 secs or 20?

Now the wind changes "just" in 45 degrees continously, and also when even in ASX I have a surface wind 30002kts on 500ft just before landing the wind is arr.15-18kts continously changing between 280 and 320 degrees

That sounds like gusts and variance. Are you sure you've disabled those? You can do that both in FSUIPC and in ASX.

I am quite convinced it is not an FSUIPC issue, just wanted to update you, and hopefully I can give the final solution as well just for learn out something from the issue

Since I've never heard of the symptoms you get -- no one else has ever reported having them -- I can't really advise. I think you should perhaps seek advise from other ASX users., over in that forum.

Regards

Pete

[Tibor]

Hello Pete,

So, after a few trials I am coming back with some good news.

With the support of the ASX team I enabled the wind smoothing and stabilization in the FSUIPC and disabled in the ASX, and the setting is 5 secs for each kt or degree of change in the FSUIPC. With this values it seems to be working, no circulation and heavy changes what I have experienced before.

Back to your question:

So, why not try 10 secs or 20?

If I set it to a really high value, than during the descent the weather has no time to change to the realistic surface or layer wind due to the restriction in the change.

Right now I am happy with this result, maybe I will fine tune it later.

Thanks for your kind and valuable support on this issue.

Regards,

Tibor

[Pete Dowson]

So, after a few trials I am coming back with some good news.

With the support of the ASX team I enabled the wind smoothing and stabilization in the FSUIPC and disabled in the ASX, and the setting is 5 secs for each kt or degree of change in the FSUIPC. With this values it seems to be working, no circulation and heavy changes what I have experienced before.

Ah, good -- that is good news, indeed.

Regards,

Pete