Voice Attack based ATC. Any interest?

1st Official Post

    First off, thank you to HiFlier for letting us know about using Voice Attack, and thanks to "The DX Gamer" for showing us how it is done, and sharing his VA profile.

    I have been playing with this quite some today. Personally I am not interested in the co-pilot, automatic voice commands, I want it more for the ATC, at least till IPACS incorporates ATC.

    I based what I have been working with off his VA profile, removing the stuff I did not want. I re-recorded all the ATC responses to Cessna 51911, which is the number of the 172 in Aerofly. (Kind of wish it had a letter in there)

    Anyway, I have added some commands and responses. Sometimes I stumble when I speak, as I am sure we all do. So I have created commands that are basically the same thing, but might make the difference of it being recognized or not. Example: "Tower, Cessna 51911, request take off clearance." and "Tower, Cessna 51911, requesting clearance for takeoff." will both work, as well as a couple of other variants.

    I have added a few more responses from ATC such as "hold short, await departing aircraft", or "inbound traffic at your 3 o'clock. Hold position 2 miles south of runway."

    Right now it all works pretty darn well.

    I am not up to speed on my ATC speak and responses. Any suggestions on proper requests, responses that can be entered?

    I am more than happy to share the profile and sound files once I get everything sorted.

    Andrew

    Quote from MrRCSound

    First off, thank you to HiFlier for letting us know about using Voice Attack, and thanks to "The DX Gamer" for showing us how it is done, and sharing his VA profile.

    I have been playing with this quite some today. Personally I am not interested in the co-pilot, automatic voice commands, I want it more for the ATC, at least till IPACS incorporates ATC.

    I am not up to speed on my ATC speak and responses. Any suggestions on proper requests, responses that can be entered?

    I am more than happy to share the profile and sound files once I get everything sorted.

    Andrew

    Excellent news. I'm looking forward to hearing some pseudo ATC in FS2.

    I sent a few lines to Michael last night.

    Maybe you can add some specific headings like the 4 cardinal headings of N,E,S and W. Can you have duplicate commands? I.ie. East or 090 degrees, West or 270 degrees, or due East, or due West? Just curious

    As for immersion, more ATC commands would add a lot. Maybe some "cleared to 10,000 feet." "Cleared to 14,000 feet, "expect higher altitude in 8 minutes," "10 minutes"

    Cleared to climb to FL310". "Cleared to FL330" "cleared to climb 2'000 feet FL250, FL350, FL370 FL390

    Request Lower Altitude, Request delayed descent

    Request immediate takeoff, Westbound, Northbound, Southbound, Eastbound

    Request Intersection takeoff, Westbound, Northbound Southbound, Eastbound

    "Cleared to initiate descent to . . . .24,000 ft, 20,000 ft, 16,000 ft, 10,000 ft.

    "Cleared as filed"

    "Cleared for Approach". "Learjet .... initiate immediate missed approach" "Hold at Outer Marker"

    "Taxi to the business gates" "Taxi to the ramp". Taxi to Millionaire, Taxi to Signature,

    Contact Ground, Tower, Departure, Approach

    Continue Approach, Wind ----, speed ----

    "I have information Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo" etc random
    Regards

    Ray

    Hi Ray,
    I think that can all be doable. Still learning VA myself.

    There is a pretty neat pause function. For example. One random request for takeoff clearance results in a "hold short" for traffic (of course there is none in AF2, but still cool). The pause function allows for a period of time, I think I have it set for 25 or 30 seconds, then ATC comes back with clearance for take off. So cleared to 10,000ft. with higher a few minutes later should work.

    Requests to depart directions should work with both direction or numerical degrees. It is just a matter of putting in an extra line of what may be expected.

    It will take some work, but I think most of your requests will work. Wind speed and direction will not be accurate, as there is no way to read it from the program, and the voices are pre-recorded. Likewise, things like "ground" "tower" etc. will need to be kept generic. That way it kind of works for all airports.

    I have a good base starting point right now. A few hours work tomorrow, and it should work fairly well. I will see what I can get done.

    Andrew

    More.

    request departure information ` - departure runway 24, wind 290 degrees 6 knots, Altimeter 29.94, temperature 14, dew point 3, visibility 7 miles, clouds broken


    Request clearance - cleared to the ----- airport, vectored departure, runway 24, maintain flight level 140, squawk 5256.

    Taxi and hold short of runway

    Maintain Flight Level, 290, 310, 330, 350, 270. 390 410, 430, 450

    expect 2 minutes delay
    Taxi into position and hold
    Line up on runway and wait


    Continue Taxi via Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta
    Do not cross active runway, cleared to cross active runway,


    climb straight ahead until 2000ft before turning right, runway 24 cleared for take-off.


    Clear runway when able, clear runway and contact ground

    Take next left, contact ground,
    take next right, contact ground

    request low approach, request fly by, request long final, short final

    go around aircraft on the runway.

    Regards,

    Ray

    All are just random thoughts, nothing can be real exact just yet. Not that all are necessary, and any and all can be changed. I think the more random responses the better, even if they are not totally correct for the situation. Even if the runway number is not correct, it still adds immersion. Hopefully, IPACS is already working on something.

    Regards,
    Ray

    • Official Post

    Please remove the "asking for for takeoff clearance" and "ready for takeoff" from your brain. Never do that in the real world! The only time when you as a pilot are allowed to use the term "takeoff" is after ATC has cleared you for takeoff (or when you call "rejecting takeoff"). Always just say "ready for departure" because when you say "departure" ATC knows that you will hold your current position short of the runway. If you on the other hand say "something something takeoff" real world ATC will probably jump from their seats or at least get a little angry at you. So for the sake of immersion, please just change those phrases.

    Regards,
    Jan

    Jan,
    Thanks for the tip. Having only limited flight time, mostly in gliders with limited ATC interaction, that is something I did not realize. I did a bit more research, and will be changing the requests from "takeoff" to "departing, departure, or just holding short".

    I should have a first cut of a basic ATC for the Cessna this evening. I may try to do a video in a bit.

    Since Voiceattack has no information from the sim as to where you are actually located, or what you are currently doing, it's probably best to keep things as generic as possible, even if some veracity is lost.

    This was also a problem with VoiceAttack and Elite Dangerous, though it appears that in the latest versions that either Frontier Development or VoiceAttack must have made a modification of some sort, since VA now does seem to have gained at least limited ability to know what your ship is doing in realtime and respond appropriately.

    If that ever happens with Aerofly, the possibilities will become endless.

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    Here is a list of recognized commands I have in the profile right now. I have not done any "arrival" yet, but I will get those done tonight.

    Look over the list, let me know of common requests that I may have missed. Remember, I am trying to keep it pretty basic and generic so it will work around most any airports.

    List of currently working commands:

    Departure Cessna 51911 With you
    Departure Cessna 51911 I am With you
    Departure Cessna 51911 request turn to the east
    Departure Cessna 51911 request turn to the north
    Departure Cessna 51911 request turn to the south
    Departure Cessna 51911 request turn to the west
    Departure Cessna 51911 I would like to open my VFR flight plan
    Departure Cessna 51911 I would like to close my VFR flight plan
    Ground Cessna 51911 Ready to Taxi
    Ground Cessna 51911 requesting permision to Taxi
    Ground Cessna 51911 request clearance to Taxi
    Ground Cessna 51911 requesting taxi clearance
    Ground Cessna 51911 request permision to Taxi
    Ground Cessna 51911 requesting permision to Taxi
    Ground Cessna 51911 requesting clearance to Taxi to business
    Ground Cessna 51911 requesting clearance to Taxi to ramp
    Ground Cessna 51911 requesting clearance to Taxi to signature
    Ground Cessna 51911 requesting permision to Taxi to signature
    Tower Cessna 51911 request clearance for takeoff -(this will be changed)
    Tower Cessna 51911 Request takeoff Clearence -(this will be changed)
    Tower Cessna 51911 request Clearence to Land
    Tower Cessna 51911 request landing clearance
    Tower Cessna 51911 requesting Clearence to Land
    Tower Cessna 51911 requesting landing clearance

    • Official Post

    I'm not quite sure, but now that you mentioned it... I also don't think there is a phrase like "requesting clearance to land" or "requestint landing clearance" either. You'd be given the approach clearance by ATC (cleared ILS approach rwy...) and then ATC would hand you over to the tower. On tower frequency you'd say something like "... tower, Cessna 15911 with you on the ILS ...", "established on the Localizer" or "Tower Cessna 15911 with you, 5 miles" or something like that. Then the tower would check for traffic and comes back to you either with "Cessna 15911, roger" or directly with "Cessna 15911 cleared for land rwy...".

    I have no idea weather its possible to create temporary variable like the runway you mention. Then the tower could read back that runway for example.

    here is what I'd add:
    Ground Cessna 51911 ready for taxi [IFR to %DESTINATION%]
    - Cessna 51911 taxi to and hold short [runway of your choice]

    Tower Cessna 51911 holding short runway %XY%
    - Cessna 51911 cleared for takeoff runway %XY%

    Departure Cessna 51911 with you [on the %Zurich East Three Echo% departure, climbing though five thousand for seven thousand.]
    - Cessna 51911 roger, continue climb via SID

    Tower Cessna 51911 with you on the ILS runway %YZ%
    - Cessna 51911 continue approach runway %YZ%
    - Cessna 51911 cleared for land runway %YZ% (couple seconds later for example)

    Cheers,
    Jan

    I think, and don't read too much into that because I am wrong most of the time, but I think requesting clearance to land is proper. At least from what I have been reading, at least for VFR with no flight plan. I know I did when flying gliders, and landing at Elmira airport. The other airports I landed at were not towerd, so it was just a self announce.

    I think you are correct, it may be done that way with reading the runway number. However since I am recording the responses in several voices, there would need to be 360 directions for each voice to cover all possible directions of runways, not to mention L and R. I think it can be done, but for at least the first attempt, I am going to keep it generic.

    The question is, how many hours do I want to put into this? Any clue when an ATC will be integrated? Will it be voice responsive?

    Quote from MrRCSound

    The question is, how many hours do I want to put into this? Any clue when an ATC will be integrated? Will it be voice responsive?

    My guess is that you are on your own to decide how far to take your ATC project. I'm sure you will not get a definitive answer on the depth, timing or details surrounding the IPACS ATC. Mainly because the design has not been nailed down.

    An earlier post did say we could expect some piecemeal releases should it work out that way. I'm guessing you and a lot of others can have many hours of enjoyment from your VA/ATC project before the official IPACS ATC is ready for beta testing.

    Regards,
    Ray

    Quote from MrRCSound

    The question is, how many hours do I want to put into this? Any clue when an ATC will be integrated? Will it be voice responsive?

    And there's the rub. We have no idea how far along Ipacs are on their own ATC nor how it will work. Now, if there were system hooks that allowed you to see the aircraft state......

    But then, there kind or are, aren't there? It occurs to me that if a program like Avare can be made to work, then Aerofly is already outputting a significant amount of positional, height and other data.

    I suspect a dedicated and clever programmer could make a quite worthwhile product by pulling all that information together, but would it be worth it?

    Depends on how long Ipacs takes for their own implementation I guess, and how versatile it is.

    Even after Ipacs releases its version, this might remain a popular option however, due to its easy programmability by users.

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    • Official Post

    But using the SDK there are plenty of hooks for the Aerofly. I've read about the Aerofly sending its position to foreflight and so on, I also know that you can use the external dll project from the SDK to read data such as mach number and airspeed, altitude, radar altitude, heading, set nav frequencies, set ils course, ADF frequencies, COM frequencies, transponder code, power setting (N1/RPM), throttle position, trim setting, airbrake position, flap position/setting (you could do Flaps1, Flaps 2 and it would end up at Flaps == 2, not just increment by one and then two) and gear position.

    I bet you could create couple of hooks with that. The only thing you still need is the runway information...
    And no, you'd need 36 * 4 directions (for left, right, center and no specification)

    Just checked, no, there is no official terminology for "request for landing", "request for takeoff" and no "requesting taxi". Mostly you just sign in with ATC with your current location and previous ATC assignments. Then they know, based on your flight plan or the current weather, which runway to assign or give you taxi instructions or the takeoff/landing clearances. But if you like to have some form of ATC right now, this is probably the easiest way to get some sort of ATC messages.

    Cheers,
    Jan

    Quote from Jet-Pack

    I'm not quite sure, but now that you mentioned it... I also don't think there is a phrase like "requesting clearance to land" or "requestint landing clearance" either. You'd be given the approach clearance by ATC
    Cheers,
    Jan

    Well, you are expected to give the tower or Approach your INTENTIONS. Otherwise, you may be asked your intentions, which is usually a little embarrassing. It goes something like this . . . . Gotham Tower, Cessna 15911 imbound to land, have Bravo. or Gotham Tower, Cessna 15911 10 miles west for Touch and Go, or Gotham Tower Cessna 15911 6 miles South requesting low approach.

    If you just reported in as in - Gotham Tower, Cessna 15911 10 miles East inbound. You would probably hear "Cessna 15911, Gotham Tower, squawk 5446, followed by Cessna 15911, Gotham Tower, Radar Contact 9 miles Southeast of Gotham airport, Altimeter 29.92, wind 265 @ 7 kts, what are your intentions? or Continue. Altimeter 29.92 active traffic on runway 27, or left traffic for runway 27.

    The tower wants to know your intentions and if you are landing then you are expected to state that you are landing. Not necessarily asking permission to land.

    Regards,

    Ray

    I am studying up on VA at the moment. I think I have found a way to simplify things so you don't need to say such specific commands for it to respond. VA can use wild cards. For example: *land* *landing*. When it hears those, no matter what the rest of the statement said contains, it will go to the proper "landing clearance" response. So even if you mess up verbiage, it gets the idea of what you are saying based on one word. I am trying to get it to use 2 wild cards so you need to say "tower" and "land or landing" so you can't royally mess it up and ask ground or something and have it respond.

    Working on it. :)