Aeroplane commands

Aeroplane commands are those commands that are issued to individual planes (as opposed to the game engine, which is controlled by game commands).

Game commands are issued by specifying the flight number, the command and possibly arguments and/or flags. For example:

>>> AZA1234 HEADING 000 X

where AZA1234 is the flight number HEADING is the command 000 is the command argument and X is the command flag.

Compatible aeroplane commands can be combined. For example:

>>> AZA1234 HEADING 000 SPEED 200 ALTITUDE 55

Incompatible commands (e.g.: CIRCLE and LAND) will generate an error in the console.

Aeroplanes commands can also be queued (meaning that the aeroplane will execute them only when the command (or command sequence) currently being executed will have terminated. Multiple command (or command sequences) can be queued for execution. To append a command (or command sequence) to the queue, prepend it with a dot (.). For example:

>>> .AZA LAND FRA 35L

Following is a list of all implemented aeroplane commands.

ABORT

Example Usage:

>>> QFA1234 ABORT
>>> DLH5678 STOP

Description:

An aeroplane that is manoeuvring can’t execute a new command until the manoeuvre is completed. The ABORT command makes a plane that is performing a command to stop its execution (maintaining current heading and speed and flying to the nearest flight level). Once the FL is reached, the aeroplane is newly available to receive new commands.

Possible spellings:

ABORT, AB, STOP

Accepted flags:

—

ALTITUDE

Example Usage:

>>> QFA1234 ALTITUDE 55
>>> DLH5678 ALTITUDE 80 X

Description:

The ALTITUDE command alters the flying target altitude of an aeroplane. Altitude is expressed as a flight level (hundreds of metres above sea level) in the form of a two-digit number. Altitude must be above 0 and below 10000 metres asl and a multiple of 500.

The EXPEDITE flag doubles the speed at which an aeroplane climbs or descends, but it will also make the aircraft to consume fuel at double rate.

Possible spellings:

ALTITUDE, A, ALT

Accepted flags:

• EXPEDITE (spellings: EXPEDITE, X)

Can be combined with:

CLEAR, TAKEOFF, CIRCLE, BYE, SPEED, HEADING

BYE

Example Usage:

>>> QFA1234 BYE
>>> DLH5678 FORGET

Description:

The BYE command will inform the pilots that they are cleared to leave the aerospace without further instruction, the aeroplane marker on the radar screen will then show as busy until the aircraft leaves the aerospace.

It is however still possible to issue ABORT in case it becomes necessary to alter the course of the aeroplane at a later stage.

Possible spellings:

BYE, BY, FORGET

Accepted flags:

—

Can be combined with:

ALTITUDE, SPEED, HEADING

CIRCLE

Example Usage:

>>> QFA1234 CIRCLE CCW
>>> DLH5678 HOLD R

Description:

The CIRCLE command will make an aeroplane to fly a circular pattern, basically holding position.

The command takes a single argument which is the direction of the circling: clockwise (CW, RIGHT or R) or counter-clockwise (CCW, LEFT or L).

The EXPEDITE flag increases the banking angle of the aeroplane, effectively decreasing the time needed for the aeroplane to reach its target heading. However, it will also make the aircraft to consume fuel at double rate.

Possible spellings:

CIRCLE, CI, HOLD

Accepted flags:

• EXPEDITE (spellings: EXPEDITE, X)

Can be combined with:

ALTITUDE, SPEED

CLEAR

Example Usage:

>>> QFA1234 CLEAR NDB3
>>> DLH5678 REACH NDB7

Description:

The CLEAR command will inform the pilots on board the aeroplane that they are cleared to reach a given beacon on the map. Upon receiving the command, the pilot will veer towards it and the aeroplane marker on the radar screen will show as busy until the plane fly past that point.

The EXPEDITE flag increases the rate at which the alignment with the beacon is performed, but it will also make the aircraft to consume fuel at double rate.

Possible spellings:

CLEAR, CL, REACH

Accepted flags:

• EXPEDITE (spellings: EXPEDITE, X)

Can be combined with:

ALTITUDE, SPEED

HEADING

Example Usage:

>>> QFA1234 HEADING 080
>>> DLH5678 H 150 X
>>> QFA1234 HEAD 270 L X
>>> DLH5678 HEADING NDB1 LONG EXPEDITE

Description:

The HEADING command alters the target heading of an aeroplane. The argument of the command can either be a new degree heading (expressed as a three-digit figure, or the code of a beacon, for which the most appropriate heading will be calculated.

The EXPEDITE flag increases the banking angle of the aeroplane, effectively decreasing the time needed for the aeroplane to reach its target heading. However, it will also make the aircraft to consume fuel at double rate.

The plane will always perform the turn in the direction that requires less time to complete (smaller angle). The LONG flag - on the other hand - allows to perform the turn in the opposite direction.

Possible spellings:

HEADING, H, HEAD

Accepted flags:

• EXPEDITE (spellings: EXPEDITE, X)
• LONG (spellings: LONG, L)

Can be combined with:

CLEAR, TAKEOFF, CIRCLE, BYE, SPEED, ALTITUDE

LAND

Example Usage:

>>> QFA1234 LAND FRA 07R
>>> DLH5678 DOWN ARN 26

Description:

The LAND command instructs the plane to intercept the descent flight path to the foot of a given runaway, and perform the landing.

The command takes two arguments: the IATA code of the airport and the runaway name.

The EXPEDITE flag increases the rate at which the manoeuvre is performed, but it will also make the aircraft to consume fuel at double rate.

Possible spellings:

LAND, LA, DOWN

Accepted flags:

• EXPEDITE (spellings: EXPEDITE, X)

SPEED

Example Usage:

>>> QFA1234 SPEED 800
>>> DLH5678 SP 450 EXPEDITE

Description:

The SPEED command alter the target ground speed of an aeroplane. The target speed of the aeroplane is expressed in kph (kilometres per hour).

The EXPEDITE flag increases the acceleration/deceleration rates, making the manoeuvre to execute faster, however it will also make the aircraft to consume fuel at double rate.

Possible spellings:

SPEED, S, SP

Accepted flags:

• EXPEDITE (spellings: EXPEDITE, X)

Can be combined with:

CLEAR, ALTITUDE, TAKEOFF, CIRCLE, BYE, HEADING

SQUAWK

Example Usage:

>>> QFA1234 SQUAWK
>>> DLH5678 TOUCH

Description:

The SQUAWK command instructs the target plane transponder to return the destination and current heading. Note that the destination is the gate or airport that the plane should reach, not the one that the player instructed to head towards.

The info provided by the SQUAWK command are also available elsewhere in the game interface. The main use of this command is that of updating a plane’s time of last received command. This can be useful if you cycle through your flight strips ordered in this way, as it will move the strip to the top of the rail without issuing any new instruction to the pilot.

Possible spellings:

SQUAWK, SQ, TOUCH

Accepted flags:

—

TAKEOFF

Example Usage:

>>> QFA1234 TAKEOFF 04L
>>> DLH5678 UP 01 X

Description:

The TAKEOFF command instructs the plane to take off on a given runaway. Once airborne, the plane will keep on climbing until its maximum flight altitude and its maximum flight speed, maintaining the heading of the runway it departed from. This behaviour can be overridden by issuing the command in combination with HEADING, ALTITUDE or SPEED. Read more on the specific section of the manual.

The EXPEDITE flag increases the rate at which the manoeuvre is performed, but it will also make the aircraft to consume fuel at double rate.

Possible spellings:

TAKEOFF, TO, UP, FLY

Accepted flags:

• EXPEDITE (spellings: EXPEDITE, X)

Can be combined with:

ALTITUDE, SPEED, HEADING