Airport ALS Pack

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Authors: vasimr22, Captain James

Last revision: 17 Apr, 2018 at 19:03 UTC

File size: 40.37 MB

On Steam Workshop

Description:

Approach light system pack for an airport. These lights are used to light the approach onto a runway, and are placed in specific configurations depending on the runway precision approach category.

DLC Note: The natural disasters DLC is only needed for the fence asset used in the offsite ALS buildings. If you do not plan on using those, you do not need the DLC.

These are relatively low poly models (at most 300) with a low poly LOD (around 40).
These use 4 sets of light props, 2 of which have a 64×64 texture set (diffuse, sepcular, illum), one has a 512×512 texture set with a 64×64 LOD texture (diffuse, specular, illum), and one with a 1024×1024 texture set and a 64×64 LOD texture (diffuse, specular, illum).
The base buildings that the lights sit on share similar textures, a 64×64 texture for on-site lights (diffuse, specular), and another 64×64 texture for off-site lights (diffuse, specular).

Using the advanced loading screen mod should combine many of the textures into one to reduce the memory footprint.

There are several props included in this set, however, I will not list them since they are not intended to be used by themselves. Additionally, all assets begin with the name ALS_.
The items listed below are all buildings, and are onsite models (orange support pole) unless otherwise noted.

• Cluster3_Red
• Cluster4_White
• Cluster5_White
• Cluster5_OS_White – Cluster of 5 white lights using the offsite model (used for approaches that are not over airport grounds, an example of this is the approach to Runway 4 at LGA.
• Cluster5_Red
• SFL_8_[1-8] – Cluster of 5 white lights with sequenced flashers. These are timed for 8 consecutive sequenced flashers where 8_1 lights, then 8_2, then 8_3, etc. If you are using less than 8 flashers, you should use the upper set. For example, 5 flashers should use 8_4 to 8_8.
• SFL_16_[1-16] – Cluster of 5 white lights with sequenced flashers. These are timed for 16 consecutive sequenced flashers where 16_1 lights, then 16_2, then 16_3, etc. If you are using less than 16 flashers, you should use the upper set. For example, 15 flashers should use 16_2 to 16_16.
• SFL_OS_8_[1-8] – Same as the SFL_8_[1-8] except with the offsite model.
• SFL_OS_16_[1-16] – Same as the SFL_16_[1-16] except with the offsite model.
• REIL_8 – Runway End Idenfier Lights which strobe with the sequence flashers. These are placed pointing towards the approach on either side of the runway threshold (usually 10m away from the runway edge). These are used to indicate where the runway starts in low visibility conditions. The 8 here means that it is timed with the sequence of 8 flashers.
• REIL_16 – Same as the REIL_8, except it is timed with the sequence of 16 flashers.
• SSFL_8_[1-8] – Invididual sequenced flasher light, these are used in the ALSR configurations.
• SSFL_OS_8_[1-8] – same as the SSFL_8_[1-8], except using the offsite model. Useful when the approach is not on airport grounds. An example of this is the approach to Runway 4 at LGA.
• Cluster3_GND_Red – Cluster of 3 red in-pavement lights. These are for ALS on displaced thresholds
• Cluster4_GND_White – Cluster of 4 White in-pavement lights. These are for ALS on displaced thresholds
• Cluster5_GND_Red – Cluster of 5 red in-pavement lights. These are for ALS on displaced thresholds
• Cluster5_GND_White – Cluster of 5 White in-pavement lights. These are for ALS on displaced thresholds
• TDZ_lights_preset – cluster of touchdown lights as a building (6 rows)
• TDZ_lights_unit – cluster of touchdown lights as a building (1 row)

-The onsite cluster buildings are imported low to the ground so that they can have their height adjusted. To do this, you will need the Prop Snapping and MoveIt mods. They have been setup to not generate a concrete base to the mesh, so there is a maximum height they can be raised to before they will appear to be floating.
-The sequenced flasher (single light) buildings have a set height, however, they can be raised up and will generate a concrete base below them.
– The REIL lights should not need to have their heights adjusted.
– The offsite lights should also not need to have their heights adjusted, and can only be raised up.
– These assets are buildings, so they will require power to light up. If they do not illuminate, first check that they have power, then make sure the game ran for a little while (5 minutes) to ensure the simulation realizes they have power.

To place the sequenced flashers, you must do the following:
1) Pause the game
2) Place the correct assets based on their sequential numbers (e.g. 8_1, then 8_2, then 8_3, etc.)
3) unpause the game.
Note that when you load a savegame, all of the sequenced flashers will be synchronized in the correct order (they will not need to be replaced)

Some common approach light configurations are:
ALSF-1
ALSF-2
SSALF
SSALR
MALSF
MALSR
ODALS

Additionally, many airports use LCN strobes, which appear in small clusters to guide pilots towards the approach (there are several night landing videos at JFK which show this).

Several configuration diagrams have been included in the asset images. They are from the FAA Order JO6850.2B document and NAVAIR 51-50AAA-2 (U.S. Navy). For clarification since a few people have made this mistake, when the diagram shows a flasher next to a cluster of 5 lights, that is the Cluster5_SFL asset, it’s not 5 lights + a flasher, or 5 flashers.

Note that in the case of displaced thresholds, the approach lighting will be composed of in-pavement lights throughout the duration of the displaced threshold. This will continue until the concrete ends, and transitions to either a blast-pad, an EMAS bed, or grass.

Finally, if you run into a situation where the approach light is in the middle of a highway or taxiway, then there are two things that are typically done. 1) The light is moved to a location where it is not in the way (if the new location is within 5m for example). 2) The light is omitted. Keep in mind that for taxiways, there is also the issue of clearance for the wings of large aircraft, which may mean omitting more than one light. If you end up omitting a sequenced flasher, then you should place them as if the flasher was not omitted. For example, let’s say you place SFL_8_[1-8], SFL_8_3 is in the middle of a highway. You omit SFL_8_3, then your lights should go SFL_8_1, SFL_8_2, SFL_8_4, SFL_8_5, etc. Do not try to shift them back, since that will create the appearance of a velocity change of the sequenced light (it should appear to be constant velocity).