Traffic Swarms

[Samuel Arnold]

I have had a traffic swarm on every one of my last 5 flights.
They really slow the computer down so much, I find myself in the Traffic Explorer window deleting hundreds of AI that are in the sky.
On some flights I get more than one (max. 3) swarms.

Does anyone else get this issue and know how to stop it from happening?

[NWADC9]

That's a problem with the AI engine and not necessarily something you can fix. You can try using AIsmooth, though, and it might help. However, if it's doing that within the first 15 minutes or so of loading FS, it just needs time to clear up.

[mic1965]

I have had a traffic swarm on every one of my last 5 flights.
They really slow the computer down so much, I find myself in the Traffic Explorer window deleting hundreds of AI that are in the sky.
On some flights I get more than one (max. 3) swarms.

Does anyone else get this issue and know how to stop it from happening?

When this happens to me, I adjust the time by 1 second and it eliminates all AI traffic.

[RatherBFlyin]

This is one of the things I don't miss about flying offline. Yes, online traffic is generally much lighter than what you can get with maxed out AI traffic, but those times when an airport is especially busy, we have real controllers and real pilots working together to make sure everyone is where they are supposed to be and the traffic flows smoothly.

Aside from using TTools to remove any AI traffic that is causing holdups, I never did find a satisfactory solution to the problem of AI traffic swarms. Unfortunately I haven't been caught in one for over two years now, so I can't really provide much help.

[Samuel Arnold]

I have had a traffic swarm on every one of my last 5 flights.
They really slow the computer down so much, I find myself in the Traffic Explorer window deleting hundreds of AI that are in the sky.
On some flights I get more than one (max. 3) swarms.

Does anyone else get this issue and know how to stop it from happening?

When this happens to me, I adjust the time by 1 second and it eliminates all AI traffic.

This is a really good idea!!
Because besides circling in a pattern for 10-15 minutes for the sky to clear, I would just use Traffic Toolbox SDK Explorer to delete it all and let it gradually build up to a normal level.
However, I can beat FS at it's own fault. Every time it refreshes and I lose an hour of flight time, I can just add an hour right back and the traffic will come back.
Thanks, Mike, for that idea.

[mic1965]

Thanks, Mike, for that idea.

Hope it works for you!

[Carlo]

Pause the sim.
Set time acc. to 8x.
Set it back to 1x.
Unpause.

Resets the AI

[Samuel Arnold]

Pause the sim.
Set time acc. to 8x.
Set it back to 1x.
Unpause.

Resets the AI

Although this would reset the AI, it doesn't get our time back to the original time that it was.
But at least we have 2 ways to delete our traffic swarms now.

[maverick10]

I have a problem with the AI when i'm on approach, especially on final, 9 times out of 10 i have to make a goaround because the traffic is too slow when vacating the runway, how can you fix this??

Greetings,

Maverick10

[frogdude4993]

Well if it's really 9/10 times you could be flying a bit fast (not trying to be accusative, just trying to solve the problem.

How fast are you on final?

[Samuel Arnold]

I have a problem with the AI when i'm on approach, especially on final, 9 times out of 10 i have to make a goaround because the traffic is too slow when vacating the runway, how can you fix this??

Greetings,

Maverick10

Either what Decker said, or you're not calculating the distances between you an the AI when in the approach line.
Make sure that any AI in front is more than 5 NM away, and keep it that way. The red text that AI display will show you their airspeed, so make sure you're keeping in speed with them - or slower. Use appropriate flap settings for slower speeds too.
Same applies if the AI are behind you - don't want them going around, that's a bit mean.

[RatherBFlyin]

The trouble with AI traffic, is that they will immediately slow to taxi speed after landing on the runway. This means that if the taxiways leading off from the runway are spaced a good ways apart, the aircraft could take quite some time to vacate the runway and forcing you to go missed. Even when leaving plenty of space between you and the aircraft in front of you, this can disappear in a hurry when you are approaching the runway at 130 knots and the other aircraft is taxiing down the runway at less than 20 knots to reach the next taxiway. Your best option would be to get a utility like TTools that will allow you to delete an AI aircraft if it is interfering with your flight (such as taking forever to clear the runway after landing).

[Samuel Arnold]

Your best option would be to get a utility like TTools that will allow you to delete an AI aircraft if it is interfering with your flight (such as taking forever to clear the runway after landing).

Tell me about this, why?
This would permanently remove flights from the FlightPlans, just because on one occasion a particular aircraft causes conflict.

The TrafficToolboxSDK Explorer allows you to delete AI individually just for that period of time.

[RatherBFlyin]

You don't delete it permanently, just that instance of that aircraft on that particular flight. It's been over two years since I last flew offline and used AI traffic, so I may be referring to the wrong utility. I do know that I never permanently deleted an AI flight from the system. Just cleared the pesky things out of the way when they were acting stupid (like they typically do when there are more than two aircraft approaching an airport at the same time).

[Samuel Arnold]

You don't delete it permanently, just that instance of that aircraft on that particular flight. It's been over two years since I last flew offline and used AI traffic, so I may be referring to the wrong utility. I do know that I never permanently deleted an AI flight from the system. Just cleared the pesky things out of the way when they were acting stupid (like they typically do when there are more than two aircraft approaching an airport at the same time).

Yep, that's not TTools. That would be the Traffic Explorer.
Well, you often don't have too much choice other than to delete them.

[maverick10]

Well if it's really 9/10 times you could be flying a bit fast (not trying to be accusative, just trying to solve the problem.

How fast are you on final?

I always fly with fms. So that can't be the problem

[frogdude4993]

Well in RL aviation the approach gives you a certain speed to fly at for that approach, and FS doesn't simulate that which is where the problem begins with traffic rear-ending eachother.

So it very well could be the fact that you're flying to fast regardless of your FMS, I don't understand how the FMS has anything to do with the problem.

[DMM200]

Well if it's really 9/10 times you could be flying a bit fast (not trying to be accusative, just trying to solve the problem.

How fast are you on final?

I always fly with fms. So that can't be the problem

When flying with the FMS, it is up to the pilot to select the VREF and order the VNAV to fly at that speed; you may have just given a random approach speed rather than flying at the speed which the aircraft suggests.

Still, this has nothing to do with AI trafffic, unless you are rear ending them.

[flypaul]

I have had a traffic swarm on every one of my last 5 flights.
They really slow the computer down so much, I find myself in the Traffic Explorer window deleting hundreds of AI that are in the sky.
On some flights I get more than one (max. 3) swarms.

Does anyone else get this issue and know how to stop it from happening?

Hi, this problem is just started happening to me since last week! i'm getting alot of swarms just starting out of know where! i have my FS9 traffic slider on 1% and i still have the same problem also no change in the amount of traffic when adjusting the slider! i've also tried unistall and restall also tried 3 different other addon traffic programes!!.......does anybody have any idea how i can fix this problem......please help??

[sanins192]

Have you tried AI Separator? I've heard that it is pretty good for reducing go-arounds at busy airports. However, it slews AI aircraft so they are equal distances away from one another, so this may not be right for you if you like things to be realistic.

Currently I've been playing around with some of the settings in AI Smooth to get that sweet spot where there are a minimum number of go arounds but the traffic is light enough so that I can slot in. Have you tried FS9 Configurator to speed up taxiing aircraft? That will vacate the runways quicker and reduce the number of go-arounds.

Also, adjusting the slider won't make a difference to the amount of AI if you use addons (WOAI etc.).