This is an old revision of the document!
Table of Contents
Conditions
Define and save detailed custom weather conditions, enable real-time weather, set ILS visibility for all categories and set season, time and simulation rate.
Current Weather
In this section the current weather is displayed as METAR code and translated text.
You can choose if the translated text it displayed as continuous text or structured table. Additionally you can decide if all or only official weather METAR data is displayed.
Note: The flight simulator uses the official METAR format, but extends is with additional extensions. FS-FlightControl can decode both, the official METAR data as well as the flight simulator extensions.
You can load the current weather into the custom weather section or save it as weather presets.
Weather Themes
Here all themes that are available in the flight simulator are listed and can be activated with just one click.
Weather Mode for Active Sky Weather Engine
In this area you can see the current Active Sky weather mode and change it, too.
Note: This section only appears if Active Sky is enabled as weather engine in the Settings module.
Change Weather Mode
Select the desired weather mode here and set it with the button Set Weather Mode
.
Historic Dynamic Weather
If you have chosen the hisotoric dynamic weather mode you can set the historic date and time here.
Real-Time Weather
You have the option to enable real-time weather in this section.
Therefore you can either send the current real-time weather directly to flight simulator or load it into the custom weather section.
Note: You can change the used real-time weather source in the Settings module.
Continous Real-Time Weather
To enable continues real-time weather just activate the corresponding check box. This will enable automated real-time weather updates for all weather stations around the current aircraft location.
You can choose how often this weather update should be performed by entering a certain time interval or a flown distance (or both).
Additionally you can define that automated weather updates should not be performed when the aircraft is below a certain altitude above ground. This makes sure that the pilot is not disturbed while doing a final approach.
Below that some information is displayed to show when the next automated weather update will be performed.
ILS Visibility
Use this section to set a pre-defined visibility condition for any of the ILS categories.
Following values are the default for decision height and runway visibility:
Decision Height | Runway Visibility | |
---|---|---|
CAT I | 200 ft (60 m) | 1,800 ft (550 m) |
CAT II | 100 ft (30 m) | 1,000 ft (300 m) |
CAT IIIa | 50 ft (15 m) | 600 ft (180 m) |
CAT IIIb | 30 ft (10 m) | 150 ft (46 m) |
CAT IIIc | 0 ft (0 m) | 30 ft (10 m) |
Note: You can customize these values in the Settings module to your needs.
Custom Weather
In case you want to define a completely custom weather situation you can do so in this section.
Load and Send Weather
If you have a METAR string as starting point for your custom weather enter it in the corresponding text field on top of the screen and click on the Load
button. This will decode the weather situation defined in the METAR string into the custom weather sections below.
To send the weather define in these custom weather sections to the flight simulator, just click on the Send Weather
button.
Add as Weather Preset
You may also save your custom weather situation as weather presets. Just enter a name and then click on the Add Preset
button.
Wind Layers
You can define all wind layers - including the surface wind - in this section.
First enter the speed and optional gust speed (keep it 0
if not needed) of the wind layer.
Next you can define the direction where the wind is coming from. You have two additional options regarding the wind direction:
You can define it as Entirely Variable
or even enter the from
and to
direction where the wind is coming from. If the wind should come only from a fixed direction, just keep the Entirely Variable Direction
check box unchecked and the variation input fields as 0
.
Next you can define if the current wind layer is a surface wind or an wind aloft. In case of a surface wind you have the additional option to define a depth/height of the wind and if it is a wind aloft you can define a maximum altitude (MSL) for it instead.
Note: You may add as many wind layers as you want, but there can be only one of them defined as surface wind.
Finally you can define turbulances in this wind layer as
- None
- Light
- Moderate
- Heavy
- Severe
and wind shears as:
- Gradual (none)
- Moderate
- Steep
- Instantaneous
Cloud Layers
Here you can define all cloud layers of the custom weather situation.
First enter a base altitude (MSL) for the cloud layer.
Then you can define several additional parameters for like cloud coverage as of
- Few Clouds
- Scattered Clouds
- Broken Clouds
- Overcast
- 1/8 Coverage
- 2/8 Coverage
- 3/8 Coverage
- 4/8 Coverage
- 5/8 Coverage
- 6/8 Coverage
- 7/8 Coverage
- 8/8 Coverage
cloud type as of
- Cirrus
- Stratus
- Cumulus
- Cumulo-nimbus
top of the cloud as of
- Flat
- Round
- Anvil
turbulances in the cloud layer as of
- None
- Light
- Moderate
- Heavy
- Severe
type of precipitation as of
- None
- Rain
- Freezing Rain
- Hail
- Snow
precipitation strength as of
- Very Light
- Light
- Moderate
- Heavy
- Dense
the base altitude of the precipitation as well as the icing rate as of
- None
- Trace
- Light
- Moderate
- Severe
Visibility Layers
The visibility layers of the custom weather situation can be defined in this section.
First enter the base and maximum (top) altitude (MSL) of the visibility layer.
Then you can define the visibility in this layer itself.
Finally you can decide in which direction this visibility should be effective as of
- All
- North-West
- North
- North-East
- East
- South-East
- South
- South-West
- West
Note: To set the same visibility for more than one direction, but not for all, just create another visibility layer with the same base and maximum altitude.
Temperature Layers
Also individual temperature layers can be defined for your custom weather situation.
First enter the maximum altitude (MSL) up to which this layer should be valid.
Then you can enter the temperature and dew point of this temperature layer.
Atmospheric Pressure
Here you can define the atmospheric pressure for your custom weather situation.
Custom Weather for Active Sky Weather Engine
In case you want to define a completely custom weather situation you can do so in this section.
Note: This version of the custom weather section only appears if Active Sky is enabled as weather engine in the Settings module.
Surface Wind
You can define the surface wind in this section.
First enter the speed and optional gust speed (keep it 0
if not needed) of the wind.
Next you can define the direction where the wind is coming from including a variance.
Also the temperature and the dew point on the surface can be defined here.
Finally you can define turbulances in the surface wind as:
- None
- Light
- Moderate
- Heavy
- Severe
Surface Visibility
The surface visibility of the custom weather situation can be defined in this section.
First enter the base and maximum (top) altitude (MSL) of the visibility layer.
Then you can define the visibility itself.
Wind Aloft Layers
You can define all wind aloft layers in this section.
First enter the speed and the direction of the wind layer.
Next you can define the temperature and finally the turbulances in this wind layer as:
- None
- Light
- Moderate
- Heavy
- Severe
Cloud Layers
Here you can define all cloud layers of the custom weather situation.
First enter a base and top altitude (MSL) for the cloud layer.
Then you can define several additional parameters for like cloud coverage as of
- 1/8 Coverage
- 2/8 Coverage
- 3/8 Coverage
- 4/8 Coverage
- 5/8 Coverage
- 6/8 Coverage
- 7/8 Coverage
- 8/8 Coverage
cloud type as of
- Cirrus
- Stratus
- Cumulus
- Cumulo-nimbus
turbulances in the cloud layer as of
- None
- Light
- Moderate
- Heavy
- Severe
type of precipitation as of
- None
- Rain
- Freezing Rain
- Hail
- Snow
precipitation strength as of
- Very Light
- Light
- Moderate
- Heavy
- Dense
as well as the icing rate as of
- None
- Trace
- Light
- Moderate
- Severe
Atmospheric Pressure
Here you can define the atmospheric pressure for your custom weather situation.
Weather Presets
All your saved weather presets are listed here. There is no limit in the number of weather presets you can define.
To delete a weather preset again, just right-click (for touch-screens: “long touch”) on one of the presets. Then you will be asked if you want to delete it.
Season and Time
In this section you have a quick and easy control of the current season.
Just click on one of the pre-defined season buttons.
Set Custom Date and Time
Additionally you can define a completely custom date and time in this section.
Simulation Rate
Beside a very detailed weather configuration system this module offers here also an easy way to change the current simulation rate of the simulator.
General Info
Additionally in the bottom right of the screen you always have an eye on the current frame rate and simulator time.