AirwaySim Changelog

Sami · September 25, 2020, 12:54:31 PM

European Common Aviation Area model added

A new significant feature has been added today to all game worlds, apart from History and the Future game. This feature expands the model of common European aviation market with the agreements made recently in the real world.

As you know the European Union member states have been able to freely expand their airlines within the EU states but these ECAA agreements add new states to this common market even though they are not EU members.

Updates

ECAA model added.
The ECAA member states act like they'd are full/normal EU member states in regards of base airport and expansion selections.
Each of the additional ECAA member states (12 in total) join to the system according to what has happened in the real life. The agreements are signed around 1999 to 2010 and become active between 2002 and 2020 depending on the state.
Enabled Dashboard news for all of these political developments. The news item is posted when the agreement was signed in real life, and then a few years before it becomes active and on the date the agreement is active.
The member states in the ECAA agreement and when the treaty has taken force:
- All EU member states (enrolled automatically when they join).
- Norway in December 2017
- Iceland in December 2017
- Albania in December 2017
- Bosnia and Herzegovina in December 2017
- Kosovo in December 2017
- Macedonia in December 2017
- Montenegro in December 2017
- Serbia in December 2017
- Georgia in August 2020
- Moldova in August 2020
- Switzerland joins in June 2002 [n.b. not actually an ECAA member but a similar agreement is in place, thus modelled within the ECAA scope for simplicity]
- Gibraltar in September 2006 [n.b. not actually an ECAA member but a similar agreement is in place, thus modelled within the ECAA scope for simplicity]
Expanded the Manual's Base Airports chapter with explanations of the exceptions to the basic rules: https://www.airwaysim.com/game/Manual/Office/Bases/#Exceptions

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Sami · October 17, 2020, 05:20:08 PM

Minor bugfixes

Fixes

Automatic assigning of aircraft registration numbers did not work for Azerbaijan and Vanuatu.
The additional base airport setup, upgrade and downgrade fees did not take into account the new dynamic 10-step airport size classification - now added (cost based on airport infra level).
The allocation of aircraft orders from the pre-launch order system did not in some cases allocate a date for all orders if the game world was about to end soon.
Airline's public fleet list page's "Latest aircraft deliveries" list showed incorrectly the aircraft returned from lease by other players.
Aircraft conversion (i.e. to cargo plane) did not always choose the same / best engine variant of the available options.
Search of routes/airports/aircraft with some special characters did not always work.
Aircraft order editing sometimes gave an error from an internal anti-cheat system unnecessarily.
The income statement's sums could've gone wonky if a mass maintenance action of 1000+ aircraft was performed during the same week - fixed.

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Sami · November 05, 2020, 11:19:51 AM

Possibility for free joining of a game world

Added an optional setting to each game's setup enabling the administration to decide if players who have played a game world all the way to the end have the chance to join a certain another new game world without the 5 Credit joining fee.
The player must have been active in the ending game world all way until the last game day (= he must be able to view the final statistics of the game) to receive this benefit.
The freebie applies only to a single chosen game (= finish this game, get to join this another for free). The player must claim the benefit within 7 days from the new game's start.
This setting is game world specific and applies only to selected game worlds upon administration's decisions on discounts and special benefits. For example: the players who finished The History and Future game world (just ended on Nov 5th) are entitled to join the new game world with the same name/theme for free.
The campaign is listed at the game's final statistics page, and you will also see the "0 Cr to join" message at the game world listing page. The normal 1 Cr / week fee is not affected by this campaign.

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Sami · November 11, 2020, 03:52:09 PM

New cargo aircraft and updated pilot requirements (& other minor updates / bugfixes)

Updates

Updated the pilot requirement to 1 pilot for following aircraft groups: Britten-Norman Islander, Cessna 208, Pilatus PC-12, Piper PA-31/PA-42 (n.b. the requirement in the real life depends on the type of operation and the world region, but in recent years the regulations have become more allowing and it's believed that 1 pilot instead of 2 is now "more correct" when looking this globally).
Added Embraer EMB-120FC (Full Cargo) variant. It can be ordered as new from factory or converted from EMB-120ER (n.b. not from the standard EMB-120).
Added cargo variants for all Pilatus PC-12 models (5 of them). All can be ordered as new from factory or converted from the respective pax variant.
Changed the opening date of Moscow - Sheremetyevo (SVO) airport to be December 1954, instead of real-life history of 1957. This small change to the unrealistic side is made since all long games start in 1955 and Moscow doesn't have any airports modelled in the system before SVO's opening.
Simplified dynamic country tax rate database by eliminating some 20 unnecessary tax rate changes where tax rate goes for example 30% [2015] - 29% [2016] - 30% [2017]. These back-and-forth changes caused issues in the tax refund calculations.
Minor internal changes / modernization to bankruptcy and airline closure functions.

Fixes

ECAA model for new bases did not work for French airlines (the overseas departments caused confusion); fixed.
Used aircraft market listing page was abnormally slow with >10k listings.
Fixed incorrect tax withholding during the first months after the country's tax rate had changed.
Fixed incorrect tax calculation in a case where year's first Monday was also Jan 1st.
Fixed incorrect display of the tax rate at the tax overview statement sent after each year (message showed the rate from previous year in some cases, but this did not affect the calculation itself).
Changed incorrect EMB-120ER MTOW (12070 => 11990 kg).

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Sami · November 24, 2020, 01:11:15 PM

Minor changes & bugfixes

Updates

Changed mentor requirement from 100 forum posts to 25.
Updated the global wind database with a bit milder wind data for the most windy regions. (only for new games started after 10^th Nov '20)
Minor changes to cargo economy / balance.

Fixes

Airport Infrastructure level was not always taken into account when calculating the airport catchment radius.
Airport slots pie chart display improved.
Manage Routes page sorting by Load Factor was abnormally slow with >10k routes.
Airport Information page was abnormally slow when it had >10k routes to it.
Manually performing an A check for a plane in 100% condition could cause >100% condition rating for the rest of the game day.
Fixed some bad accented characters in the Twitter and RSS feeds (due to recent site conversion into UTF-8 encoding).
History & Future game had a couple of aircraft production date mismatches; fixed.

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Sami · December 05, 2020, 01:40:44 PM

Vickers VC10 performance data update

With the new aircraft performance system we're updating the aircraft database bit-by-bit with updated performance information. Data in the new performance model is based on actual flight manuals or other similar accurate & verifiable data.

Updates

Vickers VC10 flight model data updated (all models):
- Climb/descent performance and all fuel usage values updated (AirwaySim Performance Model v.2).
- Range values updated, and weight values updated for cargo variants too.
- Runway requirements updated.
- Cargo capacity volumes updated.

These changes are effective only in all new game worlds launched after today and the ongoing History and the Future game too.

This thread is locked and is reserved for announcements only. Please make all comments to the General forums: https://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php/topic,60273.0.html

Sami · December 26, 2020, 11:51:05 AM

Changes to Used Aircraft market

Updates

The minimum & maximum price limits for Used Aircraft listings created by players now take into account the price of the similar aircraft on the New Aircraft market:
- The pricing limits are adjusted and are now more allowable than before (lower minimum and higher maximum price). The limits were made more restrictive some time ago due to misuse by some players but we're now returning back towards the old system.
- The minimum allowed price in used a/c listings is capped to 80% of the price of the similar new aircraft ( = min. allowed selling price is always less than the price of the new a/c).
- Maximum allowed price is at least 105% of the price of the similar new aircraft ( = you can set the price of the used a/c higher than similar new a/c, in case the used a/c is in high demand).
- The maximum price limit checker however always also applies the age and maintenance factors, so you still can't price a 25yo aircraft higher than a similar new aircraft, but for example a 2yo plane can be priced higher than similar new a/c.
- The aircraft selling page now shows the list price of the similar new aircraft, if still being sold.
The separate minimum/maximum prices for intra-alliance aircraft sales are removed. The system limits are now the same for everyone. If there are further cases of a misuse (money transfers with repeated aircraft sales), the limits may be re-introduced.
Used Aircraft listing page columns Age and Landings are replaced by Range and Engine Type.
Game Mentors can now see the contents of New and Used Aircraft markets for their mentored airlines (but they can't make any orders).
Adjusted the rate at which undesired AI-owned used aircraft are scrapped at the first stages of the game, to keep more aircraft available.
Increased a bit the probability on which AI-controller aircraft brokers can purchase used aircraft from the players.
When browsing the aircraft production slot listings by using the back/forward arrows or the year dropdown, the page does not scroll to the top anymore when the listing data is reloaded.
Boeing 737-600/700/800/900/MAX fleet group renamed as Boeing 737NG/MAX. [only for future games]

Fixes

Aircraft performance engine calculated incorrectly the climb speed for slow turboprops below FL100. [only for future games]
Belfast City (EGAC) airport had incorrect opening date setup. [only for future games]
Dash8 Q400 NG payload fixed (for the basic MTOW variant it wasn't possible to set up a max seat configuration). [only for future games]
The initial tax rate of a country (when game started) did not always match the correct dynamic tax rate for that particular year.
Fixed a minor display error in Base Airports page when airlines were (by special game rules) able to expand to any airport in the world.
One of game's background processes was frequently crashing after the server upgrade. Possibly a memory leak in the server software itself. Rolled back to a previous major version.

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Sami · December 31, 2020, 02:35:25 PM

Further changes to Used Aircraft market

Updates

The number of aircraft an airline is able to acquire per day or per week from the Used Aircraft market has been updated:
- During the first game day each airline is allowed to order only two used aircraft [rule unchanged].
- After that (when the game is running) the limits are [new rules]:

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Sami · April 23, 2021, 05:30:36 PM

McDonnell Douglas MD-80 / MD-90 / B717 performance data update

With the new aircraft performance system we're updating the aircraft database bit-by-bit with updated performance information. Data in the new performance model is based on actual flight manuals or other similar accurate & verifiable data.

Updates

All MD-80 / MD-90 / B717 models combined into single fleet group.
MD-80 / MD-90 / B717 flight model data updated (all models):
- Climb/descent performance and all fuel usage values updated (AirwaySim Performance Model v.2). Route's total fuel usage accuracy is within +/- 1% compared to the real aircarft...
- MD-81 can be converted to MD-82 or MD-83. (note: in real life only late-produced MD-81s have this capability, but we have to simplify a bit)
- MD-82 can be converted to MD-83.
- MD-88 +4.7tn weight variant removed (doesn't exist according to manufacturer's docs).
- Added JT8D-219 engine variant for MD-82.
- Boeing 717-200HGW removed. Merged as a weight sub-variant of normal B717.
- Minor changes to range values (MD-80, MD-90).
- Minor changes to engine variant launch dates (MD-80).
- Major changes to range values (B717).
- Minor changes to cargo capacity values (MD-80).
- Runway requirements updated (all models).
- Minor changes to weight values (payload and fuel capacity, MD-80).

These changes are effective only in all new game worlds launched after today and the ongoing History and the Future & Airline Generations games too.

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Sami · April 24, 2021, 10:01:58 AM

B747-300 combi and cargo variants

Updates

Boeing 747-300M added (factory-produced combi model).
Boeing 747-300SF added (conversion model, from B747-300 and -300M).
Boeing 747-300 (pax) can be converted into -300M or 300SF.

Note: The engine/weight variant options for B747-300/400 series are still a bit messy and are not 100% accurate. Might be improved later on. Fuel usage is also still performance model v.1.

These changes are effective only in all new game worlds launched after today and the ongoing History and the Future & Airline Generations & Dawn of the Millennium games too.

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Sami · May 03, 2021, 08:39:11 AM

A318 data updates

Updates

Max pax capacity updated to 136.
1st delivery date corrected (2002->2003).
New engine variants Pratt & Whitney PW6124A and CFM International CFM56-5B9.
P&W engine launch dates adjusted (2005).
Minor updates to range values.
Minor updates to runway requirements.

These changes are effective only in all new game worlds launched after today.

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Sami · May 03, 2021, 12:54:19 PM

A319 data updates

Updates

Max pax capacity updated to 160.
Engine variants revised, they are now: CFM International CFM56-5A4, CFM International CFM56-5A5, CFM International CFM56-5B5, CFM International CFM56-5B6, CFM International CFM56-5B7, International Aero Engines V2522-A5, International Aero Engines V2524-A5, International Aero Engines V2527M-A5. (CFM56-5B7 and V2527M-A5 launch in 1999)
Minor updates to range values.
Minor updates to runway requirements.

These changes are effective only in all new game worlds launched after today.

This thread is locked and is reserved for announcements only. Please make all comments to the General forums: https://www.airwaysim.com/forum/index.php/topic,60273.0.html

Sami · September 24, 2021, 04:51:51 PM

Lisunov Li-2 added

Updates

Lisunov Li-2 data added.
"The Lisunov Li-2, originally designated PS-84, was a license-built Soviet-version of the Douglas DC-3. It has various modifications over the original model to meet with the operational environment of the Soviet Union."

These changes are effective only in all new game worlds launched today and after.

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Sami · May 14, 2022, 06:21:09 PM

Minor updates and fixes

Updates

The "maximum allowed daily frequency" between two airports rule/limit is removed as obsolete. This was an old anti-cheat measure disallowing more than ~50 daily flights between two given airports.
Various changes to UI script files and the way they are loaded, in preparation for the updated backend systems.
Added the optional "unlimited aircraft outside HQ" option for game worlds (in use in Modern Times game now).

Fixes

European Common Aviation Area model for new bases did not work for Swiss airlines; fixed.
Fixed wrong conversion option for Cessna 208A.
Boeing 747-200M and 747-200C maximum seating capacities and cargo volumes corrected. [only for new games]
Adjusted DC-9-10 maximum seating capacity to match the aircraft MTOW limits. [only for new games]
Noise level for Martin 2-0-2 and 4-0-4 corrected. [only for new games]

More updates next week

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Sami · May 24, 2022, 10:53:14 AM

Airbus A350F added

Updates

Airbus A350F data added. This is the cargo version produced by the factory, available from 2025 onwards.
Data is currently available only for new games since the plan is to update the A350 familiy specifications shortly as the current data is based on preliminary info before the first A350s were delivered in real life and now some more accurate data is available.

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Sami · June 29, 2022, 10:34:16 AM

Australia - New Zealand open skies model added

The two countries have ratified a full open-skies agreement, allowing all traffic, from summer 2003 onwards. This model is added now to all game worlds.

Updates

Australia - New Zealand open skies model added:
- No basing/expansion restrictions between these two countries.
- Available from August 2003.
- News is posted to Dashboard when the agreement has been put into force.
Changed the hard cap on aircraft production line ending, and decreased it from 35 to 30 yrs after the real-life production ended.

Fixes

Fixed repeating aircraft production ending news.

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Sami · November 20, 2022, 10:43:29 PM

Minor bugfixes

Updates

All in-game notification and reminder emails are now routed through Amazon's email services for better deliverablity. Make sure you mark AirwaySim as trusted sender in your email client, especially in Gmail!

Fixes

Burma / Myanmar aircraft registration prefix corrected to XY-. [only for new games]
Airport of Kasane / Botswana did not have any city based demand square data, corrected. [only for new games]
B727-100C +4.1tn MTOW variant fuel burn corrected. [only for new games]
Updated the max passenger capacity for Concorde: 128 pax. The previous change to 144pax was incorrect since a) it was over the plane's total payload limit and b) incorrect data reference. [only for new games]
Tu-154 conversions fixed, so that downgrades (Tu-154-B1 to Tu-154-B etc.) are not possible.
Fixed wrong special character encoding for Twitter feed news items.
Some typos fixed here and there.

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Sami · November 20, 2022, 10:44:01 PM

Tupolev Tu-144 data update

Updates

Added variants: Tu-144 is now Tu-144S and new long-range variant Tu-144D added.
Max pax capacity updated (120; nb. there is a bit of conflicting info on this, but this seems accurate).
Updated the fuel consumption values.
Updated the weight / range data.
Updated the speed profile.
Updated the runway requirements.

These changes are effective only in all new game worlds launched after today.

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Sami · January 16, 2023, 03:33:56 PM

Minor bugfixes

Fixes

Various minor fixes to route planning / airport search after the server software upgrade (some filters / sorting did not work properly).
All winglet/upgrade/conversion payload calculation issues fixed. Applicable only at the next system version (1.4) to be rolled out soon.
Most issues with moving schedules between fleets with techstops (etc. special cases) fixed. Applicable only at the next system version (1.4) to be rolled out soon.
Fixed incorrect price management link in route editor for techstop routes.
The "maximum allowed daily frequency" between two airports rule was accidentially still being enforced - is now removed.

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Sami · January 19, 2023, 12:57:25 PM

AirwaySim v.1.4

A major technical update to the backend structures related to routes, schedules and aircraft.

The whole structure and large parts of the code on flights/routes have been changed and updated to better suit how the game has developed over years, and what plans there are for the future.

As you know, traditionally all the updates to AirwaySim have been built into the existing games and code, but this time the update is introduced as a new software version, internally titled v.1.4, since the changes are major. Also for this reason the update / version change will be implemented to all running game worlds one by one, and during the update each particular game will be closed for about 5-15 minutes - info of this will be posted separately.

Updates

New database structure and code for routes, including techstops (changes in route management, route editor, route viewing, scheduling, statistics pages, office, dashboard, aircraft info pages, airport info pages, and backend calculation systems).
Preliminary implementation of some parts of future "v.2.0" code base for these changed areas.
New Route Information page for viewing/managing route details (picture below).
Routes can have now up to three (3) technical stopovers.
Minor changes to aircraft payload calculations to make them more accurate.
Minor changes to flight delay probability calculations.
Several fixes and minor changes at various pages / features.

Update 20-Jan-23 / 18.15z: All running games have been now upgraded to new v.1.4.

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