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Flight Logger

How the Knight Air Flight Logger Works

First this program uses FSUIPC by Peter Dowson. Version 2.82 or later is required. This allos the flight logger to extract data from the flight Simulator whilst it is running.

The program is written in Visual Basic and uses a couple of custom controls to get a nice look and feel. Sheridan's ActiveToolbars provide the menu and toolbars. Sheridan's ActiveTab provides the tab panels and the flight logging Wizard.

The clever part is how the program can determine when the various times need to be recorded. This is implemented using a programming technique called a 'state machine'. The program is always in a certain 'state' and in this state it is looking for a certain event to happen. For example, this assumes that the engines are started before pushback for simplicity.

Pressing the start flight button switches to a 'waiting for engines start' state. When ALL of the engines on the aircraft have been started the flight logger switches to a 'waiting for pushback' state. When pushback is detected it switches to a 'waiting for takeoff' state and so on. The actual logic is far more complex as events need not happen in a linear order. For example it is perfectly possible to pushback and then start the engines as the pushback is happening. If this occurs then the pushback time will be earlier than the engines start time.

The FS2002 pushback feature is fully supported but for other versions pushback is defined as the ground speed exceeding 5knots

The flight logger also contains a sophisticated 'bounce' checking system. This prevents false landing indications if you start to sink back onto the runway after rotation,

How each time is recorded

This is the time you press the 'Start Flight' button.

This is the time that ALL of the engines have been started. Recording of engine start and shutdown times is optional and can be configured in the program options.

This is the time that the aircraft is pushed back. For FS2k2 this time will be recorded when the new pushback feature is used or the ground speed exceeds 5 knots. For FS2000 this time will be logged if the ground speed exceeds 5 knots

It is perfectly possible to pushback and then start the engines, in this case the engine start time will be recorded after the pushback time. This mirrors the real world a bit better.

This is the time that the aircraft leaves the ground. Recording this time can be a bit tricky as a bounce on takeoff would be misinterpreted as a very short flight! Also the flight record must be capable of recording abandoned takeoffs, if you are feeling suicidal that is!

The flight logger support 'bounce checking' this should prevent false landing indications if you bounce (!) on takeoff. After a takeoff has been recorded the flight logger will wait for a period of time, the 'bounce check interval', before it looks for the next event,  a touchdown event. This should allow you to happily sink back onto the runway, realise your mistake and slam the throttles open. If you are running out of runway and slam on the anchors then after the 'bounce check interval' has expired it will be recorded as a landing ( A suicidal aborted takeoff).

This is the time that the aircraft touches down. See the notes above re bounce checking

This is the time that the Parking Brakes are applied. It is important that you use the parking brakes as it
    A) Makes the ground crew much happier
    B) stops $150 million dollars worth of metal rolling into the terminal.
    C) Makes my flight logger work!

This is the time that ALL of the engines have been shutdown.

This is the time that you press the 'End Flight' button