The initialization JSON is structured as an object containing various keys that define different aspects of the flight. The required keys differ depending on whether you're starting a new flight or updating an existing one.<\/p>\n
To start a new flight, you must provide:<\/p>\n
aircraft<\/code> key<\/li>\n- A start location key<\/strong> (exactly one of:
runway_start<\/code>, ramp_start<\/code>, lle_ground_start<\/code>, lle_air_start<\/code>, or boat_start<\/code>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nAll other keys are optional and will use default values if omitted.<\/p>\n
Updating an Ongoing Flight<\/h3>\n
When updating a flight, all keys are optional. Omitted keys leave the corresponding parameters unchanged. Note that you cannot change the start location or aircraft during an update – these require starting a new flight.<\/p>\n
Aircraft Configuration<\/h2>\nUser Aircraft<\/h3>\n"aircraft": {\n "path": "Aircraft\/Laminar Research\/Cessna 172SP\/Cessna_172SP.acf",\n "livery": "old_style"\n}\n<\/pre>\nRequired fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\npath<\/code> (string) – Path to .acf file relative to X-Plane root directory<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nOptional fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\nlivery<\/code> (string) – Name of livery subdirectory in the aircraft's liveries folder<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nStart Location Keys<\/h2>\n
You must specify exactly one start location type. Having multiple start keys or no start key makes the specification invalid.<\/p>\n
Runway Start<\/h3>\n"runway_start": {\n "airport_id": "KBOS",\n "runway": "22L",\n "final_distance_in_nautical_miles": 3.5,\n "tow_type": "tug",\n "tow_aircraft": {\n "path": "Aircraft\/Laminar Research\/Cessna 172\/C172.acf"\n }\n}\n<\/pre>\nRequired fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\nairport_id<\/code> (string) – Valid X-Plane airport ID<\/li>\nrunway<\/code> (string) – Runway ID at the specified airport<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nOptional fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\nfinal_distance_in_nautical_miles<\/code> (float) – If present, starts on final approach at this distance. Otherwise starts at runway threshold<\/li>\ntow_type<\/code> (string) – One of "tug"<\/code>, "winch"<\/code>, or "none"<\/code> (default: "none"<\/code>)<\/li>\ntow_aircraft<\/code> (object) – Aircraft specification for tow plane. Required if tow_type<\/code> is "tug"<\/code><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nNote:<\/strong> You cannot specify both final_distance_in_nautical_miles<\/code> and tow_type<\/code> simultaneously.<\/p>\nRamp Start<\/h3>\n"ramp_start": {\n "airport_id": "KBOS",\n "ramp": "B3"\n}\n<\/pre>\nRequired fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\nairport_id<\/code> (string) – Valid X-Plane airport ID<\/li>\nramp<\/code> (string) – Name of the ramp start location at the airport<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nGround Start (Lat\/Lon)<\/h3>\n"lle_ground_start": {\n "latitude": 42.23492,\n "longitude": -72.18281,\n "heading_true": 310.1\n}\n<\/pre>\nRequired fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\nlatitude<\/code> (float) – Latitude in degrees (-90 to 90)<\/li>\nlongitude<\/code> (float) – Longitude in degrees (-180 to 180)<\/li>\nheading_true<\/code> (float) – True heading in degrees (0 to 360)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nAir Start (Lat\/Lon)<\/h3>\n"lle_air_start": {\n "latitude": 42.120,\n "longitude": -71.20,\n "elevation_in_meters": 310,\n "heading_true": 150.0,\n "speed_in_meters_per_second": 120,\n "pitch_in_degrees": 1.2\n}\n<\/pre>\nRequired fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\nlatitude<\/code> (float) – Latitude in degrees (-90 to 90)<\/li>\nlongitude<\/code> (float) – Longitude in degrees (-180 to 180)<\/li>\nelevation_in_meters<\/code> (float) – Elevation MSL in meters<\/li>\nheading_true<\/code> (float) – True heading in degrees (0 to 360)<\/li>\n- One of the following two options to specify the speed\n
\nspeed_in_meters_per_second<\/code> (float)<\/li>\nspeed_enum<\/code> (string) – One of "short_field_approach"<\/code>, "normal_approach"<\/code>, or "cruise"<\/code><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nOptional fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\npitch_in_degrees<\/code> (float) – Aircraft pitch (default: 0)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nBoat Start<\/h3>\n"boat_start": {\n "boat_name": "carrier",\n "start_position": "catapult_1",\n "boat_location": {\n "latitude": 42.293432,\n "longitude": -69.23423\n },\n "final_distance_in_nautical_miles": 1.5\n}\n<\/pre>\nRequired fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\nboat_name<\/code> (string) – One of "carrier"<\/code> or "frigate"<\/code><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nOptional fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\nstart_position<\/code> (string) – One of "catapult_1"<\/code>, "catapult_2"<\/code>, "catapult_3"<\/code>, "catapult_4"<\/code>, or "deck"<\/code>. Required for carrier deck starts. Not allowed with final_distance_in_nautical_miles<\/code><\/li>\nboat_location<\/code> (object) – Latitude\/longitude to relocate the boat<\/li>\nfinal_distance_in_nautical_miles<\/code> (float) – If present, starts on final approach<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nWeight and Balance<\/h3>\n"weight": {\n "payload_weight_in_kilograms": [100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900],\n "fueltank_weight_in_kilograms": [100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900],\n "jato_weight_in_kilograms": 500,\n "slung_load": {\n "path_to_obj": "path\/to\/slung\/load.obj",\n "weight_in_kilograms": 100\n },\n "jettisonable_weight_in_kilograms": 250,\n "shiftable_weight_in_kilograms": 75,\n "deice_holdover_time_in_minutes": 60,\n "oxygen_pressure_in_millibars": 3000,\n "deice_fluid_in_liters": 1500,\n "external_fueltank_weight_in_kilograms": [1000, 1000]\n}\n<\/pre>\nRequired fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\npayload_weight_in_kilograms<\/code> (array) – Up to 9 payload station weights<\/li>\nfueltank_weight_in_kilograms<\/code> (array) – 1-9 fuel tank weights in kilograms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nOptional fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\njato_weight_in_kilograms<\/code> (float) – JATO system weight<\/li>\nslung_load<\/code> (object) – Slung load specification with weight_in_kilograms<\/code> and path_to_obj<\/code><\/li>\njettisonable_weight_in_kilograms<\/code> (float) – Jettisonable weight<\/li>\nshiftable_weight_in_kilograms<\/code> (float) – Shiftable weight for control<\/li>\ndeice_holdover_time_in_minutes<\/code> (float)<\/li>\noxygen_pressure_in_millibars<\/code> (float)<\/li>\ndeice_fluid_in_liters<\/code> (float)<\/li>\nexternal_fueltank_weight_in_kilograms<\/code> (array) – External fuel tank weights<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nEngine Status<\/h3>\n"engine_status": {\n "all_engines": {\n "running": true\n }\n}\n<\/pre>\nRequired fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\nall_engines.running<\/code> (boolean) – Whether all engines should be running or not<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nWeapons<\/h3>\n"weapons": [\n {\n "index": 0,\n "filename": "AIM7-Sparrow.wpn"\n },\n {\n "index": 1,\n "filename": "AIM9-Sidewinder.wpn"\n }\n]\n<\/pre>\nArray of weapon loadout specifications:<\/p>\n
\nindex<\/code> (integer) – Hardpoint index from Plane Maker<\/li>\nfilename<\/code> (string) – Name of .wpn file (searches aircraft folder first, then global)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nFailures<\/h3>\n"failures": {\n "fix_everything": false,\n "mean_time_between_failures_in_hours": 5000.0,\n "operation_failures": [\n {\n "name": "fuel_water",\n "status": "fail_at_speed_in_knots",\n "value": 150.0\n },\n {\n "name": "inverter0",\n "status": "fail_at_altitude_in_feet",\n "value": 5000.0\n }\n ]\n}\n<\/pre>\nOptional fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\nfix_everything<\/code> (boolean) – Whether to fix all systems before applying new failures (default: true)<\/li>\nmean_time_between_failures_in_hours<\/code> (float) – MTBF for random failures (0 = disabled)<\/li>\noperation_failures<\/code> (array) – Array of specific failure configurations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nEach failure object contains:<\/p>\n
\nname<\/code> (string) – Failure system name<\/li>\nstatus<\/code> (string) – One of: "always_work"<\/code>, "fail_mean_time_in_hours"<\/code>, "fail_exact_time_in_hours"<\/code>, "fail_at_speed_in_knots"<\/code>, "fail_at_altitude_in_feet"<\/code>, "fail_at_command_trigger"<\/code>, "inoperative"<\/code><\/li>\nvalue<\/code> (float) – Required for time\/speed\/altitude failure types<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nAI Aircraft and Traffic<\/h2>\nAI Aircraft<\/h3>\n"ai_aircraft": [\n {\n "aircraft": {\n "path": "Aircraft\/Laminar Research\/Van's Aircraft RV-10\/RV-10.acf"\n },\n "mission": "atc"\n },\n {\n "aircraft": {\n "path": "Aircraft\/Laminar Research\/F-4 Phantom II\/F-4.acf"\n },\n "mission": "combat_team_red"\n }\n]\n<\/pre>\nArray of AI aircraft specifications:<\/p>\n
\naircraft<\/code> (object) – Aircraft specification (see User Aircraft)<\/li>\nmission<\/code> (string) – One of: "atc"<\/code>, "combat_team_red"<\/code>, "combat_team_blue"<\/code>, "combat_team_green"<\/code>, "combat_team_gold"<\/code><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nFormation Aircraft<\/h3>\n"formation_aircraft": {\n "path": "Aircraft\/Laminar Research\/Cessna 172\/C172.acf"\n}\n<\/pre>\nSpecifies an AI aircraft for formation flying. Uses the same aircraft specification format.<\/p>\n
Incursion<\/h3>\n"incursion": {\n "aircraft": { \n "path": "Aircraft\/Laminar Research\/Boeing 737-800\/b738.acf" \n },\n "type": "runway_incursion_arm"\n}\n<\/pre>\nFields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\naircraft<\/code> (object) – Aircraft specification<\/li>\ntype<\/code> (string) – One of: "flight_incursion"<\/code>, "runway_incursion_arm"<\/code>, "runway_incursion_execute"<\/code>, "clear_incursion"<\/code><\/li>\n<\/ul>\nEnvironment Configuration<\/h2>\nDate and Time<\/h3>\n
If you want to specify date and time, exactly one time configuration method must be supplied:<\/p>\n
System Time<\/h3>\n"use_system_time": true\n<\/pre>\nLocal Time<\/h3>\n"local_time": {\n "day_of_year": 100,\n "time_in_24_hours": 15.9\n}\n<\/pre>\nRequired fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\nday_of_year<\/code> (integer) – Day of year (0 = January 1)<\/li>\ntime_in_24_hours<\/code> (float) – Time of day in hours (e.g., 13.5 = 1:30 PM)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nGMT Time<\/h3>\n"gmt_time": {\n "day_of_year": 100,\n "time_in_24_hours": 15.9\n}\n<\/pre>\nRequired fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\nday_of_year<\/code> (integer) – Day of year (0 = January 1)<\/li>\ntime_in_24_hours<\/code> (float) – Time of day in hours (e.g., 13.5 = 1:30 PM)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nTime Preset<\/h3>\n"time_enum": "sunset"\n<\/pre>\nValid values: "day"<\/code>, "sunset"<\/code>, "evening"<\/code>, "night"<\/code><\/p>\nWeather<\/h3>\n
If you want to specify new weahter, exactly one weather configuration method must be provided:<\/p>\n
Real Weather<\/h3>\n"weather": "use_real_weather"\n<\/pre>\nWeather Scenario<\/h3>\n"weather": {\n "definition": "vfr_few_clouds",\n "vertical_speed_in_thermal_in_feet_per_minute": 250,\n "wave_height_in_meters": 2,\n "wave_direction_in_degrees": 200,\n "terrain_state": "dry",\n "variation_across_region_percentage": 100,\n "evolution_over_time_enum": "static"\n}\n<\/pre>\nRequired fields:<\/strong><\/p>\n\ndefinition<\/code> (string or object) – Preset name or custom weather definition (see below)<\/li>\n