Let us start with creating a new AI aircraft from a flying model, the ones you may have already installed into your FS9 Aircraft Folder. I will use an Airbus A310-221 Air Malta as an example (But this could be any aircraft you wish as long as it was created for FS9)

(1) Take a downloaded Aircraft Folder e.g. A310AirMalta, and open it. Inside you will find the following….Folders…….Model, Panel, Sound, Texture and a file with .air as its extension.
You will also see an Aircraft.cfg file. There maybe effects and gauges files and lots of pictures and info sheets. Next let us make a copy of your A310AirMalta folder as is and put it in a temp folder - not in flightsim. Now we will rename it so we know its an AI Aircraft i.e. A310AirMalta becomes AI_A310-221_AirMalta.

(2) Open AI_A310-221_AirMalta and delete all folders and files except Model, Sound, Texture, Aircraft.cfg and the .air file

(3) The Model Folder - leave alone.

(4) The Sound Folder - check its size i.e. open it and it should have a sound.cfg file and if you open the file with notepad it should look something similar to: -
[fltsim]
alias=b737_400/sound.
If the sound folder has a lot of .wav files it may or may not slow your frame rate down, this it up to you.

(5) The Texture Folder - check the total size of the Folder. Only use a Texture folder with less than 20mb the smaller the better, as the airports get busy the frame rate will fall off. Yes, they will still work up to 40+ mb, but you then start to get blurring or loss of some textures or even FS crashing etc.

(6) The .air file is the file that controls the aircraft's behaviour. In most cases you can leave it alone and the aircraft will land and take off okay! But some need this file changing; we will come to that when testing.

(7) The Aircraft config file is important. One mistake and the aircraft will not show up at all. Open the File with notepad - should look something like this (I have left out the bits you leave alone)

In red are the things we change and add if not present

[fltsim.0]
title = A310-221 Air Malta OO-SCI
sim =a310-221-v1
model =
panel =
sound =
texture =AM
kb_checklists =
kb_reference =
atc_airline = Air Malta
atc_flight_number =
atc_id = OO-SCI
atc_heavy = 0
atc_parking_types= Gate,Ramp
atc_parking_codes= AMC
ui_manufacturer = AI
ui_type = A310-221
ui_variation = Air Malta

visual_damage = 0

[General]
performance = 2 x PW JT9D-7R4D1 @ 45,800 lbs/nMTOW/t313,050 lbs/nMLW/t261,247 lbs/nZFW/t239,201 lbs/nCruise/tM0.80/nMax alt./t41,000 ft/nRange/t3,650 nm/nVmo//Mmo/t360kts//.84M
atc_type = AIRBUS
atc_model = A310

[GeneralEngineData]
engine_type = 1
Engine.0 = 20.180, -25.600, -8.100
Engine.1 = 20.180, 25.600, -8.100
fuel_flow_scalar = 0.798
min_throttle_limit=-0.349915
max_contrail_temperature=-27
[EFFECTS]
wake = fx_wake
water = fx_spray
dirt = fx_tchdrt
concrete = fx_sparks
touchdown = fx_tchdwn, 1
contrail=fx_A_I_Contrail

[Reference Speeds]
flaps_up_stall_speed = 140.000
full_flaps_stall_speed = 109.000
cruise_speed = 470.000
max_indicated_speed=340.000000
max_mach=0.839990

Lets start with the title= this must match the one in your flight plans, or if using Grayflyer's it will look like this in the Aircraft_Airline.txt sheet …………… AC#3335,470,"A310-221 Air Malta OO-SCI" and on the FlightPlans_Airlines.txt… AC#3335,OO-SCI,80%,12Hr,IFR,08:05:54,10:45:45,320,F,6020,EGLL,14:05:25,16:45:16,310,F,6022,LMML

Put in the Airline if not present
atc_airline = Air Malta

Flight number leave blank FS9 takes care of this
atc_flight_number =

Put in the aircrafts call sign here
atc_id = OO-SCI

Put in 1 if the Aircraft is a Heavy i.e. B747 or Galaxy C5
Put in 0 if the Aircraft is similar to a B737 or A319 in size
atc_heavy = 0

Put in =Gate,Ramp for Heavy to medium airliners
Put in =Cargo,Gate,Ramp for Heavy to small cargo planes
Put in =Ramp if there are only large to small GA Aircraft
For Military Aircraft Use =Mil_Cargo or =Mil_Combat any combination (don't forget the comma between the types of parking)

atc_parking_types= Gate,Ramp

Now if you want to park the aircraft at the same spot each time put the Airlines Code in. The Parking Code Page in the Airport Data Sheet will show you which codes I am using in Grayflyer Airports. In the one shown it's AMC meaning Air Malta's parking spot (if the Airport it travels to has not got one then FS9 will park it in any available spot according to the aircrafts turning circle).

atc_parking_codes= AMC

Put in =AI this will separate the aircraft you fly from the AI's in the FS choose an “Aircraft” menu

ui_manufacturer = AI

Put this in so that you can identify your AI's landing and taking off in the ATC Traffic menu

ui_type = A310-221

Put this in so that you can identify your AI's landing and taking off in the ATC Traffic menu

ui_variation = Air Malta

It is best if you have visual damage set to 0 (off) it stops aircraft flying around with sparks etc

visual_damage = 0

These will probably be already in - just check they are correct

[General]
performance = 2 x PW JT9D-7R4D1 @ 45,800 lbs/nMTOW/t313,050 lbs/nMLW/t261,247 lbs/nZFW/t239,201 lbs/nCruise/tM0.80/nMax alt./t41,000 ft/nRange/t3,650 nm/nVmo//Mmo/t360kts//.84M
atc_type = AIRBUS
atc_model = A310

If you want your AI to leave contrails then you need to add the last line to [GeneralEngineData] & [Effects]. Make sure there is not an entry already….you will also require the appropriate file in the Effects Folder (if you require the file look in the Extra's download file under the name of fx_A_I_Contrail.fx and simply copy it into your Effects Folder.

[GeneralEngineData]
engine_type = 1
Engine.0 = 20.180, -25.600, -8.100
Engine.1 = 20.180, 25.600, -8.100
fuel_flow_scalar = 0.798
min_throttle_limit=-0.349915
max_contrail_temperature=-27

[EFFECTS]
wake = fx_wake
water = fx_spray
dirt = fx_tchdrt
concrete = fx_sparks
touchdown = fx_tchdwn, 1
contrail=fx_A_I_Contrail

You don't have to change anything in Reference speeds except take note that if the Cruise speed is set at a ridiculous speed, either too high or too low, then the AI will not be able to land correctly. You should also make sure that the cruise speed is the same in the Aircraft.txt (Flightplan) AC#3335, 470 ,"A310-221 Air Malta OO-SCI" as shown here in the aircrafts.cfg

[Reference Speeds]
flaps_up_stall_speed = 140.000
full_flaps_stall_speed = 109.000
cruise_speed = 470.000
max_indicated_speed=340.000000
max_mach=0.839990

Finally if your aircraft will not land correctly or will not show up on testing try changing the .air file. You will find a .air file to suit most aircraft in my AI Air Replacement download on the Grayflyer website. All you have to do is replace the air file in the aircraft folder with mine and change the name to match the file
Put in here the new file name i.e. sim=AI_A310-600F

sim =a310-221-v1

To be able to look at the plan view of Grayflyer Airbases & Airports you will need to install AFCAD 2.21 - see below. They come with full instructions.

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Now comes the hard bit!!! How to get AI aircraft to land, park and take off again. You will need New Flightplans.......first install TTools onto your computer (You will find a copy of TTools, Collect Airports and Afcad 2.21 on my website)