10-17-2018, 06:24 AM
(10-15-2018, 11:12 PM)Unknown98 Wrote: We had a real-time gate usage system but it was disabled due to not being accurate enough. The game used a script that ran every 5 minutes and updated the status of each gate. If your aircraft left the gate at 1:01 the gate would not update until 1:05, so if you had another aircraft land at 1:04 - the gate wouldn't be available. The only way I see a system like that working is to store and keep track of the gate (and slot) usage times in a database, and every time you update a route or make changes to an aircraft's turn time it would have to re-calculate that and update the stored values. I will have to think about it and see if it is something that can be done. But I will say it won't happen before the reset, it would be post-reset or possibly post-release. That kind of goes back to something I mentioned before but got some backlash on - limiting routes to only depart on the 5 min mark. So when creating a route you would select 00:05, 00:10, 00:15 and so on instead of being able to say, "depart at 8:37". It would make managing gate and slot block times much easier.
So does someone mind explaining to me how a separated gates/slots system would work? Would you need both a gate and slots to operate flights? Just one or the other? Would you lease a slots in addition to leasing gates? Excuse my ignorance but I just don't really understand how it all works together.
You don't lease a slot, you apply for a slot at the airport. The airport literally gives you a slot to allow you to land, pick-up/drop-off passengers, and depart. It is supposed to ensure that the runway/airport is not overly congested.
On the other hand, for airport gates, it really depends. I know of someone who is in charge of airport scheduling at a nearby airport and he tells me that the airport allocates the gates to the airline, but the airline is supposed to have the manpower to operate the gate. Essentially in this system you either provide your own ground crew or you ask a partner airline to supply you a ground crew and you pay them. On the other hand, if I am not wrong (someone who knows better correct me please) for American airports most of the gates are owned by the major airlines at the airport (especially those who have hubs/terminals in the airport) and you need to sub-lease from them...
Honestly I believe it is better that the flights are allowed to leave and arrive at 5 min mark. In reality most airports (I believe US is one of the exception) only have flights scheduled to leave at the 5 min mark and arrive at the 5 min mark. Also like many planes should not be allowed to be scheduled to land at the same time, else the runway will definitely jam...
Further readings/references:
https://www.iata.org/policy/slots/Pages/...lines.aspx
https://www.finavia.fi/en/newsroom/2018/...y-designed