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FAST (FlightAware Scraping Thingy)

by Josh Glottmann

Version 0.4.7 - 05/15/2023

Creates scenario files for ATCTrainer by Collin Koldoff using data from FlightAware*.

Download v0.4.7

Installation

  1. Download and unzip the FAST.zip package from the link above or on this repository's releases page.
  2. Move the FAST folder to a directory of your choosing. The FAST.txt configuration file must be saved in the FAST folder or in your Downloads folder.
  3. Download and install the latest version of Python.
  4. Download and install the latest version of Firefox or Chrome.
  5. FAST will automatically update files after running any file.

File Descriptions/Usage

APP_SCRAPE.py: Generates a CSV file containing aircraft data for arrivals from a specified airport. The arrival data is specifically targeted for nearby inbound arrivals joining a final approach course. This is useful for generating S1/S2 files.

ARR_SCRAPE.py: Generates a CSV file containing aircraft data for arrivals from a specified airport. The arrival data is specifically targeted for distant inbound arrivals established on a STAR or other routing. This is useful for generating S3 files.

DEP_SCRAPE.py: Generates a CSV file containing aircraft data for IFR departures from a specified airport.

DEP_VFR.py: Generates a CSV file containing aircraft data for a specified number of VFR departures.

APP_UPLOAD.py: Uploads approach (APP_SCRAPE) CSV files to vNAS Data Admin.

ARR_UPLOAD.py: Uploads approach (ARR_SCRAPE) CSV files to vNAS Data Admin.

DEP_UPLOAD.py: Uploads departure (DEP_SCRAPE and DEP_VFR) CSV files to vNAS Data Admin.

FAST.txt: Configuration file for all FAST settings. See below for more specific information.

FAST_UPDATE.py: Updates all FAST files, merging previous configuration settings into a new configuration file.

FAST.txt Configuration File

General Information

  • The FAST.txt configuration file must be saved in the FAST folder or in your Downloads folder.

  • Each configuration line is composed of a key and value, separated by an equals sign (=). e.g. AIRPORT=KSFO, AIRPORT is the key and KSFO is the value.

  • Do not modify the name of any key (the part before the equals sign (=).

  • Any text after the equals sign (=) is included in your configuration setting.

GLOBAL Configuration Settings

AIRPORT: the specified airport for the scenario being generated

  • AIRPORT=KSFO: KSFO is the specified airport

ARTCC: ARTCC that the scenario is being generated for in the vNAS Data Admin

BROWSER: the specified browser to utilize

  • BROWSER=Firefox: Firefox or Chrome are acceptable values (case insensitive)

SLOW_INTERNET_FACTOR: this value slows down page loading when increased, which may be necessary to download/upload data

  • SLOW_INTERNET_FACTOR=1: loads pages at the normal speed

  • SLOW_INTERNET_FACTOR=2: pages load 2 times slower than normal

LOGIN Configuration Settings

FLIGHTAWARE_USER: FlightAware username

FLIGHTAWARE_PASS: FlightAware password

SIM_USER: SIM CID

SIM_PASS: SIM password

DEP SCRAPE Configuration Settings

NUM_DEP: the number of IFR departures generated, may ultimately be slightly less than this value

GATE_REPLACE: any gates listed here will be replaced by the value after the colon (:); useful when a gate may have multiple definitions

  • GATE_REPLACE=A1:A1V,A6:A6S: planes parking at gate A1 will be assigned A1V in the CSV output file

DEP VFR Configuration Settings

NUM_VFR: the number of VFR aircraft generated, cannot be greater than the number of available GA parking spots

  • NUM_VFR=20: 20 VFR departures will be generated (less will be generated if there are fewer than 20 available GA parking spots)

GA_PARKING: this is a list of pre-defined GA parking spots in your aircraft file, all separated by commas (,)

  • GA_PARKING=SIG1,SIG2,SIG3,41-1,41-2,41-3: this would indicate that GA parking is available at spots SIG1, SIG2, SIG3, 41-1, 41-2, and 41-3

GA_PARKING_RESERVED: these GA parking spots will not be utilized in generating VFR aircraft

  • GA_PARKING_RESERVED=SIG1,41-1: parking spots SIG1 and 41-1 would not be utilized

SPAWN_DELAY_RANGE: spawn delays (in seconds) will be randomly generated between this range of numbers, separated by a hyphen (-)

  • SPAWN_DELAY_RANGE=0-900: spawn delays will be a random number between 0 and 900 seconds

VFR_TYPES: a list of possible VFR departure aircraft types separated by commas (,) with each aircraft type including a weighting following the type code and a colon (:)

  • VFR_TYPES=C172:500,C182:300,P28A:200: in this example, a C172 (500/1000) is 1.67 times as likely to be generated as a C182 (300/1000) and 2.5 times as likely as a P28A (200/1000)

  • VFR_TYPES=C172:1,C182:1,P28A:1: in this example, all aircraft are equally likely (1/3) of being generated

  • The default values included in the default configuration file approximately represents common piston aircraft in the U.S.

DEP UPLOAD Configuration Settings

DEP_SCENARIO: the scenario ID that has already been created in the vNAS Data Admin

  • The scenario ID can be found after /training/scenarios/ in the vNAS Data Admin URL

  • DEP_SCENARIO=01GX6E5E0HQKHRR3EA0V42VWPH: the following URL would result in this configuration value, https://data-admin.virtualnas.net/training/scenarios/01GX6E5E0HQKHRR3EA0V42VWPH

DEP_CSV_FILE: the CSV file utilized for data upload, located either in your Downloads folder or the FAST folder, the .csv extension does not need to be included

  • DEP_CSV_FILE=SFO_DEP_IFR_230403-1530: the CSV file being utilized would be SFO_DEP_IFR_230403-1530.csv

DEP_TIME_COMPRESSION: this causes all spawn delays to be divided by the specified value

  • DEP_TIME_COMPRESSION=4: if a spawn delay was originally 400 seconds, it would be reduced to 100 seconds

  • This is useful for spawning in more departures than an airport may typically see in a certain period of time for training purposes

DEP_TIME_OFFSET: all spawn delays are offset (sooner) by this amount of time in seconds; all spawn delays less than the offset spawn immediately; the offset is applied after any DEP_TIME_COMPRESSION above

  • DEP_TIME_OFFSET=600: all aircraft spawn 600 seconds sooner (after DEP_TIME_COMPRESSION is applied); an aircraft with a spawn delay of 300 seconds would spawn immediately; an aircraft with a spawn delay of 1250 seconds would spawn after 650 seconds

  • This is useful for spawning in aircraft immediately into a file

APP SCRAPE Configuration Settings

NUM_APP: the number of IFR arrivals generated which spawn on final approach, may ultimately be slightly less than this value

APP_PATHS: a list of arrival paths to determine which runway an aircraft lands on

  • APP_PATHS=28L:HEMAN DUYET,28R:CEPIN AXMUL: aircraft that fly closest to the path HEMAN DUYET will be assumed to be landing on runway 28L, aircraft that fly closest to the path CEPIN AXMUL will be assumed to be landing on runway 28R

APP_INTC: this is the lowest altitude that an aircraft will spawn at

  • APP_INTC=4000: the inbound aircraft's position, time, and altitude at the last data point before reaching (or going below) 4000 feet will be recorded

APP_DCT: a list of routing information for aircraft to join a final approach course

  • APP_DCT=28L:HEMAN,28R:CEPIN: all aircraft arriving runway 28L will fly directly to HEMAN and join the approach course

APP UPLOAD Configuration Settings

APP_SCENARIO: see DEP_SCENARIO above for usage

APP_CSV_FILE: see DEP_CSV_FILE above for usage

APP_TIME_COMPRESSION: see DEP_TIME_COMPRESSION above for usage

  • For busy airports, APP_TIME_COMPRESSION should likely be set to 1

APP_TIME_OFFSET: see DEP_TIME_OFFSET above for usage

  • APP_TIME_OFFSET=0 is the recommended value for most situations

APP_MAX_DELAY: this can be used to reduce the gap between arrivals

  • APP_MAX_DELAY=150: two aircraft will have at most a 150 second delay between each other

  • This setting should be utilized before modifying APP_TIME_COMPRESSION or APP_TIME_OFFSET

CROSS_RESTRICT: a list of crossing restrictions for inbound aircraft

  • CROSS_RESTRICT=HEMAN:3100,CEPIN:3000: aircraft routed via HEMAN will cross it at 3100 feet and 210 knots

SPEED_RESTRICT: a list of speed restrictions for inbound aircraft

  • SPEED_RESTRICT=HEMAN:180 DUYET,CEPIN:180 AXMUL: aircraft routed via HEMAN will maintain 180 knots until DUYET (after passing HEMAN)

ARR SCRAPE Configuration Settings

NUM_ARR: the number of IFR arrivals generated which spawn at a specified location on an arrival, may ultimately be slightly less than this value

ARR_PATHS: the arrival paths that will be searched for in an aircraft's route, the specified spawn in location, and the specified distance before the spawn in location, all separated by colons (:), each path is separated by a comma (,); the number sign (#) can be used as a wildcard for an arrival version number

  • ARR_PATHS=SERFR#:NRRLI:10,ALWYS CEDES ARCHI:ALWYS:10: aircraft on the SERFR arrival (of any version, e.g. SERFR4) will spawn in no closer than 10 nm before NRRLI; aircraft with the route ALWYS CEDES ARCHI in their flightplan will spawn in no closer then 10 nm before ALWYS

NOTE: in order to use ARR SCRAPE, a Waypoints.xml file must be placed in either the FAST folder, %appdata%\vSTARS, or %localappdata%\vERAM; the script will not work without this file included in either of those locations

ARR UPLOAD Configuration Settings

ARR_SCENARIO: see DEP_SCENARIO above for usage

ARR_CSV_FILE: see DEP_CSV_FILE above for usage

ARR_TIME_COMPRESSION: see DEP_TIME_COMPRESSION above for usage

  • For busy airports, ARR_TIME_COMPRESSION should likely be set to 1

ARR_TIME_OFFSET: see DEP_TIME_OFFSET above for usage

  • ARR_TIME_OFFSET=0 is the recommended value for most situations

ARR_MAX_DELAY: this can be used to reduce the gap between arrivals

  • ARR_MAX_DELAY=120: two aircraft will have at most a 120 second delay between each other

  • This setting should be utilized before modifying ARR_TIME_COMPRESSION or ARR_TIME_OFFSET

RWY_TRANSITION: runway transitions can be specified if the arrival requires one

  • RWY_TRANSITION=DYAMD:28R,ALWYS:19L: aircraft on the DYAMD arrival will fly the 28R transition; aircraft on the ALWYS arrival will fly the 19L transition

* Josh Glottmann is not responsible for any misuse of this software.