X-Plane winds/temps aloft

[patrickperalta]

I noticed a discrepancy between the temperature reflected in X-Plane and the temperature as reported by ASXP (and weather.gov).

The temperature at SBA at 6000 ft is reported as 22 degrees:

https://imgur.com/a/MnK2qQB

However X-Plane shows the temperature as 5 degrees (the wind direction and velocity does match ASXP):

https://imgur.com/a/c3ZJzT1

The only information I could find about winds/temps aloft and X-Plane is this article about X-Plane 10:

https://developer.x-plane.com/article/custom-wind-weather-in-x-plane-10/

It says:

Winds.rwx
This file loads custom winds 10,000 ft and 34,000 ft into X-Plane, so you have winds aloft for both light planes and airliners, with interpolation for turboprops that fly in between.

Is this still a limitation with X-Plane 11? Is ASXP able to configure X-Plane with accurate temperatures at altitude (other than 10,000 and FL 340)?

 

[maxam]

Hello,

Thank you for writing in to us, we will follow up as soon as possible.

 

[damian]

Hello,

X-Plane is indeed quite limited in control of temperature. Winds.rwx does not allow specification of temperature, it uses only basic surface temp lapse rate calculation, assuming you're using normal default cloud depiction (theme/real wx) mode. The surface temps come from metar.rwx.

If using global static depiction mode, we have some additional control, at the tropopause height (~FL330, depending on latitude/season) and make that altitude the priority and attempt to force the average actual lapse rate per the data to establish proper surface + tropopause temps. Interim altitudes may be off in this case depending on actual vs. standard lapse rate differences.

This might explain things if you are using global static depiction mode. Notice the significant temperature inversion and variance from anything "standard" based on the aloft temps reported from ASXP. In that case, there's unfortunately nothing we can do at this point within the current depiction limitations other than suggest using normal default mode (and wait for future new depiction technology from us). If already using normal default depiction mode, then there appears to be some kind of interference or other issue preventing the normal X-Plane temp lapse rate. In either case feel free to open a ticket for additional assistance: https://support.hifitechinc.com

Thanks!

 

[maxam]

Hello,

If you post a support ticket be sure to include a link to this thread.

 

[patrickperalta]

Winds.rwx does not allow specification of temperature, it uses only basic surface temp lapse rate calculation, assuming you're using normal default cloud depiction (theme/real wx) mode. The surface temps come from metar.rwx.

That explanation makes sense. If X-Plane is using the surface METAR (which indicates 17 degrees) then a 2 degree per 1000 feet decrease would be 5 degrees. It is interesting because this seems to make temperature inversion impossible to model in X-Plane. :confused2:

In this case I was not using global static depiction - I was using the default mode.

I can file a support ticket if that helps. Is it actually possible for you to add this, or does this require a change in X-Plane itself?

Thanks!
Patrick

 

[theheatho]

Hi,

I was recently flying the Toliss A321 with ActiveSky enabled for X-Plane 11.50

I was cruising at FL360 and the ISA deviation was showing +0 degrees on my ECAM, yet SimBrief had predicted +12 degrees at the location I was at.

I compared the SAT in my sim versus my friend's sim who was directly in front of me at the same altitude and he was showing 12 degrees warmer. We both were using ActiveSky, except he was in P3D.

I looked at ActiveSky and noticed in the "Debug" menu that temps said "N/A" for current position.

Toliss claims they reference the following datarefs:

• sim/weather/temperature_ambient_c
• sim/weather/temperature_le_c

I used my dataref viewer tool and confirmed that their aircraft is reading those datarefs correctly.

My question is this: is ActiveSky supposed to modify these datarefs? If so, I don't think it is.

 

[maxam]

Hello,

Was this while using Global Static Depiction Mode?

 

[theheatho]

Can't say I know what that is. Is that an ActiveSky setting or X-plane setting?