A HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) random mission generator package for the X-Plane flight simulator including crew intercom simulation and automatic animations (doors, boom, winch, cargo, boarding/unboarding etc.).
The mission generator uses a mission template which is processed by the Mission-X plugin for creating random but plausible rescue scenarios. Mission goals and accident locations are computed dynamically based on distance, terrain features (slope, surface), annotated vector data obtained from the live OpenStreetMap database (roads, trails, pistes, outdoor pitches/parkings and administrative boundaries) and augmented with real historical traffic accident open data (where available). Rescue locations are populated with plausible objects to make them recognizable from the air. Mission types include patient extractions (by either landing at or hovering over designated accident locations) and hospital transfers. Crew interaction during hovering (winch ops) is partially automated and simulated (attach/detach payload, boom operation, payload and hover position advisories). Location of patient drop-off is calculated to give a plausible travel distance (e.g. closest hospital up to a maximum, but not too close). Mission progress and instructions are communicated over audio (TTS).
The package basically includes the following:
- config files (.xml, .ini, .txt)
- script files (.bas, .lua)
- custom overlay scenery for hospitals
- a custom heliport scenery library (heliport_lib)
- custom aircraft definitions (.acf)
- various resources (e.g. images)
In the current state it provides dedicated mission templates for HEMS missions originating out of a subset of heliports located in Switzerland only as well as for a limited number of aircraft models.
- LSMD Dübendorf (Rega 1 home base)
- LSXU Untervaz (Rega 5 home base)
- LSZF Birrfeld (Lions 1 home base, operated by Alpine Air Ambulance AG)
- LSZE Zermatt (operated by Air Zermatt)
- LSGS Sion (operated by Air-Glaciers)
Due to the scripted interaction with the aircraft (animations, weight distribution etc.) custom integration for the actual aircraft model is required. This is the reason why separate mission templates are provided per aircraft type.
Currently the following helicopter models are supported:
- EC 135 v5 EMS by Rotorsim
- H145 Rescue Version v3.1 by VLC-Entwicklung
Limited support is also provided for the H145 v0.9 by XFER Design model but due to the lack of built-in winch/boom animations there will be visualization artifacts.
This might get extended and/or made more generic in the future.
Note that only a port-side mounted hoist is supported for hover missions or otherwise animations will not match.
- Working X-Plane installation (Windows is fully supported, Mac/Linux will be limited to non-winch-ops missions)
- X-Plane sound output enabled with system support for speech synthesis (check sound settings)
- Working internet connection (for querying the live OSM database)
- Mission-X plugin v3.0.303.13 or later incl. "Random Mission Pack"
- Latest FlyWithLUA plugin
- Latest Helicopter Sling Load (HSL) plugin (currently Windows only)
- At least one of the following aircraft models installed in X-Plane's home folder under
./Aircraft/Helicoptersusing their default folder names i.e.:- EC 135 v5 EMS installed under
./Aircraft/Helicopters/EC 145 V5 EMS - H145 Rescue Version v3.1 installed under
./Aircraft/Helicopters/H145 T2 Rescue Version XP11 V3.1 - XFER Design H145 v0.9 installed under
./Aircraft/Helicopters/XFER Design H145 v0.9
- EC 135 v5 EMS installed under
- Scenery libraries: RescueX, 3D People, R2, OpenSceneryX, MisterX, CDB, RuScenery, Handy Objects, NZ Pro Scenery - Overlay
- Base mesh scenery covering Central Europe or at least the area of Switzerland and Southern Germany (Baden-Württemberg) as a minimum
- A ZL17 orthophoto mesh based on high-quality elevation data is highly recommended
- Latest X-Europe overlay scenery
Installation involves copying files into the following folders within X-Plane's home directory:
./Custom Scenery/missionx/HEMS_Mission_Generator
./Custom Scenery/CH_Hospitals
./Custom Scenery/heliport_lib
./Aircraft/Helicopters/EC 135 V5 EMS
./Aircraft/Helicopters/H145 T2 Rescue Version XP11 V3.1
./Aircraft/Helicopters/XFER Design H145 v0.9
./Aircraft/_slingload_objects
./Resources/plugins/FlyWithLua/Scripts
./Resources/plugins/FlyWithLua/Modules
./Resources/plugins/HSL
To be on the safe side consider making backup copies of these folders before proceeding.
- Download the current master branch as a zip file
- Unzip the contents of the zipped folder "hems_mission_generator_master" directly into X-Plane's home folder overwriting any existing files (don't unzip the folder "hems_mission_generator_master" itself!).
- Create symlinks to X-Plane's core scenery assets by executing the following scripts from within X-Plane's home folder:
- Windows:
HMG_win_create_symlinks.bat(requires admin - script will ask for privilege elevation automatically) - Linux:
HMG_linux_create_symlinks.sh
- Windows:
Note: This will create a folder .git inside your X-Plane home which is holding the Git metadata for this repository. If that folder already exists and it wasn't created by a previous installation of this addon then you will have to revert the Zip file method for installation.
This method requires an installed Git client so that the git command is available on the command line. To verify open a command terminal and execute the following command:
git --version
It should output the Git version on the console. If not that means your Git client was not installed correctly.
By following the instructions below the master branch of this Github repository will be checked out ("cloned") locally into the existing X-Plane home folder overwriting any existing files. It assumes there is no pre-existing folder named .git inside your X-Plane home folder.
-
Open a command terminal inside X-Plane's home folder
-
Execute the following commands in sequence:
git config core.symlinks true git init git remote add origin https://github.com/d41k4n/hems_mission_generator.git git fetch git reset origin/master git reset --hard HEAD
To update (or reinstall) the latest version simply execute the following commands from within X-Plane's home folder:
git fetch
git reset --hard HEAD
To be on the safe side make sure the scenery pack CH_Hospitals is given highest priority in scenery_packs.ini.
The scenery packs missionx and heliport_lib do not require any special priority and can be placed anywhere in scenery_packs.ini.
For best experience during hover missions it is recommended to assign the following commands to some physical controllers (e.g. joystick buttons):
FlyWithLua/hoist/show_toggle- Toggles a small pop-up window with some useful info about the status of the hoist such as current rope length and height above ground.
FlyWithLua/hoist/winch_down- Lowers the winch while pressed (release to stop)
FlyWithLua/hoist/winch_up- Raises the winch while pressed (release to stop)
Starting missions is done by selecting the provided mission template through the Mission-X UI:
- In the X-Plane menu select
Plugins -> Mission-X vx.x.xxx.x - Click on
Templates - Select the "HEMS Mission Generator" template icon
- Read the template description carefully and make sure that
- you have selected the desired option for the combination of location and helicopter from the dropdown
- you have configured your flight to use the appropriate helicopter model as indicated (use port-side hoist configuration for hover missions)
- you are positioned within 80m of the indicated home base coordinates (this will also be evaluated as your last waypoint or the mission won't terminate)
- Click on
Generate Mission from Template - Wait for the actual mission to be generated (a blue button labeled
>> Start mission <<will appear) - Read again the template description as it will now contain the actual mission briefing
- When ready, click
>> Start mission << - Listen for audio messages containing status information and/or instructions as the mission progresses
- Have fun!
-
Before starting your first mission it might be a good idea to verify all included scenery is installed correctly by visually inspecting the heliport locations. There are ramp starts provided at each of them so it's possible to start flights there. The list of currently provided heliports is the following:
ICAO ID Name LSKB LSKB [H] Kantonsspital Baden LSCB LSCB [H] Regionalspital Bülach LSHF LSHF [H] Kantonsspital Frauenfeld LSKI XLS000S [H] Regionalspital Surselva Ilanz LSKL LSKL [H] Regionalspital Limmattal Schlieren LSXM LSXM [H] Klinik Gut St.Moritz LSHT XLS000J [H] Regionalspital Thusis LSKS LSKS [H] Regionalspital Unterengadin Scuol LSKZ LSKZ [H] Kantonsspital Zug LSKT LSKT [H] Stadtspital Zürich Triemli LSHA XLS000D [H] Kantonsspital Aarau LSHB LSHB [H] Universitätsspital Basel LSHC XLS000G [H] Kantonsspital Graubünden Chur LSHD XLS000F [H] Regionalspital Davos LSHF XLS0015 [H] Kantonsspital Uri LSHG XLS0010 [H] Kantonsspital St.Gallen LSHI LSHI [H] Universitätsspital Insel Bern LSHJ XLS000P [H] Kinderspital Zürich LSHL LSHL [H] Kantonsspital Luzern LSHO LSHO [H] Ospedale regionale di Bellinzona e valli LSHQ LSHQ [H] Kantonsspital Glarus LSHR LSHR [H] Ospedale regionale di Locarno LSHS XLS000V [H] Hopital de Sion LSHT XLSZ1 [H] Ospedale regionale di Lugano LSHV LSHV [H] Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois LSHW XLS000Y [H] Kantonsspital Winterthur LSHZ XLS000W [H] Universitätsspital Zürich LSHP XLS000U [H] Spital Visp LSUS LSUS [H] Urgence Sembrancher LSOC LSOC [H] Chermignon LSVI LSOA [H] Arolla LSCR LSCR [H] Centre hospitalier de Rennaz -
It's important to follow the instructions provided during flight and wait with proceeding to the next waypoint of the generated flight plan until you are instructed to do so. Aborting/skipping any intermediate tasks will cause the mission not to progress correctly.
-
There are no strict time limits for completing any of the flight legs and tasks.
- A flight plan containing the minimal set of mandatory waypoints is auto-generated and will be loaded into the GPS/FMS at mission start. Reaching of these waypoints (within a radius of 80m) is evaluated by the mission script.
- The flight plan can also be exported for use in third-party tools. Have a look at the documentation at
./Resources/plugins/missionx/docs/Configuring External FPLN folders for Mission-X (vx.x.xxx.x).pdf
- Lowering/raising the winch must be done by you (the pilot). While this is not realistic it is done to give full control over coordinating your flight position and attitude with respect to the position and movement of attached load.
- Use the hoist plugin pop-up (see Suggested controller setup) to determine when the attached load reaches the ground by comparing current rope length with above ground altitude.
- Keep lowering the winch until you hear/read the message "Stop winch!". You might have to keep extending the rope beyond the current height above ground in order to provide some extra slack (e.g. to compensate for horizontal and/or vertical drift).
- Start raising the winch when you hear/read message "Start raising winch carefully".
- If you hear/read the message "Get back into position!" that means you have strayed too far from the hover target (> 30m horizontally, >150ft vertically). Correct your position using the accident scene mission objects as a visual reference.
- Crew will report the hook's distance from ground at intervals of 10, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 meters (same for the distance from helicopter while retrieving the attached load)
- For training and/or debugging purposes there is a static test mission included for the EC135 out of LSXU (select template option "Rega5_LSXU_Untervaz_EC135_TEST") which will always produce a hover mission to the same nearby target (2nm).
tbd
The following third party assets were used (and adapted where necessary) with kind permission of their authors: