Capture designated (target) values for altitude, heading, vertical speed and airspeed #213

Activity

1. Phlabry

   self-assigned this

   on Sep 28, 2026
2. Phlabry

   added

   enhancementNew feature or requestNew feature or request

   on Sep 28, 2026
3. jmacd867

   added

   area:mlML / inference workML / inference work

   area:xplane-pluginX-Plane plugin componentX-Plane plugin component

   needs-infoWaiting on reporter for more informationWaiting on reporter for more information

   on Oct 3, 2026
4. jmacd867

   marked this as blocking 2 issues on Oct 12, 2026

   • Assign a pilot to a performance group live, during a flight #223
   • Re-check ADR 0002's feature choices on real pilot data #233
5. jmacd867

   added

   High PriorityNeeds to be fixed as soon as possibleNeeds to be fixed as soon as possible

   on Oct 12, 2026
6. jmacd867 commented on Oct 15, 2026

   

   jmacd867

   on Oct 15, 2026

   Collaborator

   More actions

   What the client's 19 files tell us about targets:

   • The files have no target or autopilot columns, so targets can't come from the data itself. They were recorded in Prepar3D, not X-Plane (see Load the client's Prepar3D TSV exports into the telemetry schema #228), so an X-Plane autopilot dataref doesn't help for this data either.
   • The client's own framing from the first meeting was "if the plugin is set to fly at [an altitude], performance is the deviation from that target". That suggests she thinks of the target as a value set in the simulator, which these files don't record.
   • Targets will be per leg, not per flight. The route visits three airports (see the Trim each flight to the airborne portion and segment it into legs #229 edit). Every flight levels off at about 3,100–3,300 ft between airports, and the 220° and 000° legs are approaches. Approaches are normally judged on glide path, approach speed or touchdown point rather than on holding an altitude, so the four flight dynamics factors may not be the right measure for half of each flight.

   These are going to the client at the upcoming meeting: the per-leg instructions or briefing sheet, where the target was set and whether it can be exported, whether 3,100 ft was assigned, how she would score an approach, and whether the route headings are magnetic (the files record true heading).
7. jmacd867 commented on Oct 16, 2026

   

   jmacd867

   on Oct 16, 2026

   Collaborator

   More actions

   Answers from the client meeting (full notes in `docs/client_meeting_notes.md`):

   • Source of targets: pilots get standardized instructions during the flight (for example "change heading to 20"). The instructions are timestamped in iMotions, and the eye tracker records audio and video. So targets are instructor-assigned, not from an autopilot. We do not have the timestamps yet, and the client may not be able to share iMotions data at first.
   • Altitude: 3,100 ft was the assigned altitude on both climbs (heading 190 and 040).
   • Scoring: approaches (220 and 000) are judged on all four flight dynamics factors, not on glide path or touchdown point alone. Climbs are also judged on altitude, airspeed and heading.
   • Heading: the route headings are true headings. The files record true heading, but the X-Plane plugin sends magnetic. See the new heading-reference issue.
   • Segmentation: the client already split each flight into 7 phases and will share it. Until instruction timestamps are available, use that.
   • Future: a model that detects the instruction and segments automatically, so new routes need no manual work.

   Still open: the numeric target for the airspeed and vertical speed legs (the client is looking for the scenario briefing).
8. jmacd867

   added this to the v1.0 milestone on Oct 16, 2026