[UPDATE 1.4] Flight Voice Commander | williamriker270

Hello fellow simmers, I would like to present you Flight Voice Commander. This tool
mimics a virtual copilot that will help you through the flight. FVC will allow you to trigger almost every switch and knob inside the cockpit by voice command, and also flow patterns of multiple actions to setup the aircraft at various phases of the flight. It can also call out V1 and VR, changing the lights at 10.000ft and calling out transition altitude and transition level. Importing SimBrief information is also possible to present SimBrief information in a way that can help you setup the flight computer faster.

The tool is dependant on a software called “VoiceAttack”. The tool package contains a VoiceAttack plugin, custom profiles for each aircraft, flight guides that make it easy to know what commands to execute through the flight, and an in-game panel that shows you all the relevant information within the game without having to change focus between MSFS and third party software. The software also creates text-to-speech voice responses from the virtual copilot.

This tool is currently compatible with the following aircraft:

-FBW A32NX
-FENIX A320
-Headwind A330
-iniBuilds A310
-PMDG 737
-Asobo B787
-Asobo B747
-Asobo CESSNA LONGITUDE

More aircraft are going to become compatible with FVC soon.

Note that this package requires that you already own a copy of VoiceAttack software. This package DOES NOT include VoiceAttack.

The current version of this tool can be found in the FVC page: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/willriker2701

The core package is freeware, and current profiles (V1.3) are also free.
Starting from the upcoming profile versions V1.4 each one of these will have a one time low cost (includes future updates).
Join the support discord to find detailed information about FVC.

Here’s a short video that explains what FVC is all about:

HUGE UPDATE!!

Flight Voice Commander Release 1.1 AVAILABLE NOW

CHANGELOG:

  • New aircraft compatibility:

    • iniBuilds Airbus A310
      Includes VoiceAttack profile and flight guide.

    • Asobo’s Boeing 747 and 787
      Asobo’s AAU2 version of these two aircraft are now the main versions within FVC. Salty and Heavy Division versions have been deprecated for now.

  • Plugin update:

    • SimBrief integration. The plugin is now able to fetch data from SimBrief and turn it into MSFS local variables and VoiceAttack variables. This is required data for some new commands.

    • New method to retrieve SimConnect facility data. Allows to make some specific airport and runway data available, e.g. localizer name, localizer frequency, localizer beam heading, runway length, runway elevation, runway heading.

    • Renewed method to obtain A variables (Simulator Variables). All of them are retrieved using SimConnect requests now.

    • Connection problem with Local variables (retrying connection) limited. Now it is a bit more rare to happen.

    • New approach for Local variable reading and writing. FSUIPC is now required for L-Variables, and the plugin will now read the variable after the change to confirm that the variable has been successfully set. Could create conflicts in users custom commands where the target variable doesn’t stay at the new value for long. Using calculator code contexts will be recommended for these cases from now on.

    • New Local variable related function that allows an efficient triggering of some switches in the Airbus A310.

  • General profile updates:

    • New command category: Data fetching. Actions related with fetching data from SimBrief and sim facility data.

      • Notorious commands:

        • “Fetch SimBrief data”. This command fetches SimBrief data and creates local variables within the sim that will hold the numeric data, while VA temporary variables will save string data. Some commands in other categories require use of this saved data.

        • “Fetch all data”. This command triggers the “Fetch SimBrief data” along other commands that fetch facility data from the departing and arriving runway. This is now the first command to execute at any flight.

    • New command category: Data Request. This category is part of a new approach regarding FMC and aircraft pre-flight configuration. Sets of data will show within the VoiceAttack log the precise data required to be entered within the flight computer or aircraft table at determined points of the flight in order to make the process of entering data more efficient for the user. Flight guides will show the available commands at the point they are useful and the precise data they will help fill.

      • Notorious commands:

        • “Show me the flight plan”: This command will show the entire flight plan within the VA log, including every waypoint, the airway SID or STAR at which they belong, and their corresponding altitude, speed and frequency (in the case of VOR).

        • “Give me the takeoff trim”: This command will show the stabilizer trim on a few planes where the calculation is simple.

        • “Show me the departure/destination data”: This command will show some data regarding the runway location. Runway heading, elevation, wind, pressure, and localizer information are included in this data.

        • “Show me the departure/destination weather”: This command will show the entire METAR or TAF report of the desired runway. It’s up to the user to learn how to read these reports.

        • “Show me the local/destination barometric reference”: This command will show the local/destination QNH value for the user to manually set it in the aircraft.

        • “Show me the climb/descent winds”: This command will show the winds and altitude at each waypoint at climb, or descent.

        • “Data set ‘X’”: Data sets are specifically selected data items that will help fill the flight computer and tablet data at certain points of the flight, most of all during preflight. The flight guides will state these data sets at the point they are required.

    • New commands and improvements:

      • “Icing conditions”: This command will monitor the ambient situation to determine icing conditions. The command will set the engine and wing anti-ice according to the current situation. It will also share the information regarding icing conditions in the log

      • “Set the engine ignition”: This command will set the engine ignition selectors to an appropriate setting depending on the ambient conditions surrounding the aircraft.

      • “Call out transition altitude”: Automatically triggers at the end of the “Ready for takeoff” flow. It automatically sets the standard altimeter at transition altitude and triggers the “cruise lights” command at 10.000ft AGL. Requires SimBrief transition altitude data in order to work.

      • “Call out transition level”: Needs to be triggered during descent. It automatically sets the local altimeter at transition levels and triggers the “approach lights” command at 10.000ft AGL. Requires SimBrief transition level data in order to work.

      • “Starting descent”: This command will trigger a few actions like turning on seatbelt signs and will automatically trigger the new “Call out transition level” command. It will end when this last command has ended.

      • “Ready for takeoff” command extended. Now it automatically triggers the new “Call out transition altitude” command after acceleration altitude if SimBrief data is available.

    • Commands with voice value inputs now give clearer instructions in the live VA log. Gives clearer instructions on what to say, and sounds a soft alarm when there’s a timeout.

    • New barometric reference logic. “QNH” is now used for technical clarity and a SimBrief dependant “Set Destination Altimeter” command was added. It shows within the VA log the destination QNH to be set at transition level manually by the user. I most aircraft there’s no internal variables available to set the barometric reference knob, so there’s no way of setting it automatically.

    • New commands for opening documents. Now you can open flight guides through the command “Open the flight guide”.

    • Unrecognized words won’t be shown within the VA log anymore as “Unrecognized” messages. This will help maintaining the log cleaner. The alarm for unrecognized commands will still sound though.

    • Various improvements to individual commands for all compatible aircraft. Logging of information improved for the user.

  • Flight guides updates:

    • Complete revamp of the guide style. Makes it more friendly for new users.

    • They have a new place inside the “Profiles” folder of the plugin. This will make available to open them through voice commands.

    • A quick guide to understanding flight guides symbols and colors has been added as a separate image.

    • Flight guides now state the keywords for the individual action commands available to be triggered by voice command.

    • New section called “FIRST RUN” for configuration actions required at the first run of an aircraft.

    • Aircraft general recommendations like light and anti-ice usage have been separated from individual flight guides and added as a separate image.

    • Various improvements in the guide consistence regarding the logic of the usage of seatbelt signs, anti-ice, engine starters, external ground supply for external power, fuel pumps, transponder and other stuff.

    • Go Around procedure improved for all aircraft.

Here is a video so you can check the last version and new features. Cheers!

Small update:

Changelog V1.1.1

-Some minor tweaks regarding the “Icing conditions” voice command.

-General organization and description of commands improved.

-A32NX Weather radar command fixed

-Removed some items in some data sets within the A32NX that was duplicated since it could be autopopulated.

-Some minor flight guide aestethic details.

-“Clear all ground equipment” command for B747 and B787 fixed. It only disconnects GPU currently though, in the future it will also disconnect every other ground service.

Changelog V1.2

Improvements:

-B787 and B747 flight guides and profiles updated for Sim Update 13.
-New command category: “Camera Control”

  • New camera commands allow to call all instrument, external fixed and the four cockpit regular cameras by voice command. Custom cameras can’t be called by voice command yet. Use the “Number of camera views” command to inform yourself about the number of available cameras in your aircraft.

-All data request commands corrected regarding calculations and presentation.
-The plugin now also requests facility information about the origin/destination/alternate runway slope.
-Runway slope property added to every “Show me runway data” command.
-Landing calculation section added into the A32NX flight guide, and its data within a new command called “Landing Performance”.
-Same approach was used to modify the A320 Fenix landing performance section.
-Improved fuel pump usage order in all profiles and flight guides to match real procedure.
-A VA code cleanup is in due process, making VoiceAttack memory usage more efficient.
-New “Profile version” command will show in the VA log the current release version for the profile.
-New section in the recommendations table that helps with takeoff flap selection.

CHANGELOG - Release 1.3

Fixes:

ALL AIRCRAFT

-Remaining “UNABLE TO EXECUTE COMMAND” errors through profiles.

-Icing conditions command logging “No wing deice required” when it was in fact required and turned on.

FBW A32NX

-Flight guide not showing the descent lights and transition level segment fixed.

FENIX A320

-Weather radar command fixed.

PMDG 7370

-Gear commands now warn that the gear is already lowered or raised.

Asobo 787

-Flap commands voice problems fixed

-Autopilot engage command logging that it failed to engage fixed

Asobo 747

-Flap commands voice problems fixed

IMPROVEMENTS:

2 new aircraft compatibility: Headwind A330 and Asobo Cessna Citation Longitude.

  • Notes on Cessna Citation: Within the flight guide you will see a couple items with a red strikethrough. These items are not yet available to trigger through voice command due to the current non existence of adequate internal variables to control them. These are not critical though, because most of them appear at the right position from aircraft spawn state.

ALL AIRCRAFT

-Copilot messages during flows and flow info logging changed a bit. Mostly aestethic.

-VoiceAttack message color revamp for consistency. Purple: Individual items. Green: Speech (User or PM). Orange: Informative. Blue: To-do stuff. Red: Problems or errors.

-Checklist dynamics improved to mimic real life situation. Now the copilot says the item and the pilot says the proper position of the item. In the A32NX and Headwind A330 the copilot will crosscheck and warn if the item is not properly set. This last feature will be tested and then passed onto the rest of planes for the next update.

-The “Preflight” section is now called “Cockpit preparation”.

-SimBrief ID number will not reset anymore every time you update your files.

-“Fetch all data” command will ask to enter your SimBrief ID in the case it is not already set. It will also show the current ID every time it fetches data.

-New commands to enable and disable VoiceAttack’s compact mode by voice command. IT WORKS ONLY IN VoiceAttack BETA VERSION.

-New command category: Sim Control

This category has commands for pausing, resuming, and changing the rate of the simulation.

-Plugin improvements on SimConnect communication. Commands will not freeze anymore on specific values for simulation variables when retrieving values periodically. This means there won’t be more delays as to when the pilot monitoring calls out V1 and rotate, or when the engines are ready after starting.

-“Call out transition” commands now switch the lights at 10.000ft no matter if SimBrief data has been fetched or not. Only transition will not be called if there’s no SimBrief data. In the case of the “Call out transition altitude” command, for calculating the 10.000ft agl the algorithm will first take the SimBrief origin airport elevation. If there’s no SimBrief data, it will take the altitude value measured at the start of the “ready for takeoff” command. If there’s no such value (as if you call the command without having called the takeoff command) it will just take live values of the terrain below the aircraft. As for the “Call out transition level” command, it will first take the destination airport elevation from SimBrief. If that data is not available it will ask the user to enter the destination ICAO and then it will request the airport elevation data from the sim. If the ICAO has not been recognized, it will just take live values from the terrain below the aircraft. All flight guides updated according to the previous improvement.

-New command “Set altimeters to destination reference”: takes the destination pressure from SimBrief and sets it automatically in all the altimeters. All profiles modified accordingly.

-“Set standard altimeter” renamed to “Set altimeters to standard reference”. The command now sets ALL altimeters to STD.

-“Set local altimeter” renamed to “Set altimeters to local reference” command now sets ALL altimeters to the local barometric reference.

-If the aircraft allows it, during “Call out transition altimeter” now the copilot will set all altimeters to STD except captain altimeter to STD when reaching transition altitude. It will also set all altimeters to dest reference except the captain altimeter when reaching transition level.

-When aircraft allows it, the copilot will set all altimeters except captain altimeter to local altimeter during the related altimeter item within the flows.

-Pressure taken from SimBrief METAR will now always show in hPa and inHg simultaneously.

-Text-to-speech timing improved in “Ready for takeoff” command in order to reduce copilot call outs delay.

-Engine ignition selector logic improved to reflect real procedures. Flight guides and profiles updated in this regard.

-“Wing deice” commands changed to “Wing anti-ice” to avoid confusions as stating the actual function of the system is not at all important in the command name.

-ECAM and EICAS pages automatically selected in certain parts of the flight in aircraft that have available internal variables to do it (A320s, A330, A310 and B747). APU page when starting APU, engines page when starting engines and taking off, flight controls when doing related checklist, and wheels page when lowering gear, doors page when shutting down.

-The flight number call in the ground power unit request command will not say the airline ICAO letter by letter now.

iniBuilds A310

-Wind forecast section and flex T.O. added in the flight guide. Profile modified accordingly.

-New voice commands for pitch trim switches, autothrottle master switches and yaw damper switches. Flight guide updated accordingly.

FENIX A320

-Runway surface state automatic determination added into the “Data set two” command.

-Added proper calculation for determining ZFWCG into the “Data set two” command.

-Now there’s a proper command to check brake temps and turn on brake fans if too hot.

PMDG 737

-New PMDG tablet EFB considered into the flight guide. Takeoff and landing performance calculation sections added.

-Data request now include takeoff and landing performance calculation data.

-“Engage descent” command added. It’s the same as “Starting descent”, but will press the altitude intervention button at first in the case the aircraft has not begin descending on its own.

-After “positive rate” a message shows within the log to raise the landing gear.

-Assumed temperature line added in the flight guide.

-“Check the fuel pumps” command added. This will turn on/off the center fuel pumps depending on the announcer conditions. The previous “Turn off low pressure pumps” command has been deprecated.

Asobo B787

-“Engage descent” command added. It’s the same as “Starting descent”, but will press the altitude intervention button at first in the case the aircraft has not begin descending on its own.

-Electronic flight bag and takeoff performance calculation added into the flight guide.

Asobo B747

-“Engage descent” command added. It’s the same as “Starting descent”, but will press the altitude intervention button at first in the case the aircraft has not begin descending on its own.

IMPORTANT NEWS and Flight Voice Commander Release 1.4 (ONLY PLUGIN UPDATE)

Hey people. The 1.4 version of FVC is being released in two steps, first the plugin which is already available, and soon will come the updated profiles. This plugin update comes with a new piece in the FVC puzzle: the FVC panel. The FVC Panel is a new in-game toolbar panel I’ve developed for the purpose of mirroring the VoiceAttack main screen log within the game. This will make it unnecessary to change focus between MSFS and VA for most of the flight.

As for the release, I’m doing it in different steps this time because I’m migrating to a new platform and a different model for the acquisition of FVC.
The FVC plugin is almost on its final state, there’s not much more to do with it except a few possible tweaks to make it compatible with other future aircraft. For this reason, I’ve decided to make it freeware along the new FVC panel and one sample profile (Future iniBuilds A320).
Giving the fact that most people uses just one airliner aircraft or just a couple of them, I’ve also decided to focus the “selling” part of my work on the profiles themselves. Each profile will be acquired separately for a one-time low cost starting from V1.4 profiles. No more subscription model anymore. This will be more convenient for new users than the previous model.

While the V1.4 profiles are yet WIP, the new FVC release and current V1.3 profiles are offered for free in my new “BuyMeACoffee” platform. Just enter the ‘shop’ tab inside my page and acquire the V1.4 of the FVC Core package and V1.3 versions of the profiles.

Page Link: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/willriker2701

Cheers!!