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AAA Problems and Solutions

► I recently changed computers and had to reinstall my AAA software. When the program tried to open up the registration website after installation, I received an error saying the site did not exist.

Your computer cannot find the WIBU-KEY. This is often related to putting the WIBU-KEY in the computer first and then installing the software. It will not recognize the WIBU-KEY this way. We recommend the following steps:

  1. Remove the WIBU-KEY from the computer.
  2. Goto Control Panel > Add/Remove Software
  3. Find the WIBU software and remove it.
  4. Insert the CD with AAA and the WIBU software on it.
  5. Select to install the WIBU client software.
  6. Once step 5 is completely done, insert the WIBU-KEY
  7. Run AAA.

► AAA gives the following error message: "Error in WkbSelect2: WIBU-KEY network not ready" after it worked normally for a while. I can only save my data and then have to exit AAA.

The Time Out number set in the WIBU-KEY program is too small and forces the license to be released while the user is still working. On the computer with the WIBU-KEY attached, go to Control Panel > WIBU-KEY and select the Server tab. (Click here to see a picture). Change the time out number to a larger number (1440 in the example). If you have the floating license WIBU-KEY also restart the WkLAN server after the time out number has been changed.

► What would be an appropriate way to model an engine/nacelle that is buried in the fuselage?

It would be best to model the nacelle as a part of the fuselage and not define it separately.

► It is unclear as to where the factors 36.5 and 0.08 in the help for Cmo_f originate from.

The factor 36.5 is a conversion factor from degrees to radians and the 0.08 per degree is because the graph from which de/da is calculated is based on a CL_alpha of 0.08 per degree (Refer Figure 8.115, Airplane Design: Part VI by Dr. Jan Roskam). See Pitching Moment for a Body of Revolution (pdf) for more details.

► I am defining the engine pylon in the Aerodynamics->Lift->Nacelle/Pylon module. It is not clear for us what is the definition of the pylon planform area. Our pylon is mounted on the rear fuselage. Is S_py the exposed area of each pylon from the nacelle to the fuselage or is it the area from the engine centerline to the fuselage centerline, or none of these?

The area we are using for the pylon area is the exposed area of the pylon.

► Is it always necessary to go to the “Recalculate All” module and press Recalculate? And when clicking “Recalculate” in the “Recalculate All” module, I get the following message: “...make sure all the segments table for each nacelle has been filled. Use the Next Nacelle button to display the next nacelle table.” I understand this is referring to the AeroPack module, but I did not use it at all. I entered to it once but did not defined anything, and I do not have enough information to use it. Can I ignore this message?

You will need to click the "Calculate" button in the "Recalculate All" module when a value has changed that will affect the stability and control derivatives. If an input value has changed, such as a geometry input parameter (for instance if you change the size of the wing) you will need to recalculate the stability and control derivatives. The message you are receiving is not a result of the AeroPack module. It has to do with the Nacelle Aerodynamic Center module. The program can not calculate the aero. center shift due to nacelles. Go to: Aerodynamics -> Aero. Center -> Nacelles. You will see that there in an input table for a delta X value and a width (W) value. You need to have all of this information filled in for BOTH nacelles. At the top of the module, you will see a button called "Next Nacelle". Click this button and you will be taken to the next nacelle geometry. You will need to fill out the table for each nacelle in your configuration.

► I am upgrading my floating version of AAA 2.5 using the WIBU-KEY. I receive the following error message: Error WK2205 - Remote programming needs WIBU-BOX programming counter value 6 instead of 2.

Your WIBU-KEY is already updated to the latest version. To see what version your WIBU-KEY is programmed for, open Control Panel and start the WIBU-KEY applet. If the screen with the box contents shows 2105 and 25 in the first row, you have the latest version.

► When we reinstalled AAA on our lab computers after reformatting, the program is only fully functional under the account Administrator. When a user signs in as guest, the program prompts, "No access to WIBU-BOX". Any ideas on how to fix it?

When logged in as another user or guest, go to the Control Panel and start the WIBU-KEY Applet. Then select the network tab and add the IP-address of the computer that has the WIBU-BOX attached to it and the server software running on it. It is best to type in the actual IP-address as numbers. Then try running AAA again and see if it can connect to the WIBU-BOX.

► Can I change the default working directory in AAA from Program Files\DARcorporation\aaa24\working to my own directory?

Yes. To set the working directory to an individual's own directory change the target in the AAA short cut on the desktop as follows: "C:\Program Files\DARcorporation\AAA24\AAA24.exe" %1 UserDirectoryName where UserDirectoryName is the pathname of the directory where AAA will store its temporary working files. If the directory does not exist, AAA will create it. The AAA shortcut can be customized for each user. If the user defined working directory is on another computer please: Goto Program Files\Common Files\Borland Shared\BDE, there should be a program called bdeadmin.exe. Please run that program. Double click on drivers and select Native then select Paradox. On the right hand side it should show the properties for Paradox. Please change the drive letter next to NET DIR to the mapped drive letter of the computer the working directory is located on. Then save your settings and exit bdeadmin.exe. If you use the BDE for any other applications, please be sure that they still work.

► In the Trim Diagram there is no correspondence between the alpha lines on the right-hand plot and the CL1 values on the left-hand side, for alphas above alpha* (the limit of the linear CL-alpha curve). In other words, if I take a point on the alpha_stall line on the right and check the corresponding CL1 (CLmax), I read the value I would get if my lift curve was linear up to alpha_stall. Is there a way to correct this? Or am I doing something wrong?

The left hand side of the trim diagram reflects only the linear part of the CL_alpha curves. On the right hand side of the plots (in the actual trim diagram) the program just extends the curves out to the user specified alpha stall value. So in short, your trim diagram is reasonably accurate in the non-linear angle of attack range, however in the non-linear range, it is a good rough estimate. If you know how Cm behaves in the non-linear range of CL_alpha, you can curve the lines to closely model the high angle of attack range in the trim diagram. There are methods on how to do this in Dr. Roskam's book: Flight Dynamics: Part 1. Unfortunately, though, there is no good way to model this in the program.

► Are there any airfoils available for use in AAA?

Yes, but only the geometry definitions of the airfoil shape. These can be used in the AeroPack option under Geometry.

► On the Dynamics window the menu buttons are not positioned correctly, some menus overlap.

Change the font size of the display. On the properties page (for your screen, right click on the desktop, select properties) select the Settings page (the one that shows the screen resolution). Then select the Advanced button. It should show Display with font size. It should have small fonts, large fonts and other. Change the font size there.

► When using the Transfer Function modules in Dynamics, the Transfer Functions are not displayed in AAA 2.4 as they are in previous versions. How do I view the Transfer Functions?

To display the Transfer Functions as in previous versions of AAA, follow these steps. Go to Help on the menu bar. Then select "About". When the "About AAA" window displays, hit F6 on the keyboard to toggle on the Transfer Functions. This will also turn the Transfer Function display off. The Transfer Functions can be printed (as before) by going to File/Print and selecting "Print Parameters". This is a known bug and is fixed as of version 2.5.

► I am trying to run the AAA tutorial, but it just opens another page with the DARcorporation logo.

If a Popup Stopper is being used, the Popup Stopper should be disabled for the AAA or AeroPack tutorials to work properly.

► When starting AAA an error occurs which does not allow AAA to execute.

Delete any files in the following folder of the AAA installation: C\ProgramFiles\DARcorporation\AAA XX\Working. When these files have been deleted from the working folder, AAA should execute normally.

► The AAA tutorials don't work. (A window opens but nothing happens or the screen flashes and nothing happens).

If a Popup Stopper is being used, the Popup Stopper should be disabled for the tutorial to work properly.

► I get this error message after running AAA (2.x): "Can not open database files. The program cannot execute".

There are 4 possible problems:

  1. No read rights in the darcorporation\aaa2x\database directory
  2. No read\write rights in the darcorporation\aaa2x\working directory. Note: x=3 for AAA v2.3 or x=4 for AAA v2.4
  3. A file PDOXUSRS.NET is created by the BDE with no rights to access it. AAA does not need this file. To fix this, go to Program Files\Common Files\Borland Shared\BDE, there should be a program called bdeadmin.exe. Please run this program. Double click on drivers and select Native then select Paradox. On the right hand side it should show the properties for Paradox. Please delete the directory (pathname) listed next to NET DIR. Then save you settings and exit bdeadmin.exe. If you use the BDE for any other applications, please be sure that they still work. If you have another application that uses the BDE, instead of deleting the pathname, set the directory name to a directory the user has access rights to.
  4. If there are files in the "working" directory when AAA is not running, it is possible that the database will not be accessible. Exit AAA and delete all files from the working directory, then restart AAA.

► I frequently need to reformat my computer and reinstall Windows and I do not want to request a new key for AAA (node locked version 2.2 and 2.3) each time.

Formatting the hard disk and reinstalling the operating system will disrupt the AAA software and you may need to request a new key. To avoid this disruption, we suggest you backup the darnet.lf file in the darcorp\license directory once we have given you the unlock key and you successfully finished the AAA installation. If you have to reinstall the software in the future just copy the darnet.lf file back onto your computer and the software should continue to work without requesting a new key.

► I receive the message "Cannot open databases" in AAA.

Restart windows.

► I recieved the following error message after starting AAA: Application Licensing Error, Semaphore open failed - Error #9

Be sure the users have read and write access to the darcorp\license or darcorporation\aaa23\license directory and files in that directory on the server machine. AAA will create files lic0.net, lic1.net etc. per user in that license directory.

► I use Windows 98 and the AAA (2.2) installation crashes. My computer has a Mouse Wheel.

Press <Ctrl> <Alt> <Del> and stop the MSwheel program. Install AAA and reset the computer after the installation. MSwheel is automatically started.

► AAA 2.1 and AAA 2.2 have a SI unit conversion error when importing into Aero-CADD. When exporting geometry from AAA to Aero-CADD in SI units Aero-CADD will draw the incorrect geometry.

Open the .geo file created with AAA and change the Header section into the following:

[Header]
FormatVersion=1.0
Units=feet
InchesPerUnit=12

This will draw the configuration properly in Aero-CADD