Hanssens And Co

Le site Web de la famille Hanssens

CH Programs

CH Programs FR

Developed by Claude Hanssens

A brief introduction

After having practiced air simulation for nearly 15 years as a pilot, I wanted to see what's happened on the "other side of the barrier". I thus decided to combine my knowledge in air simulation and my competences in software development. Thus was born "CH Programs", which I entirely imagined, conceived and developed.

  CH Programs by Claude Hanssens

"CH Programs" are a series of add-on software to my favorite flight simulator: Microsoft Simulator Flight. There are four CH Programs. It there with the series CH Server, CH Client and CH Data which make it possible to create a virtual airspace, where the pilots fly under the monitoring of air controllers. Separately there is CH COM, which is used in the cockpit builder for flight simulators.

In detail

Virtual airspace

These programs were developed to be used with the Flight Simulator from Microsoft in a local area network.

It is possible to use the CH programs on only one PC.

This program is currently composed of 3 modules:

  • CH Client Module
  • CH Server Module
  • CH Data Module

The CH Client module extracts his information from Ms Flight Simulator and transmits them to the CH Server module via a TCP/IP network.

 

CH Programs by Claude Hanssens
Radarscope controlling the approach of Brussels

The CH Server module posts information received from Ms Simulator Flight via the CH Client module. This information can be consulted in the form of table.
CH Server makes it possible to simulate a radarscope and to visualize the plane there. The radarscope makes it possible to display other information like the VOR, NDB, zones TMA, limits geographical and airports.

CH Programs by Claude Hanssens
Radarscope controlling the ground traffic on Brussels-National

For the cockpit builder

The CH COM module can be connected to Microsoft Flight Simulator and extracts from them the data such as the position of the plane, parameters of flight, parameters of engines, and much other information. This data is sent towards the serial port of the computer. They can then be retrieved by another computer.

A little programming would make it possible for a second computer to post this data in specific instruments, such as Multi Function Displays or Flight Management Sytems.

 

Another screen shows the planes in a screen of the type Precision Approach Radar, with indications of the approach lines.
The CH Server module lays out, moreover, the following functionalities: to modify the weather conditions, to modify the position of the plane or its parameters of flight, to generate various breakdowns, …
It is possible to connect several CH Client module (planes) together and several CH Server modules (radar).

All information of the radarscopes are read from an Ms Access database. The CH Data module makes it possible for the user to add, publish or erase data in the Ms Access database.

CH Programs by Claude Hanssens
Precision Approach Radar with a plane in final

CH COM is also able to send data towards Microsoft Flight Simulator, which will react in real time. That makes it possible to build a cockpit with realistic flight controls and to connect them to this second computer, which will transmit them via the serial port to the computer acting as the flight simulator.

A brief history

I developed the first version of CH Server and CH Client between May 1998 and October 1998. Since this date, they have been placed free on the Internet. They were quickly a great success and spread in the FS community. They, inter alias, were used for air control and the management of the weather during the first Flight Simulator Contest Belgium, organized on December 6 and 7,1998 by the Flight Simulator Club Belgium.

CH Programs by Claude Hanssens
Menu allowing the generation of the breakdowns

 

Immediately after this contest, I began the development of the second version.

And, in September 1999, CH Programs V2.0.0, made up now of CH Server, CH Client and CH Data, were finalized. Like those of version 1, they were distributed free on many Internet sites. This version was frequently used to create a virtual airspace at the meetings of fans of air simulation. They were used during the second Flight Simulator Contest Belgium.

In parallel, I developed CH Com. As this small program is intended for a more specific use, it is less known. It is nevertheless very much used in the world of the fans of air simulation who make a point of building a realistic cockpit.

The many possibilities of CH Programs attracted the interest of several companies, which contacted me. The idea was to create, in a permanent way, a virtual airspace on Internet. It is thus with the precise idea of collaboration with a Web site and with the aim of creating a company that I developed CH Programs V3.0.0. At the end of the year 2001, the development was finished.

Unfortunately, technique is one thing and the contracts are another! Certain clauses required by this Web site were unacceptable for me. The story thus abruptly finished without any result. As the software of this version contained many very specific adaptations, they were not really usable by all. CH Programs V3.0.0 were never published.
Only version 3 of CH COM was published on Internet.

At the beginning of 2002 I decided to remake a complete rebuild of the software CH Programs. My project was to integrate a special module into it making it possible to generate virtual planes manually-controlled by artificial intelligence and virtual controllers who would direct them. These would mix with the pilots and the human controllers in order to populate the virtual airspace. I also envisaged integrating communications vocal radios into it. By the middle 2002, I had already obtained very promising results.

At this point in time, time was suddenly shorten. In July 2002, Gaëtan, my second son, was born. And in August I started to work as an employee in Bruxelles Formation. During the few months which followed, I had only little time to devote to CH Programs.

 

A little technique

CH Programs were developed in the language Ms Visual BASIC 5.0 and 6.0. Version 4 also used Ms DirectX DirectPlay and DirectVoice.

 

During this time the technique evolved: a new version of Ms Simulator Flight and an all new version of Ms Visual BASIC (. Net) required a new in-depth retravail of the software. The software CH Programs V4.0.0 has been in this situation since the end of 2002: unfinished. And that is how they will probably remain.

If I look back on this adventure it is, without any doubt, positive: much work certainly, but especially much satisfaction and pride. And with finally, and most importantly, much pleasure.

Information - Documentation - Software

As explained on this page, I have not dealt with CH Programs since the end of the year 2002. I am not able to deal with it any more and will not have time to give you information. I thus ask you not to contact me on this subject. I will not answer any e-mail on this subject.
On this site you will not find the possibility of downloading the software. Only documentation is available.
If you want information on the software CH Programs or to download them, you can use one of the links below or type "CH Programs" in any good search engine.

 


CH Server user guide.


CH Client user guide.


CH Data user guide.


CH Comm user guide.

Some links

Site de Jan Verley, constructeur d'un cockpit de DC3 pour Ms Flight Simulator
Site de Jim, constructeur de cockpit pour Ms Flight Simulator
Site de Jan Cuypers, fan de Ms Flight Simulator