airports

[Guest tmond]

can someone tell me what is the way to upgrade airport facilities including the airport building?

[Guest vrandar]

You're probably tired of me replying to your posts so I hope someone else also responds. The best way to do this is either to buy payware scenery or get some of the excellent freeware scenery available here in the library at avsim. Much of it is very high quality indeed. As I mentioned in another thread, these payware/freeware sceneries often come with their own AFCAD files as well which might add correct parking, adjust navaids or add taxiways etc. You have previously mentioned KMCO and there are a couple of scenery files that might be worth looking at in the library although I haven't done so myself. It's a good idea to have a look around the library here as there is a huge amount of stuff worth getting.In general payware scenery will have its own installer. Freeware scenery invariably won't. You normally put it in its own folder inside the FS9 /Addon Scenery folder and then go to the Scenery Library in FS9, add the scenery area then re-start FS9.Rob Elliott, EGPE InvernessPSS Airbus Support andAirbus Fleet Training Captain, British Airways Virtual airbus@speedbirdonline.co.ukhttp://www.speedbirdonline.co.uk/airbus.htmlhttp://www.bavirtual.co.uk

[FOD 23]

Tim,From these two posts, I suspect you need to take a step back and learn to walk before you start to run {or in this case taxi before you fly!}Seriously, I recommend that you make a start with Lee Swordy's great AFCAD programme. You can DL it from AVSIM and we all use it for updating airfields {I am still using it in FSX}. The manual is excellent and will show you everything you can and cannot do with the programme and with AFCAD files.John R

[Guest tmond]

Thank you Rob & John. You both are kind and very helpful.:-)

[dfish 1]

There is a great site called http://walhalla.mine.nu/fs2004.php that lists ALL the freeware scenery availible, it's updated weekly. It's a great resourse.Dave

[scott967 62]

If you want to try it yourself, I recommend SceneGenX, since it can do all the scenery objects as well as the airport layout. To fine-tune the airport layout, though, AFCAD2 is a bit easier. I do everything is SGX first, then open the result with AFCAD and use that to touch it up. You end up with two files, but that's OK.scott s..

[Guest tmond]

Well...............Thanks you guys. I'll give'm both a try. I understand that AFCAD2 configures your airports the way fs sees it. What I don't really understand is...............Does it do anything for the scenery. and also, why would anybody want to change a airports layout anyway??????I don't understand that???.:(

[Guest vrandar]

Apart from runways and taxiways it doesn't change anything in the scenery.There are many reasons for changing the layouts: often in the default FS9 the layouts are wrong; perhaps they miss out taxiways or in some cases even miss out runways. And as time moves on and airports develop then the default MS layouts can become out of date. Also don't forget that the default MS parking areas are often woefully incomplete so updated AFCADs add the correct parking spaces as I have mentioned before.Rob Elliott, EGPE InvernessPSS Airbus Support andAirbus Fleet Training Captain, British Airways Virtual airbus@speedbirdonline.co.ukhttp://www.speedbirdonline.co.uk/airbus.htmlhttp://www.bavirtual.co.uk

[scott967 62]

In the past, FS had separate files for airport data (including data that was used for the AI system) and airport scenery. But in FS9, some of that was combined. The stuff that AFCAD worked with in the past (the data) it still does, but also the related visuals. At one time there was a possibility that AFCAD would be updated to include more airport scenery, but that never happened.The result can make things a little difficult. For example, you can move an ILS localizer with AFCAD, and it will show as moved in the map and GPS, and the aircraft radios will respond to the moved ILS, but the localizer scenery object (known as locan) will not be moved. Other common problems: AFCAD doesn't move or change taxisigns, so if you move the taxiways the signs are in the wrong place. AFCAD doesn't change the approaches, so if you change a runway designation ATC and GPS won't have any approaches for it. Also, airports sit on flattened terrain that has autogen excluded. If you move aircraft movement areas (runways, taxiways, aprons) away from the existing flatten/exclusion you can get hills and trees popping up through your airport. Finally, changing airport elevation can be tricky and if you don't do it right, you can get aircraft that float above or sink below the visual scenery.scott s..

[Guest tmond]

Ok. As I'm understanding a AFCAD it is used to place everything about the airport in the proper location as it is in the real world.(I hope that comment is correct) So when we install a AFCAD for a airport..........how and what do we benefit with fs9? Example: fsnavigator: you program it , put it in a/p and it finds the airport. Also, flying VFR vor to vor,you find the airport.So what benefit is there to fixing a airports location so that it's to where it is in the real world? Does it have something to do with the surroung scenery as you mention Scott?Tim

[Guest tmond]

Ok Rob & Scott. In doing some more reading I now understand where you guys are coming from & it's making fs9 real to the way the world is. Correct me if I'm wrong.Thanks.Tim:-)

[Guest Jake81499]

Answering the question of why change the layout. On my local airport, KRWL, The runway has been extended (real world) and most of the buildings in the FS2004 scenery are't really there. There are no trees at the airport or on the surrounding hills. 2004 shows lots of trees. The fuel pumps aren't where they should be and there isn't enough room between the buildings to get the big plane in to fuel. I was just reading the post looking for ways to work on KRWL. Thanks for the help.

[Guest tmond]

I installed Lee Swordy's installation of AFCAD program. Does that mean his installer can only be used with his AFCAD's?:-) P.S I have not used a-1 traffic. Wld it be a wise idea to to install it with traffic tools. Is it a lot of work?

[Guest tmond]

Also, What does the "2" mean at the end of AFCAD? Wish someone wld reply to my questions(-:

[FOD 23]

Tim,I'll have ago at your last three questions for you.1. No - any correctly generated AFCAD files. {Thats why most add-on airports include AFCADS files generated by the developer}.2. Its AI {Artificial Intelligence?} Traffic. FS9 has its own AI traffic - most of us then graduate to using realistic AI either commercial programmes with their own installers {My Traffic etc} or freeware that we insttall ourselves.3. As far as I know, nothing - its only a definition to identify AFCAD files.One final note - remember that you cannot use AFCAD alone to build an airport. AFCAD defines the airfield facilites and allows FS9 and add-ons to access and exploit these facilities {coordinated of course with other information such as NAVDATA}.Once again, I strongly recommend you read the AFCAD manual - that tells you exactly what AFCAD can and cannot do - and then get some hands on practice.Good LuckJohn R