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JasonD210

Edit Airport Information

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I got hold of an recent airport booklet for one of my favourite airports - and discovered that there have been some changes. The runway's name has changed. Instead of 24R and 6L, it is now called 23R and 5L. Is there a simple way to change this in FS2004, so I get in the updated airport information?I would like to see the airport information on the flight planner updated, and also the ATC.Jason

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Maybe not "simple" but here are the considerations, assuming this is a stock FS9 airport:1. The runway designation needs to be changed, so that ATC, map, and GPS know about it. The scenery markings on the runway will automatically change.2. The runway "start" positions must be updated, so the "go to airport" start position is correct.3. The taxisigns need to be changed.4. If there are ILS systems associated with the runways, they need to be updated so that the map and GPS know about them.5. The approach data needs to be updated, so that ATC, the AI, and the GPS know about them.6. The default runways, starts, and approaches must be deleted. The default taxisigns must be excluded. BTW what airport?scott s..

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Guest macdawg
I got hold of an recent airport booklet for one of my favourite airports - and discover that there have been some changes. The runways name has changed. Instead of 24R and 6L, it is now called 23R and 5L. Is there a simple way to change this in FS2004, so I get the airport information and ATC use the new names?I was wondering also about radio frequencies. If they change, how do we update?Jason
hey jason,type " afcad221.zip " in the file library search engine.it should return 1 result.download and install as per instructions. As with everything,you need to read instructions and tutorials,and practice. Good Luck! and Happy Flying! MATT :-)

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I bet this is Manchester. :( I tried to do exactly the same thing with LFBO (Toulouse) 2 days ago, 15-33 > 14-32, as a matter of fact there is thread on the same subject further down. I was very naive to think that I could do it easily with AF2...I found out the grim reality that I had to do everything Scott described above. Not simple at all.Very simple to change the comm freq. though, just modify it with the afcad program. You can even create ATIS for an airport that doesn't have one.

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I bet this is Manchester. :( I tried to do exactly the same thing with LFBO (Toulouse) 2 days ago, 15-33 > 14-32, as a matter of fact there is thread on the same subject further down. I was very naive to think that I could do it easily with AF2...I found out the grim reality that I had to do everything Scott described above. Not simple at all.Very simple to change the comm freq. though, just modify it with the afcad program. You can even create ATIS for an airport that doesn't have one.
Yes it's EGCC, Manchester. It used to be 237 degrees and 57 degrees, now I just got a new booklet and it's changed to to 234 and 54 degrees. Quite a lot. Why can't the earth's magnetic field hold still?Thanks for all the information, people./Jason

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Maybe not "simple" but here are the considerations, assuming this is a stock FS9 airport:1. The runway designation needs to be changed, so that ATC, map, and GPS know about it. The scenery markings on the runway will automatically change.2. The runway "start" positions must be updated, so the "go to airport" start position is correct.3. The taxisigns need to be changed.4. If there are ILS systems associated with the runways, they need to be updated so that the map and GPS know about them.5. The approach data needs to be updated, so that ATC, the AI, and the GPS know about them.6. The default runways, starts, and approaches must be deleted. The default taxisigns must be excluded. BTW what airport?scott s..
Thanks. That is grim. Not sure I understand your point (2). The runways haven't moved. The start position is still the same Lon Lat.I use Gary Summon's UK2000 Manchester Airport 3.1 add-on. Perhaps there's an update. I'll check.
hey jason,type " afcad221.zip " in the file library search engine.it should return 1 result.download and install as per instructions. As with everything,you need to read instructions and tutorials,and practice. Good Luck! and Happy Flying! MATT :-)
Cheers!

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Ok, I found out that there are some new AFCAD files to correct this problem! I've just got to figure out where to put them. I'll be looking at this AFCAD editor also...just out of interest. Sounds usefulJason.

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I don't know what to do with this AFCAD file. I open it with AFCAD and saw indeed that is in an updated airport. But, there seems to be no obvious file to replace with it. The stock airport file is in a BGL file with a load of other airports, untouched. The new scenery (that I need to update) is in a folder of its own (UK2000 scenery) in the FS9 root directory. However, there are 10 files in this folder and none of them are recognised as contaning an airport, according to AFCAD.It seems that FS9 uses some scenery from the stock bgl file, like the ils and radio frequencies, and others from the new secenery file.I think I need to understand how scenery layers work...

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Jason,Afcad files go into the FS9/AddonScenery/Scenery folder or into the Scenery folder of your airport scenery with the rest of the .BGL files. Placed in either folder this will replace the stock afcad. I don't know about that particulier scenery you mention so I can't say whether it already has an afcad file or not.Give it a little test, for instance, close a runway for takeoff and landing (Top menu, Lists, Runways then double click on one of them to open it's properties) and observe AI behaviour. Be sure to close the runway at both ends or else it won't work. If they follow your modification then it's O.KBTW, AF2 comes with an excellent help file, don't hesitate to consult it, it's very clear and user-friendly (unlike most help files!)

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Jason,Afcad files go into the FS9/AddonScenery/Scenery folder or into the Scenery folder of your airport scenery with the rest of the .BGL files. Placed in either folder this will replace the stock afcad. I don't know about that particulier scenery you mention so I can't say whether it already has an afcad file or not.Give it a little test, for instance, close a runway for takeoff and landing (Top menu, Lists, Runways then double click on one of them to open it's properties) and observe AI behaviour. Be sure to close the runway at both ends or else it won't work. If they follow your modification then it's O.KBTW, AF2 comes with an excellent help file, don't hesitate to consult it, it's very clear and user-friendly (unlike most help files!)
Thanks. The replacement AFCAD is one released by the developer, so it doesn't need testing - it should work. The problem is that this new AFCAD file contains just one airport, whereas the corresponding stock BGL is a much bigger file that includes several other airports. I can't simply replace thwe stock bgl with this smaller one.Thanks.

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Thanks. The replacement AFCAD is one released by the developer, so it doesn't need testing - it should work. The problem is that this new AFCAD file contains just one airport, whereas the corresponding stock BGL is a much bigger file that includes several other airports. I can't simply replace thwe stock bgl with this smaller one.Thanks.
You do need to worry about replacing the stock bgl file when you use a replacement afcad. There is code in the new one which tells FS to ignore the default airport data in the large bgl to which you refer. It only ignores the airport in question - the others are not affected.That is easy enough to prove - just use the AFCAD progrma by Lee Swordy and ask it to open your airport using it's ICAO code. You should see two possible files - one of which will be greyed out - that is the stock (default) airport afcad. The other should have the letter MOD by it - that is the replacement one which FS2004 will use.Hope that helps. :(

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You do need to worry about replacing the stock bgl file when you use a replacement afcad. There is code in the new one which tells FS to ignore the default airport data in the large bgl to which you refer. It only ignores the airport in question - the others are not affected.That is easy enough to prove - just use the AFCAD progrma by Lee Swordy and ask it to open your airport using it's ICAO code. You should see two possible files - one of which will be greyed out - that is the stock (default) airport afcad. The other should have the letter MOD by it - that is the replacement one which FS2004 will use.Hope that helps. :(
It did help thank you. It seemed that the developer used the stock bgl, then somehow made some more bgls to change various scenery and navigation elements, but did not acually have a whole airport replacement file. Anyway, when I put the update AFCAD in, I put it on a layer above both the stock airport and developers earlier bgls.It seems to work. The only thing is that the MAP window airport information is not 100% correct. The designators are correct, but the runway magnetic headings are off, and some ils information is missing.

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... the runway magnetic headings are off...
FS9 uses only the magnetic information in the file magdec.bgl. Although the airport data can apparently be changed using AFCAD, this will have no effect on the simulation.

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It seems to work. The only thing is that the MAP window airport information is not 100% correct. The designators are correct, but the runway magnetic headings are off, and some ils information is missing.
When someone uuses AFCAD to change runway numbers all the ILS IDENT's loose their association with a runway. You must insert a new ILS per the new runway number. Open the NAVAID list in AFCAD and you will see all the distorded ILS's that have lost their IDENT's.The runway in FS9/FSX owns the ILS and changing a runway number only makes things worst if you do not follow the steps Scott outlined above. The end result is what you see or not see in the MAP and GPS Receiver Mode. ATC is also now confused because the Approach Database must also be changed to reflect the new runway numbers.

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When someone uuses AFCAD to change runway numbers all the ILS IDENT's loose their association with a runway. You must insert a new ILS per the new runway number. Open the NAVAID list in AFCAD and you will see all the distorded ILS's that have lost their IDENT's.The runway in FS9/FSX owns the ILS and changing a runway number only makes things worst if you do not follow the steps Scott outlined above. The end result is what you see or not see in the MAP and GPS Receiver Mode. ATC is also now confused because the Approach Database must also be changed to reflect the new runway numbers.
Thanks. As I stated earlier on, I haven't made the AFCAD, the developer produced it as an update but did not provide very clear instructions about what to do with it. I did open the AFCAD file to check it anywa, and the NAVAID list did appear to be in order. The main thing that disturbs me is that on the FS9map airport data, it's showing the new designators but the wrong magnetic headings...

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