Modifying FS9 Approach Procedures

[dubravko 0]

Come on! Share it with us! :(

It is a simple procedure to add a new transition to an existing approach. First of all you have to find .BGL file associated with default/stock FS9 airport. For example Zagreb Pleso Int'l ZAG/LDZA data is written among some other airports data in AP951250.bgl which is stored in FS9/scenery/Eurw folder.Using NewBglAnalyze tool I decompiled this BGL into editable .txt (or .xml file). Then within this decompiled file you have to find section of code which is associated with your airport (since the file is big "search" or "find" options within text editor are helpful).Then within airport code you have to locate section of code where approaches are coded. First I studied how this approaches are written and then I added new transition to one of existing approaches in a similar way other default/stock approaches were coded.Anyway the problem was that I made a typo and even though my modified .xml file was passing compilation (which is done using BglComp tool of FS9 SDK) I didn't have an option to ask ATC for transition approach once I was flying in the sim. After correcting that typo and compiling again problem was solved and now for LDZA I can ask for ILS 05 approach via PIS NDB and it is working great.So basically I modified certain AP******.blg file in order to get a new approach. This will not do the thing if you use modified AFCAD airport which has higher priority than default/stock airport and if within this modified airports AFCAD .bgl file code is option deleteAllApproaches set to true (deleteAllApproaches="TRUE"). In that case you won't have any of default/stock airports approaches available in the sim. However if you use modified AFCAD file and mentioned option of deleteAllApproaches is set to false (deleteAllApproaches="FALSE") you get an airport with newer and better AFCAD and desired parking spots/gates, taxiways etc. like in the real world and with all default approaches from default/stock airpot which you can edit in a way I just described above.Also please note, it is very important to make backups of original files before editing.Best wishes,Dubravko :(

[jvile 1]

FS9 and FSX ATC will honor a ILS Transition that you add but it must start at a VOR, NDB or WAYPOINT (pink GPS color). Many Transitions start at a TERMINAL_WAYPOINT for the GPS, RNAV VOR approaches and ATC honors these as well. I made sure that Jon included in ADEX (FSX version) all the approaches that you have seen in some of my airports and the exotic approaches I wrote for FlyTampa, 9Dragons and others. As mentioned above we are bringing the entire approach GPS interface into the newer ADE9 (FS9 version) so all those LDA's IGS curved AI Plane approaches, curved RNAV's, DME ARC's etc. can be designed using a line draw method that Jon has written the code for. This method does not require any XML hand coding and is very smart in what types of legs can be used for all the different type approaches you make.dubravko points out that a Transition is nothing more then an extension to the default vectors to final. The FS9 Approach database is based on a point in time of April 2002 and is way behind the curve. FSX is much closer to a more current set of approaches and Transitions. ADEX and ADE9 have a import approach feature that allows taking a FSX approach including all Navaids and import into FS9 which brings it up to a much closer point in time. When I did the approach code for ImagineSims FS9 KIAD I used ADEX approach database and imported it into FS9. This brought KIAD and its new runway up to date so I did not have to spend a lot of time setting waypoints for the SID and STAR arrivals.We do have to keep in mind that Approach ATC in FS9 and FSX is normally a radius of 60 NM's so STAR arrivals are placed into the Flightplan and the Approach Transitions that ATC honor are placed into the Airport records. Using this code method so ATC works properly Scott and I keep Jon very busy in testing every possible type approach that a airport designer can add.For those that do not want to spend time adding proper approaches to FS9 Jon has coded a special area that automactically adds a ILS approach and missed approach to any runway so ATC recognizes the approach and keeps the runway open in IMC weather. This also gives all the AI Planes a hard code set of approach values and helps eliminate all those planes you see rolling along the ground toward a runway. Also keep in mind that the approach utililty is just the tip of the iceberg in ADE9 and it also has many of the same features its big brother ADEX has.I have 2 sticky post on approaches at the following links. For the most part these post will also apply to FS9. One of the post also includes how to make a AI Plane fly a curved approach which is the foundation I used for the Kai Tak IGS 13 approach I wrote for all the scenery designers. http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13751http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14074jim

[betelgeuse 41]

It is a simple procedure to add a new transition to an existing approach. First of all you have to find .BGL file associated with default/stock FS9 airport. For example Zagreb Pleso Int'l ZAG/LDZA data is written among some other airports data in AP951250.bgl which is stored in FS9/scenery/Eurw folder........Dubravko :(

Thanks a bunch! :(