Is FSX Planner the best out there at the moment? I am finding it extremely difficult to use, especially trying to make aprons. Its too easy to click on the wrong thing (accidentally moving a runway or the entire apron instead of just a point), there doesn't seem to be a way to move your view around while your working without stopping and changing tools, I've spent hours trying to set up an apron to accidentally click wrong and it turns it into a funky mess..trying to fix that deletes the entire apron haha..I know I'm venting a little but it just seems quirky as hell.Its also very difficult to put an imagine in by using just the Lat Longs (I know the designer was working on a way to drag one around in a future version but haven't seen any recent news).Just wondering if there are any other programs people are using?EDIT: searches for other tools brings me to ADE most often (version 1.47 is the most recent?) Is this a more advanced program than the FSX Planner?

When FSX was released and dev. tools started coming forth FSX Planner was a good tool to use. The last release was three years ago and any "advantage" it might have held back then has disappeared. While there was no formal word to such an extent, I consider it to be abandoned, as it is. Some may like it, some may not. But there are a couple of better options available, IMO. One is free, the other isn't.

When FSX was released and dev. tools started coming forth FSX Planner was a good tool to use. The last release was three years ago and any "advantage" it might have held back then has disappeared. While there was no formal word to such an extent, I consider it to be abandoned, as it is. Some may like it, some may not. But there are a couple of better options available, IMO. One is free, the other isn't.

Thanks! That is along the lines I was thinking..I downloaded and I am messing around with ADE, deciding if I want to pay for the prokey? Is that one of the programs you are referring to?One of the things I would like to be able to do is overlay a template in order to help make aprons/taxiways..without having to use exact lat/longs.The other is a measuring tool (doesn't have to be exact)...but so I can be somewhat accurate in my layout...for example to know that I have adequate spacing between taxi-ways ect..

Either of the two currently being developed tools will allow you to add a background image, which then can be used for fairly precise placement. FWIW, I do not use or recommend using Google Earth as a background source *IF* the airport is going to be used with photo based scenery. GE has just a slight off-ness to it's imagery make up to be out of place by a few feet.While measuring can be handy, especially since a lot of airports don't have 80' wide taxi paths, using a background image takes care of a lot of the measurement requirements. But both tools will allow you to place guidelines, which give out a distance reading.

Thanks! That is along the lines I was thinking..I downloaded and I am messing around with ADE, deciding if I want to pay for the prokey? Is that one of the programs you are referring to?One of the things I would like to be able to do is overlay a template in order to help make aprons/taxiways..without having to use exact lat/longs.The other is a measuring tool (doesn't have to be exact)...but so I can be somewhat accurate in my layout...for example to know that I have adequate spacing between taxi-ways ect..

ADE allows the use of bckground images to position airport elements. It also has an accurate measuring tool. AFX has the same capabilities

Placing background images using exact coordinates is easy if you use Exploring Google Maps to capture the images. It lists the coordinates of the image and you can just copy and past them into AFX, ADE9X, Sbuilder, etc.http://www.ptsim.com/sbuilder/gmaps.htm