I am looking for the best software to start building my own FSX aircraft.Can anyone give me some advise.

I recommend Abacus FS design Studio and FS repaint.

If you want the fewest headaches, use GMax v1.1. It's free, and best of all the official SDK tools were designed for GMax.

A little warning about FSDS - on my latest computer the solid perspective display is missing about half the parts of the model, even though they show up fine in wireframe mode. Makes the program not very useful, and Abacus has not come up with any solutions, AFAIK. GMAX works fine.

I downloaded GMAX and got it installed and click on the tutorials to start learning. And it doesn't work.

I downloaded GMAX and got it installed and click on the tutorials to start learning. And it doesn't work.

Have you installed the FSX Game Pack and used its shortcut?EDITgmax[/url] In order for gmax to work correctly with the scripts and tools of this SDK, go through the following steps: Ensure that .NET Framework Version 2.0 is installed. If not, install it from: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0856EACB-4362-4B0D-8EDD-AAB15C5E04F5&displaylang=enInstall gmax by visiting http://www.turbosquid.com/gmax and running the download and installer. After installation you will be required to register with Turbosquid to activate the product.Ensure that the gamepack provided in the SDK (FSX_GmaxGamepack) is copied to the correct folder, which in a default installation would be the C:\Gmax\gamepacks folder.Make sure that you run gmax from the shortcut provided (FSX_GMaxGamePack). The shortcut provides Flight Simulator X specific additions to gmax, and the recommended procedure is to copy the shortcut to your desktop.In order to view all of the features of the Oil Rig Sample file, copy the files from the FSX_GmaxGamePack\textures\DDSFiles directory into the Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Addon Scenery\texture directory.The gamepack supports the tools described in this document (attach point, animation manager, cloud tool, LOD and Guid generation) and FSX Materials.

Note There is a known issue with gmax that will cause the model textures to not be found on first run of a model. There are two work-arounds to this problem:

• Open the model file once and from then on use the shortcut created at the bottom of the file menu in gmax.
• Redirect the path to the textures directory using Customize -> Configure Paths -> Bitmaps.

Have you installed the FSX Game Pack and used its shortcut?EDITgmaxIn order for gmax to work correctly with the scripts and tools of this SDK, go through the following steps:

1. Ensure that .NET Framework Version 2.0 is installed. If not, install it from: http://www.microsoft...&displaylang=en
2. Install gmax by visiting http://www.turbosquid.com/gmax and running the download and installer. After installation you will be required to register with Turbosquid to activate the product.
3. Ensure that the gamepack provided in the SDK (FSX_GmaxGamepack) is copied to the correct folder, which in a default installation would be the C:\Gmax\gamepacks folder.
4. Make sure that you run gmax from the shortcut provided (FSX_GMaxGamePack). The shortcut provides Flight Simulator X specific additions to gmax, and the recommended procedure is to copy the shortcut to your desktop.
5. In order to view all of the features of the Oil Rig Sample file, copy the files from the FSX_GmaxGamePack\textures\DDSFiles directory into the Microsoft Flight Simulator X\Addon Scenery\texture directory.
6. The gamepack supports the tools described in this document (attach point, animation manager, cloud tool, LOD and Guid generation) and FSX Materials.

NoteThere is a known issue with gmax that will cause the model textures to not be found on first run of a model. There are two work-arounds to this problem:

• Open the model file once and from then on use the shortcut created at the bottom of the file menu in gmax.
• Redirect the path to the textures directory using Customize -> Configure Paths -> Bitmaps.

[/quoteI have done most of the above up till the game pack where does that come from? I have uninstalled it and installed it in program files 86 and i not seeing anything about FSX files

The GMax "Gamepack" is part of the FSX SDK. You must install the SDK and at least SDK1a to have the Gamepack. The service level of the SDK must match your installed version of FSX.See this Wiki article for details: http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=SDKPlease understand that there is a lot to learn and configure before things will begin to fall into place. Don't get discouraged, but modeling is not something anyone is going to learn overnight... :(

I like using AC3D export in 3ds and then go from there. Here are my 2 first projects a PA28-140 and a T-41D: http://www.flickr.com/photos/66792661@N03/EnjoyTheseas

I like using AC3D export in 3ds and then go from there.Here are my 2 first projects a PA28-140 and a T-41D: http://www.flickr.co...s/66792661@N03/EnjoyTheseas

Theseas,I have checked out you above mentioned link. Awesome. What program do you use there. It looks like something other than gmax/3ds, but I may be mistaken. I can not make out the fonts but if I remeber correctly you must use 3dmax 6 or 8, not later? Am I correct?And what is AC3D export?

Theseas,I have checked out you above mentioned link. Awesome. What program do you use there. It looks like something other than gmax/3ds, but I may be mistaken. I can not make out the fonts but if I remeber correctly you must use 3dmax 6 or 8, not later? Am I correct?And what is AC3D export?

Sklyf:AC3D is an inexpensive software made by Inivis. Here is the link: http://www.inivis.com/I found it very easy to learn and use. It can export files in formats that work with oher simulators such as x-plane and IPACS. It can also export in a formats such as .3ds or .DXF that could then be imported in gmax or even FSDS for exporting again as files usabale in MSFS. I decided to experiment with this software first in order to develop a model of the actual (real life) aircraft in which I am training in and use this model in both x-plane and in MSFS. I am curious to find out how acurately each one of these simulators is recreating the flight characteristics of an aircarft that I am familiar with. I found myself enjoying using AC3D so much that I have been absorbed in developing every structural detail of the PA28-140. This way I am learning a lot about the inner structures of the aircraft. My references are mainly the PA28 parts catalog, maintenance manual and a large number of images from the actual aircrfat and many found in Ebay of PA28parts auctions. I hope that this helps. Thanks.

Do keep in mind that the visual model really has nothing to do with how the aircraft will "perform." In both X-Plane and FS9/X, the FDE has to be developed and tuned in a process that is unrelated to the visual model...Yes, simple flight models can be derived in X-Plane from the elemental visual model, but no serious developer would ever depend on that simplified flight dynamics for their project. :(

Do keep in mind that the visual model really has nothing to do with how the aircraft will "perform." In both X-Plane and FS9/X, the FDE has to be developed and tuned in a process that is unrelated to the visual model...Yes, simple flight models can be derived in X-Plane from the elemental visual model, but no serious developer would ever depend on that simplified flight dynamics for their project. :(

Thank you for the feedback; I understand your point. What I was trying to say is that given the familiarity with the actual aircraft it is interesting to me to see which of the two simulations can get close to the actual aircraft's flight characterisitcs and determine what type of tweaks would be necessary to approximate it in the simulation (be it in the .air, .cfg or .acf files). Regarding the visual model and the inner details they are meant as a study of the underline structures again to satisfy curiosity and a better understanding of the aircraft's construction.

Ensure that the gamepack provided in the SDK (FSX_GmaxGamepack) is copied to the correct folder, which in a default installation would be the C:Gmaxgamepacks folder.

I am not sure what you mean by this: In the GMax directorygamepacks is nothing. On the DVD (Deluxe) is no FSX_GmaxGamepack and neither on my hard drive.

In order to view all of the features of the Oil Rig Sample file, copy the files from the FSX_GmaxGamePacktexturesDDSFiles directory into the Microsoft Flight Simulator XAddon Scenerytexture directory.

Where do you get this gamepacks? Where do you get the FSX_GmaxGamePacktexturesDDSFiles directory?I have reinstalled the SDK but I get no further. I am in a dead end. I do have the SDK and I have installed SP1 and SP2.Am I that brain dead?

This might help:http://www.fsdeveloper.com/wiki/index.php?title=Installing_FSX_GMax_gamepack