How to change Runway Surface ?

[vitea 0]

Hello, I want to know if its possilbe to change the surface of a Runway from Gravel/Grass to Concrete ?  I hate a few airports with a Concrete runway, looking like one at least, but feels like a gravel one, I tried to change this through the AFCAD2 by Lee Swordy, but it didnt work...

[Captain Kevin 586]

Airport Design Editor?

[ronzie 21]

ADE is compatible with FSX and FS9 and is freeware. It is more compatible with a wider range of scenery than the narrow range of AFCAD221 due to the very early design dates of AFCAD before Microsoft released details of scenery design for developers. I've used it on afcad files and AFX files. The only caution is to check if comm frequencies are included in the final design -- another topic.

 

http://www.airportdesigneditor.co.uk/

has the links and overview for tutorials and the utilities.

 

It is a two step process for safest use. You set up a project folder, import the bgl file you wish to modify, save the project and check for errors, and then when satisfied compile it to a replacement bgl.

 

In an advanced capacity it can when adding an ILS create an approach pattern for ai to use that is editable in the approach view.

 

ADE is safer to use than AFCAD as it is less likely to drop scenery objects that may be included within the afd type files especially those designed with other tools.

[tgibson 11]

If AFCAD didn't fix it, ADE won't fix it either...

[vitea 0]

Yeah, not even ADE didnt help much, thx for all the support though. I'm focused mainly on Jomo Kenyata Airport in Nairobi, its still a gravel type Runway, default or 3rd party, although it looks like concrete one, besides the elevation of the place the aircraft makes a slow take off and with this runway its almost impposible to get the 777 airborne on time.

[ronzie 21]

Here is a partial surface list of default fs9 hkjk scenery for runway 6 as shown by ADE:

 

 

Bituminous is the default.

 

I never tried changing a surface of this type. What scenery are you using and if freeware provide a link.

 

 

[mebull 27]

Yeah, not even ADE didnt help much, thx for all the support though. I'm focused mainly on Jomo Kenyata Airport in Nairobi, its still a gravel type Runway, default or 3rd party, although it looks like concrete one, besides the elevation of the place the aircraft makes a slow take off and with this runway its almost impposible to get the 777 airborne on time.

 

As per the other helpful comments and to add; You should also change the properties of the black line than runs the length of the runway to match the texture you chose as in Ron's example. Otherwise you can get a runway that appears concrete yet behaves bituminous for example.

 

Regards,

Mel

[HughesMDflyer4 470]

Are you sure you're installing your modification correctly? ADE WILL work for this.

[vitea 0]

I use the OrientalSim Nairoby scenery, but the default was also looking like concrete, while behaving like bituminous, I tried also changing the center line like you said, but it still didnt work, I mean maybe I'm not saving it the right way, or I am missing something....

[mebull 27]

 

 

I am missing something....

 

Have you double checked to make sure you don't have a second AFCAD file for that airport inside FS9 somewhere? When you make your changes with ADE, save the file and then click on compile it will open a window allowing you to choose where to send the compiled airport bgl file. Typical locations are the Addon Scenery / Scenery folder or the scenery folder associated with an airport scenery. Saving the airport alone does not produce the necessary bgl it must be 'compiled'. If your are doing that and I missed that please forgive. I hope this helps. Also with your OrientalSim Nairoby scenery, they may have used a photographic image of the runway in which case that image would display on top of the AFCAD - ADE or stock runway texture so although you may be actually getting the runway changed it would not appear to change visually. On the other hand, with that scenery inactive, there is absolutely no reason why your changes shouldn't work except the minor errors I mentioned above.

 

Regards,

Mel

[vitea 0]

Yes I did compile the file and still zero reaction, the other werd thing is, the grass on both sides of the runway, and between taxiways, has a hard surface lol  This Airport gives me the headaches, it simply does not give up...

I appreciate all your advices though

[ronzie 21]

Summing up, your problem is textures, not "feel", correct?

[ronzie 21]

http://secure.simmarket.com/orientalsim-nairobi-intl-fs2004.phtml

 

are the screenshots from simmarket for Nairobi. I can see a lighter bituminous runway surface over a darker surrounding surface. It is typical of a worn bituminous surface with some gravel base mixed in showing through.

 

I noticed the taxiways show a similar surface of worn or dried out bituminous. Taxiways and the aprons show a mix of concrete and bituminous.

 

On the satellite image from maps.google.com for HKJK are the bituminous runways and some taxiways that have a lighter shade than some darker rougher edging around them. Runway tire marks are much darker than the surface.

 

The simmarket screen shots look just like the google surfaces illustrated in the satellite image.

 

Do you have any texture airport enhancement apps installed? They substitute for the default textures and would affect all airports.

 

I do not have any texture improvements. On a summer day the default HKJK runway threshold area has the same dark gray texture as the sat images with darker tire burns (on my calibrated monitor).

 

How about attaching a couple of jpg screenshots from a threshold surface view and an overhead.

[vitea 0]

No I dont use any airport enhancement apps, I dont think the problem is the textures, because the default airport also has a concrete Runway and feels like gravel, when I only started using ADE and trying to find HKJK, it got me to a direction in the Scenery/Afri folder and found the default AFCAD I think, now i'm trying to find it again, its just that back than I was confused and focused on the AFCAD file from the Scenery folder.

 

I'v attached a picture where you can see the dirt coming from the tires

Edited February 2, 2014 by Jeff H
Image deleted for weight. Screenshots may be no larger than 400 kb. Please see AVSIM's screen shot policies for future reference.

[N60JBravo 27]

This is not uncommon with addons that use photoreal runways, especially those that have moved the runway from it's default location.

 

The Afcad runway might be very narrow to keep it from displaying.

 

You might try creating a hard surface apron and place it under the runway.

 

regards,

Joe

 

additional info-the default runway is bituminous which shares characteristics with gravel in terms of "feel" or bounce. Change this to asphalt to "firm" it up.

 

Make sure the .bgl you compile with ADE is in a folder that has higher priority than your addon.