Airport Design Editor for MSFS alpha version released

[duckbilled 310]

13 hours ago, fakeflyer737 said:

so what does this mean for the average end user? I have no idea how ADE works. Does this mean we'll get more freeware scenery faster? 

I don't know what the average user is anymore. If this question was asked about FSX, most people would say realistic flight planning and use of a FMC/MCDU would be outside the bounds for the average user, but the popularity of the FBW and similar mods may show that the average user is a bit more advanced than some may think. It may also mean that once a person gets a taste, they want more. IMO, this is most useful for people who want realistic AI ground operations, either online or offline. Of course, there are a ton more features, but I think this is what general users will be most interested in, recognizing that AI aficionados are a small subset of the fs world. Some may edit airports for their own use, or they may upload the files to one of the popular sites. There are some people who developed a ton of high quality AFCADS for previous sims - Ray Smith comes to mind.

Yes, it could speed up the production of freeware airports, and it makes the process of editing default airports a lot more accessible.

13 hours ago, espent said:

Sorry for my ignorance, but how often do they get outdated? 

Since it sounds like the AI system is similar to the system in FSX (also FS9 and P3D), you can get an idea of what can be done with an updated AFCAD file by browsing the FSX AFCAD files in the AVSIM file library. Another good source is Alpha India Groups Art of AFCAD Design forum. In both cases, you can see a ton of freeware add ons that were developed over the years for the default scenery and add on airports (both freeware and payware).

Things get outdated when airlines change/merge. A example was the merger of Continental and United (or American and US Airways). When Continental became United, all of the Continental gates needed the UAL code added so the United aircraft would park at the right gates (both AI and user ac). Without proper codes at a major Continental hub like EWR, United AI aircraft may disappear upon landing if the United gates are all occupied. Since all of the Continental aircraft are now United, that means most of your gates will also be empty. For the user, ATC may not direct you to a gate, because there are no gates available for your airline. Now, if you have no airlines codes at any of your gates (guessing this is what the default AFCADS look like), aircraft will park in whatever space is large enough for the aircraft. This may place UPS and FedEx aircraft at gates or passenger aircraft in military spots.

So, in short, if you want AI aircraft to park in the correct spaces, you need ADE to edit the parking spots. There are other ways an airport can become outdated, but I think that is the most visible one.

[solwell1 43]

Of course, you never know if your work will be affected by the next FS update.

Edited December 27, 2020 by solwell1
typo

[karlz 37]

I used this program quite a bit in P3D to update the Long Beach Airport, KLGB.

When MSFS 2020 came out the graphics are great, but all the taxiways are the wrong designations.   When you use the real airport everyday, its a bummer in the sim, when ATC gives you some directions which don’t even connect in real life.

The other issue KLGB has in MSFS default airport, is this seriously reduced runway 26L, with this giant displaced threshold..  Its already been shortened in real life, then the sim gives it another trim, making it really small.

I was able to fix that and put it back to normal,  take off the X on the runway 8L side, not sure why they have that runway side closed,  it is not in real life, and super odd to close one side of the runway without doing that to both sides..   But removed that as well, and added the lighting back in.

I guess Ill complete this airport in the 2018 configuration MSFS defaults to, with all the correct taxiways, and add the signs from the FAA Signs and markings plan, before I tackle the new taxiway geometry changes, and rebuild to the current ALP, with all the new construction going on.

Glad this is working, just hope they add some new features for editing the Mandatory hold position markings in the ADE, saw it done in the MSFS SDK, but need to learn their SDK more to be familiar with its use..  

It would be nice if you could edit the random taxiway lights that are installed in the middle of the taxiways at airports,  and would be nice if they had two sided airport signs.. 

 

 

Edited March 2, 2021 by karlz

[gryper 8]

So anyone in 2022 got a link to this editor for MSFS2020? The link above is for P3D and FSX. I've been all over the ADE website and I cannot find where to download the thing.

[hschuit 11]

You can find it at the FSDeveloper forum - Airport Design Editor for MSFS 2020 thread:

MSFS - ADE 2020 Alpha 21 HotFix 4 | FSDeveloper

[Phantoms 800]

How simple or complex is it to simply open an airport with ADE and change or modify parking spots for type and icao code without messing up anything else with the airport (ILS, etc.)?

 

[KL Oo 695]

You should be fine with that, but I find ADE much more difficult to use with MSFS than with P3D. The compilation process seems more complicated and editing 3rd party .BGLs can sometimes be very difficult getting them to compile again

[Phantoms 800]

Messing with ADE and building KSAV has taught me just how screwed up MSFS AI really is. It's much more than spinning airplanes and slow runway departures. Planes sometimes using a section of runway as a taxiway even when a clear taxiway path is there, sometimes ignoring Gate assignments, low flying aircraft, vehicles using taxiways even when vehicle paths are available, planes being told to hold position for stupid reasons and sometimes being forgot about until they despawn, etc., etc., etc. are just a few of my big gripes. I know about the radius touching will prevent two aircraft from parking next to each other, but MSFS will park aircraft (say United Express) in the center parking spot of 3 assigned ones even though those outer 2 spots have no planes beside them, thus causing any additional United Expresses to have to search for a Gate or spot they're not coded for which may use and tie up a spot for another carrier. The AI is so bad that I've been hesitant to update my KSAV release even though I've made thousands of additional minor fixes and changes since the original, Including making sure planes don't exit one runway onto the crossing one before stopping and contacting ground. When AIG puts out there state of MSFS AI articles, they're just barely scratching the surface on the problems that are present.

Edited June 3, 2022 by Phantoms