Flight1 just released AFX, now we can modify airports

[zfehr 1]

Couldn't say anything earlier but I just saw that Flight1 released a program that works very much like AFCAD but works in FSX or FS9 and allows all the new features of FSX (not in FS9 of course). Neat program with some suprising features.

[maxter 0]

Wow, looks really good. Gulp, the old credit card takes another hit... :-)Cheers and thanks for the heads up.Chris Porter:-outtaPerthWestern AustraliaCheck out my 5th Around the World flight with MS FSX at http://members.iinet.com.au/~portercbp/fly...W_05/index.html

[tf51d 284]

Curious, is Lee Swordy connected to this project? From the screenshots posted on flight1, the interface looks like a mirror image of his AFCAD2!

[jrhoads 6]

This is one powerful program with features beyond AFCAD and it works for both FSX and FS9Jim

[GHD 21]

>Lee Swordy is not connected to this project.He should sue for breach of copyright of his GUI. It is a direct copy!

[Guest dwaohio]

Another program that was free under FS9 now cost a arm and a leg to buy. The program is 29.95 that is steep for a program that was free under FS9. That is almost half the cost of the FSX program. Dave

[jrhoads 6]

>Another program that was free under FS9 now cost a arm and a>leg to buy. The program is 29.95 that is steep for a program>that was free under FS9. That is almost half the cost of the>FSX program. AFX was never free. Afcad was. Users have been asking for a similar tool for FSX to continue doing what they have done before with Afcad which has been unsupported for a long time now. AFX goes way beyond what Afcad could ever do including support of FSX specific feature sets and live FS preview of your work. Jim

[Steve Halpern 176]

Dave,That is a pretty extreme statement you made... without even knowing all the facts of what the product actually does. It is not the same as what was for free. And why would you blame Konstantin or Flight1 when months of work have gone into this tool, plus additional months of work on libraries that were developed for products such as Instant Scenery or FSDiscover. See my additional notes to Tom.Tom,The program was written entirely from scratch. Konstantin Kukushkin is brilliant in what he does. The parts that are similar are done to make previous users of the old AFCAD program have a familiar flow through parts of the program. But it is NOT a copy, and Konstantin does not need to copy anything (if you knew his work over he last 10 years you would know this).AFX goes far beyond AFCAD in its features. It does do basic AFCAD style functions, but please give it all a closer look and you will see the similarities are not so similar.Thanks,

[tf51d 284]

>Another program that was free under FS9 now cost a arm and a>leg to buy. The program is 29.95 that is steep for a program>that was free under FS9. That is almost half the cost of the>FSX program. >>>>DaveI don't have a problem with developers charging for their products, in general. I do have a problem though paying for a product, which from appearances was designed in the same basic design as another developer,( at least the GUI) especially a freeware developer, unless they were involved with, or gave permission to use their design in their product? Up until now I never had cause to question the quality or integrity of any of Flight1's products, but I would need these questions answered before I bought this one. Flight1 has always been a reputable publisher, and I don't think they would be involved in anything questionable ethically, so there must be a explanation for this. EDIT: Steve, just saw your response, I don't question the code itself is from scratch, but the GUI design, you have to admit at least from appearance is questionable. I do appreciate the fact it's purpose is to make it similar in feel as the previous AFCAD program, but I don't think it's right to use someone elses GUI design without their permission or knowledge, especially when there's was freeware and your's is payware! That's just my opinion!

[Steve Halpern 176]

Tom,I do not know how to directly answer this. A similar flow is just that, a similar flow. Microsoft Office and Open Office have similar flows, but the code is entirely different.In no way does Konstantin or Flight1 have a need or desire to take advantage of anyone, including Lee and what he provided.I am sure previous AFCAD users will be able to enjoy a similar type flow through the program, and that was done on purpose.Again, there are some similarities on purpose, but should the colors be changed simply to say that it is different? And really, a closer look at the title would help anyone to determine that it is far from the same program.For those that want to pick up where AFCAD left off, this is a perfect tool for you, and then some.

[TonyB 1]

AFX looks incredibly useful. On the product page, be sure to click on the screen shots and wait a a bit. They are animated and demonstrate a lot of functionality. I can't wait to try it. This is another huge hole in FSX being plugged, and then so.Tony

[jrhoads 6]

> This is another huge hole in FSX being plugged, and then>so.>>TonyAnd that Tony... is exactly what AFX was designed for.Jim

[Paul J 349]

Yes it "looks" like AFCAD - but what would you expect an application which is used to design airports to look like??????? Grass is green - runways are grey - markings are yellow. Considering the 'look and feel" of an airport how different would it be? ALL Windows programs have a similar, or the same look and feel - that doesn't mean that it's the same programming code!!!! It can be written in "C", in "C-Sharp", Visual Basic - it can be written in assembler, if the programmer is THAT dedicated; but the output may well LOOK the same!!!! In fact, given the popularity and success of "AFCAD" it would make good business sense to do this. I suppose it's also possible that they did ask Lee if it was ok by him, too. I don't know. I do know that if I'm going to organize a team of aviation simulation software designers and produce an app like this one, or a new aircraft, or cloud system - you better believe my legal liabilities are in order, AND I want $30 bucks US for it. My time, and my employees' time is worth money. Do YOU work for nothing???OK - rant over: I do have one, I suppose, rational question, though - if it can import and convert FS9 airports - can it import and convert, say FlyTampa commercially available airports?

[RFields5421 1]

While the overall default look may bear some resemblence to AFCAD - it's is very, very different program.Still looking.So far only found one glaring error - in the documentation - The following objects, while technically speaking not being part of the airport data, can also be edited with AFX:Taxiway SignsWhile taxiway signs can be created outside the airport header, and their exclusion rectangle needs to be outside the airport header - the signs are part of the airport data and should be included under the header - at least according to the BGLComp SDK and all the FSX default airports.I hope it's just divergent perception.AFCAD's greatest failing was that it was never updated to comply with FS2004 BGLComp standards.I sincerely hope this product is fully compliant.Second error - the program does not differientate between Blast Pads and Overruns in the runway properties.Those are two separate objects / functions in FSX - with blast pads having the yellow marking areas and overruns not having surface markings.Overruns have to be nested in the runway properties under the blast pad if both are used.Also, the program is stripping out some elements in modified FSX airports which were built in XML by SDK standards.

[armchairpil0t 0]

>While taxiway signs can be created outside the airport header,>and their exclusion rectangle needs to be outside the airport>header - the signs are part of the airport data and should be>included under the header - at least according to the BGLComp>SDK and all the FSX default airports.>>I hope it's just divergent perception.When compiled into a BGL, however, the taxiway signs are no longer located inside the airport data. It's similar to terminal navaids - they are placed inside the tag in the XML, but they are not part of the airport data in the BGL file that BGLCOMP creates and are processed by FSX separately from the airport. They can't be removed using , for example.