Hi,I have used AFCAD2 for MSFS9. I am not a programmer or designer.To use FSX Planner ... is it complicated? Like, do you have to be a programmer to use it? I know it is in beta but for how much longer .. like another 6 to 12 months? Anyone know?I could not locate ADE, SDE, or SED090 to read about/evaluate them?Is the AFX from Flight1 a souped up AFCAD2/FS9 application or is it really designed for MSFSX with the FS9 support added to it?

>Hi,>I have used AFCAD2 for MSFS9. I am not a programmer or>designer.>>To use FSX Planner ... is it complicated? Like, do you have to>be a programmer to use it? I know it is in beta but for how>much longer .. like another 6 to 12 months? Anyone know?>>I could not locate ADE, SDE, or SED090 to read about/evaluate>them?>>Is the AFX from Flight1 a souped up AFCAD2/FS9 application or>is it really designed for MSFSX with the FS9 support added to>it?>AFX from Flight 1 has a similar interface to AFCAD2, which makes it easy to use. It is compatible with both FS2004 & FSX, but is enhanced for FSX, with the facility to insert taxiway signs, moving jetways, and other objects, in which respect it is identical to FSX Planner.FSX Planner (FSX only) is still work in progress, but is also easy to use. At the moment its main drawback is that it only reads .XML files, so it's necessary to convert FSX's .bgl files first. This is easy to do with BGLtoXML.exe (available separately from AVSIM). It does convert back to. BGL, though. Why not try it - it's freeware.It does have one remarkable facility. If you load an airport, with a couple of mouse-clicks you can get a Google Earth satellite view of the airport. Save it as a screen dump, make it transparent, and it acts as a perfect guide.

For someone familiar with AFCAD, AFX should be much easier to use than FSX Planner.AFX has a free demo available and can load background images too.

>For someone familiar with AFCAD, AFX should be much easier to>use than FSX Planner.>>AFX has a free demo available and can load background images>too.>Hanstatdg & Armchairpilot,Thanks for you comments ... appreciated.

edit added this: For someone familiar with AFCAD, AFX should be much easier to use than FSX Planner.nonsense. I'm an afcad user, and I found FS Planner to be very similar and easy to use.Paul Dahlen

There is a 3rd airport designer currently under development wich is well worth a look. It's called Airport Design Editor. Get it fromhttp://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5219The latest hyperlink is in the last post on the thread, together with the readme.It is claimed that eventually it will have the facility to add lots of objects.DavidGH

And I just saw in Computer Pilot Magazine another FREE product: FSX Planner from Zbluesoftware. It also looks like AFCAD2 & AFX.

Both FsX Planner and ADE have been available for quite some time. They are both a work in progress, but are just as capable (if not more capable) than AFX which is payware.You can directly communicate with the authors, make suggestions, etc. by reading the forums at FSDeveloper.comFsX Planner's forum is at http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=83.ADE's forum is at http://www.fsdeveloper.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=82.Both of these Freeware programs also have a website.FsX Planner at http://www.zbluesoftware.com/fsxplanner/ADE at http://www.airportdesigneditor.co.uk/ADE uses features of SDE which is a nice little program in itself.

>Both FsX Planner and ADE have been available for quite some>time. They are both a work in progress, but are just as>capable (if not more capable) than AFX which is payware.I wouldn't say they are more capable. AFX has a much better integration with FS than either of these tools. You have a live preview that allows you to see your changes immediately in Flight Simulator (no more guessing how the airport elements relate to the landscape or buildings), you can reload scenery in FS from inside AFX, you see the plane position in AFX, you can even have the AFX mouse pointer show in FS too! I don't know about FSXP, but the author of ADE clearly said that a live preview in ADE is not going to happen.You can as well say BGLCOMP is more capable than FSXP and ADE, because you can do more with BGLCOMP than with these tools. Sure you can, but compare the effort needed!FSXP does have some functions that AFX doesn't (mostly directed towards advanced users), but from the ease of use, AFX wins hands down.

>>Both FsX Planner and ADE have been available for quite some>>time. They are both a work in progress, but are just as>>capable (if not more capable) than AFX which is payware.>>I wouldn't say they are more capable. AFX has a much better>integration with FS than either of these tools. You have a>live preview that allows you to see your changes immediately>in Flight Simulator (no more guessing how the airport elements>relate to the landscape or buildings), you can reload scenery>in FS from inside AFX, you see the plane position in AFX, you>can even have the AFX mouse pointer show in FS too! I don't>know about FSXP, but the author of ADE clearly said that a>live preview in ADE is not going to happen.>>You can as well say BGLCOMP is more capable than FSXP and ADE,>because you can do more with BGLCOMP than with these tools.>Sure you can, but compare the effort needed!>>FSXP does have some functions that AFX doesn't (mostly>directed towards advanced users), but from the ease of use,>AFX wins hands down.>True,I purchased AFX after reading the many comments here.Easy to use.Works with FS9 and FSX.I do not have to understand programming to use it.Has had upgrade features already since initial release.Has a support/programming staff.Price was a little high ... it cost more than my Level-D FSX upgrade!I like AFX!