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Guest Hugo

AFCAD and grass runways

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Is it possible to use AFCAD on a grass runway? I created a new scenery using ground2k and airport and Id like to add some planes. I prefer to use more detailed aircraft than converting old fs98 and 2000 planes to api. Ive tried to add in some dynamic aircraft and setting the flight times to once a week in the middle of the night so they will be static most of the time. The runway is only about 1800ft. so maybe length is a problem but I would have to guess that its most likely the uneven mesh terrain. The heights of the strip range from 201' to 203'. Also.. since i just want static aircraft, I could make the runway in AFCAD a longer length since no one will ever see the aircraft move just as long as the parking is correct. Any ideas? Or would the only way be to make the airport in AFCAD above the highest point in FS or flatten the terrain..neither of which I will do.ThanksBrad

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I think it should work. FS doesn't care whether the runway is concrete, grass or water for that matter. I've made some small runways about the same length as yours, and the only problem I had was that a lot of default GA aircraft don't like to land when it's that short. They go into that "hover effect" and then "go around". If you pick your aircraft carefully (or, make your own) then you can overcome this problem.Another problem I had was that the runway was so narrow, and the parking was so close to the runway, that the aircraft would get "stuck" when moving around.If all you're trying to do is add static aircraft, then why not just add an aircraft macro? If you are designing your macros yourself, then you probably already have the skills to make a static aircraft. You will also be able to control the LOD models, which will help your performance. I understand that you want better quality than converting older aircraft, but I think you can find some decent aircraft out there that can be coverted over to .api macros. - Martin

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Guest gorchi

No problem, You can do it and I have tested this allready. I agree with Martin regarding FS care about the type of runway.If You wish to add some AI traffic, then You must add your airport to Flightplans.txt and airport.txt, and You should also not forget to add tower to your airport using afcad even though in Your airport/airfield/airstrip there is no tower, just a guy with radio staion.Best regards,Goran BrumenFS Slovenija 2002 teamhttp://slovenia.avsim.net

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Guest

What about the mesh scenery that im building this on top of. Wouldnt the different elevations give AFCAD a problem? It seems that AFCAD is setup for a flat terrain at a certain altitude msl... and wont just lay on top of the uneven ground....Brad

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Guest gorchi

Just use elevation on the reference point and it should be okay. FS AI traffic should be wise enough to obey elevations and hardens below the mesh.Regards,Goran BrumenFS Slovenija 2002 teamhttp://slovenia.avsim.net

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Guest Hugo

Brad, it is indeed possible to have AIs do their show to short grass, dirt or asphalt rwys the lenght you suggested. But the kind of a/c that will make it there are somewhat limited to the small GAs like the 172, 182S and RG, Piper 180 and the like. All of them are of the tricycle type. Maybe the 208 could also make it.Last year I experimented them those with success on a 2000' long dirt runway. The area was flatten though by about 200' all around the runway to include the taxiways as well as the parking lot. I haven't had any success on getting any tail weel types in, like the Cub, the 140 yet but maybe I haven't tried hard enough ;-) There are a couple of tricks though I found were needed to acheive successfull AI trips with a variety of a/c as mentionned above.1- Make the the AFCAD rwy lenght about 20 to 30% longer than the scenery rwy lenght, both sharing the same rwy center, for those < 3000' long.2- Put an ILS localizer at each runway far ends. (see AFCAD Help file, section 32 Navaid of which I have attached a copy of below) This, I found was essential to assure a diversity of ACs, as mentionned above, to all make it safe for a given short rway. Keep in mind that, you as a pilot can't use these localizer for your own approaches. You won't be able to tune them in you own AC. Those are only good for the (AI) birds ;-) I haven't found that adding glide paths weren't of any use though. The idea here is to use any tricks that will maximize a traffic diversity to a given short field.3- Make all your flightplans IFR. 4- Use Ramp GA Large type of parking lots as some GA just won't accept any smaller one.Below; Attachement #1: A fictious 2000' dirt rway I made the scenery of and to which I added the AFCAD layout. In the actual scenery the strip is contained within the 2 extreme blue dots. The AFCAD strip lenght was set to 2600', so the exceeding lenght beyond the 2 dots.Attachement #2: The same as above showing the localiser placementsAttachement #3: Copy of Afcad Help, 32- Navaids section.Attachement #4: A view of the sceneryWhen I first made the AFCAD strip the same lenght as the scenery one, 2000', only the 172 could make safe there. When I increased the AFCAD lenght to 2600' I could get 2 or 3 more and adding the localizer I could get all of the above.Hope this help,Hugo

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