Creating new airport AF2 files. Please point me to a thread.

[Guest 2x4]

I have attemted to create a new airport for 2004 with FSSC, but the output is a 2002 type AFD file. So far, my forum searches haven't turned up anything about how to create the AF2 correctly, so that all facility info is recognized and shows the new airport in the 2004 airport menu list. Can anyone point me to a thread or tutorial on this?

[arno 1]

You would have to use AFCAD2 or SceneGenX for that. At the moment that are the only tools capable of creating airports fully using the Fs2004 scenery format. With FSSC it is just not possible.

[Guest 2x4]

Thanks Arno. I thought FSSC would, because I downloaded China Airports scenery (China1, China2, China3 - I think) and the author said he used Fssc. It must have been for additional objects.I looked for an option to create a new airport with AFCAD2, but so far haven't found it. Maybe I am missing an update or plugin of some sort.Or is the method perhaps to save an existing airport with a new name,and then make changes including the location coordinates? Do you know of a tutorial or forum thread about this subject?I will certainly check out SceneGenX.Thanks again.

[basher 0]

Installed in the AFCAD2 directory you chose to install the program is a file "ReadMe.htm" which provides a detailed guide ti using all AFCAD2 features, including creating new airportsRegards

[scott967 62]

I don't believe there is any tool for extracting the required information out of an FSSC or AFW file for use in AFCAD2. The only way I know of is to build an airport in SGX, then use the xml from that for editing in AFCAD. But I have tried this and not had good experience, in particular altitudes were getting confused, also some runway atributes just wouldn't copy over correctly.Life would be easier if you could put a bitmap into AFCAD2, but i guess that isn't going to happen.scott s..

[n4gix 4,947]

>Life would be easier if you could put a bitmap into AFCAD2,>but i guess that isn't going to happen.No, you can't do that... but, it's rather simple to create a poly in GMax that will cover the entire area of the new airport, then UVW map and texture the poly with your airport layout image. It takes a bit of care to ensure that you've got your scale correct, but that's why GMax has the tape measure helper available... ;)Install the "scenery" in FS9 and use that as a background you can slew around in top view mode while building your AFCAD2 file.

[scott967 62]

I was thinking maybe something like could help, but since I know next to nothing of GMax, I'm not so sure I buy your "rather simple" estimate.Any pointers on how to learn to build these polys?scott s..

[Guest 2x4]

Scott and all,Thanks for the help. I discovered that I was using AFCAD2.04 which doesn't have the Create Airport menu option. Somehow I missed 2.21.Scott -- about using a bitmap background -- Architect 2002 has this capability. Despite the slamming some simmers have written to defame this program, I think it is an excellent tool. How many addon developement programs could be called 'perfect.' In the world of hobbies, Flight simulation is still relatively new, and it's only reasonable that programming complexities for the addon programs are going to take some time to develope.