Incorrect Runway Identifiers - now that it's 2005

[Guest pcflyer]

Now that we're well into 2005, the current NAVDATA cycles are being published showing updated (correctly) runway identifiers and ils headings etc... For example, my home airport CYQX Gander International, Newfoundland, Canada used to have a runway 04/22 which was aligned 036/216. I think the magnetic variation was 24W. Since 2005, and I guess because of the changing magnetic variation, which is now 22 W, the runway has now changed in real life to 03/21 which is aligned 033/213. I have confirmed this from the current terminal chart issued in Canada on 17 March 2005, and also because I fly there. My question is this, can I adjust FS2004 to reflect this change. I updated the AIRAC cycles from NAVDATA for my addons (FSNAV, Level D 767, PMDG 737 FMC) but now they too are out of sync with the FS2004 data. They show the corrected runway info, but FS2004 does not. As you know AFCAD won't make the changes required because it will not let you modify runway / ils ident data (...fom the FS2004 default). I tried to use BGLXML to decompile the scenery file (AP933140.BGL) located in the FS2004/Scenery/NAME folder. By editing the XML code I could change the identifiers, headings, etc...but when I recompiled the file and placed it back in the original folder to test. The sim loaded, but the scenery was all messed up, just runways and water !!! I tried the same type of process using SCENEGENX as well with the same results. There are two other BGL's for CYQX in my addon directory but I don't think they make a difference to the default idents. They are AF2_CYQX.BGL and FIUT_CYQX.BGL which are put there by AFCAD2 and Ultimate Traffic. I'm going mad trying to fix what I thought would be fairly simple, but it is obviously something far more complex than my monkey brain can figure out. I'm not sure what to try next or even what file to modify now. Please help !!!

[mgh 89]

Are you sure about AFCAD's limitations? I've repositioned an ILS at a default airport and it worked OK.I thought the problem with changing a runway and its ILS was that the Approaches had to be changed separately runway because AFCAD doesn't deal with Approaches.

[Guest pcflyer]

You're right, AFCAD2 can reposition ILS headings and the actual localizer beams, but the problem is that the simulator still reports the default names for the approaches, the ils and the runways. So, if you repositioned ILS/DME 04 (heading 036) to (heading 033)using AFCAD2, the sim still picks up the default data and therefore, displays ILS/DME 04 and runway 04 rather than 03 as it should be with the modified data applied. This then affects how FS Navigator for instance, compiles it's database. So what you end up with is that some parts of FS2004 show default data values, while some addons show modified data. The more I research this, the more variables I discover that are potentially affecting the final outcome in the sim. As I said, I have FS2004 default BGL files, AFCAD BGL's, Ultimate Traffic BGL's, AIRAC data cycles for PMDG 737 & Level D 767, and FSNavigator data to contend with. For all I know, these likely all affect how the runways and navaids are displayed and how the AI traffic uses them in the sim. On the otherhand...it might be too simple for me to see now.

[arno 1]

I think you should indeed be able to change the actual number on the runway etc with AFCAD2. But to get the ATC working correct you will have to write new approaches as well. AFCAD2 does not support this. If you do a search about XML and approaches on this forum, you should be able to find some useful topics about it.

[Guest pcflyer]

Thanks to all for your advise....I've got the corrections applied now, tested and confirmed as working. In a nutshell, I had to decompile the default bgl file. Copying the applicable xml code out of it and save it as another file. I corrected the code (changed runway numbers, and re-wrote the ils data, approaches, missed approaches, etc, with corrected headings and stuff. I then put in several DELETEALL tags (deletall runways, deleteall approachs, starts...)into the xml code. I was advised that this instructs MSFS to ignore only the data specifed by this tag in the default bgl, and to use the data in the modified bgl instead. MSFS still takes data from the stock bgl file because it has not been tagged with the deleteall key. As well, MSFS does not see any mods to the stock files shipped with the product, and therefore loads and displays the scenery correctly in conjuction with addon bgl's. I think too it was important that the modified file was placed in a directory which is prioritized higher than the directory containing the default bgl files, but lower than any other afcad files. I re-compiled the modified xml file to a bgl and saved it in scenery/generic/scenery. I then tweaked that file with afcad a bit to re-align taxi pathways and such. Lastly I recompiled the FSNav database and loaded up the sim. Everything worked as it should and is now accurate to the current charts and airac cycles released last month. All in all, it took me about 3 hours to correct this airport. Anyway, thanks again for your help.

[scott967 62]

Also there is a designer, jvile (Jim Vile) who has done a lot of work on doping out the approach formats. There is a lot of info in the PAI AFCAD forum. The bottom line seems to be to disassemble the AP file to get at the approach and way point data, and hand edit these (it should not be too hard with only a runway designator change) then recompile. It seems like the way FS9 loads AI and ATC data, it only looks as far as the regional scenery folders. So, to make the change it is recommended to put the revised bgl file in scenerygenericscenery. It seems like that will leave both the old and new approaches in there. I don't know if there is a way to stop that. You might want to download some of the jvile files from the library (they are called active ILS and active approach) and disassemble them and see what he did.scott s..

[Guest pcflyer]

Jim Vile was the person who gave me this advise/method on how to do this modification. It was in another FS Forum, but it was Jim nonetheless. Thanks Jim !!!To avoid duplicate ILS approaches, you place the >deleteall approaches tag into the xml code. That instucts MSFS to ignore default ILS approach data and just use the modified data.It works.

[Guest bones]

It's a pity we can't just update the magdec.bgl with current variation..I know this wouldn't change runway ID's but at least it would make sure all the airways, FAT's and holding axis headings were correct.boneshttp://fsaviation.nethttp://www.precisionmanuals.com/images/forum/ng_driver.jpg