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Question for the experts!!!

WND

WND

Charter Member
I would like to create my own "private" strip however I know absolutely NOTHING about making scenery etc. :redf:

I know what the co-ordinates would be, I know what the elevation above sea level would be, I know what the runway orientation would be, and I know what I would like to have included in it but other than that I'm lost!!!

I thank you in advance for any idea's, direction or whatever and look forward to any / all comments..

Bill
 
I made a private airstrip once just using AFCAD to lay out a grass runway on a flat spot in FS.
 
Thanks Willy - At this point I wouldn't even mind a grass strip!!! :icon_lol:

Again tho, I've never dealt with AFCAD so I wouldn't even know where to begin...

Are there any programs out there that I can get my hands on that aren't too difficult?
 
AFCAD is about as easy as it can get, give it a try, you'll have that laid out in no time. I mean, really easy. Really. And it has a very well docuemented help file that is a mini tutorial as well.
 
One problem with AFCAD is if your ground mesh is unlevel. It won't level out anything and you'll need to find some program to make a flatten flie with and also an exclude file to keep the autogen out.

As I said, I just laid out a runway on a flat spot near Boulder CO.
 
Willy said:
One problem with AFCAD is if your ground mesh is unlevel. It won't level out anything and you'll need to find some program to make a flatten flie with and also an exclude file to keep the autogen out.

As I said, I just laid out a runway on a flat spot near Boulder CO.
Click to expand...

One of Opa's help files states that taxiways will flatten the ground. So you make a taxiway along side the runway and slide it underneath. I tried it and it does work.
 
Yep.. You can also make 'invisible' taxi ways (like 1 inch wide or less) and place them around the area. That will flatten the airfield.


WND,

Grab a cup of coffee and sit down and read through the tutorial on using AFCAD.

Next, open a airfield you fly at, and just check it out in AFCAD mode.

Some tips;

* You can have FS9 running, select 'Lock to Sim' in AFCAD, and where ever your plane is on the airport, it will be a small cross hair on the airfield in AFCAD. Thus, you can go (slew) your plane to where you want a taxiway or building or tarmac edge, then Alt-Tab over to AFCAD and mark the area with a tiny pink x marker, then after marking your various coordinates, then go back in and create Tarmac zones, taxi-ways, etc. You can also untick your 'Lock to Sim' anytime you want.

* Double clicking on the edges of things like your runways, taxiways, tarmacs, grass fields, etc, brings up their Preferences for that item/object. You can then change the area to 'grass, gravel, etc...', set up lights, no lights, dashed lines, etc, etc, etc.


AFCAD is an amazing program. One brilliant, super easy, powerful editor. Take your time and learn the basics and you will fall in love with that program. You'll be redoing and creating airfields all over the place.


Then, when you get your airfields the way you want them, get a Object installer program like Rwy12 and place some hangers and things in there. Cars, trees, Tower, etc.

Then you'll have your new home-away-from-home airfield.. All yours. :d



Bill
 
When I've got AFCAD locked to FS, I put FS in the top down view mode. Makes things more comparable between the two programs. Also helps when using your aircraft in FS to plot out building edges in AFCAD.
 
This sounds like a good idea creating your own airport or enhancing a FS default airport.
 
Wow, what a cool thread, I have just downloaded AFCAD 2.21 and will have to go check out a spot for a nice regional airport by the sea or lake so I have the option of a seaplane as well.

that RWY12 looks OK to place objects but I will have to give it a go, nice to have a project now I am finely well enough and back at work.
 
I went and downloaded RWY12 object placer and library. Having fun with this program.
 
EVERYONE:

Thanks for all the great responses :applause: I appreciate it!! The reason I haven't been on since I responded to Willy around 14:00 is because I DID go out and download AFCAD 2.21 and I must say I've been having a ball with it!!!

Got the runway done, parking areas, lights, ILS (I like flying instruments), NDB - problem I have now is I keep going back and "tweaking" things!! lol

Now I'll go get the program to do hangars etc.... I also got to figure out how to get rid of a couple trees!!!!

I'll keep ya all posted - again thanks a million to all for all your tips....

Bill

 
Thats it Bill get well educated and figure out how to make a flatten. I used SBuilder and made my own Island a few weeks ago and now I need to add a Flatten to it so I can put my Airport in.
 
Everybody's making their own airstrip? will be interesting to see what people have created
 
I took mine out a while back meaning to redo it. Then got to messing with other stuff and forgot all about it until now. Guess I need to go revisit it.
 
Made a airstrip and got it level with the ground to look at but the plane sits around 3 foot up in the air, got VOZ 1.8 installed so I think there maybe some sort of mesh thing at work. might have to go to another country and give it a shot LOL
 
AusWilko said:
Wow, what a cool thread, I have just downloaded AFCAD 2.21 and will have to go check out a spot for a nice regional airport by the sea or lake so I have the option of a seaplane as well.

that RWY12 looks OK to place objects but I will have to give it a go, nice to have a project now I am finely well enough and back at work.
Click to expand...

If you want a land and water runway they have to be at the same elevation. I have found it easier to make two adjacent airports so the water can be at a lower elevation.
 
Terry said:
If you want a land and water runway they have to be at the same elevation. I have found it easier to make two adjacent airports so the water can be at a lower elevation.
Click to expand...

Make sure the runway elevation is the same as your airport elevation. Sometimes they aren't....for whatever reason.
 
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