Newest free airport scenery - KOMK located in Washington state - and surrounding high def scenery - by Rodeo

    Quote from Oldar

    How long does it take you to add a runway, without all of the other things? It looks hard to me whenever I look at trying it lol. Tell me it's not so hard after the first time and I will try again!

    Hello Oldar,

    If your question was directed to me, it takes a matter of minutes to copy an existing runway and objects. I create a folder in /places for the new runway/airport then copy an existing folder with all the files and then rename it to my new location. Another 15 minutes or so editing the tsc file with the new airport name and lat/lon.

    Sometimes it can be done in 10 minutes, other times may take an hour or so to rotate the runway for the new alignment and move the objects around to suit the new location. I use google maps to add the new runway locations (lat/lon). If this is in the middle of nowhere it can be very time consuming with a lot of guesses. If you are adding runway at an existing airport it is super easy, especially if you are overlaying an existing runway

    Usually, I am adding a longer runway to handle the Learjet so one end is easy and the other end may require several tries to get it close. Once it is close enough for a location or approaches you can decide how accurate you would like it. I like mine on the numbers for takeoff. I usually add one or two parking spaces.

    The only draw back to this quick and dirty method is the runway template can't be changed so if you have a runway identified as 17/35, for example, then that is part of the runway paint until we find an easy method of changing it. One thing you can do is just don't add the runway paint at all, just have a long piece of concrete. I personally like the dotted white center line and the edge lines so a lot of my makeshift runways have the wrong number.

    I copied Rodeo's example airport - Omak to Brewster, just down the river, and moved all the objects as a group to the end of the runway so not to interfere with existing airport buildings. The runway length is only slightly longer than the existing runway there.

    I then copied that folder to Wenatchee airport and did an overlay of a closed runway which is super easy to do. You just have to make sure none of the objects (buildings, hangars, planes, etc) don't end up blocking another runway or taxiway.

    I realize the purist would probable throw up if they looked closely at this work, but I enjoy flying in these new areas and I already have a pocketful of licenses and ratings so I'm not as critical about some of the details. After all, I am out flying at these new airports when they are doing other things.

    If you would like to give this a try, start a conversation with me and I will feed you all the info you need. After all, I learned everything I know about this from Rodeo and Walt W. and I knew absolutely nothing at the start. ;)8o8|

    Regards,

    Ray

    Hey Oldar,

    I didn't even mention that you usually need to enhance the scenery for these new areas. I learned just enough about GeoConvert to make new scenery areas rather quickly to see if I like the area. If I do, I go back and redo it, usually as a smaller area, but higher resolution.

    Sometime I like one of my new airports so much that I do just of opposite of what the scenery builders do - I change the landscape with GIMP to remove street, road, buildings, etc that interfere with my new airport or runway expansion. This is quite easy to do, it just depends or how accurate you want the finished product to be.

    All this is for my personal use, so usually no one complains about the details.

    Regards,

    Ray

    Here is my start in the PNW. :)

    Regards,

    Ray

    Quote from Oldar

    I have been upgrading the areas in geoconvert and putting in quick and dirty airports for months, but I want to move to the next level now, in baby steps at least.

    Rodeo's latest would be a good start. Do you have AC3D software?

    Regards,

    Ray

    I don't know. The DVD edition is detail is just being disseminated. Check back in a couple of weeks and I will see what I can do for you.

    I just turned the corner on the river below Rock Island and will finalize a first look at Ellensburg tonight.

    Regards,

    Ray

    Hi all,

    as Dave suggested, I will publish my construction material for you.

    So if you have AC3D and want to see how the project was done, you may download it from this link:

    KOMK Omak Construction by Rodeo

    Enjoy Aerofly FS 2!

    Rodeo

    Thanks so very much, Rodeo. I am hoping I can master just the 'runway decai' modification.

    Your chosen runway for KOMK is of good width and length, easily portable, as is, and can be rotated with ease. If we can just change the runway numbers then many of us less talented users can have significant increased enjoyment. There must be a roomful of users that yearn to have nothing more than a single runway at a place of their choosing.

    :P

    Regards,

    Ray

    You are welcome Ray!


    Step by step manual for changing the runway numbers:

    Press F8.

    Switch off everything except the omak_decal group.

    Switch selection mode to surface.

    Click on the runway number box.

    Press F10 and shift the box to the new number.

    Switch selection mode to group.

    Select omak_decal group.

    File - Export to IPACS TGI, name it omak_decal.

    Run content_converter_config.tmc by right click.

    Rodeo 8)

    This is my goal for the day. As soon as I finish breakfast I am going to perform the step by step. Thanks a million for all your work, and especially these special "how to" tutorials. 8o

    Regards,

    Ray

    Quote from Jetjockey10

    Thanks so very much, Rodeo. I am hoping I can master just the 'runway decai' modification.

    Your chosen runway for KOMK is of good width and length, easily portable, as is, and can be rotated with ease. If we can just change the runway numbers then many of us less talented users can have significant increased enjoyment. There must be a roomful of users that yearn to have nothing more than a single runway at a place of their choosing.

    :P

    Regards,

    Ray

    Precisely my attitude!

    OK Gang. I am now a certified steely-eyed runway decal changer. It was not easy to get started but once Rodeo figured out what was not right on my pc, and then showed me how to change the runway numbers in the decal file - twice, I was almost able to do it unassisted.

    A couple of things you might want to do if you are using a clone of the OMAK runway and just changing the runway numbers. Make a new folder for the new runway numbers so you don't overwrite the original. Also, you need to decide if your taxiway is on your left or right when you decide to change the runway numbers.

    Once you can whiz thru the changes, you may want to make folders for your new runways. All you need is the one file - omak_decal.tmb - copied to your new runway folder. I have folders named rwy7, rwy25, etc. depending on which side the taxiway in on.

    Fun stuff.

    Don't forget that you need to edit your converter tmc file to have the proper path for the completed tmb file. I think Rodeo's 9 steps need to have inserted between the File Export and Run Content Converter a line that says Edit your content_converter_config.tmc file (for the correct output name and full path).

    Next step will be to learn how to modify the length and width of the runway, then the color and texture, then the width of the strips, then the number font . . . .

    Good thing we have Rodeo looking after us. :P

    Regards,

    Ray

    Quote from Jetjockey10

    Next step will be to learn how to modify the length and width of the runway, then the color and texture, then the width of the strips, then the number font . . . .


    Good thing we have Rodeo looking after us.

    Good thing we have Orbx doing this for us with FTX Netherlands! 8o;)

    I have been making simple airports by creating tmc files with just the basic runway data, and using the graphics from FSET and Geoconvert set to 14 or 15 to get usably functional runway graphics. The only thing that bothers me is the uneven, rolling nature of the runways. Is there a way to just make the area of an airport flat without having to import any other graphics? I am sure that I am missing something, but I can't see that step in the tutorials. I know it must be in there, but I don't see it. :(

    Just being able to do that would make me happy for a long time.

    Oldar,

    I don't think so. I think the next best thing would be to have a pack of generic runways ready to add to our custom scenery.

    I think what we need maybe 10 or 12 runways of various lengths, widths and colors. If we had that we could drop in a "close enough" sized runway and set the orientation and lat/lon position and complete enough of the tsc file to have it appear in the Location screen with a name. We could add a parking space and then we would have a functionally smooth runway for takeoff, landings, and approaches.

    That is what I like about Rodeo's latest airport tutorial. The runway is 4,500 feet or so, plenty wide and comes with a full taxiway. It is totally portable and can be relocated in less than an hour. Now we can even adjust the runway numbers, maybe.

    Regards,

    Ray