Aerofly FS airport creation tool ( early alpha version, work in progress )

  • admin

    The new tool is a good thing and sufficient for most applications. :)

    For me, however, manual entries are not superfluous. And for this purpose I have compiled all the information in a template file, which I am attaching as a TXT and as a PDF.

    I would be pleased if IPACS could tell us about the other possibilities not yet included in it. :)

  • Dear Aerofly FS Users,

    we have been busy in the past months to work on a tool to create your own airport for Aerofly FS.

    We now have an online tool available for testing purposes. It allows you to create an airport for Aerofly FS using a web browser. If you are interested in trying it out and giving us feedback, let us know. The amount of users is limited that we can accept and we recommend you only contact us if you have done airports using FSCP in the past, the workflow is somewhat similar.

    Please note, this is so far the online tool only. The resulting file you get is not the actual airport for Aerofly FS, it is required to run through a converter program on a PC computer, so for now a Windows PC is required as well. This tool is not yet published as we would first like to get some feedback with the online tool first.

    If you are interested and have done airports for our previous products in the past, please drop us an email at mail(at)ipacs.de.

    Hi. Can I create a custom airport for Aerofly Mobile with this? As the tme file can be made right with the SDK?

  • admin

    I have just found a functional error at the PHNL airfield:

    • If the ICAO code is entered in lower case (<[stringt8c][icao][phnl]>), the aerodrome does not work properly :thumbdown:
    • If the ICAO code is entered in upper case (<[stringt8c][icao][PHNL]>), the aerodrome works correctly. :thumbup:

    => I find it best if upper and lower case letters are not important in the ICAO-code line.

    => Alternatively, the entry should only be possible in capital letters.

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries

  • admin

    I tried a little more with the upper and lower case of the ICAO code. With that, I noticed something else:

    (1) In FS4, in order to function correctly

    - (1a) on the one hand, all folder and file names should contain only lower case letters,

    - (1b) on the other hand, the ICAO code in the tap file should consist of upper case letters.

    (2) At the same time, the tap file in the tool automatically takes the spelling from the ICAO field as the file name.

    => Thus (2) creates a contradiction between (1a) and (1b). :(

    => However, this can easily be solved in the programming. :)

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries

  • admin

    Using IM0005 (Nobles Hospital Heliport, Isle of Man) as an example, I noticed that when there are only heliports, FS4 does not show tarmacs and lines. :/

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries

  • Interesting mistake:

    If you select "Hole" as the material for a runway, the result is a runway "made of glass" and you see the landscape one level lower. :)

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries

  • Interesting mistake:

    If you select "Hole" as the material for a runway, the result is a runway "made of glass" and you see the landscape one level lower. :)

    Interesting indeed...so could I create a runway using 'Hole" and texture it as water? Does AFS4 mesh have any bathymetric data?
    I have FS4 but not the new SDK, otherwise I would try it myself.

    Prost, Mike.

  • I had the same thought, but all attempts lead to mistakes. If one of the intended materials is not selected in the tap file for a runway (i.e. empty or fantasy name), the "glass plate" appears and you can look "one deck lower". :(

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries

  • Hi ipacs team,

    I managed to add a first custom object to the scene however the orientation seems to be off.

    In the FS2 tsc file you could specify 'orientation':

    Example :

    <[tmsimulator_scenery_object][element][1]

    <[string8][type][object]>

    <[string8][geometry][EBUL-Loods_1-2]>

    <[vector3_float64][position][3.4585207332 51.1379625391 0]>

    <[float64][orientation][-142.489357]>

    <[int32][autoheight_override][-1]>

    >

    So I added the following to the tap file using 'direction' I found in the helipad description.

    <[tm_airport_pd_custom_model][element][1]

    <[string8][type][object]>

    <[string8][name][EBUL-Loods_1-2]>

    <[vector2_float64][position][3.4585207332 51.1379625391]>

    <[float64][direction][-142.489357]>

    <[string8][coordinate_system][lonlat]>

    >

    Is this the correct way?

    Is the sequence of lines of any importance?

    Apparently, the new FS4 converter has problems with converting non-square textures where as the FS2 converter didn't complain.


    I also noticed the converter generates only one (big) tmb file with a the name of the airport. Correct?

    Thanks for your help.

    Edited once, last by svdm (March 22, 2023 at 6:08 PM).

  • Hello community,

    The problems with helicopter-only landing pads are well known and will be rectified.

    The use of the "hole" material for runways is not intendedand therefore leads to the "glassy" runways.

    The "Custom Model" element in the TAP file does not have a ROTATION / ORIENTATION option. It is not intended to be rotated. The purpose of this block is not to add a single model to the airport. It is intended to implement a whole scene into the airport. For example, a whole complex of buildings like the terminals at large international airports. This allows you to add unique or complex buildings. When the Xref-buildings are not enough. Simply put, the "Custom Model" combines the TAP scenery with a TGI scenery

    greetings

    Wünsch

    Edited once, last by Wünsch (March 23, 2023 at 5:27 PM).

  • ...

    The use of the "hole" material for runways is not foreseen and therefore leads to the "glassy" runways.

    ...

    A "transparent" material variant for the runways is desirable, so that runways can be created which then show the underlying image.

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries

  • HI ipacs team,

    I managed to get my custom objects of the EBUL airport as one big block in the scene however certain objects are flying really high in the sky.

    When I check these items the are made at ground level.

    As they are road signs, they are located next to the runway in the grass. That might be the reason why the auto height calculation might get confused. Anything I can do about this on my side? On the other hand the trees seem to be at correct height....

    I have added the modified tap file. Other files are too big :(

    Thanks for any feedback!

    Stefan

  • Dear Wünsch,

    Every sign is one object. Of course I have multiple sign objects in the scene. As suggested I have combined all individual objects (250 pcs) to one big combined TGI file all nicely leveled at ground and added it to the tap file. I noticed some buildings where partly hidden in the ground as well until I added a road (tarmac) in front of it..... The complete scene used to work perfect in AF FS2 added as auto-leveled individual objects.

    I have added the sign object as an example. (just remove the txt extension)

    The complete scene unfortunately is too big to be uploaded.

    Is there asle a reason why the new FS4 converter complains about non square textures? eg. 1024 x 512.

    I hope this helps.

    Rgds

    Stefan

  • obj file: seems to be broken, .txt removed, cannot import into Blender or C4d or open with 3D Paint.

    Which 3d-program do you use?

    I'd like to get all signs in one scene, no textures needed. I can use FBX DAE OBJ

    getting a single sign still is better then nothing to check on.

    or maybe a screenshot of your editor, with coordinates of the objects

    As for textures, many devices do not support non-quad textures, so we no longer support them to avoid bugs and crashes on all devices running Aerofly.

  • Hi

    I'm having some small issues with the small airfields i'm creating

    LPSC:

    The center of this airfield on the map is a bit to the right of the proper airfield. I tried to change the ‘model_center’ value manually in the TAP file, but it doesn’t change, on the map

    Plus, the helipad is not showing inside the sim


    LPSR:

    In this airfield, I added some parking spots, but in the Location menu of the sim, when selecting one of this parking spots, I don’t get the options for ‘ready for taxi’, ‘before engine’ start and ‘cold and dark’ on the side panel

    Also, there are some buildings belonging to the airfield that I added, but those buildings are already present on the cultivation, so I have buildings overlapping. Is there any way to exclude those cultivation buildings, and replace them with the ones I placed?


    LP0048:

    This one is a small dirt airstrip. The problem is it’s not showing on the sim at all


    Here are the TAP files:

    LPSC.tap.txt lpsr.tap.txt LP0048.tap.txt


    Any help is appreciated. Thanks a lot

    Nuno Felix

  • Hi

    I'm having some small issues with the small airfields i'm creating

    LPSC:

    The center of this airfield on the map is a bit to the right of the proper airfield. I tried to change the ‘model_center’ value manually in the TAP file, but it doesn’t change, on the map

    In my experience, there are these influences:

    • FS4 has an internal database in which LPSC already exists.
      If LPSC is now set up as a customer aerodrome, the data is also read from the internal database. This can be seen, for example, in the fact that the displayed aerodrome name is not necessarily the one from the tap file but the one from the internal file.
    • In order to activate manually entered data in the tool, the airfield must first be deleted in the tool and then imported again. Unfortunately, this does not always work.

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries

  • A general recommendation for the aerodrome names is to dispense with all special characters typical of the country. There are always cases where letters such as ö, ô, ò, ó etc. are used. cause difficulties.

    ...

    LPSC:

    Plus, the helipad is not showing inside the sim

    ...

    Heliports are only shown in FS4 if I have selected a helicopter as the aircraft.

    In addition, park positions are only shown if the selected aircraft also fits on them in terms of size (this does not currently apply to helicopters).

    Quote

    ...

    LPSR:

    In this airfield, I added some parking spots, but in the Location menu of the sim, when selecting one of this parking spots, I don’t get the options for ‘ready for taxi’, ‘before engine’ start and ‘cold and dark’ on the side panel

    ...

    Can the aircraft you have selected also do the three modes? I'll have a look at your tap files in a moment.

    Quote

    ...

    LPSR:

    Also, there are some buildings belonging to the airfield that I added, but those buildings are already present on the cultivation, so I have buildings overlapping. Is there any way to exclude those cultivation buildings, and replace them with the ones I placed?

    To suppress FS4's own buildings and plants, you have to use Tamaras - works great.

    I put my buildings first and then see if I only put tamaras under the buildings or connect several.

    Quote

    ...

    LP0048:

    This one is a small dirt airstrip. The problem is it’s not showing on the sim at all

    ...

    I'll have a look

    Tschüss, Michael (🍎🚁)

    Configurations:

    - MacBook Pro (16", 2021); Chip: Apple M1 Max; actual macOS || Thrustmaster TCA AIRBUS EDITION: 1x Sidestick, 2x Quadrant, 2x Quadrant Add-On || Pro-Flight-Trainer PUMA X

    - iPad (12,9", 4th Generation, RAM: 6 GB); actual iOS || nimbus steelseries