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

    • Official Post

    ApfelFlieger: We can't catch all errors a user may make, so there are a few things, the user has to take care of himself. As it stands now, we do not support ICAO codes with less than 4 letters. If an airport has no ICAO code we usually create a 6 digit code from it.

    Aerofly FS always takes user airports first and then the stock airports.

    • Official Post

    Three letter codes are usually the FAA identifiers and not ICAO identifiers. For these put the letter k in front and check it that ICAO code is not already reserved for a different airport. If it is then it's best to leave it away. If it isn't then you can use it. That's how our internal database handles these three letter codes as well.

    admin and Jet-Pack (IPACS)

    Is this the reason why there are duplicate airfields in FS4 in the original FS4 database?

    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

    Wünsch

    I have an tip for the site Aerofly FS Airport Creation Tool (Tips & Tricks)

    There is a way to use runways technically without displaying them visually as artificial runways. This can be desirable if the images of an airfield are so beautiful that an artificial runway would interfere. Examples include grass runways and all runways on snow and water.

    If a runway should not be visible, then the runway width must be set to 0 m. A choice of material is still necessary in this case, but is irrelevant.

    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

    Bonjour

    Peut on ajouter des arbres avec le logiciel comme avec les anciens fichier TOC

    Voir des personnages... etc.

    La liste de tous les objets me serait utile car je fait mon propre éditeur d'aéroport.

    Merci d'avance.

    There are various methods to include objects of all kinds for FS4:

    - In the FS AirportCreationTool, all xref objects that exist in FS4 (and also FSCloudPort) can currently be directly integrated.

    - Other user-created objects can be included in the FS AirportCreationTool if they are converted from FS4-compatible sgi files.

    - Independently of this, trees can also be created as cultivations for FS4 and saved in the "cultivation" folder, as has already been done.

    - With a little trick, FS2 TOC files can also be displayed in parallel with the FS4 files

    - And in some areas there are already automatic cultivations with trees and buildings from FS4.

    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

    General question on static aircraft from someone who knows nothing about airport creation, are there static F/A 18 aircraft models provided by IPACS that could be used for US Navy airfields like KNID China Lake, CA? Asking because my understanding is that the F/A18 is copywrite protected somehow?

    What is the trick to get FS2 TOC files to work in FS4?

    Thanks,

    Todd

    Quote from jayeye2011

    General question on static aircraft from someone who knows nothing about airport creation, are there static F/A 18 aircraft models provided by IPACS that could be used for US Navy airfields like KNID China Lake, CA? Asking because my understanding is that the F/A18 is copywrite protected somehow?

    FS4 provides in the xref folder:

    - F15 USAF

    - F18 NAS

    I also position both machines on my airfields.

    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

    Quote from moxeetwo

    What is the trick to get FS2 TOC files to work in FS4?

    Thanks,

    Todd

    The basic principle is simple and can already be seen by me at various airfields:

    - Create FS4 files as main files with the correct ICAO code.

    - Create FS2 files as secondary files with a different non-ICAO code and add WAD file

    However, there are then sometimes unpleasant parallel effects and error messages which should be avoided and which can also be avoided.

    I will write a FAQ on this, that will be the best thing.

    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

    In the TAP file there is the possibility to manually enter the data from the tower to enable the tower view :) :

    Code
    <[file][][]
    <[tm_airport_pd][][]
        ...
        <[vector2_float64]    [tower_position]    [0.000000 0.000000]>
        <[float64]            [tower_height]      [0.0]>
        <[float64]            [tower_view_height] [0.0]>
        <[float64]            [tower_heading]     [000.0]>
        ...

    Unfortunately, the manual data is deleted during import into FS AirportCreationTool or subsequent export. :(

    admin

    Is it planned to enable this data directly in FS AirportControlTool? :/

    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

    Can you please add the different helipads to the xref-objects?

    However, there is still an error in the FS AirportCreationTool that objects and tamaras do not appear in FS4 for pure heliports. :( As a workaround, a mini-runway can be placed across the helipad, then it works. :/ :S

    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:

    Is there a timeline yet for when the suggestions listed here in the thread will be incorporated into the AirportCreationTool?

    Currently I am manually revising the airfields in the areas FR-BRT, GG, IM and some others to make towerview work there.

    As far as there are good images for the airfields, I also hide the artificial runways and tarmacs and mostly just continue to show the artificial lines, because that often makes sense.

    For runways, however, hiding currently only makes sense if they do not have PAPI. Because hiding runways only works with "[width][0.01]" in connection with "[brightness][0]" and PAPIs slip too close to the runway. This is another reason why it is desirable to be able to position PAPIs manually.

    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

    Unfortunately, the list is still an open point that I must finally tackle.😩

    But in the last few weeks I have been much more interested in how the AirportCreationTool and the TAP files can be used to transfer airfields that already exist for FS2 to FS4. :/ My grandson has written software that feeds the TAP files for FS4 with the data from the TSC and TOC files for FS2. :)

    This makes it quite easy to provide FS2 airfields from FSCloudPort for FS4, for example:

    Step 1: download FS2 airfields from FSCloudPort (ZIP files) and unzip them

    Step 2: create TAP files from this data

    Step 3: create FS4 airfields from the TAP files

    I have tried this out for Norway:

    • Step 1:
      81 of the 120 Norwegian airfields in FSCloudPort are not included in FS4. It took 30 minutes to synchronise, download and unzip these 81 airfields (146.6 MB).
    • Step 2:
      The TAP files (0.6 MB) were then created within a few seconds.
    • Step 3:
      81 airfields for FS4 (2.4 MB) were also created within a few seconds.

    And you were ready to fly.

    After step 3, the airfields in FS4 have the standard of FS2 and should still be optically reprocessed: 8)

    • The surfaces of the runways have an identical default value for all airfields.
      => The appearance of the runways must still be individualised.
    • The individual buildings appear in addition to the buildings supplied in FS4.
      => Under the individual buildings tarmacs have to be added to hide the standard buildings.
    • The towers are aligned in the direction of 90°.
      => The alignments still have to be individualised.
    • The parkin positions are maximised by the dimensions.
      => The dimensions still have to be individualised.
    • In general, of course, the additional design options in FS4 are missing, which also have to be customised:
      - tarmacs
      - lines.

    To do this comfortably, the TAP files from step 2 still have to be uploaded into the AirportCreationTool. In my test, this took another 10 minutes.😓

    All in all, airfields can now be converted from FS2 to FS4 on a larger scale.😄

    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

    Edited once, last by ApfelFlieger (August 26, 2023 at 12:30 AM).

    Gladly, now they just need to be made a little pretty. :)

    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