This is an old revision of the document!
Table of Contents
Aircraft Definition
An Aerofly FS 2 aircraft is defined in plain text files, more specifically a description .tmc file and several .tmd definition files. They can be edited with the recommended text editors. The 'aircraftname.tmd' file contains the main definition of an aircraft as is referred to as 'THE' tmd file. It describes the aircraft as a collection of objects that can have different attributes and connections to each other in an object-oriented approach. Each object in the definition serves a simple purpose but connected to other objects aircraft complexity is created.
Aircraft Folder
All individual aircraft are located in a folder called aircraft which is located either in the installation folder of the Aerofly FS 2 for all default aircraft or in the user folder for all custom made aircraft. Inside that aircraft folder there are individual sub-folders for each aircraft. These sub-folders, (e.g. aircraft\a320) contain all the files needed for an aircraft. They can be divided into two groups: the 3D model and the aircraft definition.
File Types
An aircraft in Aerofly FS 2 is defined by the files contained in one folder. The folder's name is the internal aircraft name. In the following, we will use xxxx for this internal name. There are no sub-folders except for the repaints. Aerofly FS 2 and the Aircraft Converter use the following files:
| Intermediate folder | Aerofly FS 2 aircraft folder | Description |
| xxxx.tgi | Binary 3D model file created by the export plugins for 3D Studio Max or Cinema 4D. | |
| xxxx.tmb | Binary 3D model that contains information like the vertex positions, texture coordinates, and material/texture assignments. Generated by the converter from the .tgi file. | |
| xxxx.tmc | xxxx.tmc | Description file of the aircraft that contains the text shown in the aircraft menu together with the preview image. Also contains parameters to change the initialization of the aircraft: the orientation how the aircraft is placed on the runway, the maximum and minimum airspeed, landing speed and maximum altitude. |
| xxxx.tmd | xxxx.tmd | Defines camera positions, the complete physics definition of the aircraft including engine and aerodynamic parameters, logic circuits, electrical systems, fuel systems and so on, as well as the graphics animation and sound definition. |
| xxxx_takeoff.tmd xxxx_clean.tmd xxxx_landing.tmd | xxxx_takeoff.tmd xxxx_clean.tmd xxxx_landing.tmd | Used to set certain dynamics parameters that should be different from the standard values in the 'xxxx.tmd' for different aircraft configurations. When placed on the runway the takeoff configuration is set. Landing configuration is set when an approach location is selected, clean configuration otherwise. |
| controls.tmd | Defines positions and sizes where interaction with the mouse or VR controllers is possible. | |
| .bmp .tif .png | Source texture files. Must be square power-of-two bitmaps. BMPs 24 bit RGB only. TIF and PNG RGB or RGBA. Bump maps can use 16 / 48 bit to avoid terracing. | |
| .ttx | Converted and compressed texture files | |
| preview_xxxx.png | Preview file rendered by the converter | |
| preview.ttx | Compressed preview texture for aircraft menu | |
| repaint.tmr | repaint.tmr | Repaint or livery description file defining the repaint's name in the user interface. |
| .wav | Source sound file. Must be PCM 22050 Hz mono | |
| .tsb | Converted sound files that are created from .wav files by the converter tool. | |
| model.tmc | Configuration file for aircraft conversion. Used to set non-default values for texture sizes, bump map strength and texture parameters if necessary. |
The '.tgi', '.tmc' and '.tmd' files must have the same name as the folder / must use the aircraft's internal name, in our case 'xxxx.tgi', 'xxxx.tmc' and 'xxxx.tmd'.