AI oriented afcads - useful or not?

Ford Friendly · Post by **Ford Friendly** » 10 Jan 2009, 04:26

I've noted with some interest the number of downloads of my Iranian afcads and am curious about how they are being received by those who have downloaded and installed them. That is, are they useful? Are they of (only) limited use?

Is the fact that they have been created according to FSX-based wingspan specifications and FSX-based afcad requirements a problem - or has that even been identified/realized?

Is anyone planning on using these as a basis for further modification/upgrading of your sim?

Has anyone decided to make use of these in terms of a flightplan-package - even if only for yourself?

Part of the reason that I ask is that I'm through with the biggest/most used airbases in Iran and was wondering if I should (consider) continue doing this type of "release"/offering for other places I've been playing with in my sim given my "I'm not making these to fly into here" and my "offered without support" attitude?

(I'm looking at "doing" Turkmenistan, Pakistan, India and a few other areas/countries in that region next.)

By the way, happy birthday to THE KING (Elvis) - belatedly! (It was yesterday!)

VulcanDriver · Post by **VulcanDriver** » 10 Jan 2009, 06:11

I'm collecting them and I will do any changes that are needed to the parking for use in FS9. I'm also going to add scenery. I am putting together package for my use.

Thanks for them as it saves me a job of doing them myself!

Much appreciated.

Firebird · Post by **Firebird** » 10 Jan 2009, 08:37

I am exactly the same as John here. I haven't had a chance to try them out, but I have colleted for when get around to it.

Ford Friendly · Post by **Ford Friendly** » 11 Jan 2009, 03:47

No other comments?
Interesting.

Ford Friendly · Post by **Ford Friendly** » 13 Jan 2009, 19:11

Ok. I guess I won't be getting any additional feedback on that question...

Rather than start another thread, let me ask this.

Anyone else been doing military ai-related afcads for Malaysia, Burma, Laos or Pakistan?
The Royal Pakistan AF is a bit difficult to cover because I can't find a complete list of their bases/airport use.

CelticWarrior · Post by **CelticWarrior** » 13 Jan 2009, 19:23

I usually use others' AFCADs, if only in case I go somewhere, in which case I like to see other traffic around. I am only interested in AFCADs which are designed for AI use.

CelticWarrior · Post by **CelticWarrior** » 13 Jan 2009, 19:24

Ford Friendly wrote:Anyone else been doing military ai-related afcads for Malaysia, Burma, Laos or Pakistan?

Nope, I'm mooching around the Gulf states at the moment

Ford Friendly · Post by **Ford Friendly** » 13 Jan 2009, 19:31

Which ones are you "missing"?

CelticWarrior · Post by **CelticWarrior** » 13 Jan 2009, 19:51

The ones I haven't got around to updating

I'm just going from airfield to airfield and creating/modifying as I go. I have no plan.

So far I've adapted for FSX the MAIW OMDM, completely redone OMSJ, modified someone else's OMDB and creating from scratch OMAM.

I'm going to release OMSJ and OMAM when I'm happy with them.

Ford Friendly · Post by **Ford Friendly** » 13 Jan 2009, 20:01

CelticWarrior wrote:The ones I haven't got around to updating

I'm just going from airfield to airfield and creating/modifying as I go. I have no plan.

So far I've adapted for FSX the MAIW OMDM, completely redone OMSJ, modified someone else's OMDB and creating from scratch OMAM.

I'm going to release OMSJ and OMAM when I'm happy with them.

Sounds like what I started doing. Even a big airport like OMAM or Ramstein doesn't take long now - for just the afcad at least. I've gotten fairly efficient to the point of having completely redone the Ramstein afcad I was using in a little under 30 minutes - based on an imported Google image.

CelticWarrior · Post by **CelticWarrior** » 13 Jan 2009, 20:03

Ford Friendly wrote: I've gotten fairly efficient to the point of having completely redone the Ramstein afcad I was using in a little under 30 minutes - based on an imported Google image.

Wish I could say the same, it takes me days

Ford Friendly · Post by **Ford Friendly** » 13 Jan 2009, 20:51

Try this.
1. Open Google to the appropriate location.
....Zoom to create an appropriate image - either of the entire base or
..........just a fraction.
....Save the image and DO NOT MOVE/click in the Google window.

2. Open AFX/ADE.
.....Open the appropriate afcad if existing/Create a refernece point if NEW.
....Insert Image as Background
.......Calibrate - unless you can use GEOTIFFs in ADE, get your coords simply by hovering the cursor over each side of the Google window's image boundary. The coords are in the bottom left --- move back and forth to find the decimal number for seconds.
......Enter the top/bottom/left/right coords for the image.

3. SAVE THE AFCAD.

4. In AFX/ADE place the image behind the runways (in the background so you can draw on it). Adjust the contrast of the image (in Lists/Background Images if using AFX) so you can see it better. 5mins max

5. Order of creation -
5A...Runway - make length 4000 feet, width 100 feet regardless of actual desired length/width for ease of observation/manipulation
........get it oriented correctly
..................draw a guidleine down the center for reference for after you cover the image's runway.
.................. - true heading is what is represented in the image, you only need to worry about the magnetic variation for the reference point (later)
.......once oriented correctly, adjust the length. <1 min
5B SAVE NOW

5C...Main Taxiway. - draw a guideline for the longest runs possible (this will help keep the taxiway straight later when you make intersections)
........Now draw the longest taxiway possible - get the width from Google measurement tool.
.......Complete that taxiway by drawing sections which were not "in straight lines" < 1 min

5D...Connect main taxiway to runway - draw them in directly( and with proper width if you know that already - if not, leave adjusting the width for later)

5E...Major Secondary taiways - draw these in directly <2 mins

5F SAVE NOW

Notice that I haven't concerned myself with drawing the "big surfaces" or small circular parking areas - yet. The key is to get the backbone in, get it in quickly and get it in accurately.

Decision time
Are you going to use vehicle paths, ignore them or just draw them in? If you are going to use them, draw the routes that will not cross or be on parking areas now.

Reminder - polygons, runways, taxiways and apronways do adjust elevation on their own. Vehicle routes do not seem to in FSX. (If draw as a polygon or as a taxiway, they will.)

Now and only now do I start looking at parking and how to implement it.
In some cases, I go for accuracy and simply draw apronways on top of the image. In other cases, I make up my own paths. Either way, I don't put in a single parking spot until I have basically completed the "aircraft routing network".

If you haven't already, make parking templates for various aircraft/aircraft types. For instance, I made a type just for fighters that has a FSX-based wingspan entry rather than the AFX default or the FS9 standard. In doing so, you can micromanage the sizes of parking spots to your heart's content while making point and click parking assignments much more time-efficient.

Situate the parking spots - point and click ~4-10 mins

SAVE NOW

Connect parking spots to apronways/taxiways as appropriate. <2 mins

SAVE NOW

90% of the afcad is now complete.

Drag the entire network and parking out of the way.
Draw the "big flat parking areas" using polygons now.
Draw the irregularly shaped and circular parking spots.
Drag the entire network back on top of the polygons - using the image for proper alignment.
< 2 mins

SAVE NOW

98% done.

The remaining 2% is up to you. Add whatever other features desired.
Adjust runway markings, comms, lighting, etc for accuracy.

SAVE NOW

Start FSX with AFX/ADE running alongside. Slew around and create the exclusion rectangles you need.
<1 min

Done

Like I said, I re-did Ramstein in under half an hour using this technique.
Add in half an hour or so (max) for SBuilderX work and things can be really customized for your own setup. The one BIG thing I use SBuilderX for, for which I have no other solution, is to change/eliminate the grassy area for existing afcads (technically the airport boundary). This often results in my having to also replace a flatten, but SBuilderX does that too.

Remember, this sequence is "for speed" not for 100% accuracy.

I hope this is useful.

Edited to add:
I have sometimes foudn that it is easier to use multiple images within AFX than one large one. The disadvantage is the time it takes to save, import and calibrate them.

Keith Jones · Post by **Keith Jones** » 14 Jan 2009, 23:49

Thanks, FF. I found that tutorial most useful.

Ford Friendly · Post by **Ford Friendly** » 15 Jan 2009, 00:37

You're quite welcome.

An alternate method, if using SBuilderX, is to create a photo bgl of the area, activate it (temporarily placing it in Addon Scenery\scenery) and then link AFX to FSX and draw the airfield network and hardstand areas using Preview in FS (in AFX) and a top down view in FS. The advantage here is that the image is absolutely correctly "calibrated"!
-----This alternative method requires more knowledge/a greater comfort level with a different tool and with the AFX/FSX combination than the earlier post but can be more accurate results-wise if that's what you are going for --- rather than speed.------